The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1918-05-22
AMERICAN FLYERS
GO after BOOBIES.
IN FAST BATTLES
Send Two Enemies to Happy
Hunting Ground.
In Spectacular Fights Fritz
Finds Master.
ONE YANKEE FIGHTS SEVEN
Attacks Big-FOrce Over He'll
gOIand, and Loses.
Fought to the Last, but Enc
mics Too Numerous.
Attacks Big-FOrce Over He'll
gOland, and Loses.
(By the Associated Press.

with the American army III
France, May 21.-Lieut. William H.
Taylor. of New York. chased Ger
man biplane from the American lines
to over Pagny- Sur oselle, north of
Pont-a-M ousson today and defeated
the boche in a desperate fight 5000
meters in the air.
A bullet from the enemy machine
barely sInissed Lieutenant Taylor and
punctured a wing of his airplane. A
second later the lieutenant saw one
of his tracer bullets penetrate the
fuselage of the enemy machine where
the observer was working a machine
gun and there was no further fire
from the German.
Lieutenant Taylor continued to fire
at the German pilot and after $50
shots, most of them at about 700
yards, the enemy machine went spin
ming to the earth in a nose dive.
Capt David Peterson. of Homes
dale. Pa. after long chase sent
down a German two-seater airplane
wabbling and diving to the ground in
the neighborhood of Chateau Salins
today. The American aviator pur-
kilometers along the battle line and
then chased him twelve kilometers
behind the German lines before he
succeeded in attacking him from be-
meath. The Germans dive to the
ground followed promptly.
Attack at HeligoIand.
Washington, May 22-That An1c-i
can aviators have operated over He'll
goland blight was revealed today when
the committee on public information
announced the death of Ensign
Stephen Potter, U. S. n. R. F., Detroit.
Mich, in a spectacular battle with
seven enemy single seaters.
Potter and a companion battled gall
lantly against the shaped flying
wedge of the Teutons and quit only
when his machine, in flames. came
crashing down on the port wing tip.
The last seen of him was on the
surface surrounded by burning oil.
Suddenly a cloud of smoke obsclred
him and machine and the man COM
pletely. The London representative
on the committee tells the story thus:
six weeks after Stephen Potter, U.
S. N. r. f., had shot down a German
seaplane in Heligoland blight, the
enemy got him in the North sea.
Potter was killed on April 25. in a
fight with seven enemy single seslterS
He was second pilot to a British royal
air force captain with whom he shot
down a German last March.
In British Machine.
Potter left North sea station in
a British seaplane and steered due east
until six miles from Hinderlight. An
other plane accompanied Potter and
kept position to the starboard thru
out the action.
Two enemy airplanes were sighted
to port heading toward them, flying
low. Both British planes dived about
a hundred yards apart, closing upon
the nearest German. Fire opened from
both at close range.
"Potter's companion had emptied
one drum when the gun damned. Two
more hostile planes then appeared
overhead, attacking vigorously. Both
Britons turned to the west, pursuing
one of the lower enemies who was
soon lost to view. Three others passed
astern following at sharp angle. Pot
ter was close above his companion
and dove TO within 100 feet of the
water. Both machines flattened out
and Potter's companion, being faster.
throttled down until Potter came
abreast. Thus they ran westward at
full speed close together for several
minutes under continuous volleys from
the rear.
Four More Huns Appeared.
-Four more enemy planes now ap-
peared in V formation. OF the seven
Germans in action four We're attack
ing Potter and the others his COM
panion. Potter fell behind and began
to zig-zag. He first veered slightly to
starboard and then turned at right
angles to port.
again his companion throttled
down to let him catch up and began
climb bling to reduce Roadway. Potter
dodged again but was then broadside
to all enemy machines and under their
fire only fifty feet from the water. His
companion above saw Potter's ma
chine burst into flames, come down
part of the way under control, then
crash on the port wing tip.
Potter was last seen on the surface
amid flames, which turned suddenly
to a huge cloud of smoke.
1.-TWO of the enemy circled over the
spot and then Joined the other five
when the pail had cleared not even
the wreckage was visible
Potter's next kin IS a brother, John
Mich