Raine - I'm with Carrick- Here's to Geoffrey, and, as Reed Chambers put it when he was trying to cheer up his comrades in the 94th Aero, "surviving the war so that we can die in a car accident."
2nd Lt. John B. Goode 147th Aero Squadron, USAAS
Friday, July 19th 1918
Seek and destroy mission over the Dormans area this morning, Whitey leading. On the way Babygirl's engine starting missing and sputtering. I had to drop out and land at La-Ferte-Gaucher. The French mechanics found the problem. It was only a loose ignition wire shorting out on the aluminum cowling.
The patrol spotted a German sausage and attacked. The balloon's crew started hauling it down so it was only about 1,000 meters off the ground when our boys opened fire. They didn't destroy it, the Archie and ground fire was so intense they had to break off. Dewey's Nieuport took some shrapnel and he crash landed on our side. I haven't seen him yet but the Major says he'll be back in a few days.
Went out on a late patrol over Germany at 19:30, 14 planes, no EA seen. Got back at 21:00. It was dark by then and we landed between the fire barrels. I hate a night landing and the fires spoil my night vision making it hard for me to judge altitude.
The French Squadrons tried to do a few patrols but most of the SPADs pooped out on them. The hat in the ring boys are getting frustrated with them. Davy's still sold on his SPAD, but then he always was a stubborn ass.
They got a shack built for me at the field so I had to get everything ready for a detail to pick it up tomorrow before I could sit down to write this and bed down.
