Indianapolis Times, Indianapolis, Marion County, 3 January 1942 — Page 6

IN AFRICAN WA

It's All Imaginary (Or Is 1t?) but Writer Pictures Thrills And Fears During Bombing Raid; Italian Bullet Penetrates Oil Pump.

WITH THE SOUTH AFRICAN AIR FORCE IN ETHIOPIA, Dec. 24 (Delayed).—One of the strictest rules of the winged Springboks forbids taking war correspondents

upon bombing raids. The danger of complications involving higher officers is far too great to allow any airfield commander to consent to such an irregular undertaking. In the recently terminated siege of Gondar, the South Afiican Springboks did most of their diving attacks upon

entrenched Italian positions,

not at night, the least danger-| to, "0 "Gondar. A moment later

ous time for bombing, but by

daylight. Their Hartebeest biplanes, whose maximum speed was once 180 miles per hour but which the rigors of a long campaign had cut down to around 150, were not precisely sky vehicles in which airforce headquarters would have preferred to have foreign correspondents participating in raids Mr. Weller even if such an unwholesome practice could be sanctioned.

Furthermore, the Hartebeest are]

open-cockpit two-seaters and since the fuselages were cramped and the bombloads relatively heavy, taking a correspondent along would mean displacing the rear gunner who sat behind the pilot facing the tail Obviously, no war correspondent could have been allowed to occupy the gunner’s cockpit and to have the responsibility for protecting the plane’s tail against diving attacks from the rear.

“Don’t Shoot Off the Tail”

Once, however, it is categorically excluded that any war correspondent could transgress this inflexible rule, it is interesting to imagine what would be his experience if he could be permitted to take part in a raid openly, or should, anyway, by one of those subterfuges common to his breed. Within this field the impossible becomes the possible. One can imagine what such a war correspondent would see and feel if the rule did not exist and he actually flew forth from the airdrome upon the mission which military regulation now denies him. Our mythical correspondent sat long upon his canvas cot in a patched tent upon this chilly Ethiopia plateau before the flight, discussing with the pilot what should and should not be done. “Whatever you do, don’t shoot off the tail of vour own plane,” said Luke Chunky, elder gunner and intelligence officer of the squadron. “You can get home without several things but not without the tail. Fire bursts in, not steadily. If the gun jams during attack don’t try to repair it. Simply remove the round cartridge pan and put in another.”

Cord Keeps You in Pit

The oily-black, gas-operated Vickers, which the gunners demount from the aircraft each night and keep as tenderly as babies in their tents beside them, was then brought in. It was the best of the squadron; the others all had their hammers worn from fighting a 12-

leading plane as they came within

they waved again. Two murderouslooking fighter monoplanes were approaching from the brown canyon to the east. The correspondent swiveled the gun around and prepared for action but they proved to be American-

of our correspondent’s machine they passed 1000 feet below and went whirling over the green hills like sharks over the seabottom. At the lakeside the planes were rendezvoused and our correspondent | watched them turn for home. After finding the ground signals | from the King's African Rifles the {plane slanted toward the Italian | lines. Almost nothing could be seen |of a living human being from the air. Puffs of smoke from shells landing upon the hillside betrayed where the Italians were known to be hidden. Our correspondent was unable to communicate with the pilot because the plane's internal phone system was broken. But before leaving he had asked Al to indicate that the bombing dive was approaching. ’ Over one hillside position the plane began dipping, turning and side-slipping. Anti-aircraft fire had begun. The plane twisted, turned and the Vickers gun trembled in its clip at the top of the fuselage.

Surprise Blow on Cranium

Suddenly Al, who, from the gunner’s seat, was only half in profile, goggled and helmeted, swung about and through the aperfure between tugged our correspondent’s sleeve. Half a second later the sky was all around and an invisible hand jammed our correspondent firmly into his seat.

The Vickers gun came loose and the butt dealt him a starmaking blow upon the cranium which the downward pressute had forced to the rim of the cockpit.

