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Thu. A;pril 13 - Worked all day on dope. High wind. Mailed Joe bill. Wrote marie. Got orders from maj. Sample for reccon mission in morning over Carranza troops. Fri. AS;pril 14 - Made reconnisance flight almost 300 miles form Colombus at 5:25 A.M. to Boca Grande to Plpito Pass to Janos to Sscension to Columbus nonstop and getting back 9:30 A.M. no body of 4000 Carraniza troops seen as was rumored. Reported to Maj. Sample. Gorrell observer on this flight. Alt. 11300 ft. above sea. rain all afternoon and high winds. Broke CC record on this trip. Sat. April 15 - left Columbus 5":20 A.M. scouted west through Boca Grande to Pulpito Pass and southeast to Colonia Dublan, arriving at 7:40 Reported to Col. Cabell with information of Columbus base + line of communications. Carried messages to Namiquipa leaving Colonia Dublan 9:30 A.M. arriving 11:05 A.M. Delivered messages to Maj. Hines. Flew 1:45 P.M. to Sotero, arrivfing 3:35 P.M. dropping mail and messages at San Geronomo and San Antonio. Gen.:Perhsing had left to return to San Antonio. Trucks in square formation and all slept inside for protection. Rader left yesterday for Parral - still missing. He was in 52 and had exstra gas + oil. Good sleep at night. Sun. April 16 - A day of rest! The first we have had, wrote to Mr. McCallie+ Marie. Reste all day. Beautiful day. Sold my shoes to Capt. Hemphill. Exchanged cans for chickens + eggs with natives. Mon. April 17 - Left Satevo 6:10 A.M. with Capt. Foulois ;passenger, arrived San Antonio 7:00 A.M. 3000 ft., left 7:20 A.M. arrived camp at lake near Bachinero :Pass 7:45 A.M. left 7:55 A.M. arrived Namiquipa 8:20 A.M. Reported to Gen. Pershing. Stayed in camp there all day. Tue. A;pril 18 - Flew alone from Namiquipa 6:45 A.M. carrying mail to San Antonio and arrived 7:45 A.M. Rested all day at San Antonio and fixed up 43 ready for Chihuahua flight. Wed. April 19 - Flew with Willis as observer in 43 from San Antonio at 5:25 A.M. Scoute roads leading to Chihuahua and city of Chihuahau. Took several ;pictures. Attempted to follow road west ot of city and got in among hills that we could not get out of on account of down currents. Finally motor began to vibrate and lost ;power so that we were unable to keep up. In an efforrt to turn to the right and get back down the valley the machine lost so much power engine going down to 1200 R.P.M., and altitude was lost on account of down currents. We smashed into a hillside 45 degree slope and wrecked completely, the machine turning over on both of us. I was fortunate in getting out uninjured though severely shaken up and exhausted. Willis was ;pinned under the fuselage, both feet being caught between the engine bed and gas tank. The machine fell at 7:15 A.M. Willis got a 3 cornered cut back from the left temple and then down in back of the left ear about 4 inches on a side. The whole piece of scalp was loose from the head. I bandaged it up with our two 1st aid ;packets and managed to stop the bleeding. He lay down in the shade while I collected what we needed to carrywith us. I had a hard timer hacking the machine away so as to get his feet loose. His left leg just above the ankle was badly bruised and sore. At 9:35 we started on our hike in the mountains touching a match to what was left of 43 as we departed. The going is pretty hard. |
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