THIS week we have a story by the prolific O.B. Myer’s! Myers was a pilot himself, flying with the 147th Aero Squadron and carrying two credited victories and awarded the Distinguished Service Cross. The story this week is the first Myers had published in the pulp! Printed in the pages of the January 1929 issue of War Birds, it’s “No Heroes Allowed.”

“Pop” was training these fledglings of his to be careful. He didn’t want any heroes whose medals and extra breeches are sent home through the mail.

• Download “No Heroes Allowed” (January 1929, War Birds)

A Letter from O.B.

As a bonus we have a letter O.B. wrote home to his folks during The Great War that was shared in his hometown paper, the MOUNT VERNON ARGUS. The letter was written on October 11th, the day after he lost two of his pals—Lt. Wilbert White who went down and Billy Brotherton who failed to return from his solo flight. Events described in “No Heroes Allowed” seem reminiscent of events in O.B.’s letter.

Published in the MOUNT VERNON ARGUS, November 13th, 1918:

Dr. S Oscar Myers, of this city, has received the following letter under date of October 11, at the front, from his son First Lieutenant O.B. Myers, of the aviaition section:

“Not only do things happen pretty fast around here, but they happen so fast that you can’t keep your letters even with ’em. Enough comes off most every day to fill an ordinary epistle, but for that very reason, one can’t write every day, nor anywhere near it. Here goes to tell something about yesterday, anyway.

The things which seem to stand out most prominently are that I participated—more actively this time—in shooting down a Hun, and that two pilots from my flight—my ‘buddies,’ as we call ’em—were lost.

Three of us. “White-ee,” Ken Porter and myself, went out on a voluntary patrol about noon; we found a single two-seater way up high just over the lines and attacked. Ken Porter waited to one side to look out for others or to come to our assistance if necessary; White dived first and fired a few bursts, but his guns jammed and he drew off. Then I dived on him and fired quite a burst; just as I dove past his tail and started to pull around on him again, I noticed that the right gun was Jammed. Then the motor quit going (found later than an air pressure lead from the gas tank had broken off), and I noticed that one of the sheet metal handhole covers on the side of the hood had come off and wrapped itself around one of the wires. That made me think that the motor had been hit (I had seen the boche observer shooting at me and his tracer bullets going past as I was diving on him) so I kept right on diving out of the fight, and eventually glided back and made a landing about five kilometres behind our lines. Ken Porter reported that he saw the Hun falling, apparently out of control, directly after and took a few shots at long range, but couldn’t follow him down because others were approaching. So I think my bullets were the ones that got him this time, all right. It took me all the afternoon to get a telephone call through to the aerodrome, to get a car sent up after me, and when I got back about 9:30. I found that White had gone out on another patrol later In the afternoon, got into a fight and ran head-on into a Hun, both going down out of control completely, of course, Besides that, Brotherton, the other chap from our flight went over on a strafing trip, alone and never came back. The tough part is that ’White-ee.” having been on the front here for several months, was slated to be sent back to the states—his orders were on the way through in fact. Also, he is married and has two children at home. He was about 27, I think. We go right on though: only made one patrol today, but that was on account of the punk weather. My machine Is being carried in from the field where I lit; was unbroken, but couldn’t possibly take off there, as it was full of barbed wire.

Mail is still conspicuous by Its absence. It’s getting too dark to write—I’ll send love instead.

And if that wasn’t enough…

For all his many published stories, O.B. Myer’s didn’t really have any series characters. The few recurring characters he did have in the pages of Dare-Devil Aces, we’ve collected into a book we like to call “The Black Sheep of Belogue: The Best of O.B. Myers” which collects the two Dynamite Pike and his band of outlaw Aces stories and the handful of Clipper Stark vs the Mongol Ace tales. If you enjoyed this story, you’ll love these stories!

ALTHOUGH you’d think a pulp magazine publishing stories about the exploits of aviators in the Great War was tailor made to capture the imagination of boys everywhere, it also garnered female readers. Some so ardent they wanted to become commissioned officers in the War Birds Club. Allowing girls to join the War Birds club was even brought up by the C.O. (Feb 34).

Feb 34. But we have to salute the ladies. There is one of them in our midst. Delores Bosanko, of 3286 Stuart Street, Denver, Colorado, has applied for membership; has voted in favor of admitting the Germans and is anxious to do a little writing to members. What do you think of this? Can the ladies belong, or shall we be a stag organization? There was a women’s auxiliary to the Royal Air Force during the war, you know, and many women’s organizations backing up the lads in ’18 right here in the U.S.A. Up at H.Q., we don’t know. What do you say?

But there never seemed to be quite the debate over it like there was for allowing German readers to form their own club (Feb 34). After all, there were “many women’s organizations backing up the lads in ’18 right here in the U.S.A. Up at H.Q.” But it did take a couple months before they agreed to let them in.

April 34. DELORES BOSANKO really started WORDS A-WING with her suggestion, so we can hardly leave her out, can we? But we’re puzzled about Delores. It seems that the opinion of the membership is “No Lady War Birds.” Well, she gets her listing here anyway, by special dispensation. She wants mail.

May 34. MARY A. GRAEF, 1728 North 13th St., Philadelphia, Pa.—A very interesting suggestion that, in the event that girls are barred from the WAR BIRDS, some provision be made for a girls’ squadron or a girls’ auxiliary so that air minded girls can have some rallying point. Miss Graef has Written to Miss Bosanko, of Denver, who started a debate in our organization some months back, and Miss Bosanko agrees with her enthusiastically. (Now there’s a proposition put squarely up to you WAR BIRDS. Do the girls come in and belong to the squadrons we already have—or shall we create a special squadron and give it to them—or shall we bar them entirely? There have been a number of letters written in, but not nearly as many as on the subject of admitting German members. So far, the voting is very close with maybe a slight edge in favor of refusing membership to girls and making the organization stag. Miss Graef has made a fair proposition. What say?)

The matter was resolved by the June issue.

You have been a little careful in your voting on the admission of the ladies. Most of you have evaded the issue entirely and the rest of you are about evenly divided; the slight shade being in favor of admitting the girls in a special squadron if they can qualify. So be it. Girls will be Lady Birds and their squadron numeral—no matter where they live—is “80.” (The Adjutant says that he will take a limited number of lady non-coms, too, and try them out. But he isn’t promising anything unless they behave themselves.) Well, that’s settled.

It was also in the June issue that Dorothy L. Kohn was listed in the WORDS A-WING column.

DOROTHY L. KOHN, 1546 W. 12th St., Davenport, lA., wants to hear from other Lady Birds and says, “Happy landings to the whole outfit. We’ll show those ‘peelots.’ Suppose there were another Anne Lindbergh or Amelia Earheart among us! Would your faces be red?”

Dorothy would go on to be quite active in the club pages. In December 34 she was awarded both a citation for her letter in perfect military form containing six suggestions and a proposed new membership card; and a promotion to 1st Lieutenant (effective October 1st 1934). She garnered additional citation the following year. In January for a very interesting report on the first Mississippi commercial seaplane; February for submitting suggestions and reports in military fashion and, particularly, for an excellent report on her local airport; and in the final month, June, for exceptional service. Dorothy was listed as being a member of Iowa’s 39 Squadron in all her citations rather than the Lady Bird’s 80 Squadron.

Dorothy was go getter outside the club as well and was frequently mentioned in the local Quad City Times. Born July 24th, 1916, she graduated from Davenport High School in 1933 from what was called the “Commercial Course.” She worked as a stenographer her entire career and was employed by the City of Davenport Public Works Department from 1941-1960; secretary to Mayer John H. Jebsen from 1966-1971; administrative assistant to general managers Ken Blackman and Harry Pells at John O’Donnell Stadium during baseball seasons from 1962-1964 and 1976-1978.

She was member of CASI, Putnam Museum, Plus 60, and lifetime member of Newcomb Presbyterian Church and Crown and Anchor Society.

Somehow she found time to indulge in her many hobbies that include traveling, cruising, compiling scrapbooks, correspondence with numerous pen pals, and above all, a lifetime interest in local baseball—where she attended virtually every game at Municipal Stadium, now John O’Donnell Stadium, since it’s opening in 1931 when she was 15 until her death in 2008.

In 1945, the Quad City Times ran an article about Dorothy’s passion for collecting service man’s patches.

Dorothy received shoulder patches from friends in many foreign countries and continues to add to her colorful collection of emblems of fighting units which took part in engagements in the Pacific area as well as in Europe. At the time of the article, Dorothy hoped to add a number of English army medallions to her collection form a young Englishman she had been corresponding with since 1934! At present he was doing guard duty in Germany at a camp where Nazi SS units were being held prisoners.

Somehow during all her secretarial work, collecting, traveling, corresponding, scrapbooking and baseball games are found time to get married in 1954 to Frank Wulf who had served with the Navy in WWII. Frank shared many of Dorothy’s passions including traveling and going on cruises. They would often bring back mementos and souvenirs, which if not put in a scrapbook would find their way on to their Christmas “travel tree” as ornaments.

