Evening journal. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1888-1932, 1922-02-22

It
lapse and TIE gas gushed up in
mighty flame"
Stories of the crash conflict, but
the consensus of opinion is that the
gas bag exploded as the ship struck
the ground. Residents of Hampton,
Newport News and other towns
some miles from the scene reported
hearing the sound of the explosion.
Several army officers reported like
wise. Others. however. denied there
was an explosion. Among the latter
is Captain Davies.
Sorrow hangs like a pail over |
Langley Field today. More than half |
of the officers and men killed are
survived by wives and children. The |
families Of the officers live at the |
field, and here and there among the |
neat rows Of homes flowing black |
crepe stirs gently in the breeze. |
window blinds are pulled low. Muf-
fed sobs are heard. From some of
the houses, the wondering, fright
ened faces Of children-too young to
grasp TIE full significance of their
loss-peer at the friends walking up
with bowed heads and soft step to
sympathize with the bereaved
widows.
Two minutes after the Roma"
went to destruction word of the dis
aster was received at the post. 1t
swept the little colony with surpris
/ ing speed and in a few seconds bare
headed women were running to the
ladjutant's office. Unable TO obtain
word of the probable fate of their
/ husbands. many Of them sped to the
ferry and over to the stricken ship.
Here the sentries held the great
crowds back with rough commands
while officers and friends restrained
the women from rushing to the girls
ly scene.
One woman became hysterical and
| fought and screamed to break
/ Trough the line. She finally tainted
and was carried to the hospital.
Officers hardened to death in
every form. quailed before tho task
of telephoning the news Of Lieuten-
ant Riley's death to his widow at
/ Aberdeen, Nd. There is a three
weeks old infant at the Riley home.
and it was feared the shock might
prove serious to the young mother
Reardon was fiat on his back.
with mud plastered over his face
and neck when Captain Woods and
others came to the rescue. Reardon
had just crawled from under the
wreckage.
Just let me get the mud out of
my eyes" Reardon said calmly. in
reply to a question as to his name
and the extent of his injuries.
Reardon, who Is not seriously
hurt. said he was in the control
cabin when the controls went wrong.
Captain Mabry and Lieutenant
Burt were at their control wheels
when the ship ducked its nose. Burt
pulled on the elevation lever but il
refused to work. Then he yelled
Cut out the motors, she won't re-
spond' Then the crash and all went
black. 1 remember dimly breaking
through the fabric and then 1 was
out"
Hurley, slightly hurt, said that
things happened so quickly he was
On the ground before ne realized
; what bad happened. He suffered
, slight burns and bruises.
Bldenbeck and engineer said the
Roma struck about twenty seconds
, after she tilted.
The explosion cams Just after WI
hit the ground" he said. Il wal
pinned down so 1 couldn't get out
I was afraid the bag behind ui
would explode. The fire got to thu
\ fabric before the explosion anC
burned away enough of it SO 1 coulC
crawl out"
d The tragedy practically wiped on
a the airship training school at Lang
3 ley Field, as practically every vic
II tim was an instructor or studen
.e there.
is Included among the dead is nearl
II the entire original American crew o
Il the Roma, which flew her in tria
Ie flights in Italy after her purchas
from the Italian government an
a then packed and brought her back.
n Captain Davies said in his oficia
n report that the Roma started on he
T. flight at 100 and fell at 2.19. 9th
K er officers place the time OF the col
lapse at between and 2.10.
N Members OF the army board q
or inquiry are;
Majors Davenport Johnson. ]. /
Jouett and Joseph T. McNarney
Major Gen. Patrick Made a cursor
examination of the wreck and es
- poets to return to Washington shor
~ after noon.
The board Of inquiry viii cor
duct hearings for several days b'
fore making it's report to the Wa
,e Department at Washington.
O. Nobody will ever know wh'
4 caused the accident" a high Office
s at Langley Field told the Unite
ID Press. 1T is impossible to find OF
ar now with nothing but the smashc
ne frame left and most of the ere
dead TO ever learn just what WEI
nd wrong"
ad
~ HNINT ANTn M0VTDNTC