When an American Army aviator flies into enemy territory one of his greatest hazards is the "flak" or antiaircraft artillery shells poured at him by enemy guns. Here at Camp Davis planes and fliers of our great Air Forces are used to aid our own antiaircraft artillery gunners in perfecting their aim against the day when they will have to pump barrages of shells at enemy bombers and strafers.

  Two tow target squadrons and a Base Squadron are situated here at Camp Davis on the trim airfield which is located centrally in the installation. It might be pointed out that a "squadron" in the Air Corps is the corresponding unit to a battery in the artillery or a company in the infantry.

  The planes stationed here are flown many thousands of miles weekly in missions along the various firing ranges. They tow various types of targets on cables at which the different calibres of antiaircraft artillery guns hammer away all through every duty day — six days a week. At night the planes sally forth into the skies to give the searchlight battalions of the antiaircraft artillery — the "Moonlight Cavalry" — practice in picking up enemy raiders in the darkness so that guns may "throw down" on them.

  It was here at Camp Davis that the pioneer steps were taken in developing patriotic and courageous young woman pilots to fly tow target planes, thus freeing male Army Air Corps fliers for combat duty. The WASPS (Women's Army Service Pilots) were officially introduced to the world here at Camp Davis and convinced a large gallery of visiting newspaper correspondents that they are a valuable adjunct to the military forces.

ABOVE: A target tug tows a target.
BELOW: AA men march as Camp Davis planes roar overhead.