Ulmer joined Jasta 8 on 10 September 1916. On 5 February 1917, he was badly wounded in a fight over Dranoutre when he was shot down by a Nieuport XII belonging to 46 Squadron. Recovering from his wounds, he returned to duty but was killed in a fight with 20 Squadron when his Albatros D.V was shot down in flames by Harold Joslyn and Frank Potter in an F.E.2d.