Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1920-07-15
FOUR ARMY PLANES
OFF FOR ALASKA
Round-Trip Flight Of 5000 Miles
Begun in Interest Of
Science
AIR ROUTE TO NORTHWEST
BY the Associated Press

MtDeOla, y. ", July 10.-Four army
airplancs. comprising the Alaskan flying
expedition. left Mitchell field. Long
Island. Mt IL :33 o'clock this afternoon
on a 5000 mile round trip fight to Nome,
Alaska-one of the longest and most
difficult air trips ever attempted in the
western hemisphere.
The expedition was started on it's his
toric fight by Brigadicr General Will
liam Mitchell. director of the army air
service operations. who came here today
from Washington to give the take off I"
signal.
While weather conditions were not
ideal for flying, the pilots were assured
by the government weather bureau that
general weather conditions for the first
$50. mile leg. to Erie, Pa, would be
good.
Route Of Historic Flight
The route of the expedition, officially
known as the Alaskan Flying Expedi-
ton, is:
New York (Nlitchel Field to Erie,
Pa, $50 miles to Grand Rapids. Mich.
300 miles; to Winona, Mich, 80
miles: to Fargo. \. D.. 800 miles; to
Portal, y. D.. 300 miles to Saskatoon,
Sask.. Canada. $50 miles to Edmonton,
Alberta. 300 miles; to Jaspar, Alberta,
200 miles; to Prince George, B. c..
200 miles; to Hazleton. B. c., 220
miles: to Wrangell. Alaska. 210 miles !;
Dawson. Yukon, 250 miles; to Fair
banks. 275 miles; to Ruby, 240 miles {;
to Nome. 200 miles.
On reaching Nome the expedition will
make 100 mile fight to Cape Prince
of Wales. at which point it will be
approximately fifty miles from the con-
tinent of Asia. Captain st. Clair
Street. commanding officer of the ex-
pedition. who Will pilot plane No. |,
estimates that the entire flight from
New York to Nome and return will take
about forty five days.
Personnel Of Expedition
The personnel of the expedition in
cludes:
Plane No. 1-Captain st. Clair
the expedition. He was one of the
first pilots to 20 overseas and has flown
all types of airplanes. Sergeant Ed
mond Henriques, observer and mechanic
and specialist in Liberty motors.
Plane No. 2-First Lieutenant Cliff
ford G. Mutt, second in command, pilot
Second Lieutenant Eric II. Nelson, en-
gineering officer, pilot. They will al
ternately fly the plane.
Plane No. 3-SeCond Lieutenant c.
II. Crumrine. Photographic officer and
pilot. His observer will be a substitute
for Sergeant Albert Il. Vierra. whose
discharge from the service within the
next few days prevents him from taking
part in this flight.
Plane No. 4-Second Lieutenant Ross
Il irlf M fri oil tnfn
pilot. He finished in the transconti-
mental race NJ T.. Sergeant, Joseph f.
English. mechanic and observer.
The Deliaviand Four Il machines
are not to be confused with the d. H. 4
planes used overseas or in the trans
continental race. This D. II. A Il is a
remodeled type, strengthened through
out, the most important change being
that the gasoline tank has been removed
from ctwccn the two cockpits. thus
eliminating the danger Of crushing the
pilot sitting In front between engine
and tank. Each plane has insignia
ri polar bear. significant of the eX-
petition, painted on the side of the fus-
ilage.
Aerial Route to Northwest
There are two reasons for this fight.
Dnt IL TO eStaDllSh an aerial route to
the northwest corner of the American
continent so that should military CON
'iderations require it would be possible
to move the army air service units to
the continent of Asia by direct flight.
re second reason Is for the purpose of
inaccessible areas in
Alaska which have never been mapped.
It saving of what would otherwise
Constitute three years work of ground
Mary advantages are expected to ac-
rue from the expedition. One in par
icular will be the fact that following
his effort both commercial and mail
lircraft may utilize this route. Where
he mail at the present from the in
erior Of Alaska Is thirty days or more
II reaching the United States
mere matter of two or three days will
,ring this mail from the very heart of
Alaska to the very heart of the United
States.