The Democratic banner. (Mt. Vernon, Ohio) 1898-192?, 1918-05-17
most T|M|D OF
FOUR ACE BAGS
! ENEMY PLANES
American Aviator Upsets
Daddy's Dope; Tells OF
His Encounters With Huns.

! BY Associated Press To The Bnnnerl
MOBILE, Ala, May 15-Lieutenant
Frank Baer, member of the Lafayette
Escadrille who has just won designa-
tion as an American "ace" by official
recognition that he has brought down
FIVE German airplanes, is described by
his father as "the most timid of our
four children" But fighting has been
Paul's game for some time" the par.
ent continued.
How Lieutenant Baer achieved his
ambition was described by the Lieu.
tenant in a recent letter To his father,
A. Il. Baer. an engineer of the Lon.
isville e. Nashville railroad.
Lieutenant Baer told his father in
his letter dated March ~, that he had
had five cOmbats in the previous ten
days. Three bullets hit his machine
! but he shot down two Germans "and
| perhaps another one not yet confirm.
ed" he said
| Previous to winning this "acc" Lieu.
tenant Baer had been decorated with
the Distinguished Service Cross for
shooting down a Hun aviator i'm bat.
tie against great odds. At the time
he was attacked by seven German
fliers Describing that fight Lieu,en.
ant Baer wrote:
well. Dad. at last got my first of.
fetal German airplane. Day before
yesterday (March II, 6 p. m.) |. unac.
companied. was flying inside the Ger.
man lines. As time drew near for mo
10 come home. as | had been ont my
full time. and while almost at our
lines, the French sent up a signal to
me which told me in what sector the
Boches were. turned around and
was greeted by seven German planes.
Part OF the enemy machines were
above me and part of them below.
We'll, only had enough gasoline
FOR ten minutes more flight. and was
six or eight kil0meters inside their
lines.
II pointed my machine at the clos.
est one to me. and as | got right on
him. opened up with my machine
gun and down he went. Tho rest of
them came nt me and mt the same
time sure did some scientific re.
treating Well. the Hun killed Ia .of.
fetal; that IL | got credit for. killing
him. lie fell about seven kilometers
In his own lines, but the French saw
him hit the ground.
"The next morning. March u, at
9:26 o'clock, ! speared another Hun
u was in just about the same place
as the irst one ! killed. lie was about
ten or eleven ltil0mcters within his
lines when he fell. saw him crash
into the ground. lie was one of n M.
trol OF i've Bochc. Again | had to do
some scientific rctreating.' had an
or them on my tail. Their bullets were
flying all around me. However, | got
nome. The second one is not yet of
icial.' do not know If II will be Of
iicially recorded but hope so.
II really have four Germans that I
have bagged in the air, but credit for
only one 80 far. | have had five com.
bats In the last five days. with three
outlets In my machine. But | shot
down two Germans and perhaps AN.
other one not yet confirmed"
Lieutenant lIaor has two brothers
IN the service of their country. Arthur
i'acr Is Quartcrmastor aboard the
cruiser Charleston and A. W. (Bud)
baer Is In the Gun Sighting Depart
meht' Navy Yard, Washington A. W.
'aer served two years ON one of
Uncle Sans submarines.