Forest City press. (Forest City, Potter County, D.T. [S.D.]) 1883-19??, 1918-11-21
AIR FIGHTERS MAKE
BUT BRIEF REPORTS

(by maiD-There is pathos in the
bries reports that airnen sometimes
turn in regarding battles above the
clouds. The best words Of a great
writer would hardly be more vivid
than the following three reports with
all their military brevity as they were
captain B. reports: Combat $50 to
9:40, region of Sampigny-Gironville
-Etang de Girondel. Combat began at
$500 meters. Fired 200 rounds from
$50 to 40 yards range. Put the OBJ
servers gun out OF action. then both
8 also attacked. Both Lieutenant Els
guns failed and Lieutenant S had mo-
tor trouble. After my guns damned I
maneuvered the enemy plane. q BIZ
plane Rumpler, to within so meters Of
the ground in the region of Etang
Neuf. Held him there for five minutes
without being able to fire a shot and
trying to bluff him into landing. Was
several times IN perfect position at 20
yards range. Finally the pilot realized
I could not shoot. the enemy plane
flew straight for its own lines. I fol-
lowed to h region of Louem mt at 400
meters altitude. When I turned to
come home the enemy plane followed
me back to u own lines. the pilot
firing about so rounds from the for
ward gun without result. The Rumpler
was camouflaged in green and black
diamonds with white tail. the cross on
tail. on upper n lower wings, No. 8 in
the latter part. OF combat the observer
stood up facing me and as I maneuv-
cred. he would urn and point to his
| pilot the direction in which to turn"
Lieut.. e reports: Saw two enemy
aircraft east of Bey at 1000 meters.
Saw one enemy aircraft north Of Pont-
1 o.h1aV1Sc0r ~ A 600 voaknro n,y1. c1~
pigny saw biplane Rumpler. Climbed
to $500 meters and headed enemy air.
craft off his lines. He turned east over
Foret d'Apremont. Captain B got UNI
der his tail while pilot was maneuver-
ing Inc an opportunity came to dive
which l did. firing 40 shots from 30
meters. Both guns damned. and while
clearing jams lost sight of fight in the
clouds. Captain B n Lieutenant S
were still after enemy aircraft when I
left at 1000 meters. Rumpler had white
painted on both sides of fuselage in
white paint"
Lieutenant S reports: At 9:10 en-
gagged an enemy two scatter over Com-
mercy at 4,S00 meters. Fired some $50
shots at range Of from 100 to 40 meters.
I followed pulling up 800 meters to
fix machine gun jam. At this point Of
the combat my pressure system went
bad, my motor stopping dead, so 1
was forced to land near Gironville. The
enemy artillery opened fire on my ma
chine Is minutes after I had landed and
up to the time I left had not secured a
direct hit. although the plane undoubt-
edly is badly damaged from shrapnel
and shell fragments"
The boche airmen who figured in
this fight are slangily regarded as
'meat" and also lucky Heinies' by the
~air.nen of the %escadrille. 1t is seldom
that victory is so close and slips away
SO easily through airmen's luck.
An official report which caused far
more satisfaction abou. the %headquar-
tiers than the three Just quoted is the
following.
1.-The commanderinchief has learned
| with great satisfaction Of the excellent
work Of the first pursuit group Of the
mir service and desires to commend It
especially for its praiseworthy record.
The handicapss under which this initial
pursuit unit Of the American Expedi-
tionary Forces has been organized and
begun the discharge Of its duty are
we'll known and recognized. With fine
spirit and determination It has over
come obstacles INT already achieved
an enviable record. The commander
and personnel are congratulated for
their effective and daring work."
The commentator from the &c in G"