Jackson County journal. (Sylva, N.C.) 19??-19??, 1918-07-26
AMERICAS FIRST AERIAL VICTORY
WILDLY RECOUNTED BY ITS HERO
Lieutenant WsoW Writes in His Diary Graphic Story Describing
His Exploit and That Of Lieutenant Campbell Gven
to Public by War Department Because of
Its Historical Value

300 meters up, in full view of all on
the ground and in the nearby town
and it took place directly above our
aviation field. Furthermore, mine
dropped about 100 yards to the right
and Doug's 100 yards to the left of our
field. These are remarkable facts, for
one of our majors, who, with the
French army since 1915, has shot
down II machines, never had one land
in France-and here we 60 right off
the bat and stage fight over our aero
drome and bring down two Germans
right on it. 1t was an opportunity of
lifetime-a great chance.
when we landed, only our respec-
tive mechanics were left in the drome
to help us out of our flying clothes.
The whole camp was pouring out, fly
ing by on foot, bicycles, side cars, au
tOmObiles; soldiers, women children,
majors, colonies, French and Ameri-
CANAL poured out of the city. In
. ten minutes several thousand people
| must have gathered. Doug and con-
| graduated each other, and my me-
chanic, no longer military, jumping up
and down, waving his hat, pounded me
on the back instead of saluting and
| yelled: Damn it! That's the stuff, old
kid' Then Campbell and l rushed
to our respective German wrecks.
A Surprised German.
"On the way there-it was only half
mile-I ran into huge crowd OF
soldiers. blue and khaki, pressing
about one man. 1 pushed my way
through the crowd and heard some
body triumphantly say to the sur
rounded man in French: There he
is; now you will believe he is ar
Americana l looked at the man-s
scrawny, poorly clad little devil
dressed in a rotten German uniform
1t was the Boche pilot of the machine
l had shot down. Needless to say,
felt rather naughty to come face tt
face with my victim, now prisoner
} but did not know what to say. 1
seems he would not believe that al
American officer had brought hin
down. He looked me all over, an,
then asked me in good French if I wa
7 an American. When I answered, Yes
he had no more to say.
There was huge crowd arOun
= the wrecked plane, and the first ma
l ran into was our majOr-the CON
5 handing Officer-and he was the haI
I piest man in the world outside of m
1 and Doug. A French and an America
| h
: congratulate us-colonels, majors, a
n the pilots, all the French officer
S mechanics, everybody in the town an
camp. All had seen the fight. On
woman, an innkeeper, told me sh
e could sleep we'll from now on, and hel
d up her baby for me to kiss 1 locke
# at the baby and then felt grateful I
It my major, who pulled me away in tt
10 nick of time.
= Splendid Souvenirs.
d II had my mechanics take off ever
d thing available. The machine was
y wreck, but 1 got some splendid SO
If venirs. The big black German cross,
is from the wings, his rudder, pieces
p canvas with holes from my bullets
p them, all his spark plugs, compass
d altimeter, his clumsy signal revolve
ut ETC.. it is great collection.
Doug had set his Boche fnachi1
to on fire at 800 meters and it had fall,
e. in flames, rolling over three times, al
1g then completely burning up. The
l remained but charred wreckage, lii
lg the sacrifice of some huge animal. T.
nd BOche pilot had been thrown out al
an was badly off. His face, hands, fe
to nostrils and lungs were all burne
an while his leg was broken. He is NJ
ad in hospital and my Boche is probat
commencing his job of ditch diggi
NY for the rest of the war.