Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1928-01-28

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attention of the world. King
George of England decorated the Yank
with the English Military Medal and
the Aero Club of France voted him its
Grand Gold Medal Late in June he
was further honored by promotion to
the rank OF lieutenant in the French
army.
His comrades in the escadrille re-
joiced in Lufbery's success and strove
10 emulate his triumphs
James Norman Hall of Colfax, Iowa.
a new member of the escadrille. came
into the limelight. Hall had served
as a machine gunner in the Engiisn
army. had been seriously wounded and
honorabIy discharged. Recovering. he
entered the French aviation schools
and was assigned to the escaorlie-
Rashly brave. il was inevitable that he
meet more than his share of thrilling
adventure.
On the afternoon of June 20 Hall
was late in getting of the ground and
was forced TO seek his patrol In the
clouds. His rebuilt engine was weak
in climbing power and 1t was with
great difficulty that he reached the
height Of $4,000 feet above the ground.
From that altitude he saw patrol
some miles within the German lines.
The formation and flying tricks he
saw convinced him that these we're his
comrades and he few to join them.
Halls Battle With Death.
Darkness was falling and for mo-
ment he lost sight of his distant COM
rades. Suddenly a German plane
loomed up out OF the darkness straignt
ahead. both guns blazing as he came
The bullets tore through Halls plane
He dove TO escape the storm OF fire
AS he started down he was struck by
a bullet from another German plane
which had come up behind him un-
seen. Pierced through the chest,
few inches from his heart, Hall lapsed
| into Inconsistencies. The thought tnat
| his ship was on fire cut through his
mental numbness and he struggled
| back 10 the world 10 find that he was
| f. ling vertically with his motor fun
on and the ground rushing upward at
sickening speed. The Germans were
/ hot behind him and another bullet
struck him In the leg as he regained
| consciousness Thinking him dead.
/ the Germans left him TO crash and
j few away. Hall, knowing that he was
already listed as German victory ana
/ that he vas as good as dead. fought
srinly for his life against the burden
Of falling senses By a superhunnan
effort Of will he Strengthened out the
/ plane just before IL reached the
| ground and turned his fall into glide.
| losing consciousness again just as ne
crashed into a shellhole.
When / came TO-" Hall wrote aft
erward. 1T was al once. completely.
/ knew that / was on Stretcher and
/ remembered Immediately exactly what
| mad happened Ny heart was pound
I Ing and / could hardly breathe. but
had no sensation of pain except In
my chest This made me think / hac
! broken every bone In my body. /
| tried moving first one leg, then the
other, then my arms. my head and my
body No trouble except With my LETT
arm and side.
Il accepted the miracle without try
] ing ~ explain IL. for / had something
more important 10 wonder about-~w1o
rad the handles NJ my stretcher? The
first thing ] did was 70 open my eyes,
! bat ! was bleeding from Il scratch on
my forehead and saw only a blur. j
wiped them dry with my sleeve and
/ looked again. The broad back in front
Of me was covered with mud Impos-
sibIe ~ distinguish The color 0f the
,9nic. but the shrapneI helmet above IL
! aaS French ! had fallen into French
hands II ever i've long enough In
3ne piare 10 gather "A few possessions
and make a hume for m"seIf. on one
@ail ~ my living room ] viii have "A
hiSt~lfngth pfFtfsi'. rear view. of a
French stretnner b~arer. Undiscovered
ba"k and battered tin hat"
Thcnaui' immediately recommended
Hall fof the French Military Medal and
the award was nsde at once. 40 that
h,. FrsSaF laa lac
vas stiI alive. His rugged constitution
/ TONED the surgeons and FIVE months
/ later Hall was bark Ia the eseadFillf
, ~ meet new adventures and win new
hon0rs
The Lafayette Flying Corps.
BY this time - many Americans had
Y1iHec The French aviation that there
vas not room for all ~ them In iLr
lafayette EacadfiIle For months the '
lad been going into other French
squadronE. 1be original organization
ln Paris war still maintained bat with
much wider responsibilities and under
lie name Of tHe Lafayette FLYING
! Corps Some confusion IN Tie public
nina has been caused by the similarity
| ~ the Two names, aud II might Dt
well ~ explain lie difference here
InF Iafs yette Escadriie was The mann
/ spilled ~ kifup0ft EsesGrlIe 1874 tbf
original organization fathered by Nor.
man Prince The Lafayette Fiyina
Corps Included the Lafayette Esca
, drilie aud also all the other Amerinn,
flying IN other French aviation units
Because ~ lack III space, this htor,
Will make no effDrt ~ ree0fd the spieiI.
did accomplishments ~ the larger bDds
and will restrict Itself entirely 10 th.
sbDfy II the Lafayette Ebeadfitle.
Escaping from Prison.
The efpeTiEnCe ~ one American
member ~ anothsf French uEit In ~
eaampie u the spirit II those y9lun
iafy shlIes fighling IN the FTenci