World War I 100 Years Ago: Oct. 13-19

From The Indianapolis News, Saturday, October 13: A few days ago, the first airplane flight of the United States Army signal corps’ aerial arm crossed Indiana between the government’s flying fields at Rantoul, IL and Dayton, OH. It was the first use of the “aerial route” between the two fields using the old National Road as a guiding ribbon of white across miles of earth below. The aviators, however, were unable to make-out the numbers painted on barn roofs for their guidance. Carl G. Fisher, chair of the aerial route-mapping committee, is going to have the white numbers bordered in bright red paint to make them more discernible from the air. Also, night lights – aerial lighthouses – need to be erected in the several cities along the route to guide the soldier-aviators who are unable to reach their destination before dark.