Evening star., 1927-11-14
Eighteen Aces.


ours in Washington today. Flyers
who have made aeronautic history
during the past few months are here
assembled to attend the ceremonies of
the presentation tonight to one of the
most famous of all flyers. Charles A.
Lindbergh, of the Hubbard Gold
Medal, awarded to him by the Ma
tional Geographic Society for his
great feat of last May. In addition to
Col. Lindbergh are Comdr. Richard +.
Byrd and his associates on the second
transatlantic flight of the season, Bert
Acosta, Lieut.. Bernt Balchen and
Lieut.. George Q. Neville; Clarence ID.
Chamberlin and Charles A. Levine,
who made the third flight from Amer.
lea TO Europe and established the
worlds long distance record; Lieut.
Lester j. Maitland and Lieut.. Ernest
Hegenberger. first flyers from Califor.
mia to Hawaii; Ernest L. Smith and z.
3. Bronte, civilian California to Ha.
wall flyers; A. c. Goebel, winner OF the
Dole Hawaiian fight; Paul Schutter
and Martin Jensen, second in the Dole
flight; William S. Brock and Edward
F. Schlee, who flew half way round
the world, and, finally, Ruth Elder and
her pilot, George Haldeman. who were
baked by an accident in their effort
to cross the Atlantic and were rescued
at sea.
This is a remarkable array of aero.
nautic talent. These eighteen flyers,
pilots and passengers, all Americans,
have written within the past half year
q chapter of skill and endurance and
accomplishment that has been read by
the world with thrill without parallel
or precedent. They have dared greatly
and they have accomplished greatly.
They have demonstrated the posi-
bility of crossing the seas safely and
swiftly. Others have tried and have
failed. and have paid for their failure
in some cases with their lives. But
these eighteen have proved the feast
bility of flight over long distances and
stormy seas. and it is not too much to
say that as result of their efforts
and achievements aviation is estab-
lished as a practical means of transit
between the nations of the earth, re.
gardless of obstacles.
Tribute should be paid on this occa-
sion to those who tried and fell into
the sea. Some were Americans and
some were of other nationalities.
Their spirit was as high as that of
those who accomplished their flights
in safety. Their skill was perhaps as
great. But it is nevertheless a matter
Of great pride to the American people
that these eighteen. sixteen of whom
reached their goals, who thus glori-
ously triumphed over the most deadly
OF hazards, were Americans. and it is
fitting that they should be now as
sembled and recognized and lauded
while one of them receives the highest
mark of appraisal. .
This one young man, Lindbergh. is
ungrudgingly given by all his asso-
ciates in the 1927 series Of overseas
flights unstinted praise and admira
ton. There is in this fraternity of
flyers no jealousy. United by the com.
mon bond of pioneering spirit, they
recognize the merits of one another
and rejoice in any success that may be
scored.
The Nation has fully expressed itself
regarding Lindbergh, not only for his
great fight in May, but for his virtual
ambassadorship in France and Eng
land and Belgium. where he bore him.
self modestly and capably under the
most trying circumstances. 1t has
appreciated his services to aviation,
his unselfish devotion to a cause with
out thought of reward, his remark.
able performance in a recent flying
tour Of the country for the advance
ment of interest in aeronaut:cs. And
1t is meet that he should receive the
Hubbard Medal in the presence OF the
others who have contributed to this
years flying record.