Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1928-01-21
ACES UP! By JOIN KNOX
The Fact Story of American Avatcrs in the World War
Part 1.-The Lafayette EscadrilIc
CHAPTER VII.
Lufhery Begins His Record

Vivtnr thsuntap visited ,istt,s ~ th,. ro~
1'1j tn1 t"nm' n'm marched with THIRST
s The tN,'tht wuUd Htlnw o"~uvps hu'
/ w'tci 50 Chairman flew IN Pans tnr chen,
IN his return tmn Chairman sxei IN ,on,
! ,,#i With ~Hr,e enemy "'"pcs No ,'"t" a
4 them ~ sn,h s"eed that the wings w"n
I tori from his rlan" and hp crashed az IN
'"1'N~-th" hrSt American Ia de in a.
"sit|"
T'IrRE are times when II lie
easier Ia die than 10 live
Weaker men WELD 10 the seem.
! inelr inevitable: il isn't the
/ s.. cowHr6S who refuse 10 die
0f:cn ii takes more courage 10 60 on
fChtine for life In shattered bod,
/ Nt"n death offers a release from pain
II is one thing 10 die quickly IN the
thrill Of combat and the high ecstasy
If battle II is entirely different &c
vlc!G all the accustomed comforts OF
iltc The PEST Of youth The pleasure oil
living and doing, the unrecoenized
privilege Of walking at cas-" With 9
hole body among ones fellows Th'
hardest task in War is 10 take the
bows Of AGONY that foe against
whom no mfn may strike back
A Wounded man is a battle ground
on which he himself is both friend
end foe II he has courage. he can
exercise II only in fighting against
himself His VIII 10 live must fieh,
cruelty against his body's cry for rest
and escape from pain His virtue of
determination can be used only against
himself and the blows he deals in this
oititul warfare have only his own body
for their object
The story OF tho American EScadrille--
The first A + F.-is repete with an
undue share OF this heroism which can
xs,G 1>Atr -
SHIRE OF ths more familiar hcroism
which can fight and die.
The Military Medal which was
awarded 10 BaiSley IVES one of only
three awarded 10 American flyers by
France That was reward for cour-
age in battle, His decoration for cour-
age in the long painful watches Of the
night Is recorded only in the memories
OF the friends who knew him and knew
tn" fight he made
BalSley fought on After six weeks
ii torture In the oyercrowded and I'M
dereoulpped hospita' at Vadelaincour;
ne swas- transferred to the American
Hospital al Nru!lly. whore he stayed
Hlore than wear He was released
on Christmas day. 1917. with shattered
health and able 10 walk only with the
aid Of a cane.
When America entered the war he
was commissioned captain IN spite
of his disability and gave good service
N helping 10 organize pursuit squad
rons for Pershing's Army He served
until 1920. when he was honorsbly dis
charged.
No blame should attach TO France
for the overcrowded conditions in her
earlier var hospitals. She was sud-
denly faced with struggle OF proper
tfofIs far beyond any possible anticipa-
ton and her medical men performed
miracles with the slender resources
they had at their command. As the
var grew into habit. French hospitals
improved until they were not excel.ed
BY hose OF any army in the war.
War is he'll and its deepest ultimate
DIT burns in the field hospitals.
The Fighting Goes On.
While Balsley lay In the hospital.
the work OF the Escaorille went on
Saddened by their losses the Americans
continued their daily round of flvinp
On July 4. 1916. Thenault and some OF
his men journeyed 10 Paris 10 partici-
pate in a ceremony al the tomb OF La
Favette in Picpus Cemetery. Still Of
acially neutral the mind of the Amer
lean people vas beginning to crystalline
INTO that certainty which finally
brought the long struggle 10 an end
The next Fourth OF July was 10 see
fighting Americans in Paris under tn :ir
oWn flag
A few days later the famous Nun
geSser visited the Escadr.lle for shor.
time. He was working guest" and
few with the Americans on theii
patrols. In one OF which he brought
Gown German plane after spec
taciilar fight On July u Lieut. de
Laage de Meux. second in command
under Capt. Thenault brought down
German n1schine between Ornes and
Bezonvaux This was his first Official
victOry. although he Was an air fighter
81 unusual dash and skill
On July 81 the brightest s.ar OF the
Esca0rllles long record tw.nkled for
the first time. Ra0iIl Lufbcry had long
@snce proven himself 10 be a wonder
ful flyer but no otlc.aIis conslrmro
%ictory had yet been 1halked up 10
i.s credit
Esxl? In the morning OF the last IN,
81 july LIfberv vas flying alone north
81 TFr3un when he saw q German
fighting plane far away 10 his right
He Immediately changed his course u
n1eei the enemy and the latter SHOWED
al equal eakeiness for fiie sief1t by
whHefing 10 meet the American
Both planes climbed 10 get q position