New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-09-30

tho ready signal from her pennons
started off. 1t was the first time either
Of us was spotting and our reception
was regal. Flowers, flowers every
where and little onions. The gray
puNs of the rs and the great yellow
clouds Of the l05s. We few over q
floor of snowballs; really 1t was a
pity the sky was overcast, because the
effect would have been wonderful
against blue background.
Little by little we were approaching
their satanic batteries. In another
minute we could wireless back the IRE
signal. Just then one Of their us
corrected its fire and we were framed
in, like a picture at the salon. ] side
slipped gently on my left wing. Too
late. Ny right wing was shot through
like a skinner. We held on, somehow
and sent back the signal. Twenty
seconds later our batteries opened M,
a bit over and 200 yards up the left.
Correction. A bit under now, and to
the right. Another correction. A n
she'll breaks 80 yards away. No harm.
Watt Yes. Our wireless caught by a
splinter and broken off.
Back TO the hangar. A kind friend
gives us his bird and we are oil again
and overthe lines in ten minutes. Our
battery is gradually narrowing the
circle around the BOche guns. but their
circle around us grows correspondingly
small. Impossible 10 60 up, because OF
the lowhanging clouds-and we are fly
inC now in q sea of steel.
"Our wireless is babbling on beautl-
fully. Then. suddenly two shocks.
First q noise under my feet, louder than
any shell. but without effect. Il Will
tell YOU what | found out later-one OF
my tires had been shot open.) Then a
frightful rip. and half of my propeller
blades were gone. At the same moment
my comrade signalled me and fell into
the seat wounded. The plane danced
like a drunkard. / could barely keep
her steady and we were descending with
every minute. At 1000 yards | was
over the Boche front line-three miles
TO our lines. When I got there could
barely keep her at 200 yards height.
Wins With Third Plane.
So to the third plane, and this time
the Boche paid. A new observer, a
perfect plane and good observation.
Five minutes later the storm begins,
precise, sustained from our guns. Ii
takes the Boche battery near the edge
of the wood and waters it; II waters
the crossroads nearby; one OF our 1908
drops an O. X. in the ammunition dump
nearby and a gorgeous flame of red
and yellow and blue dashes up beneath
it. The gun is crushed. And l 80
home"
From the Escadrille Lafayette comes
the story Of the American Sergeant
Balsley who went up with the Flight
Commander Captain Thenault and two
Of the American martyrs Of the
SQUADRON, Norman Prince and Kitten
Rockwell. Balslcy attacked an Aviatik,
but his machine gun jammed at the first
shot and he dropped out to repair. lie
was then attacked by five German
planes, which drew 8 circle round him
and prevented from from descending.
His thigh was pierced by a shot and he
tainted, his machine spiralling dlzzily
downward. After a fall of nearly 1900
feet he regained consciousness, took
control Of his avion and, holly chased
by q German, whose machine gun
riddled the planes and fuselage with
shot, managed to reach the French
lines The next day, Chapman, com
ing with a bag of oranges to his hos
pital. was shot down by Boelke and
killed.
This story is from the notebook
written while in Fight of Bombardier
K. on his successful trip TO Mannheim:
The night has come. Far Off the
lights Of Basic Switzerland glow in
the sky; nearer those of Mulhouse. We
are over Coimar (Alsace) and they