As aviator Al Williams later recounted in the New York World Telegram, "Next flight saw the flashily painted ship of Haviland far in advance of his formation. He wasn't patrolling this day but looking for trouble.

"Without looking around to see if he was being followed by his men, he dived on an Austrian squadron of a dozen single seaters. Right through the center of the formation went Haviland with both guns blazing. His daring but green command arrived on the scene to finish what the Skipper had started. The Austrian formation took to its heels in long screaming dives behind the lines.

"A Staff Inspector heard about this exploit and reported it to Headquarters in Paris. A courts martial was proposed for disobedience to orders but Haviland's original explanation must have touched someone's sense of humor.

"'I wasn't leading my men. I was too far ahead of them for that.'"

(Lt. Haviland kept this postcard of Pola, where the event occured, in his scrapbook.)

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