With a fighting upward effort our correspondent recovered control of the treacherous gun. The invisible hand jammed_him deeper and a tremendous roaring filled the air. Suddenly there was a jolt as though sdmeone had kicked the plane from below. The hand was lifted from his shoulder and there was a sensation of relief.

Suddenly there was a bumping sound as though a giant drum had been kicked. Then the drum was kicked afain. The green hilltop,

built Mohawks. At twice the speed |]

Condensed Statements of Banks and Trust Companies—Members of

—

The Indianapolis Clearing House Association

The Indiana Trust Company

Statement of Condition December 31, 1941. RESOURCES

: i

government securities.......... 7,008,609 11 and securities.........coieiaeeeee 2,718,308 82 . Edi sPUEBE SSE Cus 8,458,064 37 sesbescsnna cecetssedsstesssscsses 485,000 00 te own SERN RNNRNRNNRERRRRRRRIRIYLY 121,679 00 “estes RReRENIRRRRRRRRRRILL. 5,527 57

Cieesssassanssressesaneess. $28,251,932 56

feiEee hit

LIABILITIES

Capital ...ceeieiine.on. is MN fivsees civessses.$ 1,000,000 00 BUIPIIE .. ooiiioiiiiiisadiiiiiside cesseessses 1,000,000 00 Undivided profits and reserves.............. 421628 48 Ness cEB BREEN RNRNRRRRRRRER SL. 20,752,259 07 SARA RNNNBRARNBRRRRRRARRRNE Ye 78,045 02

Total Habilities cer etesedetesettRRNtRR $23,251,932 55

Member Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation

and due from banks............$4,368,758 68 -

Bankers Trust Company Statement of Condition December 31, 1941.

RESOURCES

Loans and discounts............. siesevasueses $1,041,308 86 United States government securities. ........... 962,462 09 Other bonds and securities.......... vesssssssss 634889 80 Cash on hand and due from banks 1,506,764 64 Company's office building and banking house... 967,500 00 Other real estate owned sesteesees 136,985 81 Furniture, fixtures and vault......ccevvveveneee 9,648 33 Cast RRRRRRRRARR RRR 2,157 96

TOtAl reSOUrCeS ......cceessnscsscesssacss. $5,261,785 49

LIABILITIES

idicimsisiciviaees S$ 500,000 00 300,000 00 50,000 00 Pes B RRR RRRRRRIRRR RRR RRRN 22,758 15 SRNR RRNR ARR IRR RR RRR 4,363,346 8M 25,680 50

Tress.

PRR RIBNRARRNNRNRRRNRNRRRRNNEY

Undivided profits ent RtsattRtRRRNt Rant

Deposits Other liabilities “ets NsRRRBRRERBIRNIRRNRRIRRR NRA,

Total Habilities iiesEscausesseraasnsevus sis 35,261,785 49

Member Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation

DEFEND AMERICA!

DEFENSE BONDS

STAMPS

AVAILABLE

AT INDIANAPOLIS BANKS

Fidelity Trust ~~ Company Statement of Condition December 31, 1941.

RESOURCES

Cash on hand and in banks cersaness.$1,545858 12 United States government securities............ 740,400 87 Other bonds and securities..... sssnsansessnssss 135,130 67 Loans and GIBCORITEE eves ssvevrsrsnesnasspesse 3,669,841 5 Furniture and TIXGUIeS...ceeeescarsesssescssenss 9,000 00 Real estate: ¥ Office ‘building 1400000000000 0000000000000000¢ 210,000 00 Other real estates. ...eceeeeeesenrnesresseesss 62025 %6

Total IeSOUrCeS ...cecevesercsrccresnsesss. $6,381,356 17 4

LIABILITIES

Deposits. ...vvvievsnisevarnirrias ati. i Capital stock .....cco000000000....$350,000 00 Surplus ......... tessssegeennsnies Undivided profits ........cce0es.. $09,451 86 Reserves for dividends payabls..., Other reserves .

10,500 00 14,768 07

. “& Total liabilities veeenveveseretsavIs ess vse ++ §6.:381,386 17

TRUST DEPARTMENT Trust investments ................ derive vrighs _ Member Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation

Fletcher Trust Company

Statement of Condition December 31, 1941.