In March 1970, the Quad City Times featured an interview with Dorothy in the second of a series of article on secretaries who have worked for the mayor. In the article she describes her general daily routine and duties working for the mayor. She also talked about her other love—travel. She said she’d been everywhere in the United States and Hawaii twice, even bought an acre there dreaming of living there one day. But it was their upcoming trip that was to be the fulfillment of their travel dreams.

The Wulfs were planing trip to London that summer during which time Dorothy would finally meet a pen pal she had been corresponding with since 1934—and still exchanged letters with about four times a year!

“He’s a postal worker there, and we wrote to each other all through the war. We sent him packages when things were bad over there. I can’t believe that maybe now we’ll be able to meet for the first time.”

He was also a War Bird!

Pair of Pen Pals Are Now Pals In Person

by Elsie Ryan • Quad City Times, November 14 1971)

FOR 37 YEARS Ernest Benns has had “another woman” in his life. Recently, he finally introduced her to his wife.

But his wife, Rosina, very attractive, blonde and vivacious, wasn’t the least bit jealous. For the “other woman” was an American pen pal, and Rosma’s husband had never met her either except through thousands of letters.

Benns, of Boundary-road, East Ham, England, began to write to Miss Dorothy L. Kohn of Davenport, after he saw a notice back in 1935 in one of those 10-cent magazines, called “War Birds,” asking for English pen pals. Both were interested in aviation at the time.

AS THE YEARS passed, each got married, but they continued to write. “Everything I ever mailed or sent to him arrived safely.” said Mrs Frank (Dorothy) Wulf, secretary to Mayor John Jebens. “I didn’t realize how bad things were there during the blitz years. I would send items such as a pudding mix, and Ernie later told me they couldn’t use it because it called for their entire ration of eggs (one each per family member) for the week Then. I sent mixes that called for water only.”

The Davenport couple left Davenport last Aug. 18—exactly 37 years after the postmark date of the first letter from Benns—but flew first to Germany to Kaiserslautern, Davenport’s sister city in the people-to-people program.

There, they met the Oberburgemeister (mayor) Dr. Hans Jung. “Mayor Jebens had been there five years ago when they were just starting their new city hall, said Mrs Wulf. “Their city hall is 21 stories high and really modern! As modern as anything in Chicago.

“We also visited Switzerland, then on to England. We landed at Heathrow Airport and I knew my pen pal right off the bat. I just knew it was Ernie!”

English newspapers did a story on the two pen pals, and interviewed Mrs Wulf during her visit there.

BENNS TOLD the British press. “When we started writing, Mrs Wulf and I shared the same sort of hobbies, but since then we have written about every topic under the sun. Even during the war we still managed to write. Dorothy would send her letters to Rosina who would forward them to me, in the service.”

Mrs Wulf is almost part of the family, for she is godmother, by proxy, to the English couple’s son, Roger, now 25-years-old. “I don’t know what kind of difficulties I expected.” Mrs Wulf told friends after her trip, “but we didn’t have any. No trouble at all. We left two days after Nixon floated the dollar, but no one refused our money.”

What did they enjoy most. “All kinds of things,” Mrs. Wulf enthused “We saw Winchester Cathedral, the Kew gardens which are fantastic So many roses! Every kind. And dahlias everywhere. Even the smallest yard has flowers All the colors are so intense.

“Possibly it’s due to the moisture, or the temperature. They think they’re having a heat wave at 75 degrees. We enjoyed the countryside, it’s so totally different. At Newforest, which is like a game preserve, purple heather covers the hills.”

“ANOTHER highlight was seeing the crown jewels! Diamonds, emeralds, rubies, pearls . . . everything They’re on display because they’re part of the English people’s heritage. And you should see and hear the orators on soap boxes in Hyde Park! They talk on everything . . . religion, politics, Communists, and the end of the world . . . to anyone who will listen.”

“They have very few appliances in England, not even toasters. Toast is still made in the oven. The food in both Europe and England is delicious. The bread? Well, there’s nothing like it here. It’s a good thing we walked so much or we’d sure have put on weight!”

“We stopped in Suffolk for tea at a littie place and they served creamed tea and big scones hot out of the oven. Scones are richer than baking powder bisquits, lighter, and you spread them with a whipped cream so thick it is like butler, then cover with home made strawberry jam.”

“When you get up in the morning the hot tea is wailing. They did buy some coffee just for us, though. Breakfast is cheese and lunchmeat, soft boiled eggs, tea rusk and crusty bread.”

In the beginning Mrs Wulf and Benns corresponded about every two weeks, then whenever they got a letter, and now average one or two letters a month.

Dorothy retired in 1978. Frank and Dorothy continued to travel and collect things and scrapbook and continue the work she did with the Newcomb Presbyterian Church and, of course, root on the home team at her beloved John O’Donnell Stadium every summer.

Dorothy passed away in 2008 (obit).

• Download “Pair of Pen Pals Are Now Pals In Person” (November 14 1971, Quad City Times)

EYES RIGHT! Pass in review before one of the livest of live-wire outfits, Galveston’s “Lucky Seven Flight” 37 Squadron, Texas.

Roll Call. Captain Robert L. Meade, Flight Commander. Second Lieutenants William A. Meade, Billy Ague, Arthur Lucas, Jr., Carol Oppermann, Malcolm Kirschner, John Hardin, Jr., Francis Dwyer, Jules Lauve, Jr., Cornelius Lauve, and civilian J.T. Russell.

From The Galveston Daily News, April 19th, 1934.

Their Flight Insignia is Winged Dice with Seven showing (pictured above). Meetings are held every Monday night at the Lucky Seven Hutment located behind Robert Meade’s house at 1406 Avenue K. The building is a large, one-room structure decorated with almost every conceivable part of an airplane. The floor is painted green, white and red. The walls are white with a bottom and ceiling border of orange. Hanging on the four walls are pictures of airplanes, blue prints, pictures of aces. Aerial bombs stand in each corner and model planes hang from the ceiling. The hutment contains an aviation library, a bulletin board and on the walls are printed the names of the leading aces of each nation during the war. A large picture of President Roosevelt decorates the C.O.’s corner.

The members of the Lucky Seven Flight met in the Boy Scouts where they were in Troop 20 together. In fact they were still quite active in the scouts attending meetings on Fridays, while attending meetings of the Lucky Seven Flight on Mondays. (Password for admittance: 7 come 11.) Flight Commander Meade described what went on at their meetings in a letter to the WAR BIRDS CLUB C.O.:

Galveston, Texas.
August 18th, 1934.

TO: Wing Commander
SUBJECT: Lucky Seven Flight Meeting Routine.

The Lucky Seven Flight meetings are held every Monday night from 7:30 o’clock to 9:00 o’clock.

The meeting is called to order by the Flight Leader. He is then seated. This is followed by roll call by the Adjutant as he has a record of each individual officer. Members that are absent are fined unless they are able to furnish a very good excuse, and tardy members are fined one cent for each minute they are late. Dues are then collected. These are twenty-five cents a month.

Reports are then heard from certain officers who have been detailed to bring information about certain events that occurred during the World War. (As our object is to study World War Aviation reports always bear upon it). Open discussion of these reports follow.

Members are given the floor by raising their hand and are addressed as “Lieut. Blank.” The C.O. having prepared a list of questions and answers concerning the World War, reads them to his Flight, who in turn write them down on paper and take them home to be studied. Officers are given a written examination on these questions once a month. The man making the highest grade three times in succession is awarded a prize by the Flight Leader. Following this, suggestions for the betterment of the Flight are taken by the C.O. We discuss these suggestions and choose the best submitted. The Flight Leader then asks for donations from each member for the decoration of the Hutment. Each officer Hands in his decoration and certain members are ordered to remain after meeting and arrange them in their proper places. Men seeking entrance into the Flight are then introduced, if any.

General discussion follows; athletic activities, individual activities, such as model making, social activities of the Flight, etc.

Following this all members stand and sing our Flight song, “The Song of the British Airmen.” Meeting is adjourned with the salute to the colors led by Flight Leader.

ROBERT L. MEADE, Jr.
CAPTAIN AND FLIGHT LEADER, SQUADRON 37.

Meade was an outspoken leader who kept his Flight busy. And he kept the WAR BIRDS CLUB C.O. updated with frequent letters of suggestions and activities which were mentioned in the both the FLIGHT NEWS and CITATIONS AND PROMOTIONS sections of THE COCKPIT.

a LUCKY SEVEN FLIGHT timeline

FEBRUARY 1934

• ROBERT MEADE, JR., of Galveston, Texas on the subject of admitting German members: “The spirit of patriotism flows in the veins of these German applicants just as it does in the rest of us. As the object of the WAR BIRDS is to revive and retain the ‘Spirit of ’18,’ a man’s patriotism should be the test. It shouldn’t make any difference if he’s patriotic to a different country than ours.”

