The Oklahoma City times. [volume] (Oklahoma City, Okla.) 1908-1984, 1918-07-08
lDNDER Tells
mother HOW He
I Won WAR CROSS
Hero Is EIated Over
. Award of Croix de Guerre,

NANGUM, July 8-Lieut w. p.
7?onder's own story of how be won the
syrench Croix de Guerre for his part in
1hs brilliant exploit of a French air
atroI Of six airplanes which beat oil
len German airplanes, destroying two
~ them, in the Chateau Thierry sector,
las reached Mangum, his home, in the
orm OF a letter to his mother, who
ives here.
Ponders letter is dated May 70. He
loes not go into detail about the whole
s<tion. Ponder was leading the French
iatrol In the fight and becoming
eparated from his patrol was sur
I bundled by five German planes. lie
ent one earthward inside the French
Ines and killed the pilot OF another
Which fell inside the German lines. Inc
ther French flyers came to his rellet
ind the Germans were routed. The
stter in which he tells the story is as
pillows
As Happy as Boy.
Dear mother: i have sent you four
kctures II you get them, send one to
nster,, ore to lncz. give one to Renls
md the other one OF course is for you.
III am well and feeling fine Am also
Happy as n boy Is when he puts on MS
hrsi pair OF long trousers. for yesterday
\ had n great battle and shot down my
1rst German airnlanc. II was n blg
iWo- scatter. so not only had the pleasure
N destroying machine, but also hhd
/ nI nau1ipU the two Ger
4 hans TO quick death | hope | live to
n isnd many more Of them down.
The battle was above the clouds When
first saw the machine II was about
/ 100 yards below me, 40 | stood my ma :
ihine right up on its nose and went
\ traight down on H. I started to shoot
Then | was about $50 ynrds away and
ept II up until | almost ran Into him.
Il hen I pulled up and made sharp
Il frn. As | turned | could see the man
~ the bnck seat with his two machine
1 uns pointed right at me. | could also
II ear the tat tat Of his guns and see
h 10 aluminium bullets whiz by like balls
'9 fire. You gee nViatOrs use aluminium
NJ uilets for they can see them and ten
\ ihether they hit the mark or not; also
~ you put one Of them In the opponent
asoline tank It will set his machine on
al Felt Lucky"
n Well 10 get back 20 my story, I mace
Il sharp turn and was climbing as last
1is could to dive down on him again,
N nd could see my bullets hitting the
Y lark. Then tho machine tumhled and
" sll through the clouds. When | re-
N irned / reported TO my French captain
\ hat had taken place and about where
i thought was. He telephoned TO the
N hseryntIon post and they said they saw
se machine fall and crash into the
I, round just inside tho German lines.
he observation post have TO see the
Machine fall or else Its got to tall inside
ne French lines before II Is regarded as
[ ffIclal Am glad my victory was made
N fftcial Mama, II was the hnppest mo
sjent Of my life when | saw the machine
III and knew that I had won. | ielt
M retty lucky, too, because one OF the
u1lets that | saw wh2 by my head might
ave Just as well hit the mark. Aviation
Eta game OF chance though, and II on'
|ni not willing 10 take the chances, one
81 n never succeed AT H. | am over here
u > do everything | can TO help win this
fnr, glad to take my chances. | don
now how long | will last. but | want
\ assure you that III do my very best
N ID long as I do live.
~ Files Into Germany.
IA I suppose YOU have been reading about
IA 1e big attack the Germans are making
I4es pitlful TO fly over the country ano
\ ok down and see the French towns ana
Il iiIages burning. The Germans seem 10
n oetroy everything as they go. To-day
q ew with two officers over about twenty
It Hes into Germany at a very low altitude
Y n see II the Germans were bringing up
e'sAny troops IN continue the attack. The
\ I'd for miles were Just filed with sol
Ikiers marching Nm to the attack, Then
Me came back and crossed over the lines
tnd saw the French md English march
|t,r up In long lines. Wen, Mama, | must
III use for ! must get TO bed. Its now
|Nter II and | have TO get up at $3.50 IN
ne morning
M Lovingly your son,
|H