BANKING DEPARTMENT

Resources

Cash on hand and with Federal Reserve and other banks......... vevereevevavsvrnss STI United States securities 2 State and municipal securities. . Other securities cos Stock in Federal cece Loans and discounts sscsdsrsnese Bank. buildings (8) and equipment....cecceoeee. Other real estate........... Tessas vase sas Lb. Other resources.......... sesvampisnassliseneess

"$54,178,450 83

BRIB8s¥RX

Liabilities Capital stock $ Preferred capital debentures.... 610,000 00 Surplus and profits 1,364,046 85

Reserve f J i { rve for January, {, * dividend ! 1993 Accrued interest and taxes.....« Deposits

$3,474,046 85 704,480 56

45,000 00 87.944 22 49,866,988 20

$54,178,459 83

TRUST DEPARTMENT

Trust funds invested......c.cvoveveeenss Trust funds uninvested.....eeeseescccccassee. Customers’ BORUREICIOR. +. .covrnransrransosernars ,369,805 22 CPAP NNONNIQIOOIIRANIIINE 24,387,944 25 5,868,352 30

Member Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation

$21,031,723 32 720,677 37

“severe cssseRIRRRR RR.

which had been circling seconds before, suddenly appeared at the right

hand side, much larger and clearer than it had been before.

Two puffs of smoke were floating away from its top, taller and cloudier than those caused by artillery. Hardly seen over the righthand side the fortified hilltop was snatched away. A moment later it appeared again upon the left hand

side with the puffs of smoke higher.

month campaign. The safety and firing locks, marked S and F in| little red letters, were demonstrated. | “You can shoot anywhere, even straight down if you need %o. But! you must stand up in the cockpit in order to take aim. I have found most success in leaning as far out as possible and firing under the] tail. The angle of deflection is] much less noticeable that way and you can easily sweep around crosswise.” Luke illustrated how it should be done. The action resembled that in a movie of an Indian on horseback attacking a settlers’ camp and | leaning half down around his

horse's belly to fire his rifle back- artillery fire from a specified di-

wards. Asked what Insured against being ejected from the cockpit when standing up, Luke said:

“You have a strong cord—we call| African gunners eventually pointed

it the monkey's tail—attached to the rear of your parachute harness enabling you to stand without being thrown out.”

That Night Before Feeling

Our correspondent slept that! night about as well as when, as a|

14-year-old quarterback he tried to play the season's big game in his sleep the night before the kickoff. The tall young major commanding the squadron had explained the tactics carefully already. One sortie of two planes would leave at break of dawn (5:45 a. m.) to bomb the Italian position preliminary to the infantry assault by thé King's African Rifies. After about an hour and a half over Kukaba, Venticinque, Red Hill and other 1000-foot hills protecting Gondar with artillery and machine gun emplacements, . they would rendezvous over Lake Tana. The second sortie would start at 7:40 a, m, also in two planes in which our correspondent would be the gunner of the first. Relieving the other group. over the lake front the plane would undertake a similar aggressive bombing in co-operation with the ground troops. The second sortie would be relieved by a third at an 11,000-foot altitude, over Lake Tana, at 10:10 a. m. : Lying in bed in the morning our correspondent heard the first sortie leave and arose before his pilot—a small, modest, quiet young South African jnamed Al—and tested his parachute harness. At 7:30 the Hartebeest’s 750-h. p. Rolls-Royce motor was already whirring. The gun was adjusted on the machine's rim; the pilot stepped in; the gunner followed and climbed upon the wing. The mechanic opening a panel in the fuselage, adjusted the monkey tail from below. .At 8:38 the two planes taxied to the head of the bumpy mountain runway, and departed at 8:40.

