The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1925-09-12


manLer John Rodgers came home
to Pearl HarbOr last night. lie
came not as he had planned t"
come, proudly sailing his mons
ter seaplane with his cOmpan-
ion aviation pioneers into Peari
IiarbOr and fulfilling the Nays
ambition to span the Pacific by
air from the west coast to Ila-
wall, hut he came as u great
hero. steaming into port aboard
the destroyer MacDOnOugh after
having been rescued by the Sui
marine RI, following more than
Is hours in the air and 2lS DRIFT
ing in his aircraft on the surface
Of the water.
The scene of his reception was no
less pretentiOus. no less glorious, no
less proud than if he had attained
the fullest success in the greatest
adventure OF peace time aviation.
Throng At Pier
Three hundred persons. most of
them navy officers, friends OF the
aviat0rs. and their wives. with a few
prominent civilians, were gat red
on the dock in the harbor within the
circle of the motion picture flares.
Along the path made by the search
light of the battleship Nevada, tied
up at another dock, loomed slowly
the moving greyhound bow Of the
MacDonough.
Every eye was strained searching
for Rodgers or his flight companions.
K. A. Rodgers, cousin Of Com
mander Rodgers father. who was
passing through Honolulu on his
way to the Orient with his wife. was
the first to sight the rescued flier
on the approaching vessel.
There he is on that deck,' he
pointed, indicating Il figure in a
muSsed navy flyers uniform calmly
smoking cigar on the upper deck.
Greeted With Applause
Shouts of John. Oh, John" went
up from the crowd.
The military cap above a face that
was notably tired and drawn was
tipped to the jostling crowd below.
AS the gang plank was made secure
Rodgers stepped forward to descend.
An naval officer jumped onto box,
waved his arms and suggested "threc
cheers for John Rodgers. They
were given with enthusiastic bows,
ten times, 300 persons joining in the
shouts.
Admiral Mcdonald was the first to
greet Rodgers. He pumped the
flight commanders hand repeating
"GOod evening, governor. ! have
some mail here for you people,"
Rodgers said to Governor Earring
ton, reading aloud the inscription on
a letter to the governor and handing
it and others to the chief executive
Lieutenant COnnell, also dressed
in faded kahki, followed Rodgers
down the gang plank with two chief
petty officers dressed in 1umpled
blue suits. Radio Operator Stantz.
in blue jacket close on their heels.
On the dock were Mrs. harrington
and her daughter-inlaw, who decor
ated the filters with flowers.
Taken To Hospital
In the midst of the crowding, jost-
ling surge of humanity. surgeons took
charge as soon as the mail was dis
tributed and hustled the quintet of
Americas latest heroes off to the
hospital for complete rest.
Shantz, a blonde yonngster, look
ing too young to have achieved so
great q measure of fame, had a good
humored grin.
II feel fine, never felt better in
my life," he asserted as he shook
hands with everyone who came near
him. He did not appear worn bit
by his experience.
William II. Bowlin Of Richmond,
Ind. aviation chief machinist mate
on the PN-9 Number l, was talka-
tive. He wanted to tell about his
adventure. Bubbling with the thrill
and the JOY Of being greeted as a
hero, he told his experiences again
and again.
Skiles N. Pope, the aviation pilot,
from Dayton, Tenn, looked tired and
dropped into the corner of the tom
neau of a touring car and yearned
for bed.
Demonstration Begins
The welcoming demonstration be-
gan as the MacDonough entered Pearl
Harbor. All vessels of the fleet pre-
sent in the harbor burst into shrieks
in which the screaming sirens and
whistles Of commercial vessels join
ed, uttering d;scordant welcoming
paens of JOY.
Hundreds of automobiles lined up
on the piers Of the Honolulu water
'front.' with their headlights shoot
ing into the darkness of the shroud-
I ed harbor, added there din to the
general noise.
The great volume of sound subsid-
ed as automobile bearing the rescued
flyers slowly started from the deck
and disappeared into the gloom of
the navy yard. headed for the hos
pital and beds. The crowd which
gathered to do them honor gradually
wended it's way from the decks to
the waiting automobiles, the flares
Of the motion pictures men went out.
the searchlights of the navy was
darkened and Commander John
Rodgers was home again at Pearl
Harbor with his four companion vik-
ings of the air after their greatest
adventure.