It was early in the morning when the German biplane appeared over the
American airdromes moving slowly. Immediately the "alerte" signal was
given and two Americans started up, and two others followed. When they
got to a height of about 2,500 meters they found themselves face to
face with a giant German biplane with a wing spread of sixty feet,
carrying a pilot and two gunners, and driven by two engines. The
engines were armored, and the pilot sat in a steel house. The gunners
wore armor and occupied protected positions, each manning a heavy
machine gun. The American fighters sent streams of bullets in vain
against the new enemy.
By this time other Americans were in the air, trying to bring down
the German, who loafed along, not seeming to mind bullets at all. The
scene, in full view for many miles, looked like a lot of swallows
pecking at a giant bird of prey. When one of the Americans landed,
out of ammunition, reported his inability to do damage to the German
machine, Lufbery asked and received permission to try. He mounted
up above the German, got his machine gun going well, and swept head
first at the monster plane. When part of the way had been traversed he
swerved off, supposedly because his machine gun jammed. But in a few
minutes he was back at the German again, dashed by with his machine gun
going, but produced no effect. He was seen to turn and start up at the
enemy again, when suddenly he swerved and a thin line of flame shot
from his machine, which seemed to hang still for a moment and then dart
down. This took place at an altitude of 2,000 meters. When his machine
was at an altitude of about 1,500 meters the American ace was seen to
arise and leap into midair. From long experience he knew that to stay
in his seat meant to be burned to death horribly. His body fell like a
plummet, landing in the midst of a flower garden back of a residence in
the village of Maron, while his machine fell in flames and landed on
the ground a mass of wreckage. At Lufbery's funeral it was announced
that the battleplane which had caused his death had been brought down
by French airmen.
Lieutenant Douglas Campbell, a Californian, by bringing down his fifth
German airplane on May 31, secured the distinction of being the first
American-trained ace. Besides Campbell, America then had two other
aces, Major William Thaw and Captain D. M. K. Peterson, but both Thaw
and Peterson got their training with the French Army.