Evening star., 1918-05-17
.::A|RMAN SENDS.
| GERMAN HURTING.
Ohio Man, Once Cycle Racer,
B, Fights Three Planes,
Downs One.
ACTION INSIDE HUN LINES

brought down another German air
plane this morning.
Full details of the action have not
been received. 1t appears. however.
that Lieut. Edward Rickenbacher Of
Columbus. Ohio. answering an alarm
shortly after daylight, encountered
three enemy planes. He attacked
them and shot one down three kilo-
meters inside the enemy lines.
Nieut. Rickenbacher, formerly an
automobile racer, was decorated with
tho French war cross on Wednesday.
He assisted in bringing down a Ger
man airplane in enemy territory two
weeks ago.)
Germans Use Internal Machines.
The Germans opposite the American
sector northwest of Toul are resort
ing to internal machines in an effort
to check the activity of American
patrols. numbers of which go out
every night to roam no mans land
and even German land virtually at
will.
A member of an American patrol
stepped on a Misunderstanding wire
near the German lines yesterday. and
bomb Immediately exploded in the
center of the patrol group. 1t had
been planted by the enemy.
The members of the patrol either
entered or were assisted into an aban-
doned trench nearby. and the soldiers
prepared for a fight. believing one
the darkness for half an hour for
something to happen. but the Ger
mans did not come out. The party
then made its way cautiously back to
the American line.
Patrolling Active in Lorraine.
WITH THE AMERICAN ARMY IN
can Official communique, timed p.m.,
says:
I'm Lorraine patrolling was active
ana there was again an increase in
the artillery fire. Otherwise the day
was quiet at all points occupied by
our troops"
Several fires were set in Montdidier
and behind the German lines by the
American batteries last night. En-
emy communications are continuous
ly battered by the American heavy
artillery. and the aerial services on
both sides are active. The infantry,
however. has not been engaged
The Germans are using searchlfshts
every night. French officers give high
praise to the American artillery units
for their accurate work. Two German
a1rplanes were brought down yester-
day by French aviators in this sector
Capt. David Peterson of Homesdale.
Pa. and Capt. Kenneth Marr, Califor-
MIA, the heroes in the aerial battle
Wednesday in which Capt Peterson
brought down two German monoplanes
and Capt. Mari destroyed an enemy
biplane In the Toul sector. related their
stories Of the battle today
Flaming Machine Falls.
"I was flying near Thiaucourt at an
altitude Of < non v,oforc catd Con.
Peterson. when saw two German
Albatross scouts going away at right
angles in the distance One was ahead
RI the other. I ascended ZOO meters
and darted after them. I finally got
close to the last plane. At distance
OF 100 yards I opened fire with in
cendiary bullets, and the German ma
chine almost Immediately burst into
flames and fell
CT continued straight on my
course" he continued. "and within
two minutes had the other enemy ma
chine before me. He started a quick
dive, but 1 am certain that some of
wings of his machine crumpled up at
the same moment. As circled about
] saw one machine burning on the
ground and the other. smoking in its
downward plunge, crash to the earth.
cinch."
Capt. Marr was flying at an altitude
Of 1000 meters. when he saw an
enemy machine over the American
;"As sailed out I saw him far
away. circling out from our line amid
. cloud of pun balls from our
:Archies,'" he said. IT circled out
wider and finally passed the German
and turned again down our line. be-
tween the enemy and the sun. Both of
US mad the sun at our backs
"As i opened up my motor and ap-
preached nearer" he said, "I saw
that / had two-seater to deal with.
Thought ! that the German might see
hundred meters lower. until right un-
der the tail Of his machine. Then 1
pointed the nose OF my afrplane up
ward and went on q level with the
enemy. and opened fire at him at
point blank range.
"Felt Sorry for Beggar."
"1he German never knew I was there
until fncendiary bullets. alternating
with ordinary missiles. began patterinR
through his machine. After twenty shots
his machine toppled. / must have got
machine went down. wavering through
the air like a leaf falling from a tree.
saw the observer standing up in the
machine. trying to get his machine griS
then from the other.
II certainly felt sorry for the help
less heGEar. There he Was dashing to
certain death. but to the last eamely
trying to give mo a tight"
Capt. Peterson and Capt Mari were
standing on their flying field at day
break this morning az they spoke 1t
was . perfect day for flying and they
were about to leave for patrol over
the enemy lines. As they stepped into
their machines Capt. Marr said:
We'll. were of again. Maybe we will
get some more. Maybe they will get us.
Anyway. it's a fine day for it, So long"
The motors started and the two air
planes. together with several other
machines. took the air and disap-
peared toward the front.
Gave Up Life Like a Soldier.
Maj. Andrew Rasmussen of Port
land. Ore, who was killed a few DAYS
ago on the Picardy front, gave up his
life like a soldier. his last expressed
wish being that he might be given a
military funeral.
The major. known to his friends a a
~Ras." was in q billet near the front
when q shell came through the wall