The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1921-08-25

The American officers who started
the trip included:
Commander Louis III. Maxfield,
Lieutenant Commander Emory w.
Coll, Lieutenant Henry w Hoyt, Lieu
tenant Marcus II. Esterly, Lieutenant
Commander Valentine N. Baig. and
Lieutenant Charles G. Little.
The American enlisted men who
went UP with the craft from Howden
were:
G. I. Aller, Robert Coons, L. E.
crowei, j. T. Hancock, William julius.
M. Lay A. L. Loftin. A l. Petit, w.
y. steele. N. o. Walker and George
Welsh.
The British losses include the fa-
nous air veteran. Brigadier- General
E. M. Maitland, and all the other Of
ficers on board, except Lieutenant
Wann. the commander of the ZR-2.
Starting from Howden Tuesday
morning on test flight to Pulham,
the big aircraft had been afloat for
81 hours, at times in bad weather, and
was returning to the Pulham airdrome
at the time of the disaster, which con-
in peace times.
The zR-2, which was a slster-ship
Of the famous R-S4, the first dirigible
to cross the Atlantic, was on her final
test trip prior to being accepted by the
United States navy and taken across
the Atlantic by an American crew
especially trained for that purpose
She was $40 feet long and was built
to carry a crew of thirty. Her speed
was estimated at 10 miles an hour.
The American navy was to pay ST.
100000 for the craft.
While flying at about 1000 feet over
Hull spectators saw the ZR-2 SEEM
ingly buckle amidships and plunge
downward over the city and into the
Humber river. One theory of the
cause of the disaster is that while the
ships rudders were being tested the
giant craft took a sharp turn, which
caused her framework to buckle and
that the explosion of gasoline tank
completed the tragedy of the air.
The actual cause, however, never |
may be known. A rumor had been
afloas for some days that the ZR-2 !
was structurally weak. but this was
stoutly denied by all in authority.
Tens of thousands OF spectators saw
several men climb outside the balloon |
and drop from the falling mass, whicn |
was enveloped in smoke, and others
Jump into the Humber as the crippled !
craft came over the water. AS the |
dirigible struck, the wreckage above |
water was burning and there was
slight hope for any Of the men caught |
inside to escape.
Tugs Immediately put out into the
stream and brought ashore the sur
vivorw who were taken in ambulances /
TO hospitals. Among these was the |
American quartermaster, n. o. Wal
lkor, who died soon after reaching the I
hospital from burns he had received. /
Lieltenant Little was also rescued !
from the debris alive. but succumbed
to his injuries on reaching the infirm-
ary.
A rescue tug pulled another Ameri-
can out OF the water. He was dead.
Inside his coat was the name Com
mander Maxfield." Early reports We're
TO the effect that Lieutenant Easter
ly had been saved. Unhappily this re-
port proved to be without foundation
One member Of the rescuing party
said that when they got alongside the
burning airship the pilot of the tug
asked for volunteers to board one part
that still was almost iptact- Jumping
upon the wreckage, the rescuers
ripped open part OF the fabric while
parts of the debris were pulled away
by means Of ropes. The task was
hazardous one, because OF the ball
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