MARCH 1934

• PROMOTIONS: ROBERT L. MEADE, Jr., 2nd Lieut. Squadron 37, Galveston, Texas. 1st Lieut. Effective immediately. Valuable suggestions.

MAY 1934

• WORDS A-WING: ROBERT L. MEADE, JR.—1406 Ave K, Galveston, Texas, sends along a fine post of eleven men and all the data is drawn up in a military manner. He has evidently formed a live organization. His letters to those who write him should be interesting and valuable.
• CITATION: ROBERT L. MEADE, JR., 2nd Lieut., 37 Sq.—For his suggestion that we publish booklets on Airplane engines, Airplane instruments, Airplane Dictionary. He believes that we should put out four booklets each month.

JUNE 1934

• WORDS A-WING: ROBERT L. MEADE, JR., 1406 Ave. K., Galveston, Tex., has one of the liveliest squadrons in the U.S. He would like to hear from WAR BIRDS attending commercial flying schools. His outfit, “Lucky Seven Squadron,” has a well decorated clubhouse, a library and hold regular meetings.

AUGUST 1934

• ROBERT L. MEADE, JR., has been promoted to the rank of Captain for his general military manner of attending to duty, his faithfulness in forwarding reports and news of his Flight and the value of suggestions submitted. Congratulations, Bob, and “Lucky Seven.”
• Full Page write-up with half page photo of group, a description of their Flight Hutment, and mention of a large house party and dance with an aviation theme the club threw that had been written up in the Galveston Daily News.
• FLiGHT PARADE: LUCKY SEVEN FLIGHT—1406 Avenue K, Galveston, Texas. Captain Robert L. Meade, Flight Commander. Second Lieuts. and civ. William A. Meade, Billy Ague, Arthur Lucas, Jr., Carol Opperman, Malcolm Kirschner, John Hardin, Jr., Francis Dwyer, Jules Lauve, Jr., Cornelius Lauve, J.T. Russell. Flight Insignia is Winged Dice with Seven showing. Meetings every Monday night. Password 7 come 11.

NOVEMBER 1934

• CiTATION: CAPT. ROBERT L. MEADE, JR., Squadron 37, for his thoughtfulness in submitting a report on his visit to the Seventh Pursuit Squadron at San Antonio.

DECEMBER 1934

• A page of war bird flight insignias includes Lucky Seven Flight, Squadron 37, Galveston, Tex.
• A letter on Flight Meeting Routine (printed above).

JANUARY 1935

• FLIGHT NEWS: LUCKY SEVEN FLIGHT, 1406 Avenue K, Galveston, Texas, reports through Captain Robert L. Meade, Jr., that the flight made a group visit to Galveston Municipal Airport in September and presented the membership cards to the Airport Manager, Mr. Robert Scholes. Besides permitting inspection of facilities. Mr. Scholes consented to give the group FREE ground course instruction.

FEBRUARY 1935

• FLIGHT NEWS: LUCKY SEVEN FLIGHT, 1406 Avenue K, Galveston, Texas, continues to be the most active of all War Bird flights. Through the Commander, Captain Robert L. Meade, Jr., various activities are reported: the regular attendance of the flight at ground school classes of the Galveston Municipal Airport, attendance in a body at Galveston Air Show and at the Aerial Circus of Galveston Flying Service Inc., and the addition of several new books to the Flight library. On the personal side, Captain Meade reports a visit paid to the VICTORY FLIGHT at Victoria, Texas, and an attempt at contact with the DEATH ACE FLIGHT of Fort Worth. Captain Meade was unable to locate any of the officers or members of the DEATH ACE FLIGHT. We would like a report on this from the flight in question or any more data in the possession of Capt. Meade. We are in favor of inter-flight visits and if any flight has changed its address, we should be notified immediately.
• CITATION: CAPT. ROBERT L. MEADE, JR., 37 Squadron, for his well written, interesting reports; his intelligent direction of the Lucky Seven Flight and his active interest in other flights. This officer has visited various War Bird flights, been generous with his time in behalf of the organization and has, in every way, conducted himself splendidly.

APRIL 1935

• FLIGHT NEWS: LUCKY SEVEN FLIGHT—1406 Avenue K, Galveston, Texas. Captain R. L. Meade, Commanding—continues to be our most active flight, and its reports are models for detail. This flight keeps actively in touch with all happenings at the Municipal Airport and at Fort Crockett, headquarters tor the Third Attack Group. Captain Meade has sent detailed reports with pictures which we may he able to publish later. The flight is also attending ground school and special flight programs are arranged for significant holidays; Armistice Day, Wright Day, etc. A recent guest of the flight was Captain Frederick Kreuzberg, German World War ace credited with 17 victories. During a recent visit to the Coast on the part of the Commander, the flight was led by Second Lieutenant William A. Meade.
• CITATION: CAPTAIN (hereafter, Major) ROBERT L. MEADE, JR., Squadron 37, Commanding Officer of the Lucky Seven Flight, Galveston, Texas.
• MAJOR MEADE, by his unflagging energy, has made the Lucky Seven Flight outstanding even in an organization which boasts justly of its active and enterprising flights. His achievements as a flight leader and the accomplishments of the flight that he leads have been recorded in these columns before. We congratulate Major Meade and the Lucky Seven Flight equally; we believe that they are interdependent and that what the flights owe to good leadership is balanced by its leader’s debt to devotion and discipline.

JUNE 1935

• PROMOTIONS: For exceptional service and outstanding ability, the following officers are raised to the ranks indicated (effective May 1, 1935): 2ND LIEUTENANT BILLY AGUE—37 Squadron—to 1st Lieutenant.

WITH the the final COCKPIT column in the June 1935 issue, so went any news of the Lucky Seven Flight. What became of the Club? The Hutment? The members? Scouring the newspapers of the day I could find no more mentions of the club or its activities.

All the boys registered for the draft with their local boards on R-Day—October 16th, 1940—the date on which all men between ages 21 and 35 were required to register for the draft. By 1940, John Hardin had moved to Nueces and Francis Dwyer to Houston, but the rest of the boys were still in Galveston.

1940 census lists the boys as holding down the following jobs: Robert Meade, 27, was listed as being a traveling salesman for advertising while his younger bother, now 23, was working as a clerk for a steamship line—both boys were still living at home with their Father and 12 year old sister at 1406 Avenue K; Billy Ague, 21, was living with his mother and sister while working as a helper at Beach Amusements; Robert Lucas, 20, was still living at home and working as an attendant at a filling station; “Bubba” Oppermann was 24, still residing at home and working for the Texas State Employment Service; Malcolm Kirschner, 25, living at home with his parents while driving a delivery truck for the Galveston Oil Company – Abe Seibel; John Hardin, also 25, had moved to Nueces where he was working for Brown & Root on the Corpus Christi Naval Air Base; Francis Dwyer, 26, was living in Houston with his mother and step-father and working as a carpenter’s helper for A. Copeland, General Contractor; Jules Lauve, 23, was still at home with his bother Neal, 21—Jules had already started his sign painting shop while his brother toiled as an assistant bookkeeper at the bank; and Russel Mullins, now 22, was a Texas A&M College student.

Okay. But what became of the members after that? Well…

ROBERT LEO MEADE, Jr. (Jul 20, 1913 – Aug 6, 2000) Flight Commander and driving force behind the club, he had been a Junior Assistant Scout Master back in his Boy Scout Days and was the oldest member of the Lucky Seven at 20 when they formed. Born in Galveston, he served in the Navy aboard the USS PLUNKET during World War II and worked for the Civil Air Patrol afterwards being described as a Second Lieutenant in 1953. He married in 1954. At some point he moved to Robertsdale, Alabama near Mobile. He passed away there on August 6th, 2000.

WILLIAM “BILLY” GASTON AGUE (Sep 25, 1918 – Jul 25, 1963) William Ague was born in Sewickley, Pa, just outside Pittsburgh in on September 25, 1918, moving to Galveston in 1920. He was employed by the City of Galveston Water Department as a pipe fitter until the time of his illness. He was a veteran WWII where he was a Private First Class with the 385th Bombardment Squadron Army Air Forces. He is survived by his mother and younger sister. (obit)

WILLIAM ASHTON MEADE (Feb 2, 1917 – Jun 21, 1990) From his obituary in the GALVESTON DAILY NEWS (Jun 24, 1990): “William A. Meade was born March 2, 1917, in Galveston. He was an employee of the Old Southern Select and Falstaff Brewery, retiring in 1984 after many years of service. He was a lifelong resident of Galveston, and a member of St. Patrick’s Church. He was active in the YMCA, and a veteran of World War II, having served in the U.S. Army. Survivors include his two daughters and son.”

