Rickenbacker story.

[Paul Forster]

From the July 11,1923 edition of the Minneapolis Morning Tribune-

RICKENBACKER MEETS FLIER HE SAVED FROM GERMAN PLANES

Captain Eddie Rickenbacker,America's greatest flying ace,met for the first time yesterday a brother flyer he saved from death over the German lines in France during the war.The man is Lloyd A. Ruth,Minneapolis.Ruth sought out Rickenbacker at Wold-Chamerlain field yesterday and found out the famous ace remembered the fight with five German airplanes in the Argonne,November 4,1918.
* *Ruth and his brother Fred,former University of Minnesota students,enlisted early in the war.Lloyd Ruth being assigned to the 91st Aero Squadron.On November 4,while out on an observation tour,he was attacked by five German Fokker planes,who between them were "giving it to me pretty hard",he said Tuesday.
* *Captain Rickenbacker,who was commanding the 94th Aero Squadron,was flying above Ruth and some distance away,when he noticed the unequal battle.He immediately came to Ruth's rescue,and by coming down from above he broke up the formation of the German detail,scattered them,and officially downed one,and believes he put a second one out of service.
* *Ruth learned who his champion was when he returned to his headquarters.Tuesday was the first chance he has had to thank Rickenbacker.
* *"You saved my life in France,and I have never thanked you",Ruth said as he approached Rickenbacker.
* *"How's that",the famous American ace asked,and the story followed.There were tears in Ruth's eyes as he recalled the daring attack of the tall flier who is credited with downing 26 enemy planes.
* *"I remember the incident very well",Captain Rickenbacker declared.

[Vin]

Paul,

I am surprised that nobody has commented upon your extract. Someone has got something wrong haven't they. I'll plumb for the press. Never let truth get in the way of a good yarn. An interesting read


Vin

Dear Paul,
My source for the following is Rickenbacker's FIGHTING THE FLYING CIRCUS (my book is a photo-reproduction, printed by Time-Life; all page #s therefore refer to the first edition):
Sorry, old boy, but someone's got his dates mixed up: EVR was in Paris on a 3-day leave from 1 Nov 1918 to 4 Nov 1918, returning from Paris on 5 Nov 1918 (pages 352 & 353). Since the reporter of your article is no longer able to defend himself, I say, let's blame him!
But here is what DID happen (page 336):
"Coolidge, with his usual intrepidity was hurrying in to the assistance of a formation of American bombing machines which, after dropping their eggs on the enemy town of Grand Pré, as they started home, were in turn attacked by a large number of swifter flying Fokker machines. The Archy shells were directed at the bombers and not at the Spad of Ham Coolidge! After having scornfully passed through hundreds of barrages which were aimed at him our unlucky ace had collided with a shell not at all intended for him!
"Although I did not see this ghastly accident to poor Coolidge, I was in the midst of the same barrage of Archy on the other side of Grand Pré at the same time.
"The bombing machines above mentioned had not gained their objective without considerable fighting all the way over the lines...
"During the combats which followed I again succeeded in bringing down two of the red-nosed Fokkers...
"The second combat occurred just a few minutes later. The last of the Liberty bombing machines had passed over the lines or had crashed in flames and I thought the day's work was over when I noticed something going on the the east of me in the region of Bantheville. I began climbing and speeding forward to get a look at this performance when to my surprise I discerned that one to the Liberty machines had been left behind and was in very evident distress. Fortuantely there was but a single enemy Fokker on his tail. The Yankee pilot was kicking his machine about and the gunner at the rear was managing to keep his enemy at bay when, at a favorable elevation above them both, I found an opportunity to pique down and catch the Fokker, unaware of my approach. The Liberty motor, I discovered, was almost dud. It had either been struck by a bullet or had developed some interior trouble of its own. The pilot had all he could do to maintain headway and avoid the maneuvers of his enemy. Each time he banked the Liberty, it fell downwards two or three hundred feet. The Fokker had only to worry him enough and the American machine must drop into German territory, a captive..." (page 338)
Now, Paul, there is more to this story-- and it is a wonderful one-- but no more concerning the 'Liberty' and its crew. The next day, EVR continues, was spent going over the ground where the planes fell and finding the remains of Hamilton Coolidge; EVR mentions that this was "northwest around the edge of the Argonne Forest". The above combat took place on 27 Oct 1918.