Gondar Comes Into Sight

The pilot and gunner of the second plane both waved to our cor-

A second later it was back on the right side again but disappearing! behind. Vision Is Bit Confused |

Ground marking troops appeared below. The continual sideways banking and turning, called profes! sionally “evasive tactics,” were be-| ginning to confuse the vision of our correspondent, Climbing turns over our lines, Al took the plane up again to a height of 3000 feet above the ravines and 2000 above the Italian foriifications. In a moment our correspondent saw a secret signal from the ground troops’ observation post, which indicated that they were suffering

rection. Al saw the signal too and set off thither. Smoke shells from the batteries manned somewhere below by East

{like a finger to the hill where Fascist artillery was located. Circling right and then left the plane found the position. This time Al! didn’t bother to give warning. Again it seemed that the plane's floor could not hold the downward push of our correspondent’s weight. Again came the soft kick of release from below.

Attempts to Count Thuds

This time there were three] {strokes from the giant drum. In | tactics sued for escape our correspondent’s stomach began to swing with the plane but slightly slower. | Before the next dive he was what {the British euphemistically call i | cept endless circling, and tops of hills, usually spouting earth, peeping into the cockpit from both sides. Irregular thuds filled the air. Try{ing to count the bombs, he lost count of ,the dives but was later | told that he had made eight. Time spent over the target was one hour and three-quarters, approximately three and one-half times the usual period. After the last dive, our correspondent ingloriously lost even the power to stand up in the cockpit. When he saw blue all around, including below, he knew he must be over the lake. At the final rendezvous, he knew a relief equaled only when the companion plane

Security Trust Company

Statement of Condition December 31, 1941.

RESOURCES

Cash on hand and due from banks ... United States government securities........... 920,753 25 Other bonds and securities. .....c.ciceeievnneie. 349,043 85 SAAR RANA 2,874,380 31 Purniture and FIXCAUTOS. . . ccoosetescctsasisevine 18,880 2 Other real estate OWNeR..ccceenctstcttsrevess 42,587 97 Other resources SAARI 29,795 44

$6,166,768 90

ceases. . $1,931,327 36

LIABILITIES

Capital stock Sree rsarriasranan sesiassrsienie 8d 200,000 00 Preferred capital debentures........eeeeeeseess 191,000 00 Surplus SLBA BBRNNINNNNNRERN RRS 8,200 00 Undivided profits SERRE NN RRA RRR ERS 23,658 35 S000 RRB RRNRRRERRNR RRR 48534 43 SRNR NRNRRERN RRR RRS 25,054 83 SREB RANBIR §,670,321 29

$6,166,768 90

Member Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation

‘The Merchants National Bank

of Indianapolis

Statement of Condition December 31, 1941.

RESOURCES

Cash on hand and on deposit with Federal Reserve Bank and other banks $25,731,135 11

United States government securities........... 11,289,179 28 Other bonds and securities.......ccooeeeeeees. 3,411,037 27 Loans and GISCOUNS. . cc cvouvvssunverssssesevss 13,069,798 26 Bank building ... 900,000 00

Total resources Re ER LTT 92

LIABILITIES

Capital SEAS sEEIERLs EEE EsISEI Etter sanenes Sd 1,250,000 00 Surplus serene tess recsstnssscnsnnsnennnses 1,250,000 00 Undivided profits ...............ci000 sesseess 1307584 64 Reserve for interest contingencies, ete......... 323,521 25 sess tetecscsnssrsenrsnnntene 50,180,044 03

Total liabilities cesesssesssasensesssnsecss. $54,401,149 92

Member Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation

The Indiana National Bank

of Indianapolis Statement of Condition December 31, 1941.

RESOURCES

Cash on hand and on Deposit with Federal Reserve and other banks....$66,915,288 73 $135,275,030 72 United States government, securities 68,359,741 99 Other bonds and securities. ... 14,462,296 55 Stock in the Federal Reserve. : bank . 270,000 00° Loans and discounts 23,333,809 05 Banking house 1,086,000 00 Other real estate owned....,.q Accrued irmterest receivable.... ) 306,961 47 Other resources ............ o“~e 181,876 47

$174,915,979 26 LIABILITIES

Sapita) sesessrtenanareinenss S4000000 00 1 5 us svsevevaneve 5000, 00 1 ‘Undivided profits 2,963,831 88 § 11.563,38