ARTHUR ROBERT LUCAS, Jr. (May 1, 1919 – Sep 7, 1996) From his obituary in the GALVESTON DAILY NEWS (Sep 19, 1996): “Mr. Lucas was born May 1, 1919, to Arthur and Vera Lucas Sr. in Galveston, Texas. He was retired as owner/manager of Luke’s Supermart & Deli’s of Galveston and was servicing a vending machine business at the time of his death. Known as “Junior” to most of his childhood friends, he was a resident of Galveston for many years, serving his country in the U.S. Army during WWII. Mr. Lucas attended Ball High School and apprenticed under the guidance of his father, who owned Lucas’ Meat Market on 39th. Mr. Lucas was a 32nd Degree Mason, AF & AM Harmony Lodge No.6, worked for many years in Galveston and touched many lives throughout the county. He dedicated his life to his family, the Abundant Life Church of Galveston and his community.”

CAROL WERNER OPPERMANN (Apr 27, 1916 – Dec 9, 1994) From his obituary in the GALVESTON DAILY NEWS (Dec 9, 1994): “Mr. Opperman was born April 27, 1916 in Galveston. He was retired as Assistant Manager of Texas Employment Commission in 1972 with more than 37 years of service, receiving many honors. He had been a lifelong resident of Galveston; a member of the First Presbyterian Church. He was a member of the Tucker Lodge #297 A.F. & A.M. serving 10 years on the Auditing Committee. He was a member of the Scottish Rite Bodies since 1950; a member of El Mina Shrine since 1965; a member of the Entertainment Committee and served as Chairman in 1974; he was a member of the Director’s Staff and served as President in 1987; he was a member of the Mainland Shrine Club; a member of the Transportation Corps since 1980, and has driven in excess of 65,000 miles; he was a member of Mizpah Chapter #2 Order of the Eastern Star since 1979 and has served 4 years as Warden and also 4 years as Sentinel. HE is survived by his wife, three daughters, and eight grandchildren.”

MALCOLM CLYDE KISCHNER (Aug 2, 1914 – Nov 10, 1994) From his obituary in the GALVESTON DAILY NEWS (Nov 19, 1994): “Mr. Kirschner was born August 2, 1914 in Galveston, Texas. He was retired in 1974 from Western Weighing and Inspection Bureau, he was a member of the Catholic faith and a veteran of the U.S. Army serving during World War II, a lifelong resident of Galveston, a member of the Sons of Hermann and the Galveston Melody Orchestra.”

JOHN HARDIN, Jr. (Jan 27 1915 – Jun 22, 1960) From his obituary in the GALVESTON DAILY NEWS (Jun 23, 1960): “John Hardin Jr., 45, a native of Galveston, died at 5a.m. Wednesday, June 22nd in Washington, D.C. He left Galveston in 1940 for service in the U.S. Army during World War II. He was born Jan. 27, 1915. Mr. Hardin was connected with the transportation department of the army in Washington at the time of his death. While in Galveston he was active in the Red Cross lifeguard service; and was prominent in Boy Scout work while in Washington.”

FRANCIS BARNETT DWYER (Nov 2, 1913 – Jul 21, 1954) Francis Barnett Dwyer was born November 2, 1913, in Galveston and lived there in his boyhood. He had moved to Houston with his step-father and mother in 1937, finding work with general contractor as a carpenter’s helper. He married his first wife just after Christmas in 1942, with a bouncing bay girl girl June born the following year. He served with the U.S. Armed forces in Italy in 1944 . Upon his return, his family grew with the birth of two more sons, Thomas and Joseph. And Francis found work as a pipe fitter for the Houston National Gas Company. He was still employed with them when he passed away from testicular cancer at 40 in 1954 leaving behind a second wife, daughter and two sons. (obit)

JULES JOSEPH LAUVE, Jr. (Dec 6, 1916 – Feb 7, 1998) From his obituary in the GALVESTON DAILY NEWS (Feb 10, 1998): Jules Lauve Jr. was born December 6, 1916, in Galveston. He is survived by his wife, Mary Evelyn Gutierrez Lauve, his five children, and 16 greatly loved grandchildren. Jules was a member of St. Patrick Catholic Church, a five generation tradition, and a graduate of Ball High School. Over the years he belonged to numerous local civic groups, service organizations, and served on many municipal and state boards and commissions including the Galveston Electrical Examiners’ Board. He was a board member and lifetime member of The Fifty Club of Galveston Comity Inc., and served a lengthy appointment as honorary commodore in the Tidelands Guard for Mud Island, as commissioned by the Texas Attorney General in 1953.
    Jules Lauve Jr. is best known as founder and owner/operator of Jules Lauve Jr. Inc. Outdoor Advertising, a billboard company and commercial sign shop, founded in 1936 in Galveston and recently recognized as the oldest independent outdoor advertising company in the state of Texas. He was renowned for his generous capacity and involvement in a multitude of worthwhile community programs, especially those involving Galveston’s youth. Above all, Jules Lauve Jr. was a devout family man who trusted fully in his God at all times.”

CORNELIUS (NEAL) AUGUST LAUVE (Dec 5, 1918 – Dec 18, 1993) Cornelius Lauve was born Dec. 5, 1918, in Galveston. Before he enlisted Lauve was employed as teller at the W.M. Moody bank in Galveston. He served in the 15th U.S. Army Air Force, 449th Bomb Group in the European Theater operation in Italy and Africa for nine months during World War II. When he returned stateside, he was stationed at Harlingen Army Air Field, as an instructor at the gunnery school. He was the shop foreman at his bother’s outdoor advertising sing shop from 1946 to 1983 when he retired. He was a Master Electrician, member of the St. Patrick’s Men’s Club, member of Msgr. Kirwin Council #787 and Duck’s Unlimited. He was married and had two children. (obit.)

JOHN RUSSEL MULLINS (Apr 26, 1916 – Dec 26, 1994) From his obituary in the GALVESTON DAILY NEWS (Dec 29, 1994): “J.R. “Rusty” Mullins Sr., 76, departed this life on Monday, December 26, 1994 at St. Mary’s Hospital, Galveston. Rusty was a longtime resident of Galveston. His studies at Texas A&M University were momentarily interrupted by WW II. At this time he very proudly served in the 94th Bomb Group 8th Air Force in the European Theater where he was a decorated B-17 Pilot. After his tour in the European Theater, he also served in the Pacific Theater. After the war he then resumed his studies at A&M University and graduated in the Class of ‘43. He was proud to be an Aggie and always ready for a good Aggie joke. After graduation, he returned to Galveston where he worked as an accountant for various local firms. With his love for aviation, he served as airport manager at Scholes Field, Galveston for 28 years, retiring in 1983. Rusty was a true outdoors-man which has been passed on through his children and grandchildren.”

The Lucky Seven Flight is just one of the many such clubs formed through their love of War Birds magazine and the fellowship and shared interests of the War Birds Club in the thirties. Many other flights were mentioned in the pages of THE COCKPIT column—their member’s names recorded, their activities listed. Long may they all be remembered as War Birds!

THE October 1933 issue of WAR BIRDS hit the stands with Belarski’s Eagles of the Black Cross cover and a wealth of stories within lead off by William E. Barrett’s factual article that goes with the cover. There were also stories by Hogan, Myers, MacDowell and Brownestone. And in the back was a new feature for the readers—The Cockpit. This was the place where the WAR BIRDS gang and the editor could get together every month to spin the vocal prop.

The Cockpit brought with it The War Birds Club! Run by “The Adjutant” and overseen by the Editor and C.O. of War Birds, Carson Mowre, The Cockpit became a lively column where readers could voice their opinions, swap and trade stuff, find a like-minded reader to become pen pals with, as well as boast about their squadron’s achievements, see who’s received a promotion or citation and general club banter.

The first column from the October 1933 issue sets up the club, it’s particulars and how to join:

HERE is the most important announcement of the year. Sixteen years ago, the youth of America climbed out of civvies and into khaki. Overnight, we learned to substitute the bugle for the alarm clock. Our ears caught the distant thunder of the guns. We rode to them, we marched to them—and we flew to them.

We have captured much of the wild thrill in the stories that have appeared in WAR BIRDS’ stories written by veterans who lived the epic and who remember. But it isn’t enough.

The readers of WAR BIRDS are of the breed that, in another day, would have ridden flaming skies. Their selection of reading matter demonstrates it. The electric something that called their blood brothers to war calls them to the re-living of it.

And it is to their hands that the torch of ‘17 is flung. To them falls the responsibility of closing up the gaps. That flaming spirit that America took into the skies of ‘17 and ‘18 must not be allowed to die. We won’t let it.

This month a new organization comes into being—an organization with a name that was born of ‘17 and that has been preserved on the masthead of the oldest air-war magazine—WAR BIRDS.

A man must qualify for War Birds. His membership is not a gift. The war bird of yesterday won his wings. It is but fair that the war bird of 1933 do the same.

There were ships and guns that shared the glory of those by-gone years as well as men. A man who has the spirit that made the air service will know about those ships and those guns and those men. In knowing of them and remembering them, he makes them immortal; he preserves the spirit of the thing for which they stood.

