The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1921-09-18
MEMORIAL SERVICES
OVER NAVAL HEROES.
AT N. Y. NAVY YARD.
Held in the Mess Hall on Account
Of DOwnp0ur of Rain at
Hour of Ceremony.
PATHETIC INCIDENT OF
GRAY HAIRED MOTHER
Strain Was Too Much and SOr-
row Too Deep and She Was
Led Away Weeping.
~ &c AssocIatsd Prssal

NEW YORK, Sept. 1.-THE nation from
president to humblest citizen. today paid
Hibuto to the memory Of sixteen brave
men.
These sixteen men were American Of
Ulcers and men on the Inflated dirigible
ER-2. whose disastrous plunge into the
Humber river put two nations in mourn
hg
Around the Baskets OF fifteen--for
Dne has been buried IN British soil--there
gathered In the New York navy yard this
afternoon a great band Of rnourners COM
mE from all ranks Of American society.
with Them, IN revarent sympathy. stood
guards 81 honor from three foreign ma
tons--creat Britain. France ana Brazil
which landed parties from warships now
Ia port.
Secretary Of the Navy DENLY, repre-
renting the president and the cabinet.
attended the memorial service and placed
On each casket a bouquet OF flowers.
When he had finished his sad task, his
hands were trembling and his eyes moist.
Because Of rain which began a down
ceremony, tha service was held IN the
moss han. instead IL outdoors.
AT One end Of the whit8washed hall was
The speakers platform ana In front OF Il.
IA a long, solemn row, the dead. Each
coffin was shrouded in the American flag
and was covered with flowers.
The American guard OF honor-picxed
soomen and men from the marine corps,
were the first to file in. A platoon Of
L f44ae 70
British cruiser, Dauntless, which yester-
day bore the bodies home, then entered
and took their stand facing the Ameri-
cans. then came sailors from the Brazilian
battieship, Minaa Geraes and the French
cruiser, VINE DsYs.
The doors were then thrown open 70
an.
The sound Of muffied drums outside
the hall--the strains OF the Star spangled
Banner within, and the service had start
ca.
Women in black, close relatives of the
dead. who had pressed their handlSer-
chiefs TO their eyes as they passed the
raskots on entering the hall. stood a little
strqighter. held their heads little more
proudly when they heard the anthem OF
q country for which their sons, brothers
and husbands had lived and died.
But there was one gray-haired mother
for whom the strain was too muchs the
SORROW too deep. 1t seemed as II she
would faint and she was led weeping
rom tho building.
Secretary DENLY raised his handlSer-
chief TO his eyes as the mother was as
sisted down the aisle, moaning again and
again; my baby
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS +. p. Meyer.
navy chaplain, conducted the final ritual
that OF the protestant faith. A male
quartet sang lead Kindly Light" Then
Secretary DENLY stepped forward. Be-
hind him were three American seamen.
bearing bouquets sent from president ara
cabinet. Reverently he placed one on
each COFFIN. Sir Hugh Trenchard and the
commander OF the Dauntless then laid on
wreaths from the British embassy. Brit
ish air ministry and tie crew Of the
British cruiser which had served as a
funeral ship. On the casket OF Com
mander Louis II. Maxfield. who was TO
have had charge OF the zR-2 on her
transatlantic flight. was a representa- !
ton Of the airship in English violets with
q card inscribed; "a remembrance from
your shipmates whom you left behind"
Then Captain a.. Z. Gleason. Catholic |
chaplain, conducted the second service
Opposite him. holding lighted candles.
were three bluejackets- youngsters OF
scarcely eighteen.
Nearer Ny God TO Thee.--and then
three volleys. Sharp and crisp they rang
out. A buglar sounded taps. The SER
vice was over
When the yard had been emptied OF Wis |
itors. fifteen hearses drew up In front
OF the mess hadd and the baskets were
borne away to the naval hospital
-Four bodies win be inferred n Airing ,
ton; one-that OF Lieutenant ENJOY Coil
will DO buried at sea, and tina others
win be turned over to the nearest II Kin.