Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1919-06-23
rHNauIlNo GxPGN,ENca
ON ITALIAN FRONT
Lieut.. eisrsmes vsuWs, eS Valley june
tis~, Palls 800 Fsst, cempsi'sd' to
subs,se On ohsrt Rstisrs Fer Msnths,
and 10 Nome safely to Tell Ahe"
HE vhriiiins Experiences.
.,.c,., !. rim.s- Repub lican.

NJ ONES, Win xOur Atdhdh coA"po''
fell in q crippled italian bombing plane
behind the Austrian lines and was
made q prisoner. For five weary
months hs was kept prisoner'in an
Austrian camp until the signing OF the
Aruistice brought his release.
oince that time luck has changed for
the venturesome young American Al
tho the average landlubber would
count himself considerable lucky H.
after falling nine thousand feet in
bombing plane he had escaped with
his life. not to mention being the tar
ret for Austrian Shippers, being COM
PEELED to. subsist on what little food
was allotted to the prisoners, and un-
derxoinE the discomforts Of prison life.
But he got thru with. a~whole hide.
However, his luck has changed Tor
after returning to his old home town
he has married the girl who was wait
ing for his return, has secured posi-
tion In the legal department Of the Of
flee Of state Insurance commissioner,
thus insuring him a career as an In
surance attorney, and is getting a real
start IN life.
Newspaper readers about year ago,
here and IN his old home at Valley
Junction, were shocked to learn Of his
being shot down and falling near the
Piave river. From the first dispatch
no one knew whether he was dead or
alive. About a week later however,
there was another dispatch which was
a hopeful one This brought the news
that an Austrian aviator had dropped
= note back Of the Italian lines which
Young himself had written telling his
comrades that he was a prisoner but
had not been injured. His friends
here realized that II the Austrian avia-
tors showed enough humanity to drop
note back OF the Italian lines and
give news Of the capture Of the avia-
tors and bembers there was hope that
Young might receive something like
fair treafuent from his captors. That
was aboat al that was heard Of him
unt1 shortly after the armistice with
Germany was signed, whep = dispatch
from Trieste told Of the arrival Of
Young and bia companions.
But with the anniversary day Of his
fall Of 5000 feet from the clouds COM
ing round again, the unassuminE busi-
ness like young attorney, now well ad-
justed 10 the life Of the civilian. re-
called vividIy some Of his experiences.
Tells 81 Experiences.
we were UP about 5000 feet In an
italian bombing plane when We were
hit" he said. "They were firing on US
and We drove into ., cloud. Suddenly
! felt the plane bound upward and I
realised we were hit. In a moment
she had turned over and was plung-
Ing, toward the earth. We wer all
strapped In except one observer and
he grabbed the iron ring which en-
circled his seat and thus fell with the
machine.
Il did everything within my power
to right the plane but the rudders had
been jimmed someway and refused to
800 feet Of the earth, however. I
managed to right her but We could
NOT. control her course. Having right
cd her and done all we could the five
Of us made ready to jump Just as she
alighted for we could not tell what
might happen then. There was great
danger from being caught in the
wreckaSe and burned to death.
she hit the ground where it was
marshy only . short distance from the
Pave river. We all got clear of the
machine and started to run for the
brush. to get away from the enemy
whose infantry began shooting. They
had US practically surrounded, how
ever, and latter making W prisoners
We were taken to the airdrome some
distance away.
Here we were accorded fairly good
treatment: You know when the wal
first started the nobility in many Of
these countries went In for aviation
and they had developed q sort Of a
code for the treatment OF enemy avfa-.
tors which allowed certain privileges.
Ono Of them was that the captor
would permit the captive to send back
. note to his comrades and this note,
would be carried back and dropped
behind the lines. They granted me
this privilege ana that was the note
you read about In the papers at the
time"
Young ana his companions were
taken from the aisdrome to the italian
Village ef oderso. This was the time
when the Austrians were occupying
much Of the italian territory. Here
the Americap lieutenant metN . very
keen Austrian intelligence officer. He
had . neat office and his desk and
tables had on them the latest maga-
sines on aviation including ali Of the
American magazines. In several Of
which were full descriptions OF the
new liberty motor.
Lieut.. Young had only been on tho
italian front two days before the ac-
ciAsnt with the plane made him q priss!
e.er SO that when he explained tc
this intelligence officer they did not
question him 10 much about the enemy
. they did his Italian companions.
II was IN unusual experience. how
ever, to capture an American officer
or soldier ~ there were not 80 many
Americans In that region. The officer
IA charge lat down to have visit
with Y0ung.
"He spoke good English ara had
traveied . rood deal. having spent
Some time In London ana in Paris
sid Lieut.. Young. After asking me
Why the United States had declared
Wes on Austria he finally said:
g Well I can understand why your
country declared war ON Germany and
also possibly why she y ut war With
Austrfa. But what,i can't understand
tsswAy you are down here fishtingI
nth those damned ~ 0Iss - - :.
~ ~ intysvisw With the inteli-