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Show ITALIAN AIR PARI A QUITCH If AIIJ A aUlltiMj Squadron Engages Austrian Adversary and Bombards Libach Leader's Hero-, Hero-, ism Rewarded. SENSATIONAL EXPLOIT Directs Machine After Two Companions Are Killed and Himself Seriously Wounded. Milan. Feb. 24. Via Paris, 5:30 a. ra. Details are now published of the raid carried out on last Friday by an Italian air squadron on Libach and it is declared to have been eminently successful, chiefly on account of tho heroism of Captain Salomon who piloted a large machine earring four men. The task entrusted to the machine ma-chine was to engage adversary aircraft air-craft in order to allow tho other Italian Ital-ian machines to accomplish their mission mis-sion of bombardment. Captain Salo-mone Salo-mone attacked several Austrian aeroplanes aero-planes and In tho battles which ensued en-sued two of his companions were killed kill-ed and he himself wounded. He continued, con-tinued, however, to handle his machine ma-chine so sucessfully that his observer, Colonel Barblerl, was able to keep up a steady machine gun fire on the Austrlans. Aus-trlans. Bullets Rain From All Sides. Bullots rained on the Italian aeroplane aero-plane from all sides and Colonel Barblerl Bar-blerl was killed. Tho pilot remained alone with the bodies of his companions compan-ions hindering the manipulation of tho levers, that of Colonel Barblerl lying across one of the steering wires. Wiping the blood from his eyes, for ho was wounded in the forehead, Captain Cap-tain Salomone managed to move the body and that of another man so that he could steer more easily and, having hav-ing sufficiently delayed tho pursuer; to enable his fellow aviators to roach their goal, he finally landed at Pal-manova Pal-manova and was taken from his machine ma-chine In a faltlng condition. King Victor Emmanuel has awarded him the modal for valor. The Italian official communication of February 19 said that the air raid carried out on Libach on the preceding day was In retaliation for numerous violations of International law by the Austrians and that the raiding squadron squad-ron dropped several dozens of grenade mines and bombs on the city. It added add-ed that ono of the- Italian machines had been forced to descend on Austrian Austri-an territory. The American official statement, referring to tho same raid, said "that it was a lamentable affair." Libach, a city of 30,000 lies about 45 miles east of Gorltzla. It has been 4 stated that It la the headquarters of the Austrian array operating against the Italians. nn |