Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1918-02-08
YANKEEBACS
ENEMY0NH|S
FIRST FLIGHT
Missourian Sends German
Plane Down in Flames
Artillery Active.

With the American army in France,
Thursday, Feb. 7.-(By the Associated
Press.) - tDelayed.) - The young
American lieutenant who had the
honor of shooting down his first Ger
man airplane while accompanying
French escadrille on bombing expe-
dition Tuesday night had never op-
Grated a machine before in his lie
while in fight and never tefore had
been over the enemy lines. He got his
man over the German city OF Saa--
burg.
The bombing squadron was over
Saarburg and in the act Of dropping
bombs when enemy airplanes were
seen approaching rapidly. By the time
the bomb dropping had been COM
pleted the enemy was close at hand
and the French formation of which
this American and another American
aviator had accompanied, were at en-
altitude of 10000 feet.
The lieutenant, who is MissOuridn.
took off his gloves so that he might
operate his machine gun more effec-
lively when he saw an enemy plane
driving in from the side and firing
its gun. The bullets which whiZZed
close to the French machine before the
American, acting as gunner, could get
his piece into action. Then he poured
a stream of bullets into the enemy and.
before the first drum was exhausted
the enemy machine toppled and start
ed to spiral. Then it Topped and fur
tered down with a fare of smoke and
flame in it's wake. 1t crashed to the
ground a short distance from the Ger
man city.
The other American aviation, also
was not so lucky as the
Missourian, for the machine he picked
out to engage, lodged away quickly
and he was unable to get in any ef-
fective shots.
Both Hands FrGzen.
When the squadron returned, the
Missouri lieutenant's hands were
swollen to twice their normal size
from the cold, he having lost his
gloves during the encounter. Other
wise he is today just about the hap
piest officer in the American expedi-
tionary forces. He has been in France
only short time.
The Missouri lieutenant had not
thought of making fight until just
before he actually started on one hav-
ing come to town from camp to see
a dentist. In the street he met the
J other American lieutenant who al
ready had been assigned to accom-
pany the bombing party. This Of
ficer, who is from Atlanta, after an
nouncing that he was going on a
bombing raid over Germany with the
French, asked the Missourian to come
along and see him off. The Missouri
ian agreed and went to the field.
The Albanian had climbed into his
machine when one of the French
pilots discovered that his observer was
missing. Only one suggestion was
necessary to Gauss the MissouriaE
quickly to telephone for and receive
permission togo. He explained his
inexperience but the Frenchman said
that made no difference. Thus he be-
gan the flight in which he brought
down the German machine.
Shippers Cleaned Out.
| American artillery and infantry
have succeeded in cleaning out ma
jority of the snipers who caused con-
siderable annoyance from the time the
sector was taken over by the troops.
| Shippers posts in buildings have been
destroyed by knocking down the she:-
! tiers with shells. Shippers hidden ia
bushes or in shell holes have been
routed by American sharp shooters.
Night patrols have succeeded in To-
eating some of the positions and the
Germans in them have been finished
off later
Last night a small patrol entered
an advanced German trench in search
Of nest of snipers. A lieutenant, a
corporal and two men left the Amer.
lean wire and returned five hours
later. They walked across No Mans
land, picking their way carefully to
avoid discovery.
Get in Enemy Trench.
Reaching the enemy wire they
crawled beneath it cautiously and ap.
preached the most advanced enemy
trench. The meen looked down intc
the trench. which apparently was
abandoned but they were sure snipers
were there. They dropped down noise
lessly and found place where the
trench bottom showed fresh foot
prints. On the parapet the corporal
discovered rife. loaded and pointe,l
in the direction of the American
trenches. There was not a German
j around.
The corporal brought back the
rife to the American lines. 1t is a
typical German weapon made in Der.
lin and in good condition.
Get 'em Different Ways.
At another point enemy snipefs
were discovered in shell hole. A
few well placed shots from light ar
tillery ended their career. At another
place a hail Of machine gun bullets
was effective.
One, two, or possibly three shippers
posts are still In front OF the Amer
lean positions but thes are not likel,
Ito be there long.