No one will wear the War Birds wings or carry the War Birds card who does not know of, and respect, the things that make up the life of a sky warrior. There is an examination to be passed before you qualify—and it is not an easy examination. But, when you have passed it, you will know the glory of really “belonging.” Your wings will not be a mockery—they will stand for something tangible and you will have won the right to wear them.

APPLY FOR YOUR WAR BIRDS MEMBERSHIP NOW

Memberships in War Birds are neither sold nor given away; they must be earned!

(1) Clip the coupon from this issue and mail it to Wing Commander, War Birds, 100 Fifth Avenue, New York City, N.Y., properly and completely filled out.

(2) If you want the free booklets described below enclose five cents in coin or stamps to cover postage and handling. You do not have to order these booklets if you do not want them, but they will be helpful in passing the tests.

THE ENVELOPE the booklets and exam questions arrive in with only a 1½¢ stamp on it.

(3) The Adjutant will mail you your examination questions and problems. They will be based on information contained in the previously mentioned booklets and in current issues of WAR BIRDS. Your answers to the questions and the problems should be mailed back promptly to Headquarters.

THE EXAM. Please answer on a separate sheet of paper.

(4) If your grade in the examination is satisfactory, the Wing Commander’s adjutant will mail you a handsome card of membership certifying to the fact that you have qualified for “War Birds” and are entitled to the privileges of membership.

(5) You will be assigned to a squadron and your squadron designation will appear upon your card.

That is all there is to it but we want to emphasize the fact that War Birds is a patriotic organization solely. We have nothing to sell. For all purposes of the organization, the War Birds card is sufficient. It is the member’s identification and obtains for him all of the privileges allowed to members.

As a convenience, however, to those members who would like silver lapel wings we are making arrangements with a manufacturer to supply the War Birds emblem at a nominal price. Future issues of WAR BIRDS will contain further details on such insignia as well as on the various other plans now being formulated.

A membership in War Birds is going to mean something. Get in on the ground floor now and be one of the originals. Mail your application TODAY.

A FREE LIBRARY FOR YOU

You may have the following booklets free by mailing your request promptly to the Wing Commander, War Birds, 100 Fifth Ave., New York City, N.Y., with five cents to cover postage and packing. (The material in the booklets had previously appeared in the pages of War Birds or War Aces.)

WAR PLANES OF ALL NATIONS—a booklet containing the full dope on 135 war time planes; speed, horse-power, performance. (originally published in the May 1931 War Birds (v14n42))

MORE PLANE FACTS—a war pilot’s frank discussion of little known phases of flying in France. (originally published in the January 1932 War Aces (v8n22))

SYNTHETIC ACES—an expose of the fakers who pose as war flyers with tips on how to unmask them. (originally published in the January 1932 War Aces (v8n22))

ARCHIE—the complete story of anti-aircraft; its successes and its failures, with extracts from anarchy gunner’s dope book. (originally published in the March 1932 War Birds (v18n52))

These booklets will help you to pass your examination for admission to War Birds. Don’t delay in placing your order. Send your request today on the coupon form provided below.

They even laid out future plans for the club:

In the days ahead, qualified War Birds will share in many good things; free copies of genuine war photographs, discounts and special prices on aeronautical equipment, special rates on flying courses and a hundred and one other privileges that will cause the War Birds card to grow in value with the passing months.

There is in prospect at present a FREE distribution to members of:
(1) Genuine war pictures
(2) A special discount price list on planes and equipment
(3) A discount price on flying instruction
(4) Conventions for members
(5) Special services of a research bureau.

a WAR BIRDS CLUB timeline

OCTOBER 1933

• A new “The Cockpit” feature begins. It is the place where the WAR BIRDS gang and the editor get together every month to spin the vocal prop.
• Run by the “Wing Commander,” the Cockpit announces the Formation of the WAR BIRDS, a club for readers and lays out everything you need to know to apply to join (see above).
• Also lists future plans for the club: they want to offer members genuine war pictures, a discount price list on planes and equipment as well as a discount on flying instructions, services of a research bureau and conventions for members!

NOVEMBER 1933

• The Adjutant says applications are flooding in. News of exciting offers next month.
• A commissioned member of the WAR BIRDS can win a citation by exceptional service. This includes but is not limited to making a suggestion that will make the magazine more interesting, or a constructive criticism, or an idea for club activity, or a scheme for enrolling more members, or a plan for squadron mates in the same city getting together.
• Only a few commissions have been earned so far, and some have failed to qualify. They will provide a way for re-examination in the future, but it will be tougher.
• Every state and the District of Columbia and Canada have been give their own squadron number. These are listed.
• The four booklets—War Planes of All Nations, Plane Facts, Synthetic Aces, and Archie—are now available for 5¢ in stamps or coins.

DECEMBER 1933

• The Adjutant’s office has been snowed under and he’s been slow in mailing out the commissions.
• You qualify for the wings you wear and you can neither buy nor finagle them. To get them you must pass rigid tests that will prove or disprove the genuineness of your interest in flying and in the traditions of wartime service.
• Every qualified member of the WAR BIRDS whose commission is in good standing by midnight of December 20, the C.O. is going to send out a personal Christmas present which may be a package of genuine war photographs: aces, ships, etc., that have never been distributed before.
• Members are getting together and starting to organize their own flights with names.
• Additional Squadron numbers for foreign readers are listed: Alasks (51), England (52), Hawaii (53), Irish Free State (54), Mexico (55), Panama Canal Zone (56), Cuba (57), Philippines (58), Belgium (59)
• In the process of making arrangements with a manufacturer to supply silver wings at a nominal price

JANUARY 1934

• The Adjutant says that any notice of the change in rank will appear in the Honors List. And suggests you clip it and paste it on the back of your commission card.
• That’s the key to promotions and honors—service to the rest of the WAR BIRDS.
• The question of having a German squadron is raised. They have 2 applications. One from Berlin, the other from Hamburg.
• Australia becomes the 60th squadron. (Squadron numbers for the original 50 squadrons and Mexico (mislabled as 69) are listed.
• The lapel wings have just been designed—a beautiful set of silver wings. In the center of the wings in blue is “War Birds.” They won’t cost much—less than a quarter.

FEBRUARY 1934

• Offices have moved from 100 Fifth Avenue to 149 Madison Avenue.
• Many inquiries about the wings—all the dope on the next issue.
• A few of you are asking about the free pictures. They’ll be along. Just watch the sheet.
• H.Q. will grant a Captain’s commission to the organizer of any club reaching a membership of twenty. The qualifications are: (a) The organizer must be himself a commissioned officer in the WAR BIRDS; (b) He must turn in a list of his members when the membership reaches twenty; (c) All members must be officers in the WAR BIRDS or must have their applications in for commissions; (d) In cases where the member’s town is small, the club will be recognized with less than twenty members. Just convince us that you have done the best possible with the town or the neighborhood that is yours.
• To every WAR BIRD post so organized, we will give a WAR BIRD Charter to be hung in the club house, plus certain concessions which will enable them to buy club equipment, etc., at cost.
• News on the various posts being formed: Shelbyville, Indiana. Brooklyn. Long Island Traverse City, Michigan.
• Germany is established as 70 Squadron. Comments from other stateside WAR BIRDS are noted.
• Should there be a women’s auxiliary squadron?

MARCH 1934

• The COCKPIT gets a new header.
• The WINGS are here! Any commissioned member can have theirs for 15¢.
• The Adjutant suggests every squadron deign their own insignia if they haven’t already.
• Members who wish to correspond with one another will be listed in the next issue.
• Any group commander will rate promotion who can report six commissioned members of WAR BIRDS as assembled in one post provided the post is regularly organized, has a regular meeting schedule, an insignia and a name. His rank for a six to ten member post will be “Captain” provided that he sends in a notice of his election as Post Commander signed by each of the post members. For an eleven to twenty member post, the commander’s rank will be “Major” and he will be entitled to one Captain under his command. Lest this seem to make the higher rank available only to men in the larger towns, we wish to add that a six member post can qualify by special service as an A-l post, giving it the same rank privileges as the larger post.
• suggestions from members
• promotions from 2nd Lieutenant 1st listed for 4 officers.

APRIL 1934

• your WAR BIRDS commission earns you a salute at one of the finest air colleges in this man’s country—THE CASEY JONES SCHOOL OF AERONAUTICS at Newark, N.J. The staff will be glad to answer his questions and take him on a tour of inspection upon presentation of his WAR BIRDS card.
• Supply of the 4 booklets is nearly exhausted.
• WORDS A-WING column starts.

MAY 1934

• THE PITTSBURGH-BUTLER AIRPORT INC., at Butler, Pa. will be glad to extend courtesy of the drome to commissioned officers of WAR BIRDS who present their identification cards. Pittsburgh-Butler operate an A-l flying school at their airport.
• Likewise for THE RYAN SCHOOL OF AERONAUTICS, LTD., at Lindbergh Field, San Diego, Calif.,
• The C.O. goes over all the club aspects
• List of new posts and their organizers.
• Long list of people for WORDS A-WING
• Honor citations listed.

