Douglas daily dispatch., 1927-07-07
AMERICAN AVIATORS STIMULATE
INTEREST in FLYING in FRANCE
THROUGHOUT EUROPE, AFRICA

PARIS, July (P-Public interest
in Americas transatlantic aviators
continued to. rise today. 1t spread
to aviation in general, and there
were stories of whole flotlllas OF air.
planes coming to Europe, OF Charles
Levine returning home as an all
passenger in the Columbia With a
French pilot at the stick a 4,000-
mile nonstop flight from Brussels
to the Belgian Congo across the hearl
OF the Sahara, and further plans OF
Commander Byrd for exploring the
region around the south pole.
Stimulating this interest were
numerous incidents of various kinds,
the most dramatic OF which hap
pened when Commander Byrd and
his comrades paid a visit to the
Hotel Des 1nvalides, home OF Frances
war wounded. It is here that the
"broken wings" CT the war arc
spending quiet days in peace.
The mutilated men were lined UP
to meet the American airmen, some
CT them standing, others in rolling
chairs Among the latter was Cap.
tain Charles Legendre, q paralyzed
French aviator, who was so moved
by the appearance Of Byrd and by
the courage the American tliers had
shown, that he determined he would
walk. And he did walk.
With Byrd holding one arm and
Neville the other he mounted the
stairway leading to Napoleon's tomb
and with, them gazed down on Che
enperor's< resting place for the first
time, though he had lived within a
few yards OF it since 1918.
Legendre in losing tight with a
German plane over the harried ter
rain of Verdun was shot through
both legs, which have been almost
helpless since, the muscles being torn
away. The moment Byrd appeared,
Legendre wheeled himself to the
steps of the tomb He was the
first man to whom the commander
was presented in the ranks OF the
broken wings"
He looked up at Commander Byrd
and said: 81 want to walk" Byrd
Neville and Acosta leaned over and
grasped the cripple under the arms
and stood him on his feet. Slowly
and painfully he moved his dead
legs and made his way up the steps
leading to the entrance of the tomb.
They stood there while General
AGarivauX, who lost a leg in the war,
told of the significance OF the TOMB
and its torn battle flags OF many
historic struggles. When he was
finished, Legendre said to Com
mander Byrd that, though he had
lived only few yards from the
tomb for nearly zine years, it was
the first time he had been inside,
and added feelingly: "Your courage
gave Inc courage to try to walk
again"
Byrd and his three men OF the
"America spent most OF today and
the night attending receptions in
their honor. The day began at the
office of Premier Poincare, who con-
ferred on the commander the. in
sigma of officer OF the Legion OF
Honor. The evening affairs, so far
as the formal program was concern
eo, ended about midnight at ball
given in honor Of the transatlantic
fliers by the International League OF
RViatOrS.
The decoration conferred on Com
mander Byrd is higher than, that
which Colonel Charles A. Lindbergn
received from the French govern
ment. Byrd was made an office OF
the legion, instead OF a chevalier,
which was the rank bestowed on
Lindbergh, because he is an officer
in the navy and is an older man.
In addition his record as an aviator.