The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1927-07-01
BYRD. D.L0ST. IN....
,DENS,E|' CLOUDS
!, OVER FRANCE
Americas All-night Battle in
RainstOrm Ends With
Plunge Into Sea
FLEW ABOUT IN CIRCLES
Hoped to See Land When Day
Came, But Gas Shortage
Forced Landing
FLEW ABOUT IN CIRCLES

y london. July 1.-GR9-Commander
Richard f.. Byrd was completely lost
in continuous dense rain clouds from
the moment he left the French coast
at Brest last night in his effort to
find Paris, says q vivid story quoting
the American aviator. directly cabled
to the Evening News by its Cherbourg
correspondent.
Telling Of the all-night battle of
the America in a rainstorm which
ended with cold plunge ut S
o'clock this morning in the sea at
Ver-Sur-Mer, tiny French bathing
resort. Commander Byrd was quoted
as saying: ssse
II hoped to be able to find my way
to lie Bourget by wireless and at one
time, about $3.50 a. M, must have
passed very near Paris. All the way
we were fighting our way through q
blanket of mist and rain and couldn't
see SO feet ahead.
I'VE must have flown in circles,
for the next wireless call Of which
/ picked up q fragment, showed that
weS were somewhere near Havre.
Gas Supply Low
I'VE went on, hoping for a rift IN
the clouds through which we might
see land when day came. But we
weTe running terribly short of gaso-
line. At 5 o'clock this morning there
was nothing left but to come down
and trust to luck. We did 50 and
had cold ea bath"
Commander Byrd also was quoted
as saying that his wireless apparatus
failed to, pick up land signals and
that his compass was completely ont
of order.
LANDING PLACE IT'S
MILES WEST or GOAL
ver-Sur- Mer France, July l--{F)
Out of gasoline and cropping blind
" through fog and rain to find a
safe haven, the TRANSATLANTIC plane
America descended safely in the sea
early this morning near this town on
the coast Of Normandy.
Successful in their valiant effort
to span the Atlantic, but ITS miles
west of their goal, Paris, the Amer
lean aviators headed by Commander
Richard f. Byrd made their way
through the sea 200 yards to shore
with the aid of pneumatic raft
which they had been able to initiate
JuSJ DeIVEe tnciI pi"Ho oI~S" VIC
water.
Go to Bed Immediately
Tired by their long air voyage
that had carried them across the At
lantic and in q vain cruise in the fog
and rain above France to find the
flying field at lie Bourget, the Amer
lean flyers went to bed almost as
soon as they had made their way ia
shore with the help Of fishermen and
the keeper of the lighthouse here.
It was 1920 a. m. French time
that the American flyers, seeking
land and safety after their long voy-
ags through the air, dropped into
the sea about 200 yards from shore
and were quickly into the water to
their elbows.
Save Important Equipment
Manning their rubber rowboat
rxft, which was part OF the equip.
ment Of the plane. they made several
trips to shore. saved all the most i'm.
portant equipment Of their ship and
then went to sleep at the homes oi
their French hosts, who took them
in with gracious hospitality.
Only the top edge Of the planes
wing was above the surface Of the
sea, but the flyers. their minds once
more easy after their long battl,
with fog and rain, slept peacefully
until called at o'clock this after
noon at their orders.
Plane Badly Damaged
It became known that the command
er Of the port of Caen, with the CO.
operation Of the Cherbourg naval au.
thorities, had gone to Ver-Sur-Mer il
q naval tug 70 save the plane. They
reported that the machine was badl,
damaged and that they found th'
landing gear broken. When the!
made the examination at IL q. m.
it was high tide, but they hoped ths
craft could be kept anchored unit
low water.
Land Near Lighthouse
Commander Byrd and his com
/, panions came down on the sea this
lighthouse here, which had caugh
their raft" Mayor Bonnet Of Yer
Sur-Mer today told the Associate,
Press. "They were taken in by th,
lighthouse keeper. They are all per
fectly safe and sound. and for tn
time being sleeping soundly. Thei
families have been Uniformed by tele
graph"
Meanwhile. the waves were break
ink over the Transatlantic plan
America which was scarcely NOR
than 200 or 800 yards from the shore
and Admiral de Cacqueray. nava
commander ct Cherbourg, this after
noon was personally directing u
operations to salvage thu machine. .
Plane Anchored to- Shore
Sailors boarded the plape when th