Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1918-09-18
OUR VS.
OR cQuN1RY's SERVICE
Brunswick, Me. September J.

he has been serving since July 1916 ~
the American army, in which ne VIII
have the rank of first lieutenant, VIII
liam Z. Wass, son of Professor ana
Mrs. Edward Ii. Wass, OF this town,
has been doing patrol duty and on Au-
gust II had the most narrow escape
from death or falling into the hands OF
the Germans as prisoner that he has
had since he entered the service.
In letter just received by his parents
Lieutenant Wass tells most vivid
story of the fight, which was probably
his last as a member of the famous
French flying corps. The letter says in
rart:
Dear Father:
| have been doing patrols again while
waiting for my papers to come through.
Two days ago little William nearly
SHOOK hands with himself" ensuite dun
combat. We were i've in the patrol and
had crossed the lines about in the
afternoon at a height of 14.0IO feet and
We're still climbing. We had gone about
eight miles in the Hun lines when / saw
a black-crossed two-seater making for
say l gave a good look all around,
under and above, but not another Hun
was in the sky. Then l pulled an open
throttle and m. e my plane act queerly,
which is the sign to the others. All this
was done in few seconds, then l dove
full motor on the Hun for 1000 feet.
l got within 500 yards Of him and be-
tn fire both Guns me time
l could see the Hun machine-gunner
standing up in the back seat training
his gun on me, and more than that, his
incendiary bullets were getting uncom-
fortably close, each bullet leaving a thin
line of smoke. Well, l saw that he was
getting too good SO l changed my tao
tics and backed around to come at him
from the other side with both of my
guns working perfectly. I saw the ma
hine-gunner suddenly throw his arms
and then disappear from sight in the
fuselage of the plane. l gave a yell
then, because / knew he was done for
and just to make sure that l had got
him I passed over the plane about 100
feet. There he was all huddled up,
dead. Then l gave another yell because
l had the pilot at my mercy. He turned
around and started back, for home, but
| cut him off by circling in front of him.
He made Zig SIS trying to get away. I
waited to get him in my sights. Then
the party began.
Directly behind me I heard a terri
nc rattle of machine-guns and there
were seven Fokker triplanes coming
down on me. ] knew it was up to me to
beat it if possible. I will admit | thought
it was all over with me. | did every
piece of acrobatc flying l knew. and I
am sure some things ! never did before.
| arrived at the lines with those Huns
still on my tail and their tracer and IN
cendary bullets clipping my wings now
and then. All the time | was making
great SIS and diving when my motor
went dead. | was in a bad fix. with no
motor and those Huns trying to get at
me. ! went into a nose dive and then
/ they let me go because they didn't want
TO fly too low. Then | began looking
around for a soft place to land. ! knew
| was going to have a beautiful smash
and SO I pulled my goggles off and
imagine how fast I was going. because
"Spad" weighs nearly two tons. I
saw those woods coming nearer and
nearer and then hit, The only things
that saved my life were the belts that
held me in. When ! came to-" l was
laying on the edge OF a shell-hole with
four French Infantry men standing over
me. I got up and found I was lame and
had a cut on my face where had been
thrown against the windshield. My
right knee was pretty badly wrenched
as 1t had damned against the right
magnetic in the machine. What was left
Of the machine was only few yards
away. There was only the fuselage and
tail. In the branches Of two trees were
my wings. 1t sure was a nice looking
sight. Between the wings and the fuse
lage on the ground was a big hole
where I had hit and turned over twice.
went back and looked az the front Of
the machine covering the motor. Four
bullets had gone in. No wonder the
blooming thing had stopped.
took out the maps and instruments
and started away with the Poilus. After
walking through shell holes, harbed
wire. trenches and fallen trees, we ar
rived in what was once a village. went
down IN a deep dugout where I was
shown % q major. and he set them
up" again. When it was dark, he gave
me a staff car and had a ride over a
road never want to go over again.
Those Huns are no. bad with their ar
t;llery, when aiming for a road. At
about 10 that night, finally arrived at
the squadron lame and stiff as an iron
bar. 7 was all in.