Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1925-09-12
Modest Word Fliers
CONTINUED from Page ons)


Connell desires to accompany the
plane to the naval base, but his
physician has forbidden him to make
such trip.
Members Of the crew of the U. S.
s. Melville, which probably will car
ry the aviators to Pearl Harbor.
linen and dungarees when they
arose this morning.
The plane which carried the fiers
1900 miles through the air and some
500 miles on the surface of the ocean
probably Will be salvaged almost in
tact.
Preliminary examination indicated
that the big ship had not been dam
aged. One wing was in need of re-
pairs only because the planes crew
had torn off its cloth surface to rig
an impromptu sail. The hull. as navy
engineers intended. proved itself sea-
worthy.
The four subordinates of the crew
had nothing but the heartiest of praise
for Commander Rodgers. It was his
unhagging optimism and good humor,
they declared, which kept up their
spirits through the long nine days
and nights in mid-ocean.
An unpleasant feature. the hiers
said, was the hearing of radio mes
sages to the effect that conference
of naval officials had given up hope
for their rescue. The seaplane was
able to receive but not able to send
radio messages after alighting on the
ocean.
The food question was one OF the
troubles of the trip, 1t was agreed.
When they left San Francisco the
p1rdmen had what was looked upon as
plenty Of food for the journey. Be-
Iieving they would be picked up al
most at once, they consumed practi-
cally all of their provisions in their
first two days afioat. From then on
they subsisted almost entirely on
bareback and water.
When picked up, the seaplane was
drifting westward about two knots an
hour Members Of the crew said that
If the submarine R-4 had not sighted
the seaplane yesterday they should
have continued to drift to Kauai and
landed near the mouth of the Waimea
River
All the men agreed that the expert
navigation Of Commander Rodgers had
been an important factor in the saving
of their lives. The fight commander
succeeded in making splendid three
point landing in a northerly direc-
ton from the U. S. S. Aroostook. On
landing, the men at once cut loose the
starter gear of their motors, dropping
them overheard to tighten the, hull,
which was tossing about on q rough
sea. The motors, when the plane was
examined today, were found apparent
ly INDIANA ged.
Navy officers estimated this morn
ing that the seaplane had drifted ap-
proximately 800 miles after alighting.
They placed the drift of the current
in which the ship was floating at about
one knot an hour. to which the impro-
yised sail added one-third.
After an aviators' conference here
today it was decided that the aircraft
tender Pelical. now en- route here from
Pearl Harbor, would take the seaplane
to return to the navy base there.
Meanwhile almost the entire popula-
ton of the island arrived in the VIII
lage waiting for a sight of the fliers.
Mesa ges of congratulation and
praise for the aviators comm thced
pouring into Lihue through the tenn
porary navy radio station and contin-
ued in an undated stream as the five
men slept in a death-like but life
giving slumber. A message from Ad-
miral w. w. Moffett. chief of the navy
bureau of aeronautics, was among
those received.