LANGLEY FIELD, VA., AUG. 2 --- Brigadier General Arnold N. Krogstad, commanding general of the Second Bombardment Wing, Air Force Combat Command, today pinned hand-tooled efficiency "E" badges onto the grease-stained coveralls of ten busy airplane mechanics of his command here, because, he announced in an informal citation, they had done "commendable work."

The decorated wrench-and-hammer-men, who now may and probably will strut a bit before their fellow soldiers of this Army Air Corps station, had put in all kinds of crazy duty hours so that they might keep their No. 1 ship of the 18th Reconnaissance Squadron bomber fleet on the wing for 185.50 hours during July.

Quoting General Krogstad, who is a command pilot of years service in the Army, he had "noted that many airplanes of this wing flew in excess of 100 hours during the month. Some airplanes flew in excess of 150 hours and one even exceeded 175..."

The last reference is to the 185.50-hour total of the 18th's command ship. The figure tops all comparable operating totals at this base during July, according to the charts of the wing operations officer, Major S. B. Anderson, and possibly stands out for years past both here and at other Army air posts.
"This," again quoting the General, "is a source of gratification and pleasure, since it indicates very commendable efforts on the part of the maintenance crews, flying crews and supervisory officers .. .....

Hence, the formal presentation ceremony at noon today at the door of the 18th's hangar, with General Krogstad officiating amidst all the traditional coloring of such military events in the presence of high ranking officers of his wing and base staffs and with the lucky ten Honor-"E's" standing very stiffly at attention with their commanding officer, Major Mark K. Lewis, under the glistening propeller blades of their prize ship.
General Krogstad chatted briefly with each mechanic as he decorated him with the base "E". Veteran of the air, he seemed happy from his official cares for this moment in the company of the youngsters with smudged faces who stand on the ground behind the men at the controls aloft.
Once finished with this part of the presentation, he then handed over wing an squadron banners. To the crew chief, Staff Sergeant Harrry C. Schoeder, Grafton, Pa., he gave a foot-square blue metal plate with a large yellow "E" on its face. This will ride at a window of No. 1 ship as long as she holds her lead position. To the squadron commander, Major Lewis, he presented a larger metal banner similarly painted which will be posted on a 15-foot staff at the door of the 18th's hangar.

Preceding the presentations, General Krogstad, surrounded by approximately 200 officers and enlisted personnel of the base, spoke flatteringly of the mechanics and of the pleasure their work had occasioned him and his staff. Despite the hard month behind it, No. 1 ship, he said, had been found by his Base Technical Inspector, Major John H. Price, to be in "excellent" mechanical condition for a plane of her age.
The prize ship is a Douglas Aircraft product from Santa Monica, Calif. She came to the 18th straight from the factory Nov. 2, 1938 and has 1848.35 hours to her credit without accident. She has had five complete changes of engines.

During her punishing month just passed, No. 1 had not been the petted darling of one flying crew, but was rather the faithful old plow horse of many strange and young hands at her controls. For she had done her extra hours in transitional flight training work for the many new flying officers who have flocked to this station during the past 30 days.
The ceremony today will be repeated at noon each Saturday hereafter, it was announced, with the individual, ship and squadron awards repossessed by the wing commander at the end of each week for re-distribution.

The mechanics currently honored, who, incidentally, because of the badge, may now enter the base movie house free for the week are: Private Valentine B. Bohnenberger, New York; Private Walter E. DeGouff, Star Lake, N. Y.; Sergeant Salvatore Battaglia, New York; Sergeant Joseph R. Brown, Buffalo, N.Y.; Staff Sergeant Samuel N. Wallace, Chester, Pa; Staff Sergeant Schoeler, Grafton, Pa.- Sergeant George H. Bullocks, Utica, N. Y.; Sergeant Donald J. Hoy, Phillipsburg, N. J.; ~rivate Robert J. Leonard, Yonkers, N. Y., and Private Harry Berg, Cedarville, N. J.

The Base Engineering Officer, Lieut. Col. Harrison G. Crocker, received the compliments of the general for the honor badges. They were tooled by Col. Crocker's men. On eight-inch sheet metal, the two-inch disks of hammered face they had soldered a one-inch burnished brass "E".

EDGAR 0. HOBBS
Lt. Col., MID
Public Relations Officer
Langley Field, Virginia