The silver state. [volume] (Winnemucca, Nev.) 1909-1925, 1918-10-31

TrieuX, Gouraincourt n Stenay by
French and Italian aviators, while the
British bombed Audun, Metz-Sablons,
Mezieres, AIRS, Thionville and Frescaty.
American aviators dropped a quantity
of bombs on Etain.
Airmen Attack at Night.
In no previous engagement have the
pursuit machines displayed greater in
difference to weather conditions.
Night flying has become common, the
airmen starting off in the darkness ard
landing by the light of flares. Their
course is determined by fash signals.
Raids by the airmen heretofore
have been confined almost wholly TO
the daylight hours in operations of this
character, but the Germans have been
forced in this engagement to combat
swift attacks upon their balloons by
airplanes appearing out of the dark
ness and clouds and opening on their
troops with machine-gun fire while
the men were trying to get a period of
rest.
American pursuit aviators have
played their part fully in the offensive,
and. despite greater activity than us
ual, have come through as undisputed
masters of the air in this region. They
went out in pairs, singly, and in small
groups. They fought and v~anquished
enemy formations ranging from seven
and nine TO twenty-three machines and
rendered great aid in the advance.
Aerial patrols left their airdromes
Thursday before dawn and were over
the sector of attack by sunrise. They
began their operations by launching a
successful raid against the German bal
looms, six of which were brought down
during the day. Other aviators direct
ed a continuous barrage throughout
the day all the way from Chatillon-
sous-les-C Otes to lie Manesel at an al
titude never exceeding 1000 yards.
Flying at this low height, these patrols
were able to protect the observation
airplanes which were doing work for
the infantry.
One pursuit group engaged in %
combats with enemy airmen, destroy
ing two enemy machines and bringing
down out of control a number of 9th
ers. Other Americans flew over the
German lines as far as the Moselle,
southwest of Metz. They found few
German machines, but drove back all
they CHANGED to find. The work of the
observation airplanes was virtually I'M
disturbed by the enemy machines.
A en~faa. 90 dam paf1g fnfn anamU fnr.
ritory was made during the day. The
first of these resulted in ID combats, in
which ten German airplanes were de-
stroyed. The second was made at a
low altitude to bomb concentrations OF
enemy troops and conveys.
Three German airplanes were en-
gagged and enc was probably destroyed.
A third raid was made in conjunc-
tiOn with a bombing group against the
railroad junction at Etain, and re-
suited in the successful bOmbardment
of the objective.
The Americans met German tliers
during the bombing operation and are
believed to have destroyed three of
them.
LOng-distance accommodating flights
also were carried out and valuable in
formation concerning German troop
movements was obtained.
Observation Machines Busy.
American observation aviators
played their customary important,
though little spectacular, part in the
advance of General Pershing's forces.
They carried put IS missions on Thurs
day. starting from their bases before
daylight and working until long after
dark. They came in contact with Ger
man infantry on 80 occasions.
The a%viatOrs were divided into
groups. The first section was assigned
to an infantry unit to report its prog