JUNE 1934

• Adjutant says: “Exactly 3,148 lads who have made application for membership, in WAR BIRDS, have not returned their examination papers.”
• The Adjutant plans to start a NON-COM’S MESS for those air-minded lads they are, who want to get the feel of things before going after commissions.
• Girls will be Lady Birds and their squadron numeral—no matter where they live—is “80.”
• Suggestions under consideration by the C.O.: including model plans in the magazine; covers without text all over them.
• Working on getting various airport to extend courtesies to members; discounts on equipment; and, free pictures which had become harder with the flood of members.
• a lengthy WORDS A-WING listing
• Citations and/or Promotions for 19 members.
• Coupon now included each month for signing up for the NON-COM’S MESS

JULY 1934

• The C.O. takes over the meetings while the Adjutant handles the NON-COM’S MESS which starts this issue.
• C.O. asks members to send in a postcard listing their two favorite authors (including ones not in WAR BIRDS) and they will feature the ones who get the votes.
• NON-COMS can use the Swap and Words A-Wing columns and can offer suggestions. They are also afforded the right to join a Flight, but not organize one.
• Citations and/or Promotions for 17 members.
• SWAP COLUMN starts up
• 10 more people listed in WORDS A-WING

AUGUST 1934

• C.O. measures readers that all letters are read. But it takes a while. And please print your name.
• C.O. plans on offering $5 for the best picture of a model plane sent in.
• FLIGHT PARADE. A listing of flights who have sent in their information. Listing of members and location.
• Full page on Galveston’s LUCKY SEVEN FLIGHT with member’s picture.
• Citations and/or Promotions for 10 members.
• SPARE PARTS HANGER takes the place of the SWAP column.
• more WORDS A-WING pen pals listed.

SEPTEMBER 1934

• BETTIS FIELD, located on the McKeesport-Pittsburgh Road, extends an invitation to the War Birds
• Start of PROP WASH section, a sort of grunt and growl and talk it over department.
• It’s suggested that every War Bird Flight should have a specific interest in addition to our common interest in aviation. Set a specific time to hold meetings, organize a treasury.
• General events and course of a meeting are discussed.
• Citations and/or Promotions for 11 members.
• The FLIGHT PARADE lists 9 more flights.
• more WORDS A-WING pen pals listed
• more items on offer in the SPARE PARTS HANGER.

OCTOBER 1934

• Flight insignias continue to pour in.
• That offer of Five Dollars for the best photograph of a model plane—either flying or scale model—built by a member is still open. Five dollars every month.
• Someone suggests there be a special WAR BIRDS code for members to communicate with.
• Citations and/or Promotions for 18 members and 4 non-commissioned officers
• The FLIGHT PARADE lists 13 more flights.
• more WORDS A-WING pen pals listed
• more items on offer in the SPARE PARTS HANGER.

NOVEMBER 1934

• Many members have still not adopted the military form of address yet.
• The FLIGHT PARADE lists 15 more flights.
• Citations and/or Promotions for 18 members.
• Insignias will be printed in next month’s issue.
• two flights of non-coms have been formed and several non-coms have received citations.
• A report of the SONS OF SATAN FLIGHT’s special meeting.
• no WORDS A-WING pen pals listed
• more items on offer in the SPARE PARTS HANGER.

DECEMBER 1934

• There is talk of a uniforms, stationary and honorary members.
• a page of Flight Insignias.
• Citations and/or Promotions for 18 members and 11 non-commissioned officers
• Charters have been mailed to all Flights
• The FLIGHT PARADE lists 6 more flights.
• A letter from the LUCKY SEVEN FLIGHT reports their Meeting Routine.
• more WORDS A-WING pen pals listed
• more items on offer in the SPARE PARTS HANGER.

JANUARY 1935

• The FLIGHT PARADE lists 6 more flights and updates the BATTLE ACES FLIGHT OF San Francisco.
• FLIGHT NEWS updates the latest with 8 flights and provides a letter from the MYSTERY FLIGHT.
• Citations and/or Promotions for 11 members
• more WORDS A-WING pen pals listed
• more items on offer in the SPARE PARTS HANGER.

FEBRUARY 1935

• Six new flights are listed and updates on 4 previously announced flights.
• Citations and/or Promotions for 28 members and 7 non-coms.
• A report by Dorothy Kohn on a visit to Davenport Airport, Cram Field, Iowa.
• Bouse Resolution No. 7413
• more WORDS A-WING pen pals listed
• more items on offer in the SPARE PARTS HANGER.

WITH the March Issue, WAR BIRDS changes it’s name to TERENCE X. O’LEARY’S WAR BIRDS and it’s focus. The lead story will now feature the exploits of Arthur Guy Empey’s Terence X. O’Leary, but the stories are more science-fictiony that O’Leary’s previous exploits in the magazine which were set in WWI. THE COCKPIT column continues with all it’s previous sections. And the coupon to join is still included. The Booklets can still be obtained for 5¢ and the wings are a bargain at 15¢.

MARCH 1935

• Title change due to popular demand of the readers.
• Actual Vickers machine guns on offer (rendered inoperable)
• Citations for 9 2nd Lt’s and 11 Corporals
• more items on offer in the SPARE PARTS HANGER.

APRIL 1935

• It is possible to become a Major. Two have so far. Majors can recommend three men a year for promotion.
• Still publishing coupons to join club. The wings and booklets still on offer.
• someone wrote to another magazine for the answers to the exam questions.
• strange but true aviation facts
• The FLIGHT PARADE lists 6 more flights and 10 non-com flight.
• Updates on three flights—LUCKY SEVEN FLIGHT, W.E. BARRETT AND GRIN FLIGHT, and COBRA PATROL Flight.
• many Citations and Promotions
• more WORDS A-WING pen pals listed
• more items on offer in the SPARE PARTS HANGER.

JUNE 1935

• For the first time, non-coms outnumber commissioned officers.
• One member wants to start Zeppelin Division of the War Birds. And another is into rocket propulsion.
• There is no coupon to join the club as an officer or non-com in this issue.
• Numerous Citations and Promotions listed.
• more WORDS A-WING pen pals listed

The WAR BIRDS CLUB does not continue when the magazine returns to being called WAR BIRDS again in October.

THIS week we have a the fourth and final tale of the Cuckoo’s Nest from the prolific pen of Alexis Rossoff. The Cuckoo’s Nest stories ran in War Birds in 1930. The Cuckoo’s are an outfit a lot like Keyhoe’s Jailbird Flight—a group of hellions who found themselves afoul of military rules who have been given another chance to die fighting rather than rot in a Blois cell.

The High Command through an agent of Germany’s powerful all-seeing intelligence system, had received the disturbing information of the Cuckoos arrival at the Front. The Cuckoos were forever offering themselves as an obstacle for Germany’s militaristic iron heel to stumble upon. This time the High Command, with much at stake, would tolerate no failure. The ultimatum had been sent out—“Crush the Cuckoos. Destroy them.” But the blackbirds of the A.E.F. were going to take the fight to the enemy and barge in where good little pilots were afraid to fly. They would stop Germany’s entire Air Force and put an end to Baron Phantomas’ reign of terror!

Each day that ghost plane threw its challenge at the Cuckoos. Their guns eagerly ripped the skies for the man who wasn’t there. Mystery wings all but rode them out of the sky until that day when they learned the secret carried to them on the wings of death!

• Download “Baron Phantomas” (November 1930, War Birds)

FOR FOUR successive months in 1933, War Birds ran a series of covers featuring “Strange War Planes.”—those freak planes that were used during the First World War. The covers were by Eugene M. Frandzen—known here for the covers he did for Sky Fighters from its first issue in 1932 until he moved on from the pulps in 1939. The Final freaky ship in the series was the Deperdussin Monoplane!

Strange War Ships:
Deperdussin Monoplane

BEFORE synchronization of machine gun fire was perfected, many strange ways were devised to fire in the direction of flight. The Deperdussin Monoplane, with machine gunner mounted atop the wing was one of these. A rudder attachment kept the gun from whipping from side to side. The ship was armoured and a superstructure of steel pipes formed the gunner’s cockpit. A gunner on this ship had to have a sense of balance equal to an acrobat to be accurate with the gun.

The Deperdussin was the forerunner of the 5pad. This ship and the single place were used extensively on the Russian front. Germany, at that time, considered these ships the most dangerous used by the allies. The single seater had the phenomenal speed of 131 m.p.h. when stripped.

LENGTH . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .24′
SPAN . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36′3”
AREA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 226 sq.ft.
WEIGHT . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1050 lbs.
MOTOR . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .80 h.p. Gnome
SPEED . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .105 m.p.h.
CLIMB . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .247 ft.per min.

