1914-Continued

sailed for Mexican waters to assist in military opera-

tions at Veracruz, Mexico.

22 April The Bureau of Navigation approved formal

courses of instruction for student aviators and student

mechanics at the Flying School at Pensacola, Fla.

25 April On the first flight by the Mississippi (BB 23)

aviation unit at Veracruz, Mexico, Lieutenant (jg)

Patrick N. 1. Bellinger piloted the AB-3 flying boat to

observe the city and make a preliminary search for

mines in the harbor.

28 April Lieutenant Ug) Patrick N. 1. Bellinger and

Ensign Walter D. LaMont made a flight in the AB-3 fly-

ing boat to photograph the harbor at Veracruz, Mexico.

2 May The AH-3 hydro aeroplane, piloted by

Lieutenant Ug) Patrick N. 1. Bellinger with Ensign W.

D. LaMont as observer, flew the first mission in direct

support of ground troops as Marines encamped near

Tejar, Mexico, reported being under attack and

requested the aviation unit at Veracruz, Mexico, to

locate the attackers.

6 May The Curtiss AH-3 hydro aeroplane, piloted by

Lieutenant Ug) Patrick N. 1. Bellinger with Lieutenant

Ug) Richard C. Saufley as observer, was hit by rifle fire

while on a reconnaissance flight over enemy positions

The AH-7, Burgess-Dunne, flying over Pensacola 1061479

UNITED STATES NAVAL AVIATION 1910-1995

15

in the vicinity of Veracruz, Mexico-the first marks of

combat on a Navy plane.

19 May As the need for scouting services dimin-

ished at Veracruz, Mexico, the aviation detachment

resumed routine flight instruction while awaiting

orders to return to Pensacola, Fla.

24 May The aeronautic detachment on board

Birmingham (CL 2) arrived at Veracruz, Mexico, from

Tampico to join the Mississippi (BB 23) detachment in

the school routine of flight instruction.

26 May On the basis of flight tests, Lieutenant

Holden C. Richardson, CC, USN, recommended that

the Navy buy two swept-wing Burgess-Dunne

hydroaeroplanes "so that the advantages and limita-

tions can be thoroughly determined. . . as it appears to

be only the beginning of an important development in

aeronautical design." The aircraft which were subse-

quently obtained were designated AH-7 and AH-1O.

1 July Aviation was formally recognized with the

establishment of an Office of Naval Aeronautics in the

Division of Operations under the Secretary of the Navy.

28 July Lieutenant Ug) Victor D. Herbster reported

on bombing tests which he and Lieutenant Bernard 1.

Smith, USMC, carried out at Indian Head Proving

Grounds, Stumpneck, Md. Both dummy and live

bombs were dropped over the side of the machine

from about 1,000 feet against land and water targets.

Herbster reported his bombing would have been more

accurate "if I had been able to disengage my fingers

from the wind-wheel sooner."

21 August Lieutenant Commander Henry C. Mustin,

Lieutenant Patrick N. 1. Bellinger and 1st Lieutenant

Bernard 1. Smith, USMC, arrived in Paris, France, from

North Carolina (ACR 12) for a two-day tour of aircraft

factories and aerodromes in the immediate area. This

temporary assignment, the first use of Naval Aviators

as observers in foreign lands, was a precedent for the

assignment of aviation assistants to naval attaches,

which began the same month when Lieutenant John

H. Towers was sent to London. In September

Lieutenant Ug) Victor D. Herbster and 1st Lieutenant

Bernard 1. Smith reported to Berlin, Germany, and

Paris, respectively.

16 November An administrative reorganization at

Pensacola, Fla., shifted overall command from the sta-

tion ship to headquarters ashore and the station was

officially designated Naval Aeronautic Station,

Pensacola.