Brownsville herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1910-current, 1927-06-28
GIANT FOKKER
OF u. 5. ARMY
LEAVESFRISCO
Air Service Head on
Hand to Bid Cod
Speed; Get-A w a v
Proves Easy

III
SAN FRANCISCO. Calf. June
2s.-tRi-The naval radio report
ed 1925 a. m. today that the army
radio service communicated with
the Fokker plane that left the
Oakland municipal airport nj l0:09
n. m. The Army plane was 500
miles off the coast at that time
The Fokker passed over the steam
er American Legion lOS miles out
SAN FRANCISCO, Calf.
June 28.-(P)- After hop
ping off from the Oakland
Municipal airport at 1909 Il
a. m. without effort or much
ceremony, the giant army
Fokker. piloted by Lieutenant
Lester j. Maitland and with
Lieutenant Abe rt Hegen-
berger as navigator passed
through the Golden Gate at
1920 a. m. today and swung
out over the Pacific towards
its goal-Honolulu.
As the big army plane pass
ed through the Golden Gate
and was opposite Lands End.
the most westerly point on
the San Francisco coast line.
it was 1000 feet i'm the air.
The steamer Matsonia, COM
ing in from Honolulu, the
destination Of the airplane.
blew its whistle in one long
blast, bidding the aviators
good bye.
Lieutenant Maitland's parents. NJ
and Mrs. j. w. Maitland Of Burlin-
game, Calf. wese on the field to
witness the take off To them went
the final hand wave from the pilot
a. the plane started rolling along
the runway Neither the father nor
the mother would discuss their sons
venture after the plane departed.
As the flicrs climbed into the
plane they were approached by
Major General Mason Patrick. chief
of the army air service. who shook
hands with them with a warm. linz
geriHg clasp.
God bless you. my boys" the
Eeseral said 20 the two fliers. III
know you are going to do your
best
Lieutenant Maitland replied;
General. you know I'm going 40
do my best
Then he and Hcgenberger waved
their plane.
Smith Gives Sendoff
Just as the motors started Ernest
Y l.. Smith, pilot Of the civilian plane
which was expected 10 follow the
army plane into the air within the
next few hours. ran IVA front of the
army plane and clasping his hands
together he thrust them over his
| head and initiated a hand shake 40
I that both Lieutenant Maitland aud
I Hegenbergcr could see him through
I the window of the pilots cabin
Good luck" Smith shouted nc
the top Of his voice. and the friend
\ IN rivals who were beating him to
\ the take off smiled and nodded
The plane started down the run
way raising such "A great clDod 0K
Y dust that the spectators could not seq
\ the machine.
The screams Of several wcmeif
i could be heard amidst the cheers o.
I the spectators. They feared che
huge machine might not leave che
ground successfully.
Seconds that seemed minutes lap
sed before the drab colored wing
Of the army plane were seen ta
emerge from the cloud of dust.
4 I'm the Air
They're off. they're i'm the air.,
shouted the crowd. and anothar
cheer arose from civilians all
army men. Overhead. circling ard
swinging about the field were sex-
eral army service planes. AS soosi
as the F0kker cleared the ground
these escort machines straightfnnfi
out on "a westerly course and fell AAi
formation behind the Fokker as ahn
passed over che San Francisco hny,
heading toward the Golden Gate
"A fleet Of escort planes left tMn
| Fokrer as she swung out over tha
sea at an altitude estimated at 2.000
4 feet
The secondary question wma
4 : WaF