The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1930-11-08
BY ROBERT TALLEY
NEA Service Writer

days after Eddie Rlcken-
hacker arrived at the front to be-
come an air fighter in Uncle Sans
famous Ninety-fourth or ''Hat-in-
the-ring" squadron. he was of on
his first trip over the German lines.
Major Raoul Lufbery, an Amer
lean who had fought with the
French before his own country en-
tered the war, took Rickenbacker
and Lieutenant Douglas Campbell,
another newcomer, on three-man
patrol in the Champagne sector 1t
was in March, 1918, and Lufbery-
who had shot down seventeen en-
envy ships while with the Lafayette
Escadrille-was then squadron COM
mander.
They met no German planes that
day, but Rickenbacker was under
fire in the air for the first time when
30 pound German anti-craft shells
began popping under and around
him. He did not realize they had
burst so close until he returned to
his airdrome and found the tail of
his plane had been punctured in
several places.
A few weeks later-on April 90,
1sl8-he shot down his first enemy
plane. a scout of the Pfaltz type
that he and Captain James Nor
man Hall picked up near Pont-a-
Mousson. They dived for the Ger
man and the latter started to run,
with both Northumberland Hall in
hot pursuit.
II was gaining on him every in
stant," Rickenbacker has related,
land had my sights trained dead
upon his front seat before I fired
my first shot.
"At $50 yards I pressed the trig-
gers. The tracer bullets cut a
streak of living fire into the Pfaltz
tail. Raising the nose of my air.
plane slightly, the fiery streak lifted
like a stream of water from a gar
den hose. Gradually it settled in the
pilots seat.
1.-THE swerving Of the Pfaltz
course indicated that its rudder was
no longer held by directing hand,
At 1000 feet above the enemy
lines 1 pulled up my headlong dive
and watched the enemy machine
continuing on its course. Curving
slightly to its left. the Pfaltz cir
cled little to the south and the
next moment crashed on the ground
just at the edge of wood a mile in
side their own lines.
'I had brought down my first
enemy air plane and had not been
subjected to a single shot"
n
THAT is Rickenbacker's- own
4 story of the first Of his twen-
ty-six victories over German air.
planes and balloons. That deed
won him the D. S. G.
To guard against exaggerated
heroism, suppose we let the official
citation of the war department tell
about some of the others.
Zone bronze oak leaf is award
ed Lieutenant Rickenbacker." con-
tinues the citation after making the
original award for his first victory,
&C. each of the following acts of
extraordinary heroisnl in action:
ION May II, 1913, he attacked
three Albatros enemy planes, shoot
ing one down in the vicinity of
Richecourt and forcing the others
to retreat over their own lines.
ION May %, 1918, he attacked
three Albatros monoplanes 1000
meters over st. Mihiel. He drove
them back into German territory,
separated one from the group and
shot it down near Flirey.
ION May %. 1918, he sighted a
group of two battle planes and four
monoplanes, German planes, which
he at once attacked vigorously.
shooting down one and dispensing
the others.
"on May 80, 1918, 1000 meters
over Janinoy, he attacked group
of i've enemy planes. After vio-
lent battle he shot down one plane
and drove the others away.
ION Sept. IA, 1918, in the region
Of VilIecy, he attacked four Fokker
enemy planes at an altitude OF 5000
meters. After sharp and hot action,
he succeeded in shooting one down
in flames. and dispensing the other
three.
ION Sept. Is, 1918, in the region
of BEDSIDE Warville he encountered
six enemy planes in the act OF at
lacking four Spads, below them.
Undeterred by their superior num-
bers, he unhesitatingly attacked
them and succeeded in shooting one
down in flames and completely
the regulation piano, and also the
regulation concert grand piano Of