Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1918-11-20
CHASING GE RMAN
IN PINK PAJAMAS
WAS FINE SPORT
But Young American Ace Won
His Cross by Thrilling Ex-
ploits in Air While With the
British Flying Corps.
BY lincoln Eyre.
Copyright, 1918, by the Press Publish
ing Coz


Especial Gable Dispatch to the World
and Albuquerquerque Journal.)
With the Second American Army in
France. Nov. l9.--Keen regret is ex-
pressed by the members of the Second
army aero pursuit squadrons that they
may never have a chance now that
the armistice is signed, to use the fast
flying chase planes, made from pro-
against the Germans.
Should, however, there be further
fighting the squadron will he con-
trolled by slim, smiling youth, whose
achievements and personality are lit
tie known, even among his fellow air.
men, yet who stands high among the
faces" of American aviation.
He is Capt Reed Lands, son of
Judge Lands of Chicago, and he is
the chief of that one of the Second
army's aero squadron which has been
designated as the first to get the all
American equipment.
Lands became a squadron comand-
er few days ago, on his return to the
American army from the British
front, where he had served with the
royal flying corps since last March,
The curtain of anonymity with which
the British conceal the exploits of in
dividual pilots hitherto has prevented
the narration of the young Chicago
ans aerial adventures.
He Wears a Cross.
All that was known of his doing
was laconic citation accompanying
the award to him of the distinguished
flying cross, which merely stated he
was officially credited with the de-
struction of twelve enemy aircraft, In
Guiding an observation balloon.
Nothing had been said of how hei
amused the ropal flying corps by chas-
ing fat Teutons across the aviation
fields in their paiamas. machine gun
hunting them from a height of ten
feet or so, or how he thrilled even the
sensation stated British airmen by
downing two enemy planes and one
sausage" in the space of twelve min
utes, besides helping four fellow fly
ers to fight off thirty Fokkers which
had been engaged in marrying half
their number of British bombing ma
chimes.
About these and many other spec
tacular feats lands was loath to tax,
except in the way of joking generali-
cation, when ! made his acquaintance,
at his new headquarters the other day.
In fact, he treated the whole romance
of his career in the skies as composed
of more or less humorous incidents,
not to be seriously discussed.
Modest as Most Heroes.
Fortunately, even one of his com
rade pilots also had been with the
British, and from him l was able to
get details of Lands achievements
Once he knew had the story, Lands
consented to impart some of his own
impressions on condition that | re-
trained from making him look like
a damned fool"
ut sounds ridiculous to be talking
Of what did" he began, when in the
squadron to which was attached the
commander had fifty enemy planes to
his credit and two other pilots had
more than twenty EACH
The business of shooting up the
paiama-clad Germans occurred soon
after lands became attached to the
British air service in March, after
eight months training in France and
England.
"Some of us tackled bunch OF
Germans over their airdrome near
Lille" he said with a boyish grin.
I'VE got rid OF them pretty quickly
and then Dire 2ped down to take a shot
at the airdrome itself. The boches
were scared silly when we started IN,
letting them have few hundred
rounds at from ten to twenty feet
above ground. They ran about look
ink for funk holes like tabbits.
81 chased one stout bird in lovely
pink pajamas half way across the
field and actually let him dive down
into q dugout because ] was laughing
so hard I couldn't aim straight. We
machine gunned their dromes lots OF
times, but / never had so much fun
as that time at Lille--Lordie, they did
look foolish
When closely questioned, lands adj
mitted the exploit had been carried
out under heavy fire from the Ger
man anti-aircraft machine guns; this
he obviously deemed unworthy of
mention.
The first time he saw German
planes was also the occasion or his
first victory. Out over the Arras IRON
tier on April 20 last, when with a
small British patrol. no caught sight
of two-seater Albatross.
1T was the mos: beautiful thing
had ever SEEM" he said, cleaning
like polished silver above the clouds"
Its beauty did not deter him from
attacking Immediately. Diving straight
downward he assailed the enemy from
behind, running into fusillade OF
bullets from the German observers
rear machine gun.
He SCOT Hell" for That.
Il got hell for that afterward," ne
remarked, for it was the worst kind
of tactics"
However. despite his nervousness as
neophyte, his craftsmanship was
sure enough to send the Albatross to
earth.
His second experience brought down
an enemy machine from an altitude
of 10000 feet. The official tally gives
him credit for having put out of con-
.rol three out of seven enemy ma
chimes encountered by his squadron at
another time. One went down In
flames and one balloon he then at
tackled was burned.
Most of his victories were obtained
at heights of from 5000 to 10000
feet. The first dog fight in which
he participated took place over the
Lille region on May 10. Four British
machines assaulted twelve boches. AZ
ter brisk exchange of shots with his
opPohchts Ldiiulo lidu lHC
satisfaction of seeing him go into a
nose dive and plunge earthward from
$1,000 feet in the air.
II followed him down to make sure
that he was really out" Lands ex-
planned. HE landed in heap in the
middle of the village. A moment later
another boche crashed alongside of
him, shot down by one Of our bunch.
1t was a great sight to see them
lying there side by side in the narrow
efreat ~ ~