The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1936-04-11

TN the late spring Of 1917 burly
Il figure strobe through the swing
ing doors of dingy saloon on the
Brooklyn waterfront. AS the doors
swung to behind his back he abrupt
ly halted, stood for moment and
glared around the interior.
A hush fell over the place; con-
versation died and for full minute
not a sound was heard. Then, his
eyes accustomed to the gloom Of
the interior, the figure started for
ward. With his first stride the spell
seemed broken and a loud shout Of
welcome rang out:
"Heyl Butch For the love O.
Mike, wherenhell did you get the
uniform? Look at the soldierl"
Butch grinned, struck a pose,
pulled his wide trimmed campaign
hat down to a rakish angle over one
eye.
Soldier hell" he snorted. I'm
one of them aviators! Me, I'm gonna
fly and chase the hell and back out
o. them Krauts!"
Eyes, sirl" he continued, ME,
I'm a flynn man now! I've joined up
with the Air Service an any guy
that makes a crack about 1t bein' 80
per cent air is goin' to get combed
out"
LIE glowered at the assembly but
Il l. no one met the challenge.
Butch was known as the best
rough-and-tumble fighter in that
district and respected as such. He
was hard, tough and what's more,
proud of it'll
Twelve months later, seated on
his cot in the small French farm
house room where he was billeted,
Sergt. Butch Flarety laboriously
penned line to the gang" back
home.
None knew better than Butch
that being in the Air Service did
not mean of necessity that he flew.
Butch had a thorough knowledge
of planes by now, knew every part
of them for he had worked long
and hard checking them over,
cleaning them, wiping off spattered
oil, patching bullet holes, tuning
engines.
And Butch knew enough to be
able to write a thrilling flight!
Yet the time for his return hung
over his head - face that gang,
after all his talk and have no
medal?
He didn't dare! In Butch's
neighborhood it wasn't considered
bad form to boaSt-but-you'd bet
ter make good when you did,
II
T ATE one evening Butch received
- orders to report to the COM
handing officers quarters. Won
dering If he were due to be ION
the carpet" Butch reported
sit down, Sergeant" the major
said, 81 want to talk with you. It's
something important"
Eyes, sirl" said Butch as he
perched himself on the edge of a
chair.
Sergeant" the major began,
"there is an enemy balloon up near
Piossey-le- Petite that's raising hell
with us. It's spotting troop move
ments behind our lines and report
ing to the artillery. We can't move
thing without gettin' the devil
shelled out of us. That balloon has
to be destroyed and headquarters
have assigned the squadron to the
job. Now, here's what I want you
to do.
Il want you to personally go
over every bit of my plane. I want
the engine checked, the controls,
fuselage, VIKINGS, everything. And
I want her ready an hour before
dawn in the morning. I have the
idea that If we take formation
over after that balloon we are 60
ing to lose lot of men and ships.
Solve decided to go over alone
at dawn. get there while the bal
loon Is still on the ground and
attack 1t with incendiary bullets.
I'll come in low. right on the
ground, attack and get out before
they know what it's all about! And
want nothing said about my
plans. Lieut.. O'Malley and I will
try it. II it works, fine! If it
doesn't the squadron can try it.
But think we can do it and save
men. That's ALL Have my ship
ready an h,ur before dawn and
say nothingp'
An hour before dawn Butch had
the thoroughly checked deHaviland
rolled from the hangar.
rived.
MYTH a nod, OMalley started
w to Chamber into the rear cock
pit. The crew stood ready to throw
the propeller and start the engine.
Then, as O'Malley hoisted his form
up the side of the ship his foot
slipped and he came crashing down
on to the field A muffled curse, a
groan and then he arose, holding
his right wrist in his left hand.
Hurt, oMalley?" the Major de-
manded.
Afraid I've sprained my wrist.
damn it, the lieutenant muttered
woefully.
Butch sprang to his side. A
moments inspection showed that
the wrist was badly sprained: it
was already starting to swell.
Small hope of handling twin ma
chine guns with a wrist like that.
And dawn was nearly breaking.
there was no time to spare. In
spiration struck Butchl Maybe this
was his chancel
ITS sprained bad, Maori he
announced, looks like it's bustedl
He'll never be able to handle those
Lewis guns with one flipper He's
out Of this party!"
Butch hesitated then continued
before the Me5or could speak.
Say, EA1or" he pleaded, why
can't Z get in there with you? 7
scan handle guns like nobody's bust