Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1927-08-22
OGBLOCKS MAIL
:. DELIVERY TO SHIP
PN-10 Carrying Sacks for
Leviathan Forced to
Return to Shore.

NAVAL AIR STATION. SQUAN
TUM, Mass, August 22.-Iieavy fog
off the Massachusetts coast early yes
terday defeated the first attempted
shore-tO-shore airmail flight.
The fog forced the PHO. United
States Navy flying boat, to return to
its base here after the big plane had
battled the thick weather in an effort
10 reach the liner Leviathan, 500 miles
off the coast.
Carrying 100 pounds of mail, dis
PATCHED from New York to Boston by
train after the Leviathan had sailed
for Europe, the twin-motored seaplane
hoped off the water here at 6:10 yes
terday morning. Three hours later
the ship returned, the attempt frus-
trated by the fog barrier.
Fog Forced Return.
The mail had arrived at Boston
shortly before midnight. 1t was put
on motor trucks and rushed here to
the air station. where it was loaded on
board the waiting plane.
Gray skies and a forbidding horizon
attended the departure. A heavy fog
bank at the outer bay was succeeded
later by generally thick weather that
kept the planes ceiling at 100 feet.
Visibility became so low that Lieut..
{. II. SChildauer. in command of the
plane, brought her about to return to
base.
In addition to Lieut.. Schildauer,
Lieut.. Bradford f. Grow, assistant
pilot; two aviation mechanics. and a
radio man formed the crew of the
PHO.
Shortly before the PHO left the
water, Lieut.. Raymond Thomas, in
command at the air station here,
hoped off in a fast two-seater sea
plane. accompanied by a representa-
tive of the Associated Press, to act
as escort plane.
AS the mail plane TAXED in a. circle.
warming up motors for the seward
dash, Lieut.. Thomas climbed high
above the waters of the bay. Turning
in a vertical bank. he plunged in a
nose dive toward the PHO, and
zoomed over in graceful salute.
Danger of Collision.
The PHO left the water with ap-
parent ease, and the two ships head
ed for the coast, the PHO flying at
about a 400foot level, with the escort
on parallel course, about 200 feet
higher
Shortly after leaving the station
the two planes plunged into rolling
clouds of fog. AS the fog thickened,
Lieut.. Thomas Signaled the reporter
and shouted, Looks badw
Twice the PHO disappeared in the
mist, reappearing as the escort ship
prepared to swing out and avoid pos.
sible collision.
over Nantasket, the weather clear.
ed Slightly. Dropping under the nose
or the mail plane, the occupants of
the escort plane waved farewell at a
point half way across Massachusetts,
Bay. >'''> %
At $40 am. the PHO radioed,
Inning into fog"
Again, at 1880, she sent: Returning
Squantum due unfavorable weather.
100 miles from Boston. Ceiling 100
feet. Visibility one mile"
Patrol Ships Return.
This latter message was also di-
rected to the commander of the Le-
viathan.
When the plane made a landfall
the operator radioed the last MESA ge
before the antennae was reeled in,
Returned to Squantum.'
The mail had been packed in 25.
pound parcels in four waterproof
sacks. 1t was planned to swing the
plane at slow speed over the fore
castle of the Leviathan, dropping one
sack at time at the end of a 500.
foot piece Of line.
The light cruisers Raleigh and Tren.
ton and the destroyers Billingsley and
Lawrence. with the Eagle 10. which
were acting as patrol craft along the
line of flight, returned to port.
MAIL TO BE RETURNED.