The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 18??-1935, 1918-08-16
JAMES T. WOoTEN III GIVES
THRILLING DESCRIPTION or
HIS ENCOUNTER.
DROVE OFF THREE BOOBIES
Returned After Having Several En-.
counters With Enemy Machines and
Getting Several Strings of important
Pictures.

| squadron OF aVlaLOf5 nave nothing Of
the one that James T. Wooten, iii
Columbia boy serving as aviation OBJ
server in France, tells his mother
Mrs. John T. Wooten in letter datet
July Z. The encounter described is
the one mentioned in press dispatches
more than month ago.
Lieut.. Wooten's letter follows
July Z, 1915
First Aero Squadron
Dear Folks:
Didn't know things would be nap
pening SO quickly after l wrote that
last letter, but they have. First,
can wear wound stripe if want to-
Second we've been moved again, into
even liver work if possible tho we
haven't moved our field much farther
than last time. (Now nearer the lines
or time factor.
Day before yesterday we received
request for some pictures of great i'm.
portance. was assigned half of it
With another observer in our squad.
on while another observer from on,
other squadron was assigned another
piece Blair Thaw majors brother
was my pilot. We all started but our
moteur popped and we had a forced
landing on the field next to ours,
which fortunately was not too bad.
The other ship returned. The three
ships from other squadron went lip,
we're attacked by four Boche and one
lriven down, the observer getting a
glance on the forehead, one on chin,
md one cutting his necktie and TAX
ing off button on his undershirt.
Nothing serious. So of course they
we're to go back. The weather was
very bad Then in afternoon never
.heless after clouds lifted to greater
altitude 1000 m. | was given the
whole mission from my squadron,
Other squadrons sent up two and land
ed on chasse field after we did. BY
the way had another ship with Tom
Cowsart of Texas, who | wrote about
last time going over Hun line for first
time on July 4.
| arranged with Chase before 9TH
ers arrived. They gave us which to
observation men is eXtravagant. GoOd-
Ills picture were further in than mine
and Chasse would not separate in 0
:wo fours, so | told Goodall we would
,rotect until they finished then we
would cut off quickly to save time, as
the Chase could not stay up as long
IS we, but to keep close eye on us
when he was nearly thru. He took
strips in some direetion as he didn't
know sector well, which also lost time.
They didn't wait long enough over
Chase field but took out with Tom
and me after them and Chasse trail
ing Just as we were going cover line,
spotted some Boche way behind line,
yelled thru mouth piece to Tom to
close in as we were their only Pro-
tecting ship. They did not see Fritz
Or our signal but began work, and
just then our Chase came over. a
welcome addition. We went along on
Hun side protecting them. At last
saw they were finishing, having as !
feared taken practically all allotted
time, our Chase could remain.
yelled to Tom and we turned off.
They continued plainly in our sight
and we made 3 turns waiting but
they headed for home, the Chase
leaving too. On another mission
would not have remained but as I've
said, this was important. and we were
taking what we could, including
clouds. | told Tom | wouldn't give
any order but | thought we should at
tempt it. He said sure, he was for
it." So we began. Just at the last
of the string of pictures the Arches,
who had been strafing us stopped and
sighted Huns coming in, yelled
to turn to the left as one dived at us.
Tom pulled quick one and | put my
guns on. All Immediately beat it,
without firing. We turned and snap
ped another string. We turned and
began as first time. had head down.
swapping about the middle of last
string of pictures, having cautioned
Tom to match direction of others,
when he yelled Look out right, and
Gee Whizz there were of them"
yelled Turn left and run. lie yelled:
"Oh Boy" as we showed around at
the same time, and they pulled around
in Co. front, and all seven opened up.
Well folks, the feeling was over in a
second. but | thought we had done
the greatest duty and began firing,
under tail wires as tail was in way,
bit dangerous but necessary. Ny
guns jammed and as | managed to
jerk them loose. yelled Climb, tail
in way We climbed and had won
derful shooting Picked out ? in zen
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