Brownsville herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1910-current, 1927-07-01
.AmeTca' Loses Way
During Night; LO,U
Gas Forces Landiue

NER-SUR-MER. France. July L.
tPi-Out of gasoline and cropping
blindly through fog and tain 10 finI
safe haven, the Atlantic
plane America descended safely ir
the sen early this morning near thia
town on the coast uf Normandy.
Successful IN their valiant efforts
70 span the Atlantic. but It's miles
west of their goal. Paris, the Ameri-
can aviatOrs headed BY Commander
Richard n. Byrd made their wny
through the sea 200 yards to shore
with the aid Of pneumatic r+afr
which they Ind been able u initiate
just before their plane struck the
water.
Tired by their long mir voyage that
had carried them across the Atlantic
and ~ vain cruise in the fog and
ram above France 10 find the flying
iieid at Le BourEet. the American
Tiers went 10 bed almost as soon ns
they had made their way 10 shore
with the help Of fishermen and tho
keeper ~ the lighthouse here.
Landing AZ s:2O a. m.
IL was 2:2O "A. WI. French time when
and safety after their long VOYAGE
through the mir. dropped into the
sea about 200 yards from shore and
were quickly in the water % their
elbows.
Manning their rubber rowboat raft.
which was part of the equipment WI
the plane. they made several trim
10 shore. saved all the most import
ant equipment of their ship and then
went ~ sleep at the homes of thefr
French hosts who took them in VIE
gracious hospitality.
Only the top edge of the plane
wing was above the surface of thr.
sea, but the fliers. their minds orrW
more easy after their long bat t
with foE ard rain. slept peacefully
until called at o'clock this aft
noon AZ their orders
Byrd Adds Laurrls
Commander Byrd. who had addaa
70 his laurels of being the first mAn
~ fly across the north pole, the new
distinction NJ spanning the A
lantic through unusually unfavoratlr
storm conditions, was very tired. b.
was not too tired 70 write up MIN lok
or the flight.
He chatted with his hosts and
drank \ glass of milk before retirinp
IN the home w Jose II. Roiffier. dep
uty Mayor NJ Ver-Sur- Mer.
Commander Byrd declared on ar
irving in this little picturesque re-
sort that the America had en-
counteFnd bad weather all the way
from the United States. For hai
kept them from finding the air Lam
70 Paris and had forced them tu
Trope blindIy In the air until the
had no choice but 10 make a descen
wv best they could when their Eaac
line ran out.
With things made as shipahnrn
aboard their plane aS possible. thr
American avintors divided into tWn
groups. going To different houses. tp
obtain much needed rest.
Commander Byrd and Lieutenant
George %. Neville. radio engineer
ard alternate pilot. went 20 the
home OF the deputy mayor. while
Albert Asocta, the pilot. and Lieutcn-
ant Berndt Balchen. the fourth mem
her NJ the crew. went to the home of
the lighthouse keeper Lerocep. They
were sound asleep in few minutes
and their hosts VET up guard t0
keep them from being disturbed.
Tells of Descent
An account ~ how the America
came down and hcw CommAnaer
Byrd and hs three companions not
ashore was given Nv the commander
himself AZ Max MAthey. French
aviator and jAurnEliEt. who brought
an Associated Press correspondent
here from Paris in an airplane-
III was the arrival M the Associated
Press Airplnne which nwOke Com
mnnder Byrd. Nv told Mathey when
the aviator met him fn the kitchen of
the home of the deputy mayor 0f
this village.
"Commandcr Byrd" said Mathay,
"nn being awakened met me wv The
kitchen where we had meal Ha
said the arrival WI the AssoriatHd
P4ess plane woke him up. He was
uneasy about the sacks of United
States mail which ~ carried in the
America md which had been left nt
the lighthouse after having been
taken from the plane"
Circle Through Air
BYRD told me that just before thn
America came dowE he and hiS com
pAnions had been turning around and
around i'm the fnv without knowing
where they were. Virtually NV oil was
left md no gasoline
Eve kRv4 NJ choice but tO BeeE
IarAing' Byrd said.
w hrn we struck the water fh@
fail nf the riplanr was torn ufE
together with me landing wheels.
We immediately began to ret out our
rrbher homt- We were ap t0 Our
brrests in water. WE Rot ashore bmH
had no idea where VIZ were
-'Do you think you'll go to Paris
aREed.
-sTo tell Won rhe truth. dnnfh
know what we will do. NV replied
mi opfmHrder Byrd. rFvcrtinR MRnfm
10 hi~ landing. said
We sat on the beach until M
~ VA and waited until the deputy
rrava- and the fisherman MariuH ~
rived
"Ther While The Commander aHA
we're tnIkin~. Assistant Perfect anW-
earx came iH and with rreat srrihnM
End formality PRESENTED the nMm~
,-r~+uIaffar~ pf President DpmerHMn.
Prime Minister Pnincarr and lAm
" b~-~h vnvarnrsanf"
Commander Byrd. explaining ihm
wandering of the America in thr fom
over France for many hours and MHH
final landing in the sea enc VeF-EMH.
Mer, said that his compass had rnNsf
MumM N