Navy Cross Action in WW1

[Belleauwood]

* “Ludlow and Hammann were now left to carry on the vicious air battle. Ludlow managed to get the tail of an Albatros in his gun sight and squeezed the trigger. The enemy plane began to smoke and lose altitude. But, as Ludlow followed the plane down to the water, he was suddenly attacked by two Albatros fighters. Machine gun bullets ripped into the Macchi. Ludlow’s propeller was splintered. His engine was hit. Oil quickly spread across the fuselage and burst into flames. Ludlow threw his plane into a spin, puffing out the fire. He pulled out of the dive and straightened out, just as his plane sliced into the sea, about five miles out from the Pola Harbor entrance.

 

Hamman glanced down and noticed the battered Macchi seaplane bobbing up and down in the water. He also saw that Ludlow was uninjured, and trying to balance himself on the wing of his sinking aircraft. There was no hesitation on Hermann’s part. Ludlow had to be rescued, but it would be a risky gamble. Hammann would have to land his M-5 on a choppy, white capped sea, while bucking winds of more than 20 miles per hour. To make matters worse, part of the bow on Hammann’s fighter had been shot away by enemy machine gun fire – and whether the seaplane would hold together during the landing was a big question mark.

 

There was also another problem to consider. The M-5 had been built to carry only one person. A successful takeoff with a damaged aircraft in a choppy sea while balancing the weight of two men – would be a remarkable feat.

 

Hammann broke off his air battle with the enemy and spiraled down to the sea. The Macchi bounced hard when it hit the water – further crushing the bow. Hammann maneuvered his aircraft as it sliced through the heavy seas until it pulled up alongside the crippled fighter. Ludlow opened the port in the bottom of his plane’s hull, and kicked holes in the wings. As both planes lurched back and forth in the wind swept sea, Ludlow successfully jumped the few feet separating the two aircraft. His nearly frozen fingers grabbed the edge of the cockpit; he pulled himself up and carefully climbed behind the pilot’s seat. Ludlow positioned his body under the Macchi’s laboring engine – and tenaciously gripped the wing struts to keep from being drawn into the spinning propeller or falling back into the sea. “

[Belleauwood]

Hammann with Ludlow now aboard, struggled to get the M-5 airborne. After clearing the white caps, the Macchi quickly gained altitude as enemy patrol boats made their way toward Ludlow’s aircraft. Hammann placed his plane into a circling dive and riddled Ludlow’s plane with his machine guns till it sank and then set a course for home.

 

“Upon reaching Porto Corsini, Hammann made a satisfactory landing in the canal. But, water flooding into the wrecked bow, capsized the plane. Ludlow and Hammann scrambled out of the overturned M-5 and were hauled aboard rescue boats. Ludlow had suffered a severe cut on his forehead and Hammann was badly bruised”

 

For this daring exploit, Hammann received the Medal of Honor and Italy’s Silver Medal of Valor. – Ludlow received the Navy Cross and Italy’s Bronze Medal of Valor.

 

Ensign Hammann was killed in an air accident at Langley Field, Virginia on June 14, 1919. Oddly, he was flying a Macchi M-5.

 

• From Air Classics, “Medal of Honor at Pola”, 2000

[Belleauwood]

[

It appears that additional artifacts from the Ludlow estate were sold after the death of his spouse. As recently as last month, I learned that his XO visor hats from WW2 were in the possession of an acquaintance in New England and I purchased them to bring them back together with his other items that I now have.

 

 

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[Belleauwood]

[Belleauwood]

[Belleauwood]

[Belleauwood]

 

 

It is my understanding that there are other known items from his estate in collector’s hands. It is my desire to reassembly as much of the items that I can. - If anyone has information as to the disposition of ANY material such as photos, uniforms, letters, etc., I would greatly appreciate the opportunity to speak with you. Any help in putting this group together again would be greatly appreciated.

 

The Ludlow / Hammann action at Pola resulted in the 1st Medal of Honor ever presented to a Naval Aviator in WW1 (Hammann).

 

Dennis

[bobgee]

Great group, Dennis. Great Naval Aviation action. I had heard of some of Ludlow's items a number of years ago in Mass. but never was able to get them. If memory serves me there was a SecNav Navy Cross citation and the Cross. BUT, this was maybe 15+ years ago and I don't have any notes on the matter,so it's only a vague recollection now which could be wrong! Thanks so much for posting. Lovely stuff!

Semper Fi.....Bobgee

[Escadrille]

Great stuff Dennis! I admire your tenacity at tracking down other items from the grouping that got separated when the estate was sold.

 

Charlie W.

