Evening star., 1924-09-05
WHO'S WHO
With the World Flyers
NO. c.-LIEUT. ERIK NELSON

Y IEUT. ERIK H. NELSON, the
engineer officer of the world
flight, was born in Stockholm.
l. Sweden, June IL, 1888. He
was educated for an engineer
ing career until he reached the age
of II, when dissatisfaction with
his life and the lure of adventure
drew him to sea. He shipped upon a
German vessel and in the five years
which followed he sailed under
almost every flag and in all parts OF
the seven seas.
Nelson relates a rather humorous
incident in connection with his hrst
landing upon American shores. His
ship had touched at Biloxi, Miss,
where he went ashore for few
hours. During his wanderings about
the streets he chanced to stop before
a drug store window, through which
he saw several children partaking OF
ice cream sodas. although at the time
Nelson had no idea of what they were
eating. The manifestations of enjoy
ment which the children were MAX
ing almost overcame the extreme
bashfulness of the man who was
later to become famous flyer. but
he could not quite summon up enough
courage to enter the store and in
quire of the druggist the nature of
he strange concoction. He resolved,
however, that at the earliest oppor-
tunity he would learn its name and
investigate it's apparent delights for
himself. This opportunity did not
come until five years later. when he
was ashore in New York City.
Induced to Finish Education.
While he was in New York he was
prevailed upon by relatives to quit
his rowing life and complete his edu-
cation. Some time later he graduated
from the Technical University of
Stockholm and took up engineering
work, spending a short period in the
automobile business and finally TAX
ing up the subject of aeronautics. He
served with the Curtiss Aeroplane
Company as an aeronauticaI motor
expert. and prior to his entry into the
U. S. Air Service he had had seven
years experience both in this country
and abroad on internal combustion
motors.
AS early as 1916 he had learned to
fly seaplanes and flying boats, a
knowledge which proved of inesti-
mable value when he entered the mill
tary service in 1917.
In April, 1918, he was commissioned
second lieutenant, and in 1920 he
received a commission in the Regular
Army as first lieutenant
HIS frying Achievements.
Lieut.. Nelson has a great many
wonderful flying achievements to his
credit. including a greater amount of
crosscountry experience than any
other officer in the Army Air Service.
He took part in the Gulf-to-the-
Pacific flight in 1919. acting as engi-
neer officer. in which capacity he
also flew in the Alaskan expedition
from New York to Nome in 1920. 1t
was on this flight that he became so
we'll known for his ability to diagnose
motor trouble and also for his de-
pendability and readiness to work
overtime to insure success of his mis-
sion.
On one occasion, during a five-and-
a-half hour flight to Hazelton. British
Columbia, Nelson spent the last part
of the hop" riding out in the bitter
cold on the fuselage to the rear of the
second cockpit in order to balance
sudden nose -heaviness of the plane.
Although nearly frozen by the icy
blasts which swept back upon him
from the propeller, he remained upon
the fuselage until the last second of
the flight. When the plane landed at
Hazelton, the landing gear caught in
depression and was wrecked, the
ship" stopping with such sudden
ness that Nelson was catapulted clear
over the top wing and hurled to the
ground.
Find Nelson at Work.
The other flyers, observing this
from the air. landed as expeditiously
as was consistent with safety and
hurried over to the other plane ex-