The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1916-06-05
5 AMERICAN AIRMEN
FIGHT IA GERMANS
Two TcutOns Are Forced to
Land and Others Are
Driven Away.
USE EXPLOSIVE BULLETS
Spcciai Cnhle Dtspntch 10 Tnr srN

PARIS. June +-The American aNi-
flight on June l. the smaller powered
machines starting first. 4 few minutes
after Luftbury and Mcconnell had
started. Bert Hall. who WAS following.
happened to glance upward and saw
number OF German machines overhead
Hall gave the alarm, and thereupon
Chapman. Cowdin, Prince and Hall with
a French captain. the commander OF the
squadron. rose quickly to attack the Ger
mans. Rockwell's machine was being
repaired and he was unable to ny.
The first two Anericans continued the
fight unaware of the presence OF the
German aeroplanes The others headed
for the nearest point In the German
lines. and after reaching an altitude or
1870 feet. turned on the Germans. who
were now directly over the town. drop
ping bombs, which the official COM
munique later announced killed eighteen
civilians and wounded twenty-fve'
There were fourteen German machines
and only five American. but the latter
engaged the enemy unhesitatingly. meet
! ing a terrific machine gun fire The
! Germans were using explosive bullets.
One a,tacker had a great hole blown
! into his gasolene tank and was forced
to land. Another was compelled to land.
his gun having been put out OF action.
Two German machines we're hit and
/ quit the combat As the Americans were
handicapped by the big odds. they bat
tied to drive the Germans away.
The same American ambulance sec
ton which established a record at Pont-
a-Mousson was collecting wounded and
carrying them to the hospitals. Walter
! Lowell. chief Of the SECTION. calmly stood
!, where the bombs were falling and di-
rected the operations.
4 4 third American aviator had his wir-
ing cut and was forced to descend. The
/ Germans then headed for their own lines
pursued by two of the American avia-
tors. who fired until the lines were
reached.
Mcconnell. finding himself above a
German machine. dived for II Having
two guns. he opened fire at a distance of
nifty yards. Much firing and man9uvring
followed until bullet put McConnells 4
gun out OF action.
His aeroplane was found later. II
had received nine bullets. but none In a
vital spot, Mcconnell lost his bearings
and flew for three hours and landed on
the field. He hit an obstacle which
overturned his machine. smashing II. An
automobile took him late that night bacR
to the squadr where he had been re-
ported missing.
A,C. Lane. correspondent Of THE sun
with the Franco American Aviation
Corps. writes from the front under yes
terdays date:
THE exploits Of the Franco American
squadron are attracting volunteers
Walter Lowell and Harold Willis OF Bos
ton and Lief Barclay OF New York have
been accepted into the corps. They viii
commence training as pilots within few
! days The three have been members o.
the American Ambulance Corps AT thu
front continuously since April. 1915. ant
have been ON the Nerdun front sinc'
February
"Chatkoff, Dowd. Edmond and Genet
as well as Corporal Pierre Heal OF Boas
burg, Pa, who for the past year have
been serving with the First Cuirassiers
will begin course in the pilot school a
Buc tomorrow.