Imperial Valley press., 1918-05-17
T|M|O YOUTH IS
BRAVE IN ETHER
Member of Lafayette Escadrille, Dec
GRATED by the French Government
for Conspicuous Bravery in Action,
Is Described by His Father as a
Very Modest, Retiring Young Man.
(By Associated Press)


Lieutenant Frank Baer, member of
the Lafayette Escadrlle, who has just
won designation as an American "ace"
by official recognition that he has
brought down five German airplanes,
is described by his father as "the
most timid of our four children. But
fighting has been Paul's game for
some time" the parent continued.
How Lieutenant Baer achieved his
ambition was described by the lieu
tenant in recent letter to his faith
er, A. E. Baer, an engineer of the
Louisville & Nashville railroad.
Lieutenant Baer told his father in
his letter, dated March 13, that he
had had five combats in the previous
ten days. Three bullets hit his ma
chine, but he shot down two Ger
mans "and perhaps another one not
yet confirmed" he said. ~%'W
Previous to winning this 'ace,"
Lieutenant Baer had been decorated
with the Distinguished Service Cross
for shooting down Hun aviator in a
battle against great odds. At the
time he was attacked by seven Ga-
man fliers. Describing that fight,
Lieutenant Baer wrote:
''Well, Dad, at last l got my first
official German airplane Day be-
fore yesterday March II, p. n.y. l
unaccompanied, was flying inside the
German lines. AS time drew near for
me to come home, as | had been out
my full time, and while almost at
our lines, the Wrench sent up sig
nal to me which told me in what Sec
tor the Boches were. l turned around
and was greeted by seven German
planes. Part of the enemy machines
were above me and part of them be-
low
"Well | only had enough gasoline
for ten minutes more flight, and |
was six or eight kilometers inside
their lines.
Il pointed my machine at the clos
est one to me. and as | got right on
him l opened up with my machine
gun and down he went The rest of
them came at me and at the same
time l sure did some scientific re-
treating Well, the Hun I killed is
official, that is | get credit for kill
ling him. He fell about seven klo-
meters in his own linese, but the
French saw him hit the ground.
1.-The next morning, March 12, at
9:25 O'Clock, | speared another Hun.
1t was in Just about the same place
as the first one | killed. He was
about ten or eleven kilometers with
IN his lines when he fell. | saw him
crash to the ground He was one of
patrol of five Bochese. Again I had
to do some scientific retreating.' [
had all of them on my tail. Their
bullets were flying al laround me.
However, l got home. The second one
is not yet official I do not know
| if it vii lbe officially recorded, but
l hope So
81 really have four Germans that
| have bagged in the air, but credit
for only one so far | have had five
combats in the last five days, with
three bullets in my machine. But I
shot down two Germans and perhaps
another one net yet confirmed"
I Lieutenant Baer has two brothers
in the service of their country. Ar
thur Baer is a quartermaster aboard
the cruiser Charleston and A. w.
(Bud) Baer is in the Gun Sighting
department, Navy Yard, Washington.
A. W. Baer served two years on one
Of Uncle Sans submarines.