War Office's Plan For Aerial Forces.

New York Times 100 years ago today, December 8, 1912:
Proposes to Congress an Aviation Squadron for Each Division of Field Army.
OTHERS FOR COAST DEFENSE
Two Squadrons Suggested for the Philippines and One Each for Panama and Hawaii.
    The War Department has plans perfected which if carried into effect — and this depends upon the action of Congress — will give to the United States Army one of the best equipped and most thoroughly organized aerial forces in any army. The plan contemplates the organization of many aviation squadrons, the majority of them to be on duty in the United States proper, two squadrons for the Philippines, one for the Panama Canal zone, and one for Hawaii.
    There are also to be five aviation training schools in the United States, located in sections of the country where it will be possible not only to train the regular army aviators but also the officers of the National Guard who may desire and who are found mentally and physically qualified for the aerial arm of the service.
    The plans call for an increase in the present equipment of aeroplanes and hydroaeroplanes, and other craft for war purposes and the National defense, the employing and training of the commissioned and enlisted personnel, distribution of machines, and the organization of the various units of the air arm.
    The new aviation plan is as follows:
    First.— Five conveniently located training schools, to be known as " centres of aviation," to be located, one on the Atlantic Coast, one on the Pacific Coast, one on the Gulf Coast, one on the great lakes, and one at some central interior point; and as many auxiliary centres as it may be possible to organize, with a view to having a school of instruction in each State. Each centre will comprise sheds, workshops, storerooms, and barracks, and will be both a place of instruction and a place of concentration for the squadrons. These "centres of aviation" are designed to train officers of the regular army and organized militia as aviators, to train enlisted men as aviation mechanics, to investigate and test aviation devices, to study meteorology as applied to aviation, wireless telegraphy as applied to aviation, military topography, sketching, and reconnoissance from air craft, the dropping of projectiles from air craft, the use of small arms and machine guns from air craft, the design of air craft, and all other matters tending to improve the military aviation service.
    Second.— The organization of three aviation squadrons as the complement for one field army of regular troops, this being an allowance of one squadron for each division, and one for the headquarters of the field army. It is expected to specialize for the field army a company or squadron of extra powerful machines for long-distance reconnoissance, and to also specialize a number for use in connection with the field artillery.
    Third.— The organization of two squadrons for use in the Philippine Islands.
    Fourth.— The organization of one squadron for use in Hawaii.
    Fifth.— The organization of one squadron for use in Panama.
    Sixth.— The organization of aero units for use at fourteen groups of coast defense stations in the United States, the equipment for these fourteen stations not to be less than the equivalent of eight squadrons.
    Seventh.— The organized militia. All mobile troops, in addition to field army, to be provided with aviation service from the organised militia, with the assistance of the staff of the five training schools, ("centres of aviation,") the allowance of aeroplanes to be in the same proportion as for the regular establishment, i.e., one squadron for each division of troops.
    It now remains to be seen what Congress will do with regard to the above elaborate plan for the proper aerial equipment of the army. The scheme has been carefully thought out, and the officers of the army are practically unanimous in pronouncing it one greatly needed in the bringing up to date of the United States Army and the National Guard organizations of the States.