The sun., 1919-05-28
ATLANTIC FLIERS
ALL SEASONED MEN
Crew Of the NC-4 Selected
With View to Their
Known Skill.

The naval officers and men who flew
the NC-4 from Roclaway Beach to Lis
bon, the first airship OF any type to fly
across the Atlantic Ocean, were careful
" selected by the Navy Department
from a large list OF volunteers from
every branch Of the naval service on the
basis Of training and experience in aerial
navigation ana service. Every one Of
the six men comprising the crew Is Of
necessity an experienced airplane pilot,
engineer or mechanic, and their success
In plotting the big sea plane across the
seas is proof enough that the training
given them was thorough.
Lieutenant Commander Albert c.
Read, In command Of the successful
plane. was a member of the first avia-
ton class at the United States Naval
Academy at Annapolis, graduated in
1919. He previously had been gradual
ed, from the regular course Of instruc-
ton given to naval officers, and his
ability soon earned him promotion. He
rapidly won an enviable position, not
only as pilot, but as an administrator
Of the aviation division Of the Navy.
Lieutenant Elmer Fowler Stone, who
piloted the NC-4. " one of the best
known and most daring aviators in the
Navy. He rose from the rank Of ap-
prentice seaman. In which grade he en-
listed In the Navy In 1918, to that of
First Lieutenant in the Coast Guard
Service. and for seven years has shown
remarkable aptitude and ability as an
airplane pilot He formerly was a sea-
man on the Coast Guard cutter Onon-
daga, was promoted to cadet after
two years service and later went in for
aviation. He was the first man to fly
an airplans 20 ship in distress, and
after he had demonstrated that such a
thing was possible, he was deta ched
from his ship and detailed for special
duty In the aviation service Lieutenant
Stone was born In New York. but spent
most Of his boyhood In Norfolk. Va
Before entering the navy he was en-
| ployed in the press room of the Norfolk
Ledger Dispatch. He 10 - years old.
Lieut.. Walter Hinton, reserve pilot Of
the NC-4. was an enlisted man in the
navy and became an Ensign in March
1918. on account Of his skill as an
aviator he was designated as one of the
pilots Of the flying boat H-16 when II
| made a flight from Rockaway to Hamp.
ton Roads last January He was born
in Ohio and is 81 years old.
| Lieut.. James L. Breese, Jr, engineer
OF West Sixty-seventh street. He /.
30 years old. married. and has two chill
| dren. He enlisted in the Naval Re
serve in April. 1917. and was assigned
10 the bureau of steam engineering Of
the Navy Department as a member o
| the heavier than air engineering section
o; the bureau. During the war he wal
a test pilot for experimental machines
and was also engaged largely in the de
velopment of power plant accessories
He was transferred to the marine en-
cheering bureau and worked on the de
| velopment Of the Liberty motor ant
later was made a member of the specla
naval board which made the prepare
tione for the overseas aight.
Ensign Herbert c. Rodd. radio office
Of the NC-4. Joined the United State
Naval Reserve Force in August, 1915
prior to which he had server as a radi
operator on the Great Lakes. He as
sisted in the development of the specis
Compass used on the seaplanes In thei
flight to the Azores and Lisbon. II
was born In Cleveland in 1894.
Eugene g. Rhodes. chief machininst'
rnate, entered the navy as a coal passe
and Is serving his second enlistment
He Is known as one OF the best engine
rnen In the service. His home is 1
Somerset, Pa. He is 2s years old.