Only 99 Luftballons left (flying with Escadrille Americaine) – 1 August 1916
I had just been awarded France’s Medaille Militaire. A portion of the text read:
Pilote dans l'escadron américain: volant seul le 24 mai 1916 avec peu de respect pour sa propre sûreté engagé un avion d'observation allemand et son escorte détruisant ce dernier et forçant le premier vers le bas dans nos lignes. Puis atterrissage, capturé pilote et observateur tout en récupérant des informations précieuses.
Which translated, roughly stated:
Pilot in the American Squadron: flying alone on 24 May 1916 with little regard for his own safety engaged a German observation aircraft and its escort destroying the latter and forcing the former down within our lines. Then landing, captured pilot and observer while recovering valuable information.
The medal undoubtedly had something to do with my being selected to fly the squadron’s rocket-armed Nieuport 16 and take down a drachen. McConnell was to be my escort on the mission.
I had misgivings about the mission. The rockets were tricky to use and I did not look forward to all the flak the Boche were sure to throw at me. But, then again the opportunity to add to my victory total couldn’t be passed up.
It was a perfectly clear day, so we flew as high as our Nieuports could take us. We did this trying to fool the German observers and avoid anti-aircraft fire as long as possible. Once we reached the right position I nosed over and started my dive. McConnell stayed aloft on watch for enemy planes that may be guarding the balloon.
The sun was at my back and I am sure this prevented the Germans from seeing me until I was almost in range. Then, suddenly, it was as if the whole earth had opened up. Bullets were flying at me from everywhere and my Bébé lurched more than once as flak exploded nearby.
The great lumbering gas bag started to lurch downward as the Germans tried to pull it down out of harms way; the observers were already out of the basket floating safely earthward. I pressed the firing contact. It seemed eternity pass before the rockets finally launched.
I was momentarily blinded as all eight rockets set off; realizing the difficulty in just one of the rockets actually reaching the target I saved nothing back. I wanted this victory. When the smoke cleared enough for me to see I was sickened as several of the rockets were flying in all different directs. But then there was a brilliant, blinding flash as the drachen erupted in flame; at least one of the rockets had made contact.
I pulled away pushing my little Bébé to gain altitude. McConell had been busy too; a German plane, trailing black smoke, was retreating northward. Unfortunately more were approaching and with our objective completed we retreated back to our lines.
My poor Bébé was riddled with bullet holes, but, fortunately it was nothing that a patch job couldn’t fix. The burning drachen was easily seen from our lines so confirmation of the victory beat us home. McConnell, unfortunately, didn’t get credit for the biplane and it likely returned to its base safely…
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Now any German balloons I get will need to be painted red. That's your fault.
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