The Madison daily leader. [volume] (Madison, S.D.) 1890-current, 1918-02-14
FAMOUS faces"
DOWNED; FRIEND
and FOE LOSE
Dangers Of Flying Pictured IN
Career of Leaders.
WILL NOT TAKE NEEDED REST

L0nH. fHlG EtHietu4
and often Fall Easy Prey to Fresher
and Less Experienced Men-Many
Able Germans Downed-Freneh Lose
Thirteen "Aces."
The autumn of 1917 has been excep-
tionally destructive for the hghung
"aces'' OF the warning aviation corps
many Of the greatest and most Famous
flyers In both the allied and the enemy
ranks having fallen. A great NUMBER
of them had been flying for two u
even three years, and were almost
deemed inylncible. 1t Is my belief that
after a man has flown N fought al
the front for a long time he becomes
exhausted, and unless he takes a rest,
which few devoted aviators will con-
sent to do, he falls an easy prey to
some fresher though less experienced
man, writes Paul Ayres Rockwell In
the Chicago Daily News. At the head
OF the list of fallen airmen comes the
glorious Frenchman, Capt. Georges
Guynemer, who had, by official count,
destroyed SO German airplanes, n
who had surely accounted for at least
twenty others. He was killed In aerial
combat above ~Poecapelle, September
IL. by the German Lieutenant Wisse-
mann. who was slain a few days later
by Second Lieutenant Fonck. Guyne-
mer was the finest and most romantic
figure this war has yet produced. His
final citation In French army orders
follows:
Georges Guynemer, captain com
handing escadrille N 3; died ON the
field of honor September III, 1917. A
legendary hero, fallen In the full
heaven of glory, after three years OF
ardent struggle. WIN remain the most
pure example OF the qualities OF the
race; indomitable tenacity. tireless en-
ergy, sublime courage. Animated by
the most unsuitable faith In the vic
tory. he bequeaths to the French sol
der an imperishable souvenir, which
will exalt the spirit of sacrifice and
provoke the most noble emulations."
Another great Frenchman who will
fly no more Is Captain Nation, who
shot down nine enemy machines. He
did not return from a fight over the
German lines on September 10. Later
II was learned that he had been wound.
ed, captured and taken to a prison
camp, where he died. These are the
only French faces" who have been
killed, though several valuable pilots
are no more.
Many Able Germans Downed.
Now read the long list Of German
losses: Capt. Baron Won Richtofen
commander of the notorious tango
escadriile and credited by the Wolf
communicates with 81 victories, hai
been forced by serious wounds to Civ
up active flying. He was last men
toned In the enemy's communicate o
September 3, which chronicled his SIX
ty-irst triumph. Shortly after, he wa
reported killed In action, then a British
prisoner. An Amsterdam dispatch o
October % reported the baron's maj
rage to the daughter of a multimillion
aire munition maker and stated tina
the kaiser had given the noted lace
a place on his staff as inspector Of al
German aviation schools.
Won Richtofen made his first appear
ance In the enemy communicates o
January "a. 1917, when his seventeent
victory was ~chronicled. Why had h
never been spoken Of beforef Bel
tholdi's fifth victory, Wintgen's fftf
Baldann's fourth, Hohndorfs fourt
were cited, the same for Muller, Let
fers. Won Althaus and many othe
Boche "aces." Yet, although vo
Richtofen was a nobleman, a fact raj
among the German "aces," and In col
sequence standing an unusually goo
chance Of being signaled, his debut
were passed over In silence. JacQue
Mortane, the French aviation write
is Of the opinion that Won Richtofen
first Is victories were invented II
him owing to the fact that when he al
peared on the scene In the community
the Boche authorities were sorely
need Of faces" to convince the &c
man public that their aviation WI
superior to that of the allies.
eiu Losses In 1917.
Lieut.. Werner voss Crefeld W,
killed September "a, along with his q
tenth victim. Lieutenant Gonterman
who had destroyed 80 allied airplan'
and observation balloons, was killt
accidentally early In November. Lie
tenant Wolf was slain In an air fig
September Is. after he had triumph
over 80 allied machines. Lieutena'
Dostler, mentioned as having shot dow
90 allied airplanes, was killed In col
bat In mid November. Lieutenant B
ron Won Richtofen, brother Of the not,
captain. was reported killed by Il
British In September. But a later ,
port from Germany indicates that
was only wounded. He was credit
with twenty-four victories. Among /
victims wal the wonderful English &
er, Capt. Albert Ball, who fell May
1917, after having gained 43 victories
Lieutenant Hohndorf, the form
spy, was killed In combat Septemb