The Bismarck tribune., 1925-09-11

Message LacOnIc
"Arrived safely on shore. Rodgers
and his crew in good condition. Well
and happy. Entire population of
One native at Lihue couldn't wait
the beach to greet the flicrs.'
One native at Liuhu couldn't wait
for the arrival of the plane. He swan
out and told the Seaplane crew they
were approaching a dangerous spot.
"All right" replied Rodgers, "tow
us to the beach
As soon as news Of the discovery
was received here the L. S. S. Nc
Donough. and several other vessels
were dispatched with a squad of ma
val surgeons.
The seaplane landed at II p. NJ.
three hours after it was towcd in
to the harbor by the submarine. The
aircraft dropped anchor and small
boats went to her assistance.
Anchor Breaks
The anchor line of the aircraft
then broke and it drifted into the
breakers near Il coral reef. Attempts
were made to take the crew off, but
Commander Rodgers and his crew
refused to leave until the plane was
GOWeO 10 Il Sdlc anCHOTdEc.
When the happy crew was brought
ashore, the men were taken to a Liu-
hu hotel where doctors inspected the
men. Commander Rodgers, the last
man to leave the plane, thereby up
holding one of the navy's oldest ira
ditions, was ordered to bed. All the
men bore haggard look. They
plainly showed the strain which they
had been under for 8 days. They
were heavily bearded. their faces
were tanned by the tropical sun.
The wings Of the seaplane were
badly smashed by the seas, but the
hull was intact.
Without Water
Food and water exhausted on the
fifth day after the plane was forced
into the open sea by lack of fuel.
The men, therefore, were without
food for four days.
The fabric was torn off the plane
while it was being buffeted about at
sea and the pieces were used to
catch water when the aircraft was
tossed through providential showers.
"This saved our lives" the men
said.
Has the PB-1 made a successful
flight?' was the first question asked
by the rescued aviators.
The messages radiocast by the
searching plane and surface ships
were all picked up by the downed
seaplane, but it could not put mes
sages on the air in response. This
was due to the fact that its droop-
ing antennae was under water.
"We were forced to land the sec
ond day out, as you know" mem
ber Of the crew said.
"We sighted a merchant vessel
five miles off Signals were sent
up repeatedly and every effort was
made to attract the attention, but
the steamer passed on.
"Our plane was able to pick up
messages from the steamer which
refused to divulge its name, but
drifted to the northwest. After that
no searching ships or planes were
sighted until last Tuesday, when we
saw plane off the coast of Oahu."
Weather Rough
After Commander Rodgers landed
he said:
1--WE experienced rough weather
for just one day at sea. That was
the third after we were forced down.
Rain and heavy seas made matters
uncomfortable. but the plane was
seaworthy and stood the rough
weather WELL"
One amusing incident occurred
when the plane was being brought
ashore in small boat A big mul.
let fish jumped into the boat, and
Radio Operator StantZ picked it up
and said: big boy, if you only had
done that two days ago you would
not have lasted long"
The PN-9 No. was forced down
just north of the point where the
Destroyer Arrostook was stationed
less than 300 miles from shore. The
fliers experienced no trouble ir
landing. they said Then began thei,
determined fight with the elements.
Just days later they were res.
cued, acclaimed by an awaiting worle
as argonauts of aviation, as heroe:
by the residents Of the Hawaiian
islands.
When Commander Rodgers was in.
formed that destroyer was on it.
way from Honolulu to take him ane
his crew back to Pearl Harbor he re
piled:
Hell. like this place and I an
in no hurry to get away"
Commander Rodgers came ashor,
with Lieutenant Oborn, skipper OF
the submarine which rescued him.
The island communities, on tn
point Of despair yesterday. we're cele
brating the arrival of the aviator
with JOY that found vent in an i'm
promptu celebration at Honolulu i,