Arizona republican., 1919-05-21
TOWERS TELLS STORY

PONTA DEL GADA, May 2O.-(By the Associated Press) Exceptionally bad weather, which was totally unex- pected, was the sole reason for the failure of all three Of the American uavy's seaplanes to fly from Trepassey, New Foundand, to Ponta del Gaca on schedule time" said Commander John IT, Towers to the correspondent of the Associated Press tonight.
 The man who commanded the over seas flight in his flagship NC3, and the members of his crew were much refreshed tonight, after having re- gained sleep lost while bucling the storm for 16 hours and being adrift 55 hours more, entirely out of com municatiou with the world.
 Individually" said Commander ToWers,' the members Of the crew of the NC-3 virtually gave up hope Satur day night of being rescued, but col lectively, they showed no signs of fear. and carried on until they arrived in port here Monday and heard the forts firing salvos in welcome and witnessed the scene of general jubilitaLion of their escape from the sea
 Having run short of fuel and en- couutered a heavy fog, the NC-3 came down at i o'clock Saturday afternoon, in order that we might obtain our bearing. The plane was damaged as ir reached the water and was unable again to rise While we were drifting the 2O5 miles in the heavy storm. the high seas washed over or pounded the plane, and the bow began to leak. So fast did the water enter the boat that the members of the crew took turns in bailing the hull with a small hand pump while others stood on the wings in order to keep the plane in balance Meanwhile. We were steering landWard
 Drank From Radiator
 That our radio was out Of cOmmis- sion was not known to the crew unti cur arrival here. Communication haC been cut off since 9 o'clock Monday morning. owing to our having lost om ground wire.
 I've ate chocolate and drank watel from our radiator This was our onl! means of subsistence. The crew smoked heavily in order to keep awak, while we were drifting. No one of u! obtained more than four hours of sleep after leaving Trepassey, until Ponti del Gada was reached"
 The hands of all the members of tn crew of the NC-3 were bandly swollel as a result of their heroic work at tn
 
 any suffering, except Lieutenant Com mander McCulloch, one of the pilots who had a rather severe attack of sea sickness. The men have fully recoV cred from their trying experience"
 Light Instruments Fail
 The NC-3 encountered heavy clouds at one o'clock Saturday morning, Commander Towers said. "Tne Iigh instruments on board failed and W, sailed the plane above the clouds in or der to get the benefit of a moonligh reading of the instruments.
 We kept in sight of the NC-4 unti Tearly daylight Saturday, and with tn NC-1 until shortly after daylight. Al the planes were flying in formation bu the NC-1 and the NC-4 were beneatl the clouds part of the time. besause 0 their light instruments were good.
 ''The NC-3 had no difficulty in bein guided by star shells, searchlights an smoke from the stations, until " reached station No. 14, which was 10 seen.
 T assumed that we were off ou course, but did not know on which sid and began flying a parallel course i what I thought was the direction C Corvo. Shortly after daylight, we en
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