Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1924-09-09
MAGELLANS Of AIR
REACH HOME: PORT
AFTERF|VE MONTHS
EIated Officials Join Throngs
In Welcoming Modern
MagelIans

men entered saturday upon EaSL
stage of their Journey around the
world by airplane when they ar
rived in Boston, their first objective
on the Atlantic coast Of the United
States. The three big cruiser
planes, completing a 125-mile jump
from Mere Point, Me, where they
were forced down by fog yesterday,
dropped to their moorings in Bos-
ton harbor five months to day,
after the filters hoped northward
from Seattle in April
In these months Lieutenant Low
ell H. Smith, commander Of the
flight, with Lieutenant Leslie p.
and Lieutenant Erik H Nelson,
with his mecfarician, Lieutenant
John Harding, Jr., in the plane
New Orleans, have flown $4,000
miles. The flight, taking them from
Americas west coast around the
world, through the tropics and the
far north to the American east
coast, was regarded by army Off
Gals as having virtually attained
today its object, the ,cireumnaviga-
ton Of the globe by air--for the
first time in human history.
There remains now only the
transcontinental journey, no longer
accounted remarkable feat in
aviation.
Those five months, too, have seen
mlshaps. OF the four planes that
hoped off, only two reached Bos-
ton. The original flag plane was
wrecked in a crash against a noun
tain in Alaska IN a fog. Her crew
escaped. Another plane, the Bos-
ton, was wrecked when engine trou-
BILE forced it down in the Atlantic
between Scotland and Iceland Lieu
tenant Leigh Wade, pilot, and Lieu
tenant A. M. Ogden, mechanician,
resumed the flight in the Boston II
from Pictou, N. S.
Great Throng HOnors Filters
AT 5 Sunday morning the work Of
ton air port and a delegation of
high-ranking army, navy and civil
OFFICIALS rendered tribute to the ar
irving airmen. The filters were greet
ed with the national salute of 21
guns, customarily accorded only to
presidents and to the rulers of for
/ eign powers. Harbor and city join
ed In pandemoniIm of shrieking
whistles, ringing bells and roaring
sirens, as the planes, escorted bo
II land-flying machines, circled the
harbor and as the aviators, after
fighting, were taken to the recep-
ton barge.
Then the great crowd Of $4,000
at the air port fell silent and stood
uncovered as a band played the ma
tlonal anthem and later Home,
Sweet Home"
The filters were met far up the
Maine coast by Major General Mason
M. Patrlck, chief of the air service.
ana Assistant Secretary of War
dwight F.. Davis, with IL planes.
with the world filters in advance in
O. triangle, the escort, made the trip
IN a huge spearhead formation, some
what higher than the round-the.
world planes. At the tin Of the
spreahead was General Patrick.
They reached Boston just before 2
o'clock, daylight time, and alighted
ten minutes later, taxing easily to
the buoys where they were moored,
while whistles blew and the anti
aircraft guns doomed their salute.
First Word to Mother
For five miles the shores were
lined with spectators. A launch put
out to meet the planes and the avia-
tors were brought to the official re-
ception barge where high officials
of the army and navy, city and state
were drawn up in line to receive
them. Striding quickly up the gang
plank came Lieutenant Smith, COM
mander Of the flight, with General
Patrick at his side, and behind him
the companions of his flight.
AS Lieutenant Smith took his first
step toward the receiving line, a man
handed him a portable radio mouth
piece, with the words: your mother
is listening in at Los Angeles"
"Hello, folks" Lieutenant Smith
said in a low voice. Its good to
be with you again."
A military band struck up the
"Star-Spangled Banner" and the
fliers stood at a stiff salute. Then
came their formal introduction to
those in the receiving line.
at gives me the greatest pleas
ure," General Patrick said, ito in
troduce to you the men who made
the first flight around the world"
The cheers broke out again.
Tonight the three planes were
guarded by harbor police boats,
augmented by a quartermaster corps
cutter which was to throw it's
searchlight around the planes from
time to time throughout the night.
At tomorrow morning the work Of
getting the planes to dry land re-
conditioning them and replacing the
pontoons with wheels was begun.
On Monday the filters are to leave
for New York City on the first leg
of the transcontinental trip which
will complete the circling Of the
globe.
An unconventional tribute was
paid the filters by Major General
Andre w. Brewster, commander Of
the First corps area, while he was
awaiting their arrival.
I'm a general and they are lieu
tenants, but I'd be glad to clean
their boots" General Brewster said.
Only one thing marred the joy Of
the fliers in today's homecoming,
Members Of that close-knit society 81
men who fly, they heard the news
that Lieutenant Alex Pearson had
met death a few days ago at Fair
field, Ohio, and after that they could
not quite rejoice.
All six, Smith, Nelson, Leigh
Wade, Leslie Arnold, Hank" Og-
den, and big Boy" Jack Harding,
knew and loved Pearson and all
showed their sorrow even in the face
Of their great triumph.
The fliers stepped ashore and
amid the clicking of cameras. re-
corded their names in the visitors
book at the air port. Then they
swung back in an automobile to the
barge, talked for a moment with a
score OF newspapermen and were
taken across the harbo- 70 automo-
biles which conveyed them to their
op+o1