Jasper County Democrat, Volume 21, Number 14, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 18 May 1918 — HUNS LOSE 100 PLANES IN 2 DAYS [ARTICLE]

HUNS LOSE 100 PLANES IN 2 DAYS

Terrific Air Combats Occur on Western Front-Allies Victors. BERLIN CLAIMS 33 FLYERS t’apt. David Peterson, American Aviator, Describes Battld Witli Two Airmen Over Toul Sector. London, May 17. —Terrific combats* .tn the air marked Wednesday ami Thursday on the west front. The aN Bed flyers decidedly had the'upper* i ha nd. one hundred German .airplanes were riat (town Wednesday f and Thursday by the French' amf’Bfitish—•s7 by tt»t> former and 43 by the°latter. The Brit-* u*h aecetinted for on Wednesday,, destroying 25. Set until last night did these fig-* ores- become known, as it always* takes twelve hours or so before alt the units of the aerial forces have made full reports. The Berlin watr office claims 33 French and British airplanes were shot down on Wednesday. U. & Flyer* Tell of Fight*. With the American Army in France, May 17.—€ apt. David Peterson, HonesPa„ and Qipt. Kenneth Marr, California, heroes in the aerial battleWednesiiay in which Captain Peterson brought down two German plane* and Captain Marr destroyed one int the T»n! «ec?or. related their stories of the battle. Captain Peterson said:. “I was dying near Thiaucourt at an altitude of 5.000 meters, when I Bawl two German Albatross scouts goinw away at right angles in .the distance. I ascended 200 meters and darted after them. “I finally got close to the last plane. At a distance of 100 yards I opened fire with incendiary bullets and the Germa* machine, almost immediately; burst into flames and fell. ■*l continued straight on my course, mml within two 'minutes had the other eoamy machine before me. He started a quick dive, but I am certain that the bullets went home, as one of his wt*gg trampled. As I circled about I saw one machine burning on the ground and the other, smoking in its downward plunge, crash to the earth.’* Enemy Game to the Last. c ptain Marr was flying at an alti-tm-i- « f meters when he saw an enemy machine over the American Lines. He said: “A* I sailed out I circled wider, passed the German and turned again dwwn our line, between the enemy and the sua. Both of us had the sun at our backs. -. “I saw that I had a two-seater to deal with, so I went 100 meters lower. pointed the nose of my airplane upward and went on a level with the enemy and opened fire at him at nointWaafc range. The German never knew I was there until incendiary bullets began pattering through his machine. -After 20 shots his machine toppled. The machine went down, wavering like a Imf falling from a tree. “1 saw the observer standing up in the machine trying to get his machine gun to bear on me, first from one side and then from the other. There he was flashing to certain death, but to rhe last gamely trying *o gfve me a fight *