The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1918-09-06
ENGAGED 10 HUNS; SHOT DOWN
FIVE

MMW
Great Feat Of Lieut. Putnam, Ameri-
cam Air Fleet Star of q. 8. Avia-
tors.
With the American Army in
France.-The story Of Lieut.. David
2. Putnam, Of Newton, Mass, the
leading ace oG American aviation. as
he tells 1t, gives the impression that
there f. nothing extraordinary in The
making Oh a star of the air feet OF
the big things he has done he tells in
I'D quiet way that they appear
ordinary. His greatest fight took
place ON June 8, when ne engaged 10
Germans and shot down five Of them
A year ago he was feeling his way
on "a Penguin, the machine that iS
given To all beginners because 1t
cannot fly Off the ground. Now his
average liz three victories a month,
having destroyed 20 enemy planes
and arm observation balloon since hi
debut, December 20, 1917. Not all OF
these have been officially recorded.
Putnam shows in the air the same
ardent aggressiveness that the Ger
mans have been grieved to- observe
in our infantry. Like IA great many
new f1fers, he sailed boldly over the
lines Car into the territory occupied
by the Germans TO provoke battle.
I'm consequence a number OF his VIC
tories could not BE- officially con-
firmed and the risks we're largely
increased Twice nc has had to
plane back over the lines with his
motor out of commission and his ma
chine shot mp.
After seven months training and
one months service att the front TO-
fought his first battle and won 1T on
January 49, Wally Winter, OF
Chicago flying in the same patrol,
said Putnam saved him during this
fight. Putnam now says a. was the
man who was saved by Winter. Fly
ing in a high wind that bore him
over into the enemy's territory he
sighted two Germans below him
making for the French lines. Tie
dove after them and got one nc
2 1000 yards height. Then he discov-
cred that the other German was
maneuvering above him and that
higher I'D Winter was coming down
followed BY two more Of the enemy
He took height to meet Winter and
the Germans abandoned the fight
"a curious accident in his second
fight, January ~, gave Putnam the
unpleasant sensation OF being ait his
mercy. He made, such
sharp dive after his man that hi ma
chine turned turtle and all his spare
ammunition fell out. He had fired
the last cartridge from hi gun when
the German wabbled and crashed
about two miles inside the German
lines. Putnam's last shot had done
for him.
"a week later H. had another mar
row escape when in a fight with
four two-seaters his machine was
shot almost to pieces. He just man
aged to dive under his adversaries
and plane back to- the French lines
Putnam began work with the
squadron of Lieutenant MadOn on a
mOnOplane March liza and the same
day ran into a patrol Of Is Germans.
Knowing he had the advantage in
speed, he decided to make a quick
attack, then dive All the Germans
followed him down, one OF them. ait
least, In a dizzy nose spin, making
the third success officially credited
To him. The next day he downed a
two-seater in a fight with two; his
gun damned and H. had to dive away
from the second
One of his longest and hardest
cOrnbats was ON April 11, when ne
engaged -four two-seaters during SO
minutes. One Of them crashed. The
afternoon or the following day he
ran into one of the German Circus
ID "" there were six i'm the group, and
he got two of them. These made five
adversaries shot down between March
Ia and April IL from a monoplane.
Engaged at close quarters with a
tWo-Seater on May lid, he cot near
enough to see the German gunner
fall forward ON his quick, firer when
he sent q bullet home. Putnam was
brought down himself for the first
time June q, but without personal
damage He was one OF two fighters
protecting two accommodating ma
chimes when he sighted III Germans.
He signaled, but the accommodating
planes continued their course. Two
minutes later the Germans came on
i'm two groups, one of five above and
one or six below. The accommodating
planes dove for their lines, and Put
nam for the first time in his career
gave himself up for lost.
One of the Germans had succeeded
in cutting orr the accommodating
planes. Putnam Owed and drove him
down. Another German Owed at the
second reconnoiterer and Putnam
followed him. The German put his
nose up" which in aviation parlance
means that he made a steep upward
turn, and put three bullets into Put
MANS motor. He got one In return
that sent him down in crashing
slide on the wing. Meanwhile the
six machines In the higher group
were firing and one of their bullets
went through the machine within
half an inch Of Putnam's foot. His
motor was now out of commission
and he was looking for two disasters
at once-a fall of 1000 yards and the
final bullet. Again the Germans
abandoned just as they were about to
get him and he managed to fall just
softly enough to break nothing but
wood"
The great fight that made Putnam
famous in France was over the bat