Photograph of a French aviator downing a German observation balloon near St. Mihiel on September 16, 1918, the last day of the American St. Mihiel Offensive. That same day American airmen Frank Luke and Joe Wehner downed three balloons in the sector.
French aviator downing a german observer near St Mihiel on the 16th day of september 1918
"In September 1915, I travelled back to my regiment. . . . Ahead of us, the French autumn offensive was in full swing. The front manifested itself as a long, billowing cloud over open country. Overhead the machine-guns of the air squadron pattered away. Sometimes, when one of the French planes came down very low — their colourful rosettes seeming to scan the ground like big butterflies' eyes — my little troop and I took cover under the poplars that lined the road. The anti-aircraft guns threaded long fleecy lines through the air, and whistling splinters pinged into the tilth."
Wounded in April, 1915 in the fighting in Les Eparges, southeast of Verdun, France, Ernst Jünger recovered, went on leave, and received training in 'various ways of moving across terrain in small groups.' Promoted to ensign, he returned to his regiment as the allied Champagne-Artios-Loos Offensive was in progress.
Storm of Steel by Ernst Jünger, pp. 34, 35, copyright © 1920, 1961, Translation © Michael Hoffman, 2003, publisher: Penguin Books, publication date: 2003
1915-09-30, 1915, September, Junger, Jünger, Ernst Jünger, Ernst Junger
