Condon globe. (Condon, Gilliam Co., Or.) 189?-1919, 1918-07-12


come out Of my dive at about four
thousand feet They never came out
Of thelrsi
Hut right then came the hottest alt.
uatlon In the air had ever expert.
eneed up TO that time. The depth Of
my dive had brought mo within reach
OF the mnchine guns from the ground,
and they also put a barrnge around me
OF shrapnel from nntiaircruft guns
and had an opportunity to "rlde the
barragc" as they call II In the II. r. @.
To make the situation more interest.
Ing, they began shooting "hamlng on.
Ions" at me. "Flamlng onions" are
rockets shot from rocket gun. They
are used to hit u machine when II Ia
flying low, and they are effective up
to about i've thousand feet. Some
times they are shot up one after an.
other In strings Of about eight. and
they are one OF the hardest things 10
80 through. II they hit the machine.
u Is bound to catch Ere and then the
Jig Is up.
All the time. too. was being at.
tackled by "Archie"--the antiaircraft
gun. ! escaped the machine guns and
the flaming onions." but "Archie." the
antiaircraft ire, got me four or five
times. Every time a bullet plugged
me, or rather my machine, Il made
loud bang, on account OF the tension
on the material covering the wings.
None Of their shots hurt me until
| was about mile from our lines, and
then they hit my motor. Fortunately.
! stu had altitude enough to drift on
to our own side OF the lines, for my |
motor was completely out OF commits
sion. They just raised the dickens !
with me nll the time I was descend !
Ing. and I began to think | would |
strike the ground before crossing the
line. but there was slight wind In
my favor. and Il carried me two miles
behind our lines. There the balloons
had gone out TO get had the satisfac-
tion OF "pin'pointing" me. Through
the directions which they were able TO
give to their artillery they commenced
my machine where Il lay.
This particular work Is TO direct the
fire Of their artillery, and they are
used just as the artillery observation
nirplanes are. Usually two men are
stationed 10 each balloon. They ascend
to height Of several thousand feet
about i've miles behind their own lines
and are equipped with wireless and
signaling apparatus, They watch the
burst OF their own artillery, check up
he position. get the range. and direct
he next shot.
When conditions are favorable they
ire able TO direct the shots no nccu.
'ately that II Is quick work destroying
he object Of thelr attack. II was such
balloon rs this that got my position.
marked me out, called for an artillery
hot. and they commenced shcling my
machine where II lay. II l had got
he two balloons instead of the mir.
'lane. I probably would not have lost
ny machine, for he would In all proba-
'ility have gone on homo and not both.
red about getting my range and caus-
ng the destruction Of my machine.
landed In part OF the country
hat was literally covered with shell Z
oles. Fortunately my machine was
ot badly damaged by the forced land,
ng. ! leisurely got out walked around
to see what the damage was, and
that II could be easily re-
aired. In fact. l thought IL I could
nd space long enough between shell
oles to get a start before leaving the
round that would be able to fly on
rom there.
! wns stlll examining my plane and
the matter OF few slight
epairs, without any particular thought