Evening star., 1924-05-12
MARTIN TO REJOIN
FLIGHT ON LAST LEG
Will Be Accorded Honor of Leading
Comrades on Homeward
Journey.
ORDERED TO WASHINGTON
Major to Be Sent From Here to
Meet Others.

Maj. Frederick L. Martin. com
mander of the Army's pilots now
flying around the world, and his me-
chanic, Staff Sergt. Alva L. Harvey,
who were located yesterday at Port
Moller, Aleutian Islands. have been
ordered back to Washington and will
be sent from here to meet the other
three planes at the fartherest con-
venient point in the east, and will
lead the expedition back to the
United States.
Maj. Gen. Mason M. Patrick, chief
Of the Army air service, today sent
Maj. Martin this word in a telegram.
He stated that 1T was too late for
that the honor of commanding the
group on the homeward .jo1rney
would not be denied him.
Maj Martin and his mechanic will
use the Douglas world cruiser now
at Langley Field, Va, which was the
were in training there the first of
the year.
In the meantime. the New Orleans,
Boston and Chicago are preparing to
continue the flight under the com
mand of Lieut. Lowell H. Smith,
senior officer, who will be known
throughout the expedition as acting
commander.
Message From Patrick.
With the approval of Secretary
Weeks, Gen. Patrick today sent to
Maj. Martin a telegram outlining to
him the plan and ordering him to
return to Washington to make ready
for it.
We rejoice" said the telegram
"and thank God you are both safe
and well. Confidence in you unabat-
ed. You have proved yourself Still
want you to command the flight. Can
not arrange for you to overtake
others by going on west. You and
Sergt. Harvey will report to me here
to rejoin flight at the furthest con-
venient point from which you can
complete the journey with the rest
of your command"
Martin on Way Here.
His hopes and faith in circling the
globe at the head of three other
United States Army airplanes buried
in the wreckage of the Seattle on a
mountain side somewhere between
Chignik and Port Moller. Maj. Martin
informed the office Of the chief of the
air service today that he was sailing
for Bremerton, Wash. tomorrow,
from where he will proceed to this
city
The personnel of the chiefs Office
today were in a relaxed state. for
from this end had been working night
and day since April so to obtain in
formation as to the whereabouts of
the airplane and it's cargo. They now
are taking a renewed interest in the
flight which is being carried on by
the three remaining ships, now at
Attu, the westernmost point of the
Aleutian group. This trio is sched-
uled to hop across the Pacific to
Japan at the first favorable weather;
Mai. Gen. Patrick, who selected
Mai. Martin to command the expedf-
ton, was informed of the pilots To-
cation about $3.50 o'clock yesterday
morning. II promptly thanked Cod,
This was the message he recelVeo:
"Port Moller, Alaska, May 10.
"Chief of Army air service, WASH
SCrashed against mountain in fog.
30th, 1890. Neither hurt, ship total
wreck.
ermost point, Port Moller Bay. morn
ing 7th. Food found, rested three
days. Walked beach. Awaiting in
structions here. (signed) MARIiN.
Hour From Chignik.
Mai. Martin had flown about an
hour after leaving Chignik for Dutch
Harbor, about 400 miles distance, and
was skirting the shore of the island
when he encountered a severe storm,
in the opinion of air service officers
here familiar with that territory
They believe he headed for bay and,
cnveloped in a fog and flying low,
the mountain loomed up before he
could avoid it.
An ordinary service plane crashing
against a hillside, they emphasized,
would have burst into flames, as the
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