New England aviators 1914-1918; their portraits and their records . he Bombing Schoolat Clermont-Ferrand (7th Aviation Instruction Centre) and wasordered to the front, July 14, 1918, where he was detailed to the96th Squadron, the first American Bombing Squadron to be or-ganized, and participated in daylight bombing raids over enemyterritory until wounded. On Sept. 4, while returning from a raid,and still 25 miles beyond the lines, his Squadron of 8 planes wasattacked by 15 or more enemy planes and badly shot up. All man-aged to return safely, however, and two German planes were shotdown. Lieut
New England aviators 1914-1918; their portraits and their records . he Bombing Schoolat Clermont-Ferrand (7th Aviation Instruction Centre) and wasordered to the front, July 14, 1918, where he was detailed to the96th Squadron, the first American Bombing Squadron to be or-ganized, and participated in daylight bombing raids over enemyterritory until wounded. On Sept. 4, while returning from a raid,and still 25 miles beyond the lines, his Squadron of 8 planes wasattacked by 15 or more enemy planes and badly shot up. All man-aged to return safely, however, and two German planes were shotdown. Lieut. Alexander was severely wounded, a bullet passingthrough his abdomen, but he succeeded in landing safely on hisown field after fainting several times during the descent. He wasawarded the by General Pershing with the following cita-tion: For extraordinary heroism in action on Sept. 4, 1918. While on a bomb-ing expedition with other planes of his squadron, Lieut. Alexander en-gaged in a running fight over hostile territory with a superior number of [ 130 ]. ARTHUR HADDEN ALEXANDER enemy battle planes, from Friauville to Lamorville, France. He wasseriously wounded in the abdomen by a machine-gun bullet and his ob-server was shot through both legs. Although weak from pain and loss ofblood, Lieut. Alexander piloted his plane back to his own airdrome andconcealed the fact of his injury until after his observer had been caredfor. After partial recovery from his wound he was called back to dutyat General Headquarters to represent the Air Service on the Boardof Awards, which was composed of a man from every branch of theService who had been wounded, decorated, and seen a years serv-ice. This board passed on recommendations for the CongressionalMedal and Lieut. Alexander was returned to the inFeb., 1919, and honorably discharged at Garden City, N. Y., Feb. 7,1919. Lieut. Alexander has described the raid of Sept. 4, over Germany,in the following extract: We had just d
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