The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1918-05-08
AUTHOR R-AVIATOR
MISSING AFTER
AERIAL BATTLE
ON TOUL SECTOR
Flight Captain Was: Last
Seen Making Long
Spiral Dive
CARRIED THE FIRST
AMERICAN INSIGNIA
Three American !Aviators
Engage Four Germans
Near st. Mihiel
GERMAN MACHINES
ARE OUT IN FORCE
Evident Attempt Being
Made To Wipe Out U. S.
Flying Force
GERMAN MACHINES
ARE OUT IN FORCE
6By Agaociated Press.l

. With the American Army in France,
Tuesday, May 7.--"Jimmy'' Hall is
gone. and the whole American air
service is mourning his loss All
are wondering whether he was killed
or was able to bring his machine
safely to earth after his battle in
the air over Pagny- sur MoselIe.
Captain Hall was popular through
out the army and had won admira-
tion by his daring, cooIness and skill
in handling his machine.
The captains flying companions
are all certain he would have knock
ed out his opponent had it not been
for a naneuver unheard of so far
tas American and French pilots in
this section Of France are concerned.
1t has been considered dangerous to
the last degree TO bring UP a ma
chine sharply from a downward
plunge because the strain is almost
certain to cause the collapse Of
some vital part. The German avi-
ator whom Captain Hall was pur-
suing. being hard pressed, adopted
this desperate expedient to escape
death and won
for several hours after the fight for
him to return before giving him up
for lost. They felt certain unless
some serious accident had occurred
he would return, notwithstanding
the fact that he was seen to plunge
toward the earth. The ayiators all
have the greatest confidence in him
and express the conviction that If
he landed safely and was captured
he will escape eventually.
After thrilling battle with enemy
airplanes ten miles north Of Pont-
a,-Mousson, Captain Hall made a
last seen close to the ground ap-
parently trying to land His fate is
unknown.
Meet Four Germans.
Captain Hall, with two others, was
patrolling between st. Mihiel and
Pont-a- Mousson When they were
Albatross airplanes, painted with
black and white stripes, were seen.
The Americans attacked, Captain
Hall singing out one Of the enemy
and driving him downward while
alring with his machine gun. The
pair made spiral dive from 5000
meters to 1000, when the German
started to raise. In quick turn he
poured a stream OF machine gun
bullets into the bottom OF Halls ma
chine. Captain Hall promptly came
out OF the spiral and made a dive
for the earth. He was last seen at
tempting to complete this maneuver.
In the meanwhile the enemy ma
IEhines that the other Americans had
engaged dropped toward the ground.
OFT Is unknown what happened to
them, but two of them apparently
lwere In distress, No credit for vic
tory is given the Americans. because
official varifcation of the destruc-
tion OF the enemy was impossible.
American Insignia.
Captain Halls machine had print-
ed upon it's side the first American
airplane insignia to appear on the
battle line It was in the form OF a
hat in the ring" sign, showing a
starry striped high hat usually pic
fured ON Uncle Sam, surrounded by
ia golden ring.
German machines were out In
force. Alarm after alarm was
answered by the Americans. Lieu
tenant Cunningham engaged one ma
chine when five more of the enemy
joined in. The lieutenant kept up
the fight until his machine gun
5annmed, when he returned to the
American lines with ten bullet holes
in his plane. The usual German
game was to have q, small number of
planes appear near the American
lines while a reserve of four or i've
machines remained out OF sight until
the Americans came into action. The
reserves would then swoop down ia
an attempt TO wipe out the. Ameri-
f 49,