28 HUGE SHIPS
FLY OVER CITY
Planes Pass Here Enroute to
Air Maneuvers at Dayton
Field.
MARION IS “BOMBARDED”
Business Section Is Target
for Cotton Missiles Dropped
by Pilots.
Thoughts of Marionites this morning were directed to the aerial sham battle centering around Fairfield Air Depot at Dayton this morning when 28 large army bombers flew over the city on their way to the Dayton field.
Drop Two “Bombs”
The bombers demonstrated their skill, and a the same time left Marionites a souvenir of the event by dropping two large cotton “bombs” in the yard of the St. Paul’s Episcopal church at Center and High streets and in front of the H. Schaffner Furniture Co. The “bombs” were a yard long, four inches in diameter, and carried the brief message, “”Second bombardment group, United States Army, Langley Field, Va.” One of the souvenirs is now in possession of Rev. S.. S. Hardy, pastor of the St. Paul’s church.
One of the huge bombers, weighing two tons without a load, was landed on Marion airport by Lt. J. M. Armond and his crew of three men from Columbus this morning. They had flown north to meet the other 27 bound for the Dayton port from Cleveland where they had sent the night. Met by strong headwinds, the planes moved slowly over the city. All were Keystone bombers. B-3-A, similar to the plane which landed here.
Get Battle Details
Meantime, exacting training flights to accustom pilots and squadron commanders with maneuver they will execute in their “defense” of Chicago and the east were on the schedule for the army air corps massed at Fairfield Air Depot at Dayton today, according to Associated Press dispatches. Marion, on the northeastern fringe of the “battle area” may see a part of the maneuvers.
Four hundred combat planes were ordered in the air over various parts of Ohio during the afternoon. Columbus was designated as the eastern boundary line for the training flights, Cincinnati as the southern, and Indianapolis as the western boundary.
During the morning two pursuit squadrons of the 36th Air Squadron, Selfridge Field, Mich., and the 95th Squadron of the 20th Pursuit Group were designated to go through maneuvers with bombers and attack groups to determine which squadron should be given an unnamed mission. Both squadrons are commanded by World War Aces, the former by Capt. Victor Strahn and the latter by Capt. Frank Hunter.
Several ships of the second bombardment group which were forced to put up at distant cities last night were expected today.
Ninety-nine national guard planes arrived from eastern states last night.
Governor George White will leave Port Columbus late today by airplane for Dayton, where he will observe the army air maneuvers. The governor will be accompanied by Adjutant General Frank D. Henderson, Federal Judge Benson W. Hough and Major Thomas J. Herbert, O. N. G.

From The Marion Star dated May 16, 1931

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