The Dolores star., 1917-08-24

when I was sure the Fokker WAS done
for looked around for them"
Thaw 10 Weua6sd.
ThaWB fellow-airmen weren't there,
but two airplanes of the enemy were.
NY Quick-nrer had stuck and a. had
no other arms ] got little out Of the
enemys way preparatory to arrang-
Ing the gun. Unfortunately. I did not
get far enough and when was reach
Ing for the quick.firer got a bullet
through my arm. turned toward our
lines and the bullets hit my little
Newport In several places. When one
OF the missiles struck my gasoline
tank. tearing the bottom open. I shut
on the motor and dived for the French
| trenches."
Thaw's nrst big league" experience.
30 to speak, is cited simply as an in
dication Of what the Americans forced
themselves to do from the very FIRST
They shirked no responsibility nor
danger and battled their way to the
thickest OF the clashes between the
German and French air forces. which
became more and more frequent as
the Importance Of aerial warfare In
creased.
Side by side with Thaw was Raoul
Lufbery, who was the first American
mentioned for bringing down five hos
tile planes. His case was rather
unique. in that his parents died when
very young and he was brought up by
| a foynt1v 0f 10
ran away from home, his tours finally
bringing him in contact with the avia-
tor. Marc Pourpe, who trained him to
be his assistant.
Lufbery was Of French nationality,
but when he desired to enlist in the
French army at the start Of the war
he was turned down because 1t was
discovered he was an American. AZ
ter many appeals he was allowed to
go with Pourpe as his mechanic.
Iufbery e~ears Vengeance.
Pourpe was killed soon afterward
and Lufbery swore to avenge him. He
importuned his superiors to allow him
to train as pilot, and his request was
finally granted and shortly after he re-
ceived his pilots certificate he was
transferred to the American flying
corps.
The fact that he was not talking
Idly when he swore to avenge his
friends death is shown by the fact
that he is the premier "ace" of the
Lafayette Escadrille. Now "winging"
q machine behind the German lines
means nothing. or rather not as much
as bringing them down behind the
French lines. because the latter is a
much more difhcult feat. To bring
down five German planes in back Of
the French lines IL the necessary re-
quisite to be termed an "ace." Luf-
berry, who comes from New Haven,
was the first American aviator to turn
the trick.
80 month by month as the Esca-
drille grew. with more and more Amer
leans attracted to 1t by its exploits,
the number Of German planes destroy
ed by the American airmen grew in
number. Very few weeks passed but
what the Lafayette Escadrille was
mentioned in the ohacial French COM
muniques, and there are so many or
dinary feats Of bravery performed ev-
cry day ON the firing line that 1t re-
quires something above the ordinary
to break into oficial reports.
Thaw and then Lufbery were given
medals Of honor and several times
cited for bravery. Others followed,
the last being Sergeant Andrew Camp
bell. to whom official recognition came
but last week, and who could safely
be called a superman from his deeds
Of the past month or two.
Death Toll Heavy.
Naturally, the death toll was COM
paratively heavy. Among those who
were rated as good fighters and who
gave their life for France were Victor,
Chapman, Norman Prince, James Nc
Connell, Renald Heskier, Kenneth
Rockwell and Edward Genet. Others,
however, took their places, it being
only a month or 30 ago that eight
young Americans Of prominent fam.
lilies left for the front for service,
They were selected from one hundred
applicants for the service.
Such is the brief record Of the La
fayette Escadrille. an organization that
has fought as Americans should. Its
record will not be sunk in its trans
fer to General Pershing's forces, for
sentiment on the part of both Ameri-
can and French army chiefs favor the
retention Of the distinctive name,
1 At present plans call for the COM
missioning Of Lieutenant Thaw as a
major, with present members Of the
squadron being named as captains and
ieutenants, to take charge of Ameri-
can aviators who will shortly Join Per
shing's troops in France.