Kentucky Irish American. (Louisville, Ky.) 1898-1968, 1919-03-15
Downed Seventeen Enemy Planes
While Serving With Aus
tralian Army.
Major w. II. Rynn, a Native OF
Louisville and Born of
Irish Parents.
HAS rHRnhrSG EXPERIENCES.

| Winnie returning from LOUISVILLE
one evening several weeks ago my
attention was attracted to the uni
| form of a soldier that / first took
to be that of an American marine,
uniform rarely seen in this sec
ton. This caused me to speak to
the man who wore it, and 1 was
surprised to find that IL was that of
an Australian soldier, one worn by
those who were considered among
| the best in the Allied armies who
had fought so valiantly on the bat
tle-scarred field of France. My
surprise at seeing an Australian
soldier was greatly increased when
| found that was addressing Major
w. r. Rynn, an ace who had
brought down seventeen German
planes, according TO official records.
and had received from the hands of
Gen. Foch the Croix de Guerre.
The military and other medals for
distinguishes bravery had been be-
slowed by those empowered TO
give them. He would spend the
to Gethsemani Abbey, where he
hoped to be received as a member
Of the Trappist order.
ACcC ldElo ntlC nOl kltdu6u
from him at once, for he was not
eager TO talk of his many ex-
PLOTS. He was as modest as a girl
in her teens, but for all that was
an elegant, polished gentleman and
too polite to refuse to answer a civil
question. He was a man of good
appearance, age between twenty-five
and thirty years.
Had NV paunn hoava o4hnr 4Ao,
Barry 1 don't believe this story
would have ever been written. 1t
touched a tender spot in his heart,
for his mother had answered to the
name of Maggie Barry, in her Tip
perary home before she had married
his father, who was born in South
Cork. only a few miles away from
where my father had first saw light
in the Emerald Isle This fact, I
believe. caused him to say more to
me than he would have during the
evening / spent so pleasantly with
him in the office OF the Sherwood
There were others present who
heard him speak of his exploits, but
none of them suspected that he
would 50 soon make the supreme
effort of his life by throwing aside
all the worldly honors he had
achieved. They did not realize the
true significance of its meaning
when he said, II have achieved
every goal in life / tried to reach,
every honor that could be given to
one of my age, but what does it all
amount TOT" In his mind must
have been that injunction of Holy
Writ, What doth IL profit a man IL
he gain the whole world and loses
his immortal soul"
He was born in Louisville, but
his people had moved from there
to Akron. Ohio. His education was
received at the University of Notre
Dame, Ind, where he had graduated
with distinction. Among the coll
lege athletes he was the first in the
running list of his class. A rubber
manufacturer of Akron recognized
his ability and sent him to Aus
tralia as their representative. He
possessed unusual talents for secret
service work. The Australian Gov
eminent discovered this faculty and
secured his service. He was serY-
ing in this capacity when the war
broke out and volunteered for the
front. His unusual courage and
self-possession caused him to be
selected for the air brigade when he
achieved success.
II get dizzy on high building"
he said, but up there / am not
affected. After you pass through
the first clouds. where it is the cold
est and the most dangerous on ac-
count of the varying currents OF
air. it's easy sailing. Yes, have
gone up $4,000 feet-that is the
limit you are permitted to go. Not
many men can stand to make the
trip. l had a most unpleasant ex-
perience in Glasgow, Scotland, that
recall with regret. l was to make |
an ascension there and a big husky
Scotchman asked to accompany me. |
| consented and away we flew. On
my return to earth turned and |
asked him about the landing l had |
made, but received no reply. /
asked him again and then went to |
him and found him dead. l was
and degraded FIVE |
points. The verdict was Just. had |
violated the rules in letting him go. |
II have seen death in all it's /
forms-men literally torn to pieces
by shells-but the most narrowing
sight of all is to see the wounded /
men sink into the mud and die
there unable to help themselves.
''The one death that effected me
most was my buddy He was as
fine chap as ever drew breath.
There was not man in the squad
ron that did not love him. He was
still a student aviator. / had Just
from a spin that ] had
thoroughly enjoyed and he took my
to make a 2,40O feet
ascent. watched him as he
assembled. and he went up all right,
but something went wrong and the
took fire. What the trouble
was never knew, for the sight
literally paralyzed me. Unable to
turn my head away. I saw him
burn to q crisp. No words of mine
an express the horror or sorrow
felt. had over three years of
service at the front and endured
many hardships OF course there
we're some pleasures. / lost my
urloughs or vacations through the
act that l had been in the secret
service. l was sent back to the
States on mission OF this kind"
Looking for deserfars said