World War: Eagles for Britain

Correspondents last week discovered the beginnings of this war’s equivalent of the Lafayette Escadrille, which in 1916-18 accounted for the high (then) total of 199 German planes. World War II’s escadrille is the American Eagle Squadron, quietly recruited and energized by Colonel Charles Sweeney, a U. S. soldier of fortune who fought in the Foreign Legion last time. Both coasts of the U. S. and Canadian-border immigration men had inklings of Colonel Sweeney’s missionary work months ago. Last week U. S. newshawks “somewhere in west England” saw two score of his proteges training in yellow-bodied Miles Master planes, almost ready to fly at the throats of the Luftwaffe. They will be ready to do so in a few weeks, when they have graduated. Then they will fly Spitfires and Hurricanes.

The British made Colonel Sweeney a reserve captain in R. A. F. to make it all pukka. They segregated the reckless Americans, rather than salt them into the conservative R. A. F. Among them are barnstormers, crop-dusters, stunt fliers, sportsmen. Youngest is Gregory (“Gus”) Daymond, 19, of California, who used to fly an ice-cream king around South America. Oldest is Paul Joseph Haaren, 48, also of California, a movie flier. Most celebrated Eagle is Colonel Sweeney’s nephew, wavy-haired Robert (“Bob”) Sweeney, who won the British amateur golf championship in 1937 and lately squired Barbara Hutton Haugwitz-Reventlow. Active commander is Squadron Leader William Erwin Gibson Taylor, 35, formerly of the 5th Fighting Squadron, U. S. Naval Air Corps (aboard the carrier Lexington). He joined Britain’s Fleet Air Arm last year, served on the carriers Argus, Furious, Glorious (sunk at Narvik). Most piquant Eagle name: Harry La Guardia of Hartford, Conn. (no kin to New York City’s Mayor).

Correspondents who interviewed the Eagles at their training field were curious to find out what caused them to join up. Most of the Eagles began their replies by saying, “Well, what the hell?”