The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1921-08-05
MAJOR wHeELER's TRAGIC. FATE
Signal Honors Paid the Dead Aviator
BY Military representatives.

BY Military Representatives
Copies of the Honolulu Advertiser
and Star Bulletin received in Burling
ton by Hon Charles p. Smith give
additional details that will answer
many queries by the friends Of the
late Major Sheldon Harley Wheeler
son of Captain Fl. d. Wheeler, long
superintendent Of schools in Burling
ton as to the aviator's fatal accident.
| 1t seems that Maj Sheldon Fl. Wheel.
er, was endeavoring To pilot his mach
inc back to the landing field of which
he was commandment, sensing that
something was wrong with the motor,
il is believed by army officers. He had
banked for the turn to. volplane when
the motor it is reported went dead
at a critical moment and the plane,
Hacking power, dove earthward, and
I in the short distance Of so feet, Major
Wheeler was unable to regain control
OF it.
The plane and motor was thorou.
ghly tested just five minutes before the
takeon' and had been pronounced in
perfect working condition.
! Cause of the trouble, it is thought
was some sediment in the gasoline
tank. in the run for the takeoff, this
sediment, according to one theory, was
stirred up by the jolting over the field
and got into the feed tank, tending to
stop the flow of gasoline.
! Just after the machine took the air
the motor began to cut out, II Is SAIL,
and it was then Major Wheeler real.
lied that something had gone wrong,
and tried to bank his machine prepare
tory to alighting. Then the motor
went entirely dead, resulting in the
PERCEPTIONS dive of the plane.
Eight planes were engaged at the
( time in war game" Originally
Major Wheeler had not intended to
I fly. But on the spur OF the moment
4 he decided to go up, and as the mach.
me which another officer was scheduled
to pilot was rolled up, Major Wheeler
stepped into the pilots seat, relieving
Captain Johnson.
Military honors were paid to the
memory OF Major Wheeler Several
hundred representatives of the army
and navy and many civilians attended
the service held in st. Andrews Cath
ledral the service being conducted by
the Re. Rev. Henry Bond Restarick.
assisted by the Rev. Canon William
Ault
While the service was being held,
three airplanes circled over the city,
adding a touching tribute Of this
branch of the service OF Uncle Sans
armed forces to the memory OF the
officer who gave up his life in the per-
iformance of duty. The casket which
contained the body OF the dead officer
was draped with large flag, which IN
turn was almost concealed beneath a
huge bank Of white and red roses,
while other floral OFFERINGS were placed
about the casket and in the chancel Of
the cathedral
The guard Of honor at the funeral
consisted of six mounted sergeants,
the military caisson bearing the casket
being drawn by their horses to Nuanu
cemetery. where interment took place
: THE military escort included three
troops of the air service, infantry and
naval air service, with military band
(which played funeral marches during
THE progress Of the procession to the
cemetery
The following is an extract of a
letter sent to Major Wheeler by Mai.
Gen. c. G. Morton a few weeks pre-
vlous to the formers death
Headquarters Hawaiian Department
Honolulu, II. |.
June 16. 1921.
Major Sheldon II. Wheeler, Air Service
Luke Field, II. !.
My dear Major
AS my time In this department is
drawing to a close, wish to send you
little statement of my appreciation Of
your service. You have shown great
ab1.,.. In b.NItf,U thc 1tnn,lt xunrl