The Washington herald., 1918-04-15
Men from Chicago and Cali
fornia Win Air Laurels
Quickly.
CHECK HEAVY ATTACK
U. S. Troops Repulse Four
Enemy Companies in
Hard Fight.
By BERT FORD.

with the American Army In
France, April I4.-Lieut. A. S
WINSTON, of Chicago, and Second
Lieut.. Douglas Campbell, a Cali,
fornian, today brought down two
German war planes within tn,
American lines exactly six min,
utes after the alert" signal hac
been given, which meant that en-.
ciny raiders had crossed our lines
The two Germans crossed a
S:44 and were shot down at $50
each OF the two Americans bag,
ging a German machine. The pi
lots were taken prisoners. One
is unhurt, while the other is suf
fering from burns and slight in,
juries.
Campbell is the first graduate
of a strictly American aviation
school to bring down a machine.
Both he and Winston wer,
promptly awarded the French wal
cross. 49,
8 -.-H StormIsg F0res AttaeA.
A storming force made up from foul
German companies early this morning
attacked the Americans on the right
bank OF the Meuse, north of st. Nj.
hiel (southwest of Verdun). and were
routed after a hard fight.
Shirty-four dead Germans and ter
wounded remained in the American
trenches. Several wounded German.
were rescued by their comrades.
Heavy Bombardment First.
The German attack was prefaceC
by heavy bombardment with higF
explosives and poison gas, first Sat
urday morning, then resumed at mid
night, and intermittently continued
until dawn today. The enemy laid
down a severe barrage and then sen
his infantry forward.
The charge was met by the Ameri
cans with grenades and bayonets
and the brilliant rush of our mer
turned the enemy back with heavS
losses.
At another point a large force o
Germans had surrounded twenty-fiv,
Americans in front Of the trenches
The Americans promptly massed TO
charge and turned the tables OF
the foe. killing and scattering tn,
Germans who beat a quick retreat
Several of them were taken prison
ers.
Rest From Fierce Fight.
Our infantry rested today from tw,
days Of fierce battling with the Ger
man shock columns-1,CO strong-ir
the burnt forest of Apremont, north
west of Toul.
Activity in this sector today ha
been confined TO artillery and aeria
activity. Our wounded refused medi
cal aid until the Germans had beef
driven off. They chased the enem.
away by the liberal use of the rife in
stead Of the grenade. American
craftsmanship proved a telling factor
The Germans shrunk from the rain o
bullets and the bayonet thrusts of ou
men.
French Congratulate Men.
The dash and the fortitude of tn
Americans in this large-scale engage
ment are the subject of a congratula
tory letter from a French general, on,
sentence OF which reads:
With such brave men as allies W,
are sure to triumph"
1t was learned today that a German
Red Cross worker taken prisoner b!
us was armed. He was taken from
a dugout with fourteen wounded Ger
mans.
With the American Army in France
April 13 (delaye6.-Heavy artiIIer!
exchanges last night closed the sec
ond day Of steady fighting betweer
American forces and German shocl
troops in the burnt forest of Apre
mont-four miles east of st. Mihiel-
on the American sector northwest o
Toul.
1t was the toughest and bigges
battle yet fought by our men. an,
they won it.
An American lieutenant and fou
men captured nineteen Germans. Tw,
machine guns and large quantities o
German equipment were also cap
tured. The German casualties, accord
ing to the latest estimate are 100 dea,
and 800 wounded.
Many Incidents Of Bravery.
Incidents Of bravery and self-sac
rifice shown by our officers and me
In this large scale action riva' o
feats of fiction.
During fierce fighting the German
tried to trap twenty-nine American
in trench. But the lieutenant com
manding these Americans, seeing III
danger, ordered and led a dashin
charge and rescued his comrades from
a terrible fate.
The American casualties were 5maI
in comparison with the losses inGlicte
upon the enemy.
Americans Handicapped.
Twelve Of the thirty-six German
taken prisoner by us died OF wounds
The Americans were handicappe,
CONTINUED ON PAGE Two.