Evening star., 1925-07-24
PERSONNEL PICKED
FOR RHAWA||F FLIGHT
Comdr. John Rodgers Chosen
as Leader on Proposed
Nonstop Hop.
BY the Associated Press.

By the Associated Press.
HONOLULU, July 24.-When three
huge seaplanes wing their way into
the air on the Pacific coast for the
Navy's proposed non stop flight to
Hawaii late in August or early in
September they will be guided by
some OF the most experienced flying
sailors in the world.
Comdr. John Rodgers, who has been
designated as flight unit commander
and will pilot one of the two PN-9
ships, is a pioneer in naval aviation.
Lieut.. Comdr. ]. H. Strong. who
will pilot the Boeing plane has de-
voted his activities in the main to
aviation since the World War.
Lieut. Ralph Z. Dawson, to be
navigating officer aboard the Boeing
plane, Is regarded as a leading au-
thor1ty on aerial navigation and
especially the aerology of the Polar
regions.
Served With Battle Fleet.
Since his entrance in the Naval
Academy In 1912 most of his service
has been related to aviation in the
torpedo and bombing squadrons OF
the battle fleet and at the Norfolk
and Pensacola Fields He was born
in 1895.
Lieut.. A. P. Snody, who will pilot
the second PN-9 plane, entered the
Navy during the war and received
his permanent commission December
s, 1921. He was born in 1894.
Lieut.. Arthur Gavin, one of the
second pilots of the PN-9 ships, also
entered the Navy from civilian life
during the way and received his per-
nanent commission September 6,
1921.
Lieut. Rico Botta, born in 1888 in
Australia, is a noted aviation engi-
neering specialist. He will be engi
neer on the Boeing plane, which has
been designated PB-1. He entered
the Navy during the war.
Lieut.. Andrew Crinkley will be the
first alternate pilot. He has had
much experience with the larger sea-
planes.
Lieut.. C. II. Schildhauer. second
alternate PN-9 pilot, was one of the
pilots who stayed in the air % hours
and 80 minutes IN a PN-9 plane, which
was being tested at Philadelphia in
preparation for the trans-Pacific
fight.
Instructions to Ships.
Instructions to commanders of sur
face vessels, which will guard the
route of the fight, reveal the care to
be taken for the protection of the
aviators.
The eleven ships, stationed at inter
walls of approximately 200 miles, will
be known as plane guardships and
will take their positions at midnight
August 81.
The orders issued said: Stations
must be maintained with all possible
accuracy.
"All plane guardships shall for one
hour prior to the expected passing of
the planes, and one hour afterward,
make a dense smoke by day and point
search lights In the direction of the
planes at night, making the call let
ters of the station frequently.
In case of searchlight failure,
rocket shall be fired at 10-minute in
tervals.
Each guardship shall, after the
last plane passes, follow the planes
on the base course at high speed for
2 hours and then continue on the base
course at moderate speed until fur-
ther orders"
Ships Garry Fuel.
When a plane is known to have
been forced down, the nearest plane
guardships will proceed to locate 1t.
Airplanes still in the air will be in
formed by radio of the change in po-
sitions of these ships. The other
planes will normally continue the
flight, informing the nearest plane
guard vessels by radio of the location
Of the plane forced down.
Each plane guard vessel will carry
$50 gallons of aviation gasoline and
25 gallons of aviation oil and be pre-
pared to refuel any plane.
Ships carrying aircraft will main
tain them ready for searching oper-
ations and use them as deemed neces-
sary.
Planes forced down will hoist radio
kites and fire Very's pistols to aid
visibility.
Arrangements will be made with
merchant vessels along the route to
maintain a sharp lookout for the
planes. These ships also will be re-
quested to report any planes passing
and to render any assistance needed.