Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1921-08-27
LIEUTENANT WANN
THINKS ORDERS
OF AIRSHIP BROKE
Continued From Page ~

to pieces. For hours afterwards
parts of bodies could be seen float
ing in the river.
Il could hear cries for help, but
in the general confusion it was diff
cult to tell where they came from
'The rear gondola was apparently
blown to atoms, for nothing could
be seen of it whatever, while it's
engines fell into the river some dls-
lance from the pieces of the dirig1ble
within five minutes all that was
left of the ZP-2 was some tangled
pieces of envelope, wood and wires,
floating about on the o1l-stalned
waters"
Pilot Osborn, one Of the men en-
gagged in rescue work, said:
1--WE worked all night. but were un-
able to eXtricate any bodies.
Our lamps threw weird SHADOWS
inside the half submerged Wreckage
groans or saw something move, but
we found no more survivors.
Saw American Bodies
eve saw the dead bodies Of two
men in American uniforms. One
hung by it's coat, awkwardly, like a
ghastly scarecrow. We tried hard TO
reach them, but were UNABLE 10 40
so, owing to the swelling tide which
washed us away"
The force Of the explosion, when
the ZR-2 burst in midair, was -elt
for Is miles. Thousands of pounds
damage was done in Hull by the
breaking of windows.
Charles H. Brown, Of the American
air service, one of the heroes OIL the
rescue work, said:
81 was watching the ZR-2 and no
ticed a peculiar movement OF tne
core part Of the envelope. 1t seemed
to me that she was tilted nose
down. An instant later she broke
Il went out in a tug to, where the
mass of wreckage had fallen, ana
great cave-like envelope which stlll
was partly held up by girders that
had not entirely collapsed.
81 secured one body. and brougnt
it out, but when 1 returned, I could
find no Others.
Divers were ready to explore the
wreckage at 5 o'clock this afternoon,
when, unless the tide had materially
shifted the shattered dirlg1ble' 1t
will again be visible.
A graphic eye witness story OF
the disaster was given TO-DAY py
David Phipsou, who photographed
the debris Immediately after the eX-
plosior and crash.
Twas standing at the Quay side"
Phipson said. 1.-The airship had just
emerged from behind some fleecy
clouds and was outlined against the
clear blue sky.
"'What a beautiful thing re-
marked to a bystander, without TAX
ing my eyes from the speeding en-
velope, far overhead.
Suddenly wrinkle appeared
about the middle of the aIrshlp
back, like a frown in forehead.
Foil
and for two or three seconds they
grew more pronounced. All Of a
sudden the whole structure lurchel
and sagged in the middle.
Her nose and stern went up In
the air, while a great split appeared
in the bottom. She was like some
huge. elongated esq shell, cracked
over basin, with each end upturned
for the yolk to fall out.
And from that gaping crack did
come tumbling. men, debris. blan-
kets, and bits of wood and steel,
while we who were watching were
petrified with horror.
"Then two terrific explosions rent
the airship still further.
fragments of framework, men,
and all the details of the interior
mechanism of the great ship fell
in a terrible shower. Out through
the great gap in the hull they shot,
turning ana twisting IN the an
striking the water with terrific
force.
MANY things which fell were
flaming. Some may have been hui
man bodies. 1t was hard to watch
everything.
Split In Na1f.
"Then the airship split in halves,
separating, each half drifting, hang
ing nose upward, while l could see
the gaping black interior, still spill
ing men and loose parts.
'"The two parts hung drifting for
another instant and then the nose
end burst into pink flames. 1t was
wrapped in a sheath of fire in a
communicated to the tail end, though
that was some distance away.
"a terrible crash as the petrol
tanks hit the water and exploded,