Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1919-02-05

/, Through more than a hundred aerial
combats without a scratch; twelve
Hun planes officially counted as bagged
and six more which fell within the Ger
man lines and could not be counted in
his favor.
That is the record of Capt. Reed G.
! Lands of Chicago. son of Federal Judge
kenesaw Mountain Lands, who ranks
second only to Capt. Eddie Ricken-
hacker in the official list of American
''aces."
Capt. Lands has just been in Wash
ington for short stay, comforting with
Brig. Gen. Kenly. chief of the bureau of
military aeronautics. While here he had
Gen. kenly of aerial happenings in the
squadron of which he was in command
when the war ended, the 25th United
States Aero Squadron, and to talk with
a reporter for The Star.
This much-feted ace, who did most
of his Iying with the British Che did
not have single combat with a Hun
plane during the short time he few
with the American forces) is modest.
He is only twenty-four years of age
anu iClt q Jul DIS duNeTtfSiNS fhdudS Cf
for the Brunswick Bake -Collender
Company, in Chicago, to enlist in the
British aerial forces. Just before his
enlistment his engagement was an
nounced to a Chicago girl. and now
I am going back to get married." he
said to the reporter, land hereafter |
will probably stay on the ground.
had rather be on the ground anyway.
Flying is great fun but gets tiresome."
This from a man who has been in
the thick of the fighting for more than
year, and who will be feted when he
arrives in Chicago, with the whole city
out to greet him.
Attends Ground School in Illinois.
Out of school but short time. the
American ace went to ground school
at the University of Illinois in March,
1917, where he learned to hop from the
ground in the early American planes
of that day. He early showed flying
ability and sailed from New York in
August, 1917, a member OF a detach-
ment of fifty cadets under the COM
mand of First Lieut.. Dwyer of New
York. All were attached to the royal
air force Upon completion of his
training in England. in the early part
of 1918, Capt. tthen lieutenant) Lands
was sent to the front attached to the
10th Squadron of the British forces as
an SE-5 pilot. flying one of the fastest
planes then known. He had been in
the air but few days when he dis
tinguished himself by bringing down
q German two-seater, and shortly aft
er brought down another.
His most brilliant work was done in
August, 1918. Flying still with the
10th Aero Squadron (British) he shot
down a scout plane. a two-seater and
an observation balloon within twelve
minutes. This feat, combined with his
steadily brilliant flying, gave him the
British distinguished flying cross, the
insignia of which he now wears below
his spread wings on the pocket of his
coat.
In September he was promoted to a
captaincy, and in recognition of his
brilliant work was given command of
the 25th United States Aero Squadron.
At that time he had downed as many
planes as Rickenbacker, but he had
time to lead but two patrols over the
lines when the armistice was signed.
During that time he did not see Hun
plane.
Corrects Newspaper Story.
ct am reputed in a New York paper
to have climbed out on the rudder OF
my machine and released q machine
gun drum which had become
TANNED" he said today. '.That 10 not
SO. 1t is Impossible. An aviator
machine IL he did such a stunt. What
actually happened is this:
"One day q long-range gun had been
shooting up our aerodrome with a
precision that annoyed US. We had to
get photographer to get the posi-
ton Of the gun, and I was elected.
I hung up over the aerodrome for