The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1919-04-03
FLYERS PICKED FOR OVERSEAS
HOP ALL TRAINED IN PENSACOLA

/ Details concerning plans being made
for the Trans Atlantic flight to start
from Rockaway. Long Island. May Is.
/ and concerning the personnel OF well
known flyers connected with the un-
dertaking. all Of whom are well known
here in Pensacola have been given in
q recent published articles in New
York.
The article is Of more than ordinary
! interest because OF the fact that every
one Of the men. rated che country's
!. best picked flyers. received their
aiming here:
/ The personnel of the plotting force
| is still q subject Of speculation. Conn
mander ellenger. who has sailed north
to map out certain details of the
flight. is prominently mentioned. As
are Lieut.. Commander Mitchnef.
!. Lieut. Barron and Lieut.. Hinton.
Lieut. Commander John III. Towers,
who ID In charge of the whole enter
prise. II not expected to ship for the
flight.
Lieut.. Commander III. c. Richard
son. whose constructive skill evolved
the novel qualities OF the NC class,
may be aboard one Of the flyers. Of
which there probably win be three.
It Is considered more likely. however.
that he will devote himself up to the
moment Of the start in supervising
construction details and making GER
tain that the ships arc In the best OF
condition Tor their task.
Usher Bound 60 Have Flight.
The NC-1 is mak<Hs frequent short
trial spins over Jamaica Bay and
nearby waters. Rear Admiral Ma
thaniel s. Usher, on . visit to Rock
away Field yesterday. went aboard
her for = flight. but the centre engine
fed badly. and after drifting around
was taken ashore.
The rear admiral. however. was
bent On having q flight and 30. with
the pennant Of his rank flown for the
first time In q New York city air
journey. he flew from the field in the
big dirigible C-3. His route was over
tho harbor and up the North river as
far a. Grants Tomb.
The '.blimp" flew at about 600 feet.
and made the outbound trip In ten
minutes Returning. II bucked :
shifty. rising wind and required
twenty minutes to set back to Its
hangar, where It was compelled to
circle q couple Of times before Ell
fecting q landing 1t was Rear Al
mfral Usher's first experience in =
lighter than-air ship. although ne had
flown In q seaplane In the South. He
Expressed keen satisfaction with the
trip
The primary object Of his visit to
Rockaway was to bestow the Con
eresfonal medal Of honor on Edward
r Ormsbee. chief machinist in the
Navy Aviation service. Ormsbee
earned this medal by an act OF con-
spicuous daring off Pensacola IN
Sept. Is. 1913.
Rescue Was Remarkable One.
j He was flying that day with En
Sign J. A. iowa. pilot. on = maeerial
test. when he saw another seaplane
pet into a tail-sp;n and drop to the
water. He called the pilots attention
n the accident and their boat dropped
nearby.
Only two wing tips Of the wrecked
nlane were above water. and below the
surface was q tangle of wreckage.
rc>tther Of this planes occupants.
ensign Thomas C. Mccarthy and Paui
= PARSONS. third class electricians
had come to the surface Tnousn ne
knew the peril Of getting snarieu
ma mass OF wires and RODS uno-r
TIE water. Ormsbee Owed ana SUI
ceeded in partly freeing Parsons
that. with his chin supported on
wire, he could breathe.
f,rmsbee then turned his attentiOn
"a mccarthy, but was unable %
him above water. Altogether
49, vvorked at his task forty-five MN
49,. counting in preaching spells o.
- .,rfare. Finally q boat came anu
rsla..ed parsons The official citasion
Sc ormsbee said:
n;srouardod His Own LHes
..,rhia required an immense amour.
- worlx and courage. and II u nau NO.
49,, for the fact that Ormsoee
s~rellent swimmer the task cou'u
harilv have been accomplished 0y one
man.. nan Who
!, .de the rescue did It with aosoiu's
ai.rerard for hts own lie
The whole force at the hocka.
station was turned out 70 WITNESS.
hestowal OF the medal ..r
The NC-2 and Mes are SUI
heir hangar at that fied. $500
new power apparatus anu ~. .s.srr
q. ~. .e,,rne. preparatory to launcnins.
re. Nr-A n nearing completion IN tne
r..,s.sss .hops at Garden City. It -
.sarsn,. the NC-1 will be lett N
!, erica. serving as trial horse for
n,lots until the flight is Launched. ana
he three others Of the class WIN n
80 loose. one al time, for the ois
. The longest flight ever undertaken
~ ar American 6irigible is under
by Navy Department
officials, who plan to send lighter
than-air ship from Rockaway F1eid
10 San Diego. Cal. 1t is expected the
cruise will be undertaken soon. De-
cause hot weather dininishes the mt
In1 power OF dirisibles. and in prof.
pct OF this magnitude it IS desired