Reserve for contingencies 1,800,000 00 Interest, taxes and other expenses accrued and unpald.. Dividenq payable January 2, 1942

EE TERE RY

Other labilities ..........svsees

367,354 56 110,000 00 160,618,993 41 55,789 41 $174,915,979 26

Member Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation

“ill.” After that he knew little ex- |

appeared astern. The anxiety on}

the faces of the pilot and® gunner were clearly visible. Our correspondent arose in the slipstream to the full length of the monkey tail and waves, then feebly subsided. Climbing out of the cockpit at the field he noticed the entire front of the engine was smeared in black oil and that oil covered the wings. “Thought we'd better come home after they hit us” said Al. A single Italian bullet had penetrated the oil pump below the engine. NOTE—Any resemblance to living or places in the above nar-

i Fl A

persons respondent in the cockpit of the rative is purely “evasive jo

y a

The Union Trust Company

of Indianapolis Statement of Condition December 31, 1941.

RESOURCES

hand and due from banks. ...........$12,338,( d States government obligations. 1... 158 8 3 secur IRE EER ERE EEE ELLER RNY 5. rea er

sass Ers ean Sere tescsnrbRcstRRee 1

Brattain

407,256 41 15,205 12

1 resources Total resources Cesesesectsatnntisanteees $20,188,449 94

LIABILITIES

tres sbetebestbertRsbRRRRRR

Jaunary 1, 1048.0... 0a eens

Geshe stensbact ranean nbtrbentanee 25, - she babttRNRRs ROR NRRL RRR RL ,

liabilities. Sth etectrtRtRRtR NRRL RRR, .$20,188,449 04

. TRUST DEPARTMENT i 3.10 00 Sorpatsfion MOMARERE. ....i.e0ioe. SINAN 0

American National Bank

at Indianapolis

Statement of Condition December 31, 1941.

RESOURCES

Cash on hand and on deposit with Federal Reserve Bank and other banks. .....$25207214 83 United States government securities........... 16,400,268 43 Other and securities. .....,.c.cqose0ee. 1,195,640 70 Stock in Federal Reserve bank...%............ _ 85,800 00 Loans and discounts cessssssssseses 12,082,600 62 Bank buildings and equipment...... susaveeens 891052 53 unt acceptances

23,095 81 3100 30

. Customers’ liability acco

d letters of credit Actrued

LIABILITIES

esdsesnsnenRsesene

SRB PPRBBRIIINRBBENNY Sesser 8 00 VIAOR PROHED «sx s sn + tstasstanssarse] Reserve for dividend Payable in «0 u for gi f preferred

OB. ...;« colle tusnnsiosss wo 4 Acceptances letters of credit 5 : ER ly sna REY Deposits .52,216,1 :

ShtsttitBtsttstsatatunEMuNsets » a —————

$56,078,772 31 Member Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation

The Peoples State Bank

Indianapolis.

Statement of Condition December 81, 1941.

"RESOURCES

Cash on hand and due from banks sevens. .$ 852,303 81 United States government securities........... 67,250 00 Other bonds and securities ..........ccee0eeeeee 173,540 42 Loans and discounts vessssssssvrieeace 2086728 86 Bank building and equipment ......eee0c000000 252,240 98 Other real estate ................ cecssssesssces 46,651 97 Accrued interest and other resources........... ~ 8388 87

Total Resources cresesranincniniseneee $3487,102 00

LIABILITIES

Capital and debentures ...........$372,500 00 Undistributed earnings cesssoessas 16,054 98 ‘ Reserves Teatsresesreasasate rear, 61,759 13 : $ 450314 11 Reser ve for inter est, taxes, O00. .ssiserconcsrene » 21,973 0 Unearned discount S000 080 0st ene etRecRetRRNY 56,143 03 i Deposits ARess da vinalnut Ione ratn Enis IIReiey 2,058,672 08 “ih

Total LIADIMUES ..ovuveeerseorrorooosernses. $3,487,008 01 - Member Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation ;