Secretary Baker’s report included a communication received from General Pershing in which he commented on aircraft and the Air Service as follows:
“Our entry into the war found us with few of the auxiliaries necessary for its conduct in the modern sense. Among our most important deficiencies in material were artillery, aviation, and tanks. In order to meet our requirements as rapidly as possible, we accepted the offer of the French Government to provide us with the necessary artillery equipment.
“In aviation we were in the same situation, and here again the French Government came to our aid until our own aviation program should be under way. We obtained from the French the necessary planes for training our personnel, and they have provided us with a total of 2,676 pursuit, observation, and bombing planes. The first aeroplanes received from home arrived in May, and altogether we have received 1,379. The first American squadron completely equipped by American production, including aeroplanes, crossed the German lines on August 7, 1918.
“It should be fully realized that the French Government has always taken a most liberal attitude and has been most anxious to give us every possible assistance in meeting our deficiencies in these as well as in other respects. Our dependence upon France for artillery, aviation, and tanks was, of course, due to the fact that our industries had not been exclusively devoted to military production. All credit is due our own manufacturers for their efforts to meet our requirements, as at the time the armistice was signed we were able to look forward to the early supply of practically all our necessities from our own factories.”
THE HUGHES REPORT
The committee appointed by the President to investigate the charges of misappropriation of funds reported in November, 1918, on the number of training planes and engines built. Justice Chas. E. Hughes was chairman of the committee:
Aeroplanes and Engines Delivered During Fiscal Year Ending June 30, 1918
The reported deliveries of Aeroplanes and Engines made prior to June 30, 1918, are as follows:
AEROPLANES
Elementary Training Planes