Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1926-06-23
PRESIDENT T0LEAD
WELCOME TOBYRD
Polar Explorer Will Receive
Famous Medal in Cere-
mony Tonight.

Washington, seat of Government
and center of scientific research. was
prepared this afternoon to extend the
official hand of welcome and congratu-
lations to Lieut.. Comdr. Richard
Evelyn Byrd. jr.. U. s. n, upon his
triumphant return TO the Capital this
evening from his epochal flight over
the North Pole.
The Nation. through President Cool
idge. stood ready to felicitate the
Youthful naval aviator for his out.
standing polar achievement, ana
science, through the National Geo.
graphic Society, had completed ar
rangements for commemorating the
daring exploit with coveted medals OF
Official recognition.
President Coolidge. on behalf OF the
society, will bestow upon Comdr. Byro
the famous Hubbard gold medal. here
tofore awarded to but six men for ex.
traordinary deeds of exploration, ana
also upon Aviation Pilot Floyd Ben
nett. L. s. n. who accompanied Byro
to the Pole. a special gold medal OF
the National Geographic Society.
Before Notable Audience.
The presentations are to take place
before a distinguished audience in the
Washington Auditorium. Nlneteentn
street and New York avenue. The
ceremonies are scheduled to begin at
$50 o'clock tonight.
Every seat in the huge building.
holding some 5000 persons. Will be
occupied, it was indicated by the ad-
vance demand for tickets. already ex.
hausted. On the platform, in addition
to the President and the honored
ayiators, will be Secretary of the Navy
Wilbur and Assistant Secretary of the
Navy Robinson, representing Byrd 5
branch of the military service. and
DIR. Gilbert Grovesnor. president OF
the National Geographic Society. who
will introduce President Coolidge.
Planes to Meet Byrd.
Comdr. Byrd and Chief Petty Officer
Bennett we're due to leave New York
this afternoon for this city by Navy
air convoy, dispatched yesterday for
that purpose. The convoy is made up
of planes piloted by Comdr. John
Rodgers. hero Of the Hawaiian flight,
and Lieuts. Conant. Curtin and Coun-
Gill of the Naval Air Station. Anacos.
tia. Assistant Secretary of the Navy
Robinson also will make the trip from
New York. having gone there to greet
the flyers upon their arrival aboard
the Chantier in New York Harbor
early today.
Byrd and Bennett are expected to
reach Anacostia about pm. whence
they will go to the Willard Hotel.
Among the special guests for the
presentation ceremonies will be An.
thony Fokker, Dutch airplane builder,
who designed Byrd's polar plane; Gov.
Harry Byrd of Virginia, brother of
Comdr. Byrd; members of the cabinet
and of the United States Supreme
Court, many foreign diplomats. high
officials of the American military
services and members of the Senate
and House.
Wife Will Be Present.
Mrs. Richard E. Byrd. wife of the
aviator. will be among the interested
spectators in the Byrd family group,
which will include also Capt. Tom
Byrd of Richmond, younger brother.
Mrs. Robert E. Peary. widow OF Ad-
miral Peary, discoverer. by land. of
the North Pole: Mrs. Edward Staf-
ford, daughter of Admiral Peary, and
Mrs Woodrow Wilson will be among
other woman guests.
After the formal presentation of the
medals Comdr Byrd will describe his
experiences while flying over the polar
wastes. and VII exhibit for the first
time motion pictures which he filmed
during the notable dash to the Pole.
Music will be furnished by the
United States Marine Band Orches-
ira.
Plane Shown on Medal.
Comdr. Byrd is the fourth Amer
lean to receive the Hubbard medal.
The first was Admiral Peary, then
commander in the Navy, presented by
President Roosevelt in recognition
of his "farthest north" explorations.
prior to his supreme achievement Of
reaching the Pole itself. Peary, on
the latter occasion. was awarded a
special gold medal of the National
Geographic Society.
Other recipients or the medal
are Capt. Roald Amundsen. 1907;
Grove Karl Gilbert, and Capt. Robert
A. Bartlett, 1909, Sir Ernest Shackle.
ton, 1910. and Vilhjalmur Stefans-
son. 1919.
Byrd's medal Will be different from
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