The courier-index., 1918-07-26
[;;cv Letters From Three Lee County Soldier Boys


 when the clouds are low. The anti aircraft guns (Archies) know the range of them. Then the enemy planes turk above. He was about ten miles in when they got his range. Filled his machine full of holes-one in his radiator-but he ran his motor until he was afraid it would catch on fire. Them he glided for our lines and just made them One piece of high explosive shell falling hit him in the head He told his observer he was hit. The ob- server sat there waiting for the ma chine to fall out of control Imagine the horrible suspense. Dekema was not hurt at all He had on a thick helmet.
 I flew up in the afternoon for tar. get practice.
 Late in the evening two machines were sent far into the lines on a photographic mission. They were "archied" all the way but saw no enemy planes. One machine landed at jus about the allotted time. The pilot said he saw the other machine dive down under the clouds over the lines. No one thought anything of it as he was good pilot and inclin- ed to be rash. The next morning we heard of an American plane that had landed at a British field, but it was a machine of different type. He has been missing almost a week and very little chance of his being prisoner. It was funny, though that we didn't hear of machine crash ing. We will probably drop note on the other side asking about him at the first opportunity. He was H Blanchard Battle, Columbus, Ga. His observer was Capt Williamson
 One flight had three visions early the next morning. Three planes were to go about thirty miles in, two if teen miles in, and I had one about twelve miles in. We were all to come out at about the same place I could see the shrapnel bursting on my level way off and I knew it was the other planes coming on. The planes were too far off to be seen Even when close it is hard to distin guish between enemy and friend The long patrol went further in than was necessary One pilot thought the leader was lost, so he left the patrol to come back, which was wrong. Three B0che came out oi nowhere at him, filled his plane full of holes-one tracer coming up be tween his legs and in front of his face. He got away all right. Five Boche got on the other two. They got few holes but they got away Bullets were seen to go in the fusi lage of one Boche-he left. A flight from another squadron was to wait at the lines. They attacked the Boche and got one and lost one We spotted one Roche and turned back in the sure but he went about his business.
 We have had bad weather the last few days so we have been ground hogs.
 There are three flights to our squadron. My room mate is Maury Hill of St. Louis. His father is presi dent of the Mechanics National Bank there. Perhaps you know him. He is flight commander of the third flight. am assistant flight com mander.
 Perhaps it has been published in the States that the aviation saved the day in the first offensive early in the spring. After the Germans first push there was a gap of ten miles in the Allies lines near Mont didier. The Germans didn't know of it at the time, luckily. The German reserves were massed in town three miles back of Montidier Gen Foch ordered that all planes be rush ed here. They worked all that night and all the next morning bombing Two hundred planes were over that night They completely demoralized the German reserves, wiping out two divisions and delaying their advance twelve hours. In the mean time the French reserves had come up CIhe
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