Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1919-02-03
SMART TR|UMPHS
IN AIR BATTLES
WITH THE HUNS
Delaware College Aviator Faced
Death Many Times, But Es-
capped Uninjured.
REWARDED FOR BRAVERY

Lieutenant Lawrence Iandon Smart OF
The lS5fh Aero Squadron, Tor three
seasons star end on the Delaware College
football team, has returned 10 this country
after n remarkable record III the aerial
service on tho western front from July
until the armisticc was signed. lie had
several narrow escapes during fights with
enemy airmen, on one occasion belhH
brought down behind his own lines from
a height of several thousand feet, but was
unhurt. Lieutenant Smart has been recoin-
,nepded by his commander for Dlstin.
ruishcd Service medal. While credited
Officially with bringing down but one
enemy airplane, he managed IN several
engagemcnts TO bring down other Hun
machines. which, because of the con-
fusion Of battle were not placed officially
10 his credit. For the ability he displayed
in successfully guiding infantry contact
patrols, artillery adjustments, photo
graphic missions and aerial combats, he
was made flight commander last August.
Tho recommendations made by his
commanding officer, Commander Edward
Iandon, Air Service, United States Army,
follows: Lieutenant Smart was enc OF
the original pilots OF the One Hundred
and Thirty-tfth Aero Squadron. Ills work
from the beginning has been thoroughly
satisfactory and highly commendahle
He arrived at the squadron on July so.
lie was made flight commander on August
~ and held that position with extraor-
iinarv ability until November -, the
date he left the squadron. Tie has flown
many successful infantry contact patrols,
artillery adjustments and Photographic
missions He has also cngag ed in several
aerial comhats, being officially credited
with the destruction of one enemy plane
He experienced the St. Alihiel drive on
September - and Is. For his continuous
good work he has been recommended for
the Distinguished Service Medal recon-
mend Lieutenant Smart TO hC commander.
These recommendations were made on
November 25.
I,lautenant Smart, whose home is in
Baltimore. was d student at Delaware Col
lcgc when the Delaware Militia was sent
10 the Mexican border and he, with other
Delaware College students, went with Co.
T. of Newark He has made n reputation
rs a foot bsll player, being one Of the best
ends the blue and gold ever had. Although
only 20 wears of age, he was recommended
TOR the first fccrs Training Camp ut
Tort Nyer. Va. after this country entered
the war and won his commission. He was
one of 81 out OF 500 men who qualified IN
the aviation section He took his ground
school work at Toronto University and
completed at Hicks Field, Texas. He left
New York last March and after intensive
training was sent To the st. Nihiel sector
in July.
During his period OF active service
Lieutenant Smart went through ex-
periences which rival those Of many flyers
Of much lnoger service. On two occasions
his machine was shot from beneath him
AZ great heights. While in reconnaissance
with another American machine, $4,000
feet over the st. MIhiel sector his Oh
server, Hnnry Sheets of Columbus. Ohio,
diScerned six Hun machines over them.
The Hun machines had rhe advantage.
being above them and between them and
homC
We had no choice but to 60 through
hat bunch Lieutenant Smart said, IN
discussing his experience. We opened
our engines wide and started diving. They
held their height until We got directly
underneath them aand then they all came
down On lis ike shots. with guns barking.
Sheets wanted until they got down near us
and then he opened up and sure gave en-
They attacked In the usual wav. one
diving after the other for = little over two
minutes The third to dive fell into a
NlCiOtio SHY N}i4i sAA5tt tNtN q bASNeh 74AlChN
behind him l was sure we knocked him
out On returning to our aerodrome we
found four shots through the wings, but
both of lis escaped uninjured.'
Two days previous TO the above ex-
perience Lieutenant Smart had thrilling
adventure while bombing enemy inland
towns with propaganda literature On
returning they dropped few bombs over
the enemy front line trenches from
height Of but 1000 feet. The Huns re-
sponded with d hot fire. which scored %
hits on their machine. cutting the gasoline
iced He managed 70 climb TO 5000 feet,
however. before the engine went out of
commission and from that distance vol
planed TO the American lines On landing
the machine sideswiped telegraph pole,
tearing off one wing. but both officers were
uninjured. In an earlier engagement he
was brought down behind his own line
from q distance of several thousand feet.
The speed of the Liberty motors, Lieu
tenant Smart states, helped him in making
several narrow escapes The speed Of
these motors. he said. had enabled AIneri-
can birdmen 10 give the Huns the slip
tune after time