The Owosso times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1897-1926, 1918-11-01

'sn'ns 20 His Comrades, and Also
Probably Astonishing to the Enemy
Eddie RiekenbacI<er, Former Auto
Racer, Has Downed Seven.
Inc FIRST army has it's can off TO
Frank Luke, who has brought down
III enemy observation balloons and
one plane within a week. Luke vol.
unteered for probably the most neril.
GUS air work. going out on stunts as
tonishing to his comrades, and also
probably astounding to the enemv.
writes Frederick A. Smith In the Chi.
cago Tribune.
sought out this demigod of ayia-
ton who has become In q few DAYS
the american ace Of aces in balloon
destruction, and found him to be a
boy OF nineteen, whose blue eyes show
ingenious surprise when he is asked
about his exploits. His ENTERPRISES
contribute to the fine record of Amer
lean aviators In this offensive. Sixty.
three Boche planes have been downed
in a week. nine Of which are already
officially recorded, and 80 balloons.
Chicago Boy Downs One.
Thorne G. Taylor, son of Judge Tay.
lor OF Chicago, dropped one, adding to
his already fine record. Eddie Ricken-
hacker, former auto racer, Just ont of
the hospital after mastoid operation,
added three to his string, two of which
are official, giving him seven Boche air.
men to date.
When the offensive opened volun-
teers were asked for balloon attacks.
Luke and Joseph f. Wehner. Of Ev.
erett, Mass. stepped forward, although
they had only been pilots ut the front
for few months. They started, but
became separated; but each got a
balloon. That means they went singly
far across the foes line and flew close
to the ground under the fire Of machine
guns and aircraft guns, which, with
flaming onions" were filing the air
with fire. The onions are balls Of fire
intended to ignite the plane.
It is said that Luke in the Marine
campaign followed a BOche ace far
into German territory and dropped
him, but there was no chance to con-
firm this for the official record That
was his first blood, and he determined
his next accomplishment should be
made official. After dropping the bal
loon in flames Luke recrossed our
lines, alighting near an American OBJ
servatiOn balloon and getting an i'm
mediate written statement from the
observer, who saw the battle.
The next day Luke was accompa-
MED by Wehner, who, falling behind
and reaching the other side Of the Ger
man front, was just in time to discover
Luke sending down balloon in flames
unconscious of the fact that seven Hun
planes were right on his tail. Wehner.
rising, came down on the BOche near
est Luke, shooting down the Hun and
saving his cOmrade. Wehner then
crippled another Boche, both then es'
Gaping. Luke's plane was riddled,
bullet hitting under the seat back OF
him, damaging the tank and cutting
strut.
Attacks Antiaireraft Guns.
Saturday Luke went out with Joe
Dawson, getting another balloon, but
he was piqued because the bag didn't
burn, and descended almost to the
ground, driving the antiaircraft gun
ners away from their pieces.
Young Luke, who quit school In
Phoenix, Ariz.. to enter the war,
causes Germany a loss of $1,000 for
each balloon dropped, in addition to
valuable instruments and maps requir-
ing months to make. On Monday, eve
ming Luke and Wehner announced that
they would get three, the first at 7:l5.
the second at 7:8O and the third at
7:45. Observers near the front saw
the three fall almost exactly on sched-
ule. The daring flyers were forced 70
return after dark, but were guided by
rockets and flares, and finally reached
home, both wrecking their machines In
alighting.
The Arizona boy one night on re-
turning after bagging two more was
forced to land far away and was picked
up after walking some distance, sus-
pected as a German In an American
uniform. He proved his identity, but
was forced to wait until morning be-
fore returning to his airdrome.
Rickcnbacker Is different style OF
battler. "He lies In the sum-, OFTEN
10000 feet high, attacking only when
he has the advantage or some com
rade beneath needs help. He always
flies alone. On Saturday, northeast OF
viguelles, Rickenbacker encountered
four Boches who were pursuing Amer
lean bombers back toward our lines.
He Unanswered into the sun and came
down on the rear German, then rising
sharply or "zooming the German. he
escaped to safe altitude easily, as
the downward swoop has such terrinc
speed it carries the plane up ike d
flash when the ''zoom" starts.
Mayor Joins Union.