Great Falls tribune. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1921-current, 1921-09-18
AMERICA PAYS
LAST TRIBUTE
To AIR VICTIMS
Sec. DENLY Represents
President and Cabinet
at Naval Ceremonies.
Rain Makes it Necessary
to Hold Services in
Navy Yard Mess Hall.

New York. Sept. 17.-(By the AS
sociated Press. THE nation Satur-
day paid its tribute to the memory of
16 American officers and men Of the
Inflated dirigible ZR-2, whose disas-
trous plunge into the river Humber
put two nations in mourning.
Around the caskets of 15-one has
has been buried in British soil-there
gathered in the New York navy
yard Saturday afternoon a great band
of mourners. coming from all ranks
of American society. With them in
reverent sympathy, stood guards of
honor from three foreign nations
Great Britain. France and Brazil
which landed parties from warships
now in port.
Secretary of the Navy DENLY. rep
resenting the president and 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
As promptly as the navy runs
through its maneuvers. it began the
service for its hero dead. Because of
rain which became a downpour at
o'clock. the hour set for the cere-
mony, the service was held in the yard
mess hall instead of outdoors.
At one end of the whitewashed hall
was the speakers platform and IN
front of it. in long, solemn row. the
dead Each coffin was shrouded in
the American flag. covered with
and bore a simple card bear
ing the name and rank of the de-
ceased
First to file into the mess hall were
the American guards of honor
picked seamen and men from the
marine corps Then came a platoon
of royal marine light infantry. from
the British cruiser Dauntless, which
bore the bodies home.
Into the rear of the hall filed sailors
rom the Brazilian battleship Minas |
1ereas and from French cruiser now
n port Then the doors were thrown |
,pen to all. On the platform were |
,eated men of rank-the Secretary of |
he Navy, three admirals, commanders |
# foreign warships, at another point. |
sir Hugh Trenchard. British air min !
ster. Major General Robert Lee Bull
ard of the United States army, British
nd French consul generals. and men
prominent in varied walks of life.
But even nearer the casket were
rivates and ordinary seamen while in
ide the auditorium and out were men
Without collars, who stood for hours in
he rain, until their clothes were soaked,
o pay tribute to the men who had
aced death unflinchingly. The democ
acy which the gallant sailormen had
nown in life was theirs in death.
The sound Of muffled drums outside
he hall-the strains of the Star Span
led Banner with it and the service had
tarted
Women in black, closest relatives of
ne dead. who had pressed their hand
erchiefs to their eyes as they passed
ne caskets on entering the hail. stood
little straighter, held their heads a
tile more proudly when they heard
le anthem of country for which their
ons, brothers and husbands had lived
nd died.
Lieutenant Commander T. e. Moy-
r, navy chaplain, conducted the final
tual-that Of the Protestant faith.
Then Secretary DENLY stepped for
ard. Behind him were three Ameri-
an seamen, bearing bouquets from the
resident and cabinet. Reverently he
laced one on each coffin. Sir Hugh
renchard and the command of the
then laid on wrearhs from
lie British embassy. British air minis
hich had served as funeral ship. On
lie casket of Commander Louis Fl.
[axfield who was to have had charge
{ the ZR.-2 on her trans Atlantic
light. was representative of the air.
nip in English violets with card in
.ribed:
"a remembrance from your ship
ates. whom you left behind
Then Captain NJ. c. Gleason. Ca
lolic chaplain, conducted the second
,rvice.
When the yard had been emptied of
sitors. fifteen hearses drew UP in
ont of the mess hall and the caskets
ere borne away to the naval hospi-
i. Four bodies will be inferred in Ar
1gton, one-that of Lieutenant Emory
oil--will be buried at sea and the 9TH
IS will be turned over to the nearest