Strange War Ships: Deperdussin Monoplane • War Birds, August 1933
by Eugene M. Frandzen

FOR FOUR successive months in 1933, War Birds ran a series of covers featuring “Strange War Planes.”—those freak planes that were used during the First World War. The covers were by Eugene M. Frandzen—known here for the covers he did for Sky Fighters from its first issue in 1932 until he moved on from the pulps in 1939. The third in the series was the Spad Tractor-Pusher.

Strange War Ships:
Spad Tractor-Pusher

THIS was one of the freakiest ships of the war, presenting the diverting 5pectacie of pilot and gunner in the same ship but separated by the whirling propeller.

Before the days of the front fire fokker engineers and pilots were dreaming of a device which would enable them to fire a machine gun in the direction of flight. The existing pushers permitted this but they were being replaced by tractors with their higher performance. The pilot wanted to take his front fire gun with him from the pusher to the tractor, but synchronization was unheard of then.

The result was as pictured on the cover and in this sketch. Sechereau, the designer, took the standard Spad tractor with 150 h.p. hisso and suspended a nacelle before the prop by a pair of members which formed part of the undercarriage.

The ship flew and was being considered for military use when the Fokker Eindecker came out. Naturally this type of ship became obsolete immediately.

Strange War Ships: Spad Tractor-Pusher • War Birds, August 1933
by Eugene M. Frandzen

What is next month’s strange ship? Check back again for pictures and complete data on another freak ship of the war!

THIS week we have a fun tale of the Hell-Cat Squadron from the prolific pen of Alexis Rossoff. The adventures of the Hell-Cat Brood ran in War Birds, War Stories and Flying Aces. The Seventy-Seventh Squadron had a reputation of being short on technique and long on defying every regulation in the book. The squadron was the cause of many gray hairs on the pates of the star-spangled ones back in G.H.Q. They flew their merry way like nobody’s business, and played hell with any Jerry who tried to dispute their intention of going places. This bunch of cloud-hopping war birds were known from one end of the Western front to the other as the “Hell-cats”—and sometimes the “Unholy Dozen!”

A pair of the Hell-cats are inmates in a prisoner of war camp deep within Germany. Although one is very sick, they try a daring escape to get back to the Seventy-Seventh and their brood. It’s “Deuces Wild” by Alexis Rossoff from the pages of the May 1928 War Birds!

They belonged to the Hell-cat brood, this pair—but they had been brought down by overwhelming odds, and we find them in a German prison camp, far behind the lines. Caged birds—watching, waiting—to escape—to get back somehow to the brood—and ride the clouds—with avenging guns spitting!

• Download “Deuces Wild” (May 1928, War Birds)

THEIR familiar war cry rings out—“Let’s Go!” The greatest fighting war-birds on the Western Front are once again roaring into action. The three Spads flying in a V formation so precise that they seemed as one. On their trim khaki fuselages, were three identical insignias—each a huge, black-painted picture of a grim-looking mosquito. In the cockpits sat the reckless, inseparable trio known as the “Three Mosquitoes.” Captain Kirby, their impetuous young leader, always flying point. On his right, “Shorty” Carn, the mild-eyed, corpulent little Mosquito, who loved his sleep. And on Kirby’s left, completing the V, the eldest and wisest of the trio—long-faced and taciturn Travis.

Were back with the second of three Three Mosquitoes stories we’re presenting this month. Nach Felt 21. Field 21. Important, time-sensitive information needs for an Allied offensive against the Boche has been hidden in the crotch of a forked tree down a dirt path in the woods on Field. 21. Intelligence operatives have been unable to retrieve this informations a last ditch effort, they figure a lone flyer may be able to land on the field, retrieve the information, and get out before the Germans in the area could stop them. Kirby is this flyer. Landing in the midst of German troops and retrieving the info is the easy part, keeping his two pals—Travis and Carn from tagging along is the hard part. From the July 1928 issue of War Birds, it’s “Stacked Cards!”

It was Intelligence stuff, and Kirby could not even tell his two buddies. He took off alone—for Germany—and how was he to know that the cards were stacked against him? Another of Oppenheim’s breathless thrillers.

• Download “Stacked Cards” (July 1928, War Birds)

If you enjoyed this tale of our intrepid trio, check out some of the other stories of The Three Mosquitoes we have posted by clicking the Three Mosquitoes tag or check out one of the four volumes we’ve published on our books page! A fifth volume will be out later this year. And come back next Friday or another exciting tale.

FOR FOUR successive months in 1933, War Birds ran a series of covers featuring “Strange War Planes.”—those freak planes that were used during the First World War. The covers were by Eugene M. Frandzen—known here for the covers he did for Sky Fighters from its first issue in 1932 until he moved on from the pulps in 1939. The second issue featured the Maxmilian Schmitt Monoplane.

Strange War Ships:
Maxmilian Schmitt Monoplane

THE U.S. Army, after extensive tests, ordered this odd looking ship for service. At that time it was considered one of the fastest and safest of ships. It was to be partially armored. This feature anticipated Germany’s armoring of ships by several years.

The wings were supported by cables both top and bottom. The upper cables hanging from a pyramid of four steel tubes gave it an odd appearance. The most radical part of the design was the long rectangular section upon which was the tail planes. Another advanced feature of this ship was tubular steel construction of the landing gear.

It was powered by a 50 h.p. Gnome motor, had a top speed of 65 m.p.h. and could climb 50 feet per minute. It had a span of 25 feet. It’s length was 18 feet. The lifting surface was only 150 square feet, The weight was 600 pounds.

Strange War Ships: Maxmilian Schmitt Monoplane • War Birds, July 1933
by Eugene M. Frandzen

What is next month’s strange ship? Check back again for pictures and complete data on another freak ship of the war!

FOR FOUR successive months in 1933, War Birds ran a series of covers featuring “Strange War Planes.”—those freak planes that were used during the First World War. The covers were by Eugene M. Frandzen—known here for the covers he did for Sky Fighters from its first issue in 1932 until he moved on from the pulps in 1939. First up we have the Nieuport Triplane of 1918!

Strange War Ships:
The Nieuport Triplane of 1918

DESPITE the unusual appearance op this month’s cover ship, the designers were not trying to be funny. Triplane design was based on the pact that the use of three planes would permit a narrower chord and hence greater visibility for the pilot; increased maneuveribility; shortening of span and reduction of length without loss of lifting surface.

The “tripes” had the fatal weakness of shedding their linen on the upper wings and breaking up in the air. Sopwith, of England, produced the first successful tripe followed soon by Albatross and Fokker tripes. Nieuport engineers conceived the idea of staggering the wings like stair-steps. The result is pictured here, it was undergoing tests as the war closed. It was powered by a 110 h.p Le Rhone and had a top speed of 121 m.p.h., a span of 26 feet and length of 18 feet.

Strange War Ships: Nieuport Triplane 1918 • War Birds, June 1933
by Eugene M. Frandzen

Item of note: the cover image has apparently been reversed from the way it was painted as Frandzen’s signature is backwards on the ground under the tail of the Nieuport Triplane.

What is next month’s strange ship? Check back again for pictures and complete data on another freak ship of the war!

THIS week we have a story from the pen of a prolific pulp author O.B. Myers! Myers was a pilot himself, flying with the 147th Aero Squadron and carrying two credited victories and awarded the Distinguished Service Cross. Sent down behind enemy lines, Pete Hennabury runs into an Allied spy and is entrusted with important information. Important information that ends up right back in the hands of the Germans. Desperate to get the information to the Allies, Pete plays a dangerous game, betting everything on his best mate’s dragon breath! From the March 1933 number of War Birds, it’s O.B. Myer’s “The Dragon’s Breath”

With one foot on the rail of death, Pete mixed a crash cocktail, chilled it with the ice of his own nerve and served it in a washed-out cylinder of a Fokker mercedes!

• Download “The Dragon’s Breath” (March 1933, War Birds)

WHEN the first issue of War Birds hit the stands in February 1928, it not only contained an exciting tale of Ralph Oppenheim’s inseparable trio The Three Mosquitoes, but it also had a rare factual piece by Mr. Oppenheim. Ralph and his younger brother Garrett had taken a trip to Europe the previous year and just happened to be there at the right time to be able to get to Paris and be there at Le Bourget Field on the 21st of May when Charles Lindbergh successfully ended his trans-Atlantic flight!

The editor of WAR BIRDS considers it an outstanding honor to be able to give you this little sketch. Mr. Oppenheim, besides being the most brilliant flying story writer in America, had the priceless privilege of being an eyewitness of one of the most historic moments of modern times—when the great Lindbergh landed the “Spirit of St. Louis” on Le Bourget Field that memorable night in Paris.

Lindbergh uses the lights of Paris to guide him around the Eiffel Tower to Le Bourget Field. (image © lookandlearn.com)

Author’s Note—The following is taken, for the most part, from notes written at Le Bourget Field before and after Lindbergh’s arrival. We (“we” in this case meaning my brother and myself) had come early in the afternoon and had thus secured a wonderful position, on the flat roof of a cafe which was right at the edge of the big field. After a long windy, raining afternoon, during which the crowd grew to a size of about 100,000, the hour when the American should arrive began to draw closer.