[Kurt Barickman]

Dennis,

 

What can a person say My mouth just hangs open on every one of these amazing, historical groups you keep posting

 

Kurt Barickman

[Belleauwood]

I really appreciate the interest that these items generate. In truth, the ownership is great, but it's the quest of finding the other "missing links" to reunite these groups that provides me the greatest satisfaction. I am working on several different groups at present with varying degrees of success and a lot of disappointments. Marine and Naval Aviation from in and around the WW1 period is my first love. It is also the area in my collection that contains the fewest pieces.

 

Again, thanks for all your support and kind words.

 

Dennis

[teufelhunde.ret]

Dennis, truly a "one-of-a-kind" grouping. As has been said, your abilities in putting these scattered pieces back together in one home is remarkable. Perhaps ****'* stuff does belong in the Belleauwood museum. Semper Fi, Darrell

[trenchbuff]

Another fantastic group Dennis! Finding his caps is an amazing story.

 

Mark

[FightenIrish35]

What an INCREDIBLE grouping!!!!

[Popo367]

Dennis,

Thank you so much for not only sharing the items, but sharing the stories, these men will live on...................

[Belleauwood]

Dennis, truly a "one-of-a-kind" grouping. As has been said, your abilities in putting these scattered pieces back together in one home is remarkable. Perhaps ****'* stuff does belong in the Belleauwood museum. Semper Fi, Darrell

 

 

Darrell,

 

I like the way you are thinking!!

 

DJ

[Croix de Guerre]

Well I guess this stuff aint as cool as a an unindentified shirt from Viet Nam, but I guess it'll just have to do.

[Navy Dan]

Dennis,

You truly give me inspiration to keep searching for items for my WW I Naval Aviator LT Kenneth Rose Smith. Thank You for sharing and posting the INCREDIBLE items from your collection.I will keep my eyes open for other items related to your grouping as well FANTASTIC FIND.

Dan

[Belleauwood]

Dennis,

You truly give me inspiration to keep searching for items for my WW I Naval Aviator LT Kenneth Rose Smith. Thank You for sharing and posting the INCREDIBLE items from your collection.I will keep my eyes open for other items related to your grouping as well FANTASTIC FIND.

Dan

 

Many Thanks Dan,

 

Most of my success is dumb luck. I'll see if I can help you on Mr. Smith

 

Best, Dennis

[IMPERIAL QUEST]

Thanks once again Dennis for ensuring that the Great War is not totally relegated to the "ancient history" category in the collecting world. Never...EVER...on any other web-based venue, have I seen such incredibly spectacular collections.

[Croix de Guerre]

And since we are on the subject of the Italian front,,let's not forget this one!!!

[Belleauwood]

It has been several years now since this topic was posted and it might be time for an update. Back in 2009, I purchased Ludlow’s visor hats from his WW2 service as XO in Oklahoma. - During that time I also learned that there were more Ludlow items that had come from the estate that included more medals, photos, paperwork and a fabric panel from an Austrian plane!

 

The items in the preceding post were obtained directly from Mrs. Ludlow. - The following artifacts were just acquired by me in December from a friend of mine here in the Northeast. I am now the 3rd owner of these items just as they came from the estate. To my knowledge this is it; and no one that I am aware of knows of any uniforms or other material from the Ludlow home.

 

Now, with the rather large volume of paperwork contained in the group, a more complete picture can be painted, not only of the action at Pola and the Adriatic Sea, but of Ludlow himself.

 

After going through the new items, it has become apparent that a lot of conservation work needs to be done to preserve some of this priceless paperwork and the fabric panel from the plane. After consulting with several long time and notable collectors, it appears that no one has actually seen this style of panel in any collection or museum. That certainly does not imply that this item is unique, but validates its’ rarity. The panel itself is showing the signs of age and poor storage. The canvas has become stiff and the paint in the areas where the panel was rolled up and stored is unstable and beginning to flake every time it is unrolled.

 

I have decided to have this important artifact professionally stabilized and restored by the senior art conservationist at the Yale University Museum of Art. Her specialty is the restoration of paintings on canvas from all periods. I have decided not only to stabilize and conserve this item, but to have the areas of paint loss restored. Needless to say this will be expensive and most likely result in the sale of more of my core collection. The restoration process will be documented here on the forum and most likely be completed sometime in April 2011. In the meantime, I will post the new acquisitions contained in the group over the next several weeks. I hope this meets with some approval.

 

DJ

[Belleauwood]

This panel come from the rudder section from as yet an unidentified Austrian plane. My gut says we can narrow it down to one or two types of aircraft. The overall dimensions are approximately 36 inches in length and tapering from approximately 24 inches at the top to about 12 inches at the bottom. It's in too bad a shape to try and lay it flat. The first image is from the internet showing how the panel originally was used. The overall shape of the artifact suggests that it was removed from the rudder portion of the vertical stabilizer.

 

 

[Belleauwood]

[Belleauwood]