Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1916-1918, 1917-08-31
HALLS STORY
OF AIR BATTLE
IOWA BlRDMAN IN FRANCE
WRITES PARTICULARS OF EN-
COUNTER WITH GERMANS.


Writing from hospital near the
fax, gives a Enthusiastically modest
account of his battle with whole
flock Of German airplanes, when he
was wounded so severely that it was
at first thought he was dead.
Writes College Friend.
The letter, which was addressed
to George C. Greever of Boston, a col
lege friend of Hall, gives the first
definite word from the famous young
Iowan since he was sent to the hos
pital. He says he expects to be back
in the fighting game within few
weeks. The letter follows:
about two weeks ago l started to
write a letter to you. I|spent one en-
tire afternoon upon 1t and wrote de-
tailed history of the life at the front
of the Escadrille Americana. Alas.
the letter was not finished. I had to
put 1t aside to 60 out on patrol with
the rest OF the fellows, and while l
was out I met a whole nest OF Ger
mans. got shot through the shoulder.
and am now in = hospital, out of ac-
ton for at least six weeks to come.
1T all happened on June 26-or was
it the 25th? Twelve of US went out
at 1880 p. m. and were to patrol the
lines until 9:15. We were to have a
rendezvous over scissors at 10000
feet and to divide into two groups OF
six machines, one patrol going to one
section Of our front and one to another.
As often happens, the patrols got scat
tered. 1t is very difficult to keep to-
gether, for our machines are so fast,
and we must keep turning and twisting
all Of the time when over the lines on
account Of the anti air craft guns. lost
my patrol and so kept on by myself,
knowing that l would find them again
sooner or later, as we had particular,
well defined sector to cover.
Busy Dodging "Arehles.'
"The arches were keeping me
awfully busy. l had never had them
burst so close to me before, nor so
many Of them at once. They bark
when they are near, sort Of 'woof,
wool, woof,' which you hear quite
plainly above the roar Of your motor
and the conclusion tips your machine
up and down in a very uncomfortable
manner. was between 1000 and
10000 feet up, and yet those German
gunners were planting them awfuily
close They've got their work down
to science. BY jove, but they shoot
we'll! However, in machine that
travels 125 miles an hour you simply
laugh at archies-until one hits you.
1.-The trenches are wonderful sight
from the air, particularly during an
attack. You see more of the detailed
action. of course, and hear nothing.
But you can see for miles and miles
the long brown strip Of ground that
makes the firing line. and the flashes
of the guns and the shell bursts. There
is a tremendous fascination in seeing
all this from an altitude Of two miles.
and to me-knowing, as l do. what 1T
is like to hug the parapet under heavy
shell fire-a horror in the sight as we'll
I went far down the line. so far that
l could see Rheims and the tower OF
the cathedral: then I came back, keep
ing sharp lookout all OF the time.
titlting my machine first on one side.
then on the other. and whirling around
like cat trying to catch its own tail.
Ones greatest danger in the air is that
of being pounced on by surprise. You
hear nothing but the roar Of your own
motor. and 80 keep twisting and turn
inG on your own track constantly.
Sees Enemy Machines.
Finally saw six or seven machines
about five kilometeYs back OF tho Ger
man lines couldn't distinguish
whether they were French or German
and decided to go over closer TO nave
a look The sky was rnarvelously clear,
and it was a pretty sight TO see them
flying about In the air just like
school of fish in bright blue water.
They looked SO harmless and inoi-
fensive in the distance, so over l Went.
bold navigator that was! l got pretty
close before they saw me, or at least
before I knew that they saw me. and
at that moment realized that was In
for it. They were all German ma
chimes! One of them was just at my
altitude. He was nearest to me: inc
others were about 1900 feet higher ana
some little distance further of.
They all started for me. The near
est German and opened IRE at about
the same instant. We passed each 9TH
er like the wind, and not more than
seventy-five meters distant. Then my
machine began to get peppered and l
felt smack in the shoulder as thousn
some one hit me with club. 1t numbed
my left side and arm and made me feed
loggy, so lost control Of my machine
and it Owed straight down with the
motor full on. fell deuce OF way
before could get the motor shut OF.
1 Strengthened out then, but had fallen
SO fast that was barely conscious.
Thought He Was Conc.
Il started to fall again and said
goodbye to hfe.' for thought was a