The Pleasantville press. (Pleasantville, N.J.) 1912-1929, 1922-08-09
AIRRiEN FALL IN
CASUAL VENTURES
Tragedy of Captain Hamilton
Adds to AppaIlingly Long
List of Victims.
CAREFUL OR DARING, THEY GO
Is 1t Luck, Aviators Ask, or Are They
Needless of Minor Dangers Since
the War Distinguished
Names in List.

Washington.-After facing death a
thousand times with the marines at
Chateau Thierry, st. Mihiel, Belleau
Wood and in the two Meuse-Argonne
offensives, Capt. George d. Hamilton
returned to this country and peace
times to die a few days ago while pi-
loting an airplane in a sham battle IN
Gettysburg. His machine crashed to
earth from a height of 400 feet above
the historic battlefield.
In France Captain Hamilton's rec
ord for daring and for hairbreadth es-
capes was not surpassed by that OF
any one in the A. +. F. He received
the Distinguished Service Cross from
his own government, and was dec
grated twice by the french for gal
Iantry. A thrilling wal painting COM
memorates one of his deeds. 1t de-
picts him, at that time a major, lead
ing a battalion of marines across a
pontoon bridge over the Meuse I'M
der the heavy artillery and machine
gun fire in an effort to establish a
b~ridgehead.
Uninjured by enemy bullet, gas, or
high explosive shell, Captain Hamil-
ton was mustered out of the service
after the arnistice. He rejoined, how
ever, a few months later, and en-.
tered the aviation corps. In the air
the former soldier of the sea" dis
played the same courage and audacity
for which he had been known at the
front. These qualities, combined with
skill and a natural aptitude for fly
ing. soon put him In the forerank of
our airmen.
Then came the end. With a num-
Der of others of his corps Captain
Hamilton was sent to take part in
the m%aneuvers at Gettysburg, where
his old comrades, the marines, were
playing at war. While scouting ahead
of the Fifth regiment of marines
something went wrong" and death
claimed a life that had seemed
charmed against all mishap.
The passing of Captain Hamilton
adds another name to the already
dreadfully long list of airmen who
dared every peril in wal or in epoch
making flights across land and sea,
and lived-only to perish in some cas-
ual enterprise that hardly seemed
a venture. To compile the appalling
record, it is necessary to go back to
the days of pioneer aviation, when
men like Arch HoXey, Ralph John
stone, John B. Moisant and others met
death in their r~udimentary machines.
The history of the air since the war
brought aircraft to a high degree of
perfection, has caused it to become
almost an omen among aviators that
their best may win a hundred odds-on
CANDLES with the grim reaper and then
lose when everything seemed in their
favor.
No country has been exempt. Eng
land, France, America, Italy. In fact,
every nation where flying is COM
mon has furnished It's quota of vic
tins.
carlstrom's Care of No Avail.
Seven years ago Victor Carlstrom
was regarded as one of the great air.
men in America. He was already a
holder of three American records when
in 1916 he attempted a nonstop flight
from Chicago to New York, for the
New York Times. He was unsucceSs-
full in this, being forced to land at
Erie, Pa, and Hammondsport, N. Y.
When he finally got out of his plane
on Governors island, Carlstrom said ::
~ shall never be killed by taking
chances, because l do not believe In
taking chances. But some day my ma
chine will collapse, and l will get it,
just as so many other aviators have
gotten it,,
His prophecy came true, on May 8,
1917, while flying at Newport News,
Va. as an instructor lieutenant in the
United States army air service, his
machine c~rumpled $500 feet above
the earth, and Carlstrom, together with
a pupil pilot, Cary b. Epes, got IT.
Another American who thus met his
fate after coming unscratched through
all sorts of dangers was Hobart L. IL.
Baker, better known as "Hobey''
Baker. the Princeton athlete. Baker
had a splendid war record, with a
number of enemy planes to his credit.
On one occasion he attacked a German
fighting machine, 10000 feet up. In
this battle above the clouds Baker fol
lowed his adversary down almost to
the ground, before a well-directed shot
from his machine gun gave the final
coup de grace.
After the armistice, in December,
Baker left the Second army and start
ed home by way of Paris. His fight
ing days were over, and he looked for
ward to peace and to college reunions
and a promising career in business.
While waiting for transportation, he
motored out 10 Toul one day TO look
over his old Spad. He decided to go
aloft Just once more. What h%appenedi
No one understands exactly. 1t is said
that Baker undertook to fly another
officers machine, one that had recent
ly been repaired. He got only loo
feet above the ground when the air
plane collapsed and the body of tie
BIRTHDAY PARTY.