Evening star., 1926-05-10
MOTHER SAYS BYRD
NEVER KNEW FEAR
Adventurous and UnseIfish,
She Declares in Pride.
Brother Also GIad.
BY the Associated Press.

BY the Associated Press.
RICHMOND, Va, May 10.--A mes
sage from Lieut.. Comdr. Richard
Evelyn Byrd stating that he had re
turned safely" was received here yes
terday by his brother, Gov. Harry
Flood BYRD. and his mother Mrs
Richard Evelyn Byrd, sr., and was
interpreted TO mean that the aviator
explorer had flown over the N0rtf
Pole and returned safely to his base.
The message was received by Mrs
Byrd as u sort of Mothers day
greeting. "! am proud of Dick, shy
said.
Gov. Byrd said. II am tremendously
Sratitied and proud 10 hear of my
brothers success in reaching the
Pole"
The family of the Naval flyer frank
lY expressed relief at the news.
Dick has been 50 lucky all his life
that he believes he VIII come through
even though ~ Of a lG0 chances might
be against him." his brother said. II
am proud Of him. He has always been
such an adventurous fellow that we
are somewhat relieved. though proud
that he has made the flight. If he
had not ana believed there was q
ghost of 4 chance to do SO. he would
try again as soon as possible"
Knows He Succeeded.
we couldn't understand the mes
sage Mrs Byrd declared All that
We really heard was that he was safe,
and we did not hear that the trip had
been successful but in my heart |
knew il was SucCeSSful-I feel that
Dick could not fail.
1t has been a terrible - hours. !
had asked my friends not to mention
~ 10 me. and I've said nothing about
IL because / knew that was the ONLY
way l could stand it. And. now that
Know he is successful and safe. I've
gone an 70 pieces. l really am weak
as a kitten With emotion.
nevertheless, | must confess that
am glad TO know it is successful
because if this fight had been a
tallllre l know Dick would have tried
until he discovered the Pole. That's
the kind he is, and SO l was especial
iy interested. He was born that way
an adventurer. an explorer, abso-
lutely without fear l think most
every one knows now that he wan
around the world by himself when
ne was only j. years old. but long
before he wa - Ie1r had been elm
mated from him. Indeed. | don't be.
heve that he ever knew fear"
Byrd Injured in Service.
Lieut.. Comdr. Byrd was born at
winchester, Va. SO years ago. He
entered the Naval Academy in 1908
and was graduated in 1912. He was
retired as lieutenant. Junior grade,
IN March, 1915. because of physical
disability incurred in line of duty
but remained on inactive duty for
less than three months and in May
went to Providence. r. L.. as inspec-
tor-instructor Of Naval Militia.
In 1917, he organized the Navy
commission on training camps, and
later that year went to Pensacola,
Fla, for instruction in aviation. lie
was designated Naval aviator in
April, 1918. In August that year he
was designated commanding officer of
the United States Naval Aviator
Forces Of Canada which included
command of the Naval air stations
at Halifax and North Sidney. Nova
Scotia, and the next month was made
Lieutenant Commander, which rank
he held until January l. 1922. when
all temporary appointments were re
voked.
After the Armistice he was assign
ed to the office Of the Director of
Naval aviation in the Navy Depart
ment. In April and May. 1919. he
was connected with the trans Atlantic
flight of the squadron Of nc flying
boats, being in charge Of the naviga-
tional preparations for the flight He
went as far as Newfoundland with
the squadron and there transferred
to the airship CO, later destroyed
In storm.
Later Had Other Posts.
lie went to England in August,
1921. in connection with the acquiSi-
ton OF the ;tirship IR-2, which was 10
fly across the Atlantic. He was desig-
mated as one Of the navigators on the
airship for the flight TO the United
States After the destruction Of that
airship h. returned to the United
States ana WAS assigned TO duty in
the BureaU uf Nava CATION. In Sep
tember, l422, he was assigned to the
Bureau 0f AorOuautiCs, and has been
on duty there since.
He has taken n leading part in the
organization Of the Naval Reserve air
stations, which called for temporary
duty at the stations at Boston, Chi
cago and New York. the two former
Of which he established and erected.
Ii February. 1925, he received the
permanent rank of lieutenant com
mandcr.
Ills record contains II citations for
service performed over and above the
call Of duty, -four Of them being for
bravery, including two instances Of
saving life. He holds Il Congressional
Medal of Honor for life saving and
has been decorated by the Portuguese
government with the Military Order
OF Avis for invention Of navigation in
5truments.
"TTnsellish and Tardy."
The mother of the aviator-eXplorer
laid TWO of "Dick S characteristics
are "unselfshness, and he's always
late" It was the former, however,
and not tardineSS, as supposed by
some fellow officers. she declared, that
kept him from being aboard the ZR-2
when the airship was destroyed.
1T has been understood" Mrs. Byrd
stated. that the reason he did not
make the trial flight with the ZR-2,
which he was sent over to England to
nv back across the Atlantic was be-
cause his train. was late from London,
but this is not SO. He did not make
the trial flight only because Of his
great unseltishness.
"One of his brother officers begged
that he be allowed to make the trial
fight All of the officers We're, of
course wild to make the flight. And
Dick, because of his great unseltish-
ness, agreed to let him make it. SO,
when the great airship was destroyed
Dick was safe.
Another of his characteristics is,
he's always late. Even his years in a
military school have not obliterated
this trait When the ZR-2 crashed one
Of his brother officers wired him: Late
as always, thank God. Dick But that
time it was not true"
Mrs. Byrd said some OF her friends
have asked her what she thinks
tsI1;cl-" will do raNt and that cba oI