The Madison daily leader. [volume] (Madison, S.D.) 1890-current, 1918-11-06
u. S. FLYERS IN
DARING ESCAPE
Encounter Superior Enemy Force
in Raid on Port of
P0Ia.
were DROPPING PROPAGANDA
One Machine Drops into Sea When
Plane Is Punctured-PiIot Is Res
cued by comrade With Great
Difficulty and Dangers.

An American Adriatic Seaplane
Base.-Upon the American squadron
at this station has fallen the duty of
dropping propaganda leaflets wei the
port of Pola, explaining to the Aus
TRANS why America Is fighting.
A patrol composed of fast machines
and chasers started from this station
at 1890 a. m. n day recently. The
operation involved a flight of about an
hour. Arriving at Pola, they encoun-
tered a strong patrol of five enemy
land machines which considerably out
numbered and heavily outgunned the
Americans.
The American light planes were at
an altitude of $500 meters when the
enemy was sighted. The decision to
attack was made at once, and the sig
nal was given to the chaser machines
to drop to a lower altitude and engage
the enemy. The heavier and slower
American machines were ordered to
escape.
Gun Jams; Flyer Quits.
Outnumbered at the start, the Amer
lean chasers were soon In ever worse
positions and the plane of Ensign Jo-
hansen, after a short flight, was COM
PEELED to retire. His gun jammed, and
as far as fighting was concerned the
battle was over for him.
Meanwhile Ensign Ludlow, who had
engaged two enemy machines single
handed, had apparently perforated the
radiator of n Of his opponents ma
chimes, and this Albatross pulled out of
the fight. Another Albatross closed in.
Ludlow's right magnetic was shot off,
his propeller was struck and apparent
ly splintered and the engine crank case
was hit.
While he stuck to the fight his motor
caught fire In the air. He set off and
began a deliberate nose spin. This
maneuver put out the flames just be-
fore they could reach the gasoline tank
or wings. Strengthening, he landed on
the water five miles from Pola.
Quartermaster Charles Hamman,
seeing that Ludlow had descended in
close proximity to Pola, simulated a
disaster Of his own. Hamman went
down In a nose dive, permitting his
assailants to conclude he had been put
out of action, but at the end of the
dive he Strengthened out and maneuv-
cred his plane to within hailing dis
lance of Ludlow.
Sinks Plane; Then Escapes.
Ludlow at once opened the camera
slot In the bottom of the boat In order
to fill II with water, at the same time
kicking holes In the side and slashing
the off the wings. Then, as Ham
man brought the plane closer, Ludlow
cast himself adrift from the sinking
plane and swan through the choppy
sea to his companion. Hannah fired
into the wrecked plane a hundred
rounds from his machine gun, assur-
Ing its sinking, and then turned to the
rescue of his superior officer.
The carrying capacity of a chaser
machine does not permit the transport
of passengers, especially when the
planes are loaded with shot holes.
Ludlow could merely hang on, lying
flat under the engine. This so altered
the balance of the machine that there
was doubt about its getting off the wa
ter. The power was turned on, but
the dangerous, choppy seas were sew
eral feet high, and at the first attempt
to rise Hamman smashed the bow of
his boat. He kept on and In a mo-
ment cleared the water.
Once safe in the air he headed for
the Adriatic seaplane station. All this
time there had been the possibility of
his being attacked, both from the air
by the Albatross and from Pola, where
the gallant rescue of his commander
must have been easily visible.
Ludlow, hanging on underneath the
engine, v lost his sense Of humor.
AS he few v the inland waters to-
ward the base on the last mile of the
flight, he waved his hand to some
amazed Italians.