South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1922-02-22

civilian on The shin and that she ac-
-tuaIy carried IS.
one of the mechanics in the
crew ~ the Roma who was rescued
said our rudder broke and the
planes did not work. So far as ]
could see there was no fire until We
hit the ground
Col r.. ST. Quincy commandant
Of axe army base. who witnessed Tho
fall Of the Roma bore out this
statement
As the Roma neared the scene Of
the disaster &C. Was apparent she was
ln trouble other officers said
Sergt Peek an engineer aboard
the Roma. said he was tending his
motor ln the port rear engine boat
THE Liberty was running fine. he
declared. when we suddenly veered
up and nosed down. 7 was too iu-
sane Go think much Of anything
A stream Of ambulance Tuesday
night poured INTO this city with
bodies that had been taken from
the iI-fated aIrsh-p Roma, queen
Of the American air fleet. IL was
q IT.
the bodies would De- almost impos-
s.ble. AS they were very badly burn
ed Many were lacking arms and
legs. some were headless, others
torn and burner So terribly that ex-
creme care had % bee taken in ham
ding them
Many persons wen. from here to
the base during the afternoon 90
view ths ruins ar D witness the re-
Govern OF many bodies. Describing
the.' cXperie ,-e. some declared the
scepe 20 have bee0 one of she
greatest they had ever seen Sol
0iers and officers at The army base
who wi .nesse the disaster saw sew
craI members OF Tie crew leap from
the doomed machine while she was
stTl high in tho air.
one OF those who jumped had a
parachute. but II failed 90 open. lie
landed ON "a concrete pavement.
In the local morgue bodies sheeted
on the tables attracted many. among
whom We're army officers and men
seeking vainly 20 Identify their com
rades
Officers who knew personally
many or the officers and enlisted
men. were unable 90 Identify a single
one Of the victims. so badly charred
was each--yirtuallv cooked 20 death
.- fu the mass OF wreckage when the
explosion and flames eucompassed
them
ONLY those in the forward part OF
the operating compartment of the
shin had chance for their lives
T.rf
jumping. but three came out pra --
tically unhurt and were discharged
from the hospital within a few hour
after the disaster
Lieut.. Burt. who with Capt Reed,
was the principal pilot of the Roma
was one Of these. lie jumped when
the ship was only a few yards from
the ground. a civilian Roy Hurley
also escaped unhurt as did Master
Sergt Peek.
OF the So who left the Langley
feld air station Tuesday afternoon.
only IL are known to have survived
the accident Some Of these more
dead than alive. lay on their cots at
the United States public health ser
vice hospital with burned and brok-
en- limbs ewathed in bandases.
Some ND their faces smeared with
cream 70 relieve the moi their i'm
tense suffering while others lay
asleep or unconscious with only their
eyes visible All who were able TO
talk. were suffering from shock.
Albert Flores. who was i'm the OBJ
servers pit on top of the bag. said.
~ felt the ship tilt mp from the
back and start TO slide down
tried TO go back down inside but
then I decided TO come out forward
agaln by the time we hit the ground
and we were thrown out ON the
ground
Flores was burned about the
hands and is suffering from shock
Mai. J. y Reardon. who was IN
the control cabin at the time of the
accident. sail that the works of the
officers i'm charge was excellent.
Lieut. Burt and Capt Mabry
We're at their wheels the major
said "the snip gave a duck and ]
saw Lieut.. Burt pull with all his
might on the elevating lever. He
yelled out. she WON'T respond
Then 'cut the motors one by one,
7 heard the motors shut off. and
then we struck II the motors had
not been shu. OF we would have hit
the ground much harder
When asked # he had seen any
flame me- said that ne had not