Iron County news. [volume] (Hurley, Wis.) 1913-1950, 1918-06-29

(kMA \ only the bringing down of five
Ia v enemy machines. but 1t must be
bE42 remembered alsc that these ma
&S~zgA } chimes must fall within the allied
\ %6@&N lines. Also they must be Official"
~ There Is the rub. Many a marvel
O. lous flyer returning TO his camp
. after a yalorOus day In the air,
~ during which he has sent to earth
HT more than enemy, with his
machine in flames perhaps, realizes
as he nears his home grounds that officially he
has nothing to show for his prowess The great
day is still afar offthe day when his fellow air
men, already arrived at the FACE" stage will well
come him as one of themseives-when his relatives
and friends at home and all the world indeed will
recognize that he is fighting aviator of France
out of the amateur class forever
Lieut.. Constant Souller known as the BEN
1amln' of the French aces, who has come to this
country TO show the people of the United States
Just what the fighting armen of France are able
TO do in the way of flying like most of the other
great French airmen. found that winning the "ace"
was not the task of day, but he won It, although
1t took the bringing down Of u machines actually
before the coveted official" FIVE were marked TO
bis credit says writer In the New York Herald
lie does not look like veteran of the western
front, this hero of many air battles. He seems
much more like pleasant little military schoolboy
tie Is small, with an amazingly youthful face and
although he is serious and dgnifed, It is with the
",
IN keeping with his simple and straightforward
manner.
But on the breast Of this modest boyish voung
officer CLEAN medals which speak eloouentlv IF
extraordinary valor-the Medaille Mllitaire the
Croix de Ia Virtu Nilitaire of Roumana and the
CroW de Guerre of France with seven palms and
golden star
These honors the little ace earned before no ,voe
twenty years old, for before that time he had
accomplished 430 hours of flight had fought 66
battles In the air, had killed or wounded a score
oil enemy aviators and had brought down IS enemy
machines. His citations in orders and in snecial
government communications cover two cIoeelv
typewriter pages
student at the Ecole Polytechnic In Paris
when the war began, Constant Soulier found II
Impossible at first TO enter the service OF his conn
Try as volunteer as he was not considered IN
suihcisntly good health by the military authorities
Also hc was but seventeen years old Presently
however, he succeeded In overcoming These chico.
lions and became volunteer in the artillery he
was placed in the Twentyfrst regiment ot An
GOuleme.
But while In the artillery training camp like so
many very young patriots, he became intenSeIv
interested In the new arm of the service He faIt
heeniy that his vocation was not for the ar+illerv
hut that he must become an airnop ~ 49,
ceeded IN persuading the authorities 10 tronsfer
nm 10 the aviation corps and became Il student
at the school at Longyic He was transferred N
FAu In March, 1916, and two months after,yard
obtained the coveted brevet Of pilot He had
studied devotedy at the school and was notable
promising aviator cadet
While at the school he was much l,kod NV tho
Older men, and day an episode occurred
"nlch pleased them greatly. Young Soulier fonnd
ms machine taken in the eddy of another mir
plane which was flying over him He was blown
70 the earth with violence. His machine was
broken TO pieces, and the witnesses OF the scci
without m
sent IN call for a medical officer
imagine their amazement when they saw the
student aviator Issue from the debris Of his ma
chine without scratch.
There are no more supersttlous people any
where than the men CT the aviation corps of all
the armies
And 1t was after this episode that the older
aviators declared to one another that he was horn
to triumph.
The flying school training was followed bv
course at The school Of mitraiIleurs at Cazeau
Al June lei" Soulier was appointed to the Is
cadrille N-@s. under Commandaut Brocard.
The aviator remembers always his first engage
nent, for no matter how extensive his practice has
been at the school II takes different personal oual
titles to enable man 10 hold his own against the
enemy. No matter how well he may have done
Ia practice II is felt that the actual test of the
aviators ability must come in battle.
Souler had no easy task In his first engage
nent.
With a comrade like himself q novice he
was ordered on patrol Soon they were envel-
oped in clouds, bur as they came out of this snowy
bank they were for the first time in the presence
Of the enemy. They were confronted by two
fokkers, which We're at that time considered very
much 10 be feared.
Soulier opened fire. but his mitraileuse was not
firmly fastened in place and with the first fire It
shifted striking aim In the head and almost knock.
ing him out BY the shock. But he held his own.
plotting with one hand and with the other try
INT to hold his mitruilleuse In place. Although
ihe gun struck him with each discharge ne was
nle TO keep in the fight until the adversary. his
cartridges exhausted. abandoned the fight The
French airmen then regRined their lines
some time after t6is Souer VINO had then
become sergeant. brought down In TWO success
sive days two German prachens ouo Ht the, ,ya,s
o. NauN ~ he other cas-, Of NosuH = nt- Nis3.se