When “Lindy” Dropped on Paris

MAY 21st, 1927. 9 to 9:20 P.M. What a mob of people! The roof here is packed behind us, and we are being pushed so hard against our concrete wall (which comes up to our necks) what we’re afraid that either the wall will give or we’ll be crushed into a “shapeless mass.” At our right, in the corner, are three newsreel men, getting movie cameras set. Somewhere in back a Frog newsboy is croaking shrilly: “L’Americain Volant! L’Americain Volant!” A former senator from Missouri says that means that Lindbergh is now over the English Channel. . . . Down below, along the edge of the field, is the real mob—the biggest crowd I’ve ever seen. They are kept from the field itself by a big, strong iron fence. Out on the field, in front of this fence, about two hundred gendarmes are forming a long string to check the crowd if it should attempt to get over that fence. There are no more planes landing or taking off on the field now. The big air-liners which have been coming and going regularly all afternoon, discharging slightly dismal looking passengers and taking on happy, eager ones, are no longer to be seen. They have cleared the field. They have floodlights to illuminate the ground, but they only turn them on every now and then. Economical, these French. Also there are parachute flares. These are shot up like sky-rockets, and the blazing phosphorous comes floating down on a little parachute. Only trouble is these frogs have rotten aim. Some of those damn flares are falling right into the crowd. Each time it happens there’s an excited, panicky shriek. And the idea that one of those flares might fall on our roof is enough to keep us in good suspense. But we don’t need anything to keep us in suspense now. As the moment when the brave American should arrive draws closer and closer, the excitement rises to the highest pitch. Everybody is yelling, shouting, and it seems that everybody has suddenly become a great authority on the subject of aviation. Gosh, these French certainly know how to get excited! There goes that newsboy again: “L’Americain Volant! L’Americain Volant!” And a school-ma’m from Iowa says that means the poor boy’s been lost at sea.

9:20 to 9:30—They are cheering! It seems they hear a plane overhead. We listen. Does sound like a drone up there. More flares—and more suspense. They have the floodlights on again. The cheers are increasing. The gendarmes on the field look worried as the iron fence begins to shake ominously under the pressure of the surging mob behind it.

9:30 to 10:15—Look! Look! Voila! Nom de nom! Everyone is screaming at the top of his or her lungs. We can all hear the drone now. Off to the left it is. We stare in an effort to pierce through the murk. Nothing yet, nothing yet. Then—

The earth shakes with a mighty reverberating cheer. In the darkness up there appears a floating, whitish shape. It is coming down, gliding for the field! It is Lindbergh! God Almighty!

Now we can clearly distinguish the graceful silver monoplane. The crowd is going crazy. The plane is landing. The great pilot, cool and collected, carefully keeps away from all signs of the crowd. He brings his ship down way across the field, just opposite our roof. It is a wonderful and an astonishingly quick landing—the best we’ve seen on this field. And there was something incongruous about the way that plane, having just come way from New York, simply dropped out of the sky and landed.

Before the Spirit of St. Louis rolls to a stop hell breaks loose at Le Bourget. With a mighty shove, the people surge right through that iron fence like a tremendous tidal wave. The gendarmes? Drowned, swallowed in that flood. It is a sight indeed, that mob rushing out towards the plane. It makes you feel insignificant to see all those people. All over flashlights are popping, cameras clicking, and men and women shouting like mad. The cameramen tackle the mob like football players in their efforts to get to the plane. The people on our roof are—well, they’re raising the roof. Some Frog is using my back as a step-ladder, and another is trying to make a foot-stool out of my neck. Tables collapse as people try to stand on them to get a look. One or two crazy fools actually jump off the roof, onto the shed below. A fifteen foot drop! The plane out there is surrounded now. And it seems almost that the mob is lifting that big monoplane on its shoulders and carrying it around. They’re bringing the great Lindbergh in. Cheers! “Vive l’Americain! Vive Londberje (as the Frogs pronounced it)!” Where is he? We think we catch a glimpse of him in the midst of a little circle, around which the crowd is thickest. How they bring him in is a mystery, but they get him to the building right next to ours, and hold the crowd out. The crowd storms outside, yelling in a mighty chorus: “Let us see! Let us see!” From our roof we can see the lighted, curtained window of the room where they have him. We see lots of people in there, and often we think we get glimpses of the American—but we will never know if we really did, though we saw him twice on future occasions (both in Paris and on the day of his arrival in New York).

Now the French windows are opened over in that building, and a man steps out on the balcony. It is the American ambassador. He makes a speech, which nobody hears. But nobody has to hear, because all realize that an epoch-making event has just occurred, and that Charles A. Lindbergh, later to be known as “Plucky Lindy” and “The Lone Eagle” and “Slim,” has succeeded in making the first non-stop flight from New York to Paris.

For a sense of the scene at the time you can check out some newsreels from the whole journey—AP (British Pathé)—or just the day—British Pathé and Periscope Film. And the USA Today actually has a decent article with some good photos from the 90th anniversary of the historic flight.

MARCH is Mosquito Month! We’re celebrating Ralph Oppenheim and his greatest creation—”The Three Mosquitoes! We’ll be featuring three early tales of the Mosquitoes over the next few Fridays as well as looking at Mr. Oppenheim’s pre-pulp writings. So, let’s get things rolling, as the Mosquitoes like to say as they get into action—“Let’s Go!”

The greatest fighting war-birds on the Western Front are once again roaring into action. The three Spads flying in a V formation so precise that they seemed as one. On their trim khaki fuselages, were three identical insignias—each a huge, black-painted picture of a grim-looking mosquito. In the cockpits sat the reckless, inseparable trio known as the “Three Mosquitoes.” Captain Kirby, their impetuous young leader, always flying point. On his right, “Shorty” Carn, the mild-eyed, corpulent little Mosquito, who loved his sleep. And on Kirby’s left, completing the V, the eldest and wisest of the trio—long-faced and taciturn Travis.

Let’s get things off the ground with an early Mosquitoes tale from the pages of the premiere issue of War Birds from March 1928! Kirby returns to action after having been shot down and spending 5 weeks in a hospital recuperating. That German had taken the starch out of him, had shattered his morale. In the past he had had planes shot from under him, had escaped perhaps even more certain deaths than this, but always he had come through the victor, had triumphed in the final showdown. Never before had he been beaten, battered to a pulp like this. The German had knocked him down, and he couldn’t get up. It had all given him the awful feeling that his reign as an unbeatable ace was over, that he must relinquish the crown. That was why he looked older now; he felt older, the old champion bowing to the new. It was indeed, almost a sense of going stale—and to an ace nothing could be worse. Can Kirby overcome his “Challenge of the Air!”

Nothing more terrible can happen to a great ace than to realize suddenly that he is suffering from shock—”that the old nerve won’t answer the call. Kirby was in this condition when the Fokker came over, gained valuable information—and was flying back triumphantly. Like a man half mad, he cursed himself fought with himself. The next time they came over—

• Download “Challenge of the Air” (March 1928, War Birds)

And check back next Friday when the inseparable trio will be back with another exciting adventure!

THIS Holiday Season we’re delving into a pair of scrapbooks that were created in the late 20’s and early 30’s by an industrious youth, Robert A. O’Neil, with a keen interest in all things aviation. The books contain clippings, photos and articles from various aviation pulps as well as other magazines. What has been assembled is a treasure trove of information on planes and aces of WWI.

Like many in the late 20’s and early 30’s, Robert O’Neil was fascinated with aviation and as such, a large part of both volumes of his scrapbooks is taken up with a cataloging of the many different types of planes. But amongst all the planes and air race flyers and info on Aces are some surprising items.

Turning the page, we find two acknowledgments that had been sent out for having written a letter in to the pulps!

The first, from Battle Aces, is an actual postcard mailed on March 28th 1931 at 7:30pm from the Grand Central Annex branch of the post office. It pictures Sarge and a happy plane dancing about and reads:

“SAY, YOU! Thanks for the swell letter! Yours for happy landing,
—Editor Battle Aces”

but upon it, Sarge has written Robert a handwritten note that reads:

“Never mind that ride with my blonde Jane, Bob.
She goes sky bugging with yours truly only!
Gene”

The second is from War Birds magazine. Unlike the Battle Aces card, this is not a postcard, just a slip of paper and was most likely sent in an envelope. It pictures that “same hard boiled, son-o’a gun, Sarge” reading letters while being flown about and says simply: “Thanks for your Letter!”

Yes, it’s the same Sarge, well…. Depending when the card was sent. Eugene A. Clancy was the editor of War Birds magazine from 1928 to whenever he left in 1930 to take over duties at Battle Aces. The letters column over there was full of all the same things—except the Prince of Zanzibar and a big Swede are his cohorts in his escapades. Aside from that, he’s still going down to Mike’s Place and the Blonde Jane is still helping out. His replacement carried on as Sarge, but it’s obvious it’s not the same Sarge.