The Rotary Balita no. 707 (October 23, 1952)

"I pledge to you now the same type of close association in a continuance of friendly cooperation between our two great countries," said Brigadier General John W. Sessums, Jr., Commanding General of the 13th Air Force. He gave a brief background of the United States Air Force since the outbreak of the 1st World War. The U. S. Air Force, then a tiny unit of the army, began on August 1. 1907, when the aeronautical division was founded in the office of the Chief Signal Officer and commanded by a Captain. Even by 1910 the army had but two officers and nine enlisted men on aeronautical duty and they were concerned with only one airplane which had a top speed of 40 MPH. General Sessums described the success of the bombing missions made in Korea by the U. S. Air Force. In air combat, he said, the overall ratio has been 10 MIG 15s destroyed to 1 F-86. The reasons he gave for this superior combat record are the facts that many of the American pilots were World War II veterans whose training is superior to that of the enemy and the superior gun sight which U. S. fighter aircraft is equipped. But the USAF is not to be lulled into complacency by the record in Korea, he said, and is continually building faster, better planes and more potent weapons. He mentioned some quality aircraft now in production against that dark day when they are needed. Among these are the new heavy bomber, the YB-52, strato-fortress which is revolutionary in performance. It is streamlined like a javelin and propelled by eight powerful jet engines. Like its speedy team-mate, the B-47 Stratojet medium bomber is now in full production. The Convair, like the B-52, is powered with eight Pratt & Whitney turbo jet engines and is the development of the B-36 design into a new jet version by modifying the wings and tail. The F-86F and H, with a speed of over 650 miles per hour and a maximum service ceiling of over 45,000 feet, have been ordered into production, he said. They are armed with six 50 caliber machine guns. Also ordered into production is the F-94C, a fighter bomber with a service ceiling of over 45,000 feet and a speed rating of 600 miles per hour. Quoting Secretary of Defense Robert Lovett, he said that the problem arises from the fact that "we are in the midst of a true ferment in both machines and methods of war as a result of the amazing advances in applied sciences and technology. We are shifting from piston engines to jets; from visual to radar; from piloted aircraft to guided missiles; and from World War II explosive to atomic warheads." "I wish to caution you against judging the strength of the United States Air Force," he said, "and its ability to come to the defense of the Philippine Islands by the planes you see in the sky above you. I would remind you that even two years ago, one of our B-47 stratojet medium bombers flew completely across the United States from Moses Lake, Washington to Washington D.C. in 4 hours and 13 minutes, 30 minutes faster than any jet fighter plane has been able to do." He said that the keyword of the USAF today is "mobility" and declared that it would be neither desirable nor practical to have the new heavy bombers stationed in Clark Field Base where any enemy could destroy them by surprise as they destroyed the B-17's back in December 1941. He promised that the USAF could come to the aid of the Philippines with its most modern weapons now that the strategic air command of the U. S. have achieved complete mobility. Mr. Rene Antonio sang the "Song of the Vagabond." Leroy Young was the money collector. Joe Barredo, whose name appeared several times in the daily papers was fined ₱50.00. Paco Delgado and Danding Romualdez were fined ₱50.00 and ₱10.00, respectively. Yan Yanzon was fined ₱10.00 on account. Dinny Gunn and all other Rotarians present in the "I Like Ike" conference were each fined ₱20.00. Fely Tanco's point on tenderness cost her better half Art the sum of ₱10.00. Others fined were Ike Icasiano, ₱10.00, and Bert Parsons, ₱5.00.