Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1918-12-31
MAN WHO DOWNEDQUENT|N
ROOSEVELT DESCRIBES ACT
Son Put Up PlucIty, but In
experienced, Fight.
WAS DECORATED MANY TINES
Bantam Flyer Wears Gold Medal
Presented Him by Former Kaiser.
Claims to Have Brought Down
Thirty Allied Airmcn.
BY DAMON RUNYON.

WITH THE AMERICAN ARMY OF
ocGuPATI0N. GosLESZ, PsEember q:
which description we sought him yes
terday. hunted US up this morning
He had heard that we had been pag-
ing MIN. What was wanted We're the
four feet of him. measuring from top
to bottom. He was swathed in a fur
coat and much dignity. Der Kleine
rleger" admitted that he weighs all
OF ninety-four pounds. Some Of 1t is
chest.
In mingled German. French and Eng
lish he explained to US that most or
the information we had about him was
Donhauser. not Taske Edward Taske.
he explained, is his comradc.
Taskc's 4 good man. said Der Kleine
Flicger." with ten planes to his credit,
but he, Christian Donhauscr, has thir-
y. He got them all between July l
war stopped.
Taskc's here with him. he said. to
help fly the, Eokker planes which viii
be delivered to the Americans.
WANTS TO JOIN
AMERICAN ARMY AvIATORs
They start the dying tests to-mor-
row. Der Kleine Flieser" said that
tterward he wants 20 get to America
Sweden had invited him to go thore as
an instructor, but he is anxious to go
TO America. rs he has relatives In
Michigan.
lie displayed 4 gold medal OH his
bosom. given him by the former Kaiser.
Only thirty men in all Deutschland
have such n medal. he said. He also
wears iron crosses of the first and sec
ond class and badges Indicating that
he had been wounded quite q numb er
OF times.
Once he was shot down by Guyne-
mer. the great French ace, and once
by Navarro.
SAYS AMERICAN AIRMEN
LACKED PRAcrICE
Yes. he had met Eddie Rickenbacie err,
the American ace. = fine flyer! But
he thought some of the American air
men lacked-here Der Kleine Fliexer''
struggled for word. finally produc-
mighty good toward the close Of the
war.
Yes, they had told him that the flyer
ne shot down in the air duel over
welt. He didn't know at the time, OF
course.
NO. Donhauser. was leading his
squadron Of half a dozen Fokkers when
they encountered the same number OF
American planes. Four of the Ameri-
cans started back with Germans In
pursuit.
With his companion Donhauser en-
gagged ono OF the rema lining planes.
Ills companion's gun became jamm ed;
then Donhauser and the American
He said he could tell the American
hadn't had a great deal Of expercn &c
from his maneuvcrinE. but he was
most brave.
There were a couple OF times, too.
when the American got over him ana
had him in SUCH position that he,
~ of going home
He had the better iEhting luck OF
went spiraling to the ground.
QUENTIN KILLED nY
MACHINE GUN BULLET
Its pilot was undoubtedly killed by
q machine gun bullet, said Der Kleine
body and buried It with ali honors. il
vas then. he said, they informed him
as to the, identity of his brave onpo-
thought il was better not
When he examined his own plane
bullet holes in 1t. They were ali from
Der kieine Fliegcr" is twenty three
Before the war he was a civilian air.
piane pilot. He has wallet rlict
Win Citations citation, for various deeds. ane
Der kleine, Flieger" is not even r
op s mssione d,,i o,i,eerst an aspran
on ne ground that he had been shifted
so OFTEN and so far that his promotion
meyer caught up with him.
Der Kleine Flicger'' rathcrnG NV mn ,,,
n nrne cap and h0isted his fur Cola
bn,,E, ory 10 departure. Then some.
n3Tuy asked him what about those iime.
, Mnrn German aviators. for no mar,
drif,ah reason or military advantage
ma ch in lose 10 the earth, splatterinr
,,..sfEininc gun bullets into streets whnro
Gren women and even innocent chill.
sb nE spread his small hands and
HIN done those things himself =,
OF or hir ima n ofinsr done it was by order
onSy orders they said he Was M m,u ,.a no!
an" .n sent him home. So! "0 sooo
HANDS ,,,, Hlsine Elieger'' spread hi.
nnnmSS, wider than before, shlrir~"5 i his
S o,,' UP TO his ears and s sts,r M
be said - man only four feet tail "au
in.Ei"tor burned TO Death
,onar, h- 30, i" J.. December 3O-Jio,,
was n'" hn rnihert Mills; an army aviator
80 80 burned to death late this n9tor
noon when his blazinT ,n.S liter