The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1918-08-18
Lieut.. David E. Putnam's Ex-
ploit in Combating Ten
German FlierS.
THREE VICTORIES
MONTH AVERAGE
Always Kept Steady Head When
Fighting Far Above
the Clouds.

With the American Army in France,
July 13-(Correspondenc of The As
sociated Press).-The story of Lieut..
David E. Putnam, of Newton, Mass
the leading ace of American aviation,
as he tells it, gives the impression that
there is nothing extraordinary In the
making of a star of the air fleet. or
the big things he has done he tells in
so quiet a way that they appear ordi-
nary. His greatest fight took place on
June 5, when he engaged ten Germans
and shot down five OF them.
A year ago he was feeling his way on
a Penguin. the machine that is given
to all beginners because IL cannot fly
off the ground Now his average is
three victories a month, having de-
stroyed twenty enemy planes and an
observation balloon since his debut.
December 20, 1917. Not all of these
have been officially recorded.
Putnam shows in the air the same
ardent aggressiveness that the Ger
| mans have been grieved to observe in
our infantry. Like a great many new
/ fliers he sailed boldly over the lines
| far into the territory occupied by the
Germans 20 provoke battle. In con-
| sequence number of his victories
| could not be officially confirmed and
the risks were largely Increased Twice
! he baa had to plane back over the
lines wsth his motor out OF commits
sion and his machine shot up.
/ After seven months training and one
months service at the frost he fought
his first battle and won II on January
I1e Wally Winter of Chicago. flying
in the same patrol, said Putsam saved
him during this fight Putnam now
says be was the man who was saved
by Winter. Flying in a high wind
that bore him over into the enemy s
territory he sighted two Germans BE
ow him making for the French ines.
He dove after them and got one at
2. 900 yards height Then he discovered
that the other German was Vancouver
ling above him and that higher up was
inter coming down, followed by two
two more of the enemy. He took
height to meet Winter and the Ger,
mans abandoned the fight
A curious accident in his second
fight January 81, gave Putnam the un-
pleasant sensation of being at his ad-
versaries mercy. He made such a
sharp dive after his man that his
| machine turned turtle and all his
/ spare ammunition fell out. He hsh
| fired the last cartridge from his gun
/ when the German wabbed and crash
i
| lines Putnams last shot had done
flor him.
| A week later he had another narrow
| escape when in fight with four two
seaters his machine was shot to pieces.
| He Just managed to dive under his ad-
| versaries and plane back to the French
lines.
Putnam began work with the squad
/ ron of Lieutenant Madon on a mono
/ into patrol of fifteen Germans, Know
ing he had the advantage in speed he
| decided to make a quick attack then
dive. All the Germans followed him
down. one of them, at least, in a DIZZY
nose spin, making the third success Of
/ ficiaily credited to him. The next day
he downed a two-seater in a fight with
| two; his gun jammed and he had to
dive away from the second.
One of his longest and hardest COM
bats was on April IL when he engaged
four two-seaters during thirty-five
| minutes ont of them crashed. The
afternoon of the following day he ran
| into one OF the German "circusee: =
| there were six in the group and he got
two of them. These made five adver-
| saries shot down bttween March IA and
April Il from a monoplane.
Engaged at close quarters with a
| two-seater on May Is he got near
enough to see the German gunner fall
| forward on his quick firer when he
| sent a bullet home. Putnam was
brought down himself for the first
time June but without personal dam
/ age. He was one of two fighters pro-
| tecting two recosnoitering machines
| when he sighted eleven Germans. He
signalled but the accommodating planes
| continutd on their course. Two min
| utes later the Germans came on is two
groups, one of five above and one OF six
below. The accommodating planes rove
for their lines and Putnam for the
| first time in his career gavt himself
up for rost.
| One of the Germans had succeeded in
cutting off the accommodating planes.
Putnam dove and drove him down. An
other German dove at the second re-
connoiterer and Putnam followed him