Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1927-07-11

were threatening to bring us to the i
Loafed AIOI
Our weather reports before leav
find considerable rain and cloudy wea
we were averse TO reaching the islands
so from midnight until almost daybt
little over half speed.
We also swung north. knowing we
could sail considerably further in that
direction and still make our landfall
on the Island OF Kauai, which is at
the northwestern end of the Hawaiian
group.
A few minutes before daybreak we
were looking eagerly for the first signs
of the mid-Pacific islands, which was
the goal of our endeavor. AT exactly
s O'Clock San Francisco time. which
is $50 Hawaiian time. we saw light
almost dead ahead. a feeble glow, but
bright enough to tell us we had reach
ed the island group. We soon saw ii
was kilauea lighthouse. At first we
could see besides only one great black
| mass. darker than sky or sea. but as
we came closer we saw it was clouds
above an island and soon recognized
the rugged contours of Kauai, with
which both of us were familiar from
interisland flights
A single word penciled on a note
book and passing between us heralded
the finding OF the islands. 1t was
Kauai"
We had still an hour at least until
the sky would tighten, 50 we decided
to circle Kauai before striking for
Oahu and Honolulu. We wanted to
cross the channel between Kauai and
Oahu in daylight so while stallins
went along at about SIS miles an hour.
Passed Over Grace's Camp.
Just about sunrise we passed over
wide stretch of land near Mana,
famous in Hawaii as the barking
sands" We knew Richard Grace, the
California aviator. was there prepar-
ing his monoplane for the flight from
Hawaii TO the Pacific Coast. and this
was confirmed soon when we saw the
light of Grace's camp.
Very soon a pistol was fired as a
signal to us that they. too, heard
our coming. Later we learned that
Comdr. NJ. 3. McComb, commanding
officer Of the naval air station at Pearl
Harbor, Honolulu. had fired the pistol.
The sun rose as we were circling
Kauai at 5000 feet. The morning
light struck off grostesque cloud
shapes, turned grays and puppies into
vivid pinks, crimsons and lavenders.
We thought we never had seen such
a magnificent sunrise and doubly wei.
coined it after the lonely darkness
through which we had passed.
1t was on the wings of this glorious
morning that We headed then across
Kauai Channel toward Wheeler Chan
mel. our final destination. With the
rising of the sun all sense of fatigue
vanished. We opened the throttle at
full speed, driving the big Fokker at
lis miles an hour straight across the
channel, and swung up over the high
plateau between Koolau and Waianae
mountain ranges.
Barracks UnroIl as Panorama.
1t is between these rugged green
ranges that Schofield Barracks, of
which Wheeler Field is a part. lies
on the plains of Leilehua. Schofield
Barracks, the largest army post in
the United States, unrolled before us
seemed deserted.
+ We passed about 500 feet above
Schofield Level and dropped rapidly
toward the hangers.
From the time we began prepare.
tons for the flight so fixed had the
idea of secrecy become that now as
we neared our destination we had no
thought whatever that there would
be any crowd assembled or any re-
ception awaiting. We fully expected
to find a deserted airdrome and land
unheralded.
Just as we swung around the cor
ner of the first big hangar we saw
the broad field walled with motor cars
and thousands of people. All at once
1t flashed on us that they were wait.
ing to see us land. 1t was certainly
the biggest surprise of our lives.
We were still more surprised when
we saw the white smoke squirt from a
75-millimeter field gun arranged near
the field and understood it must DO
signal that we had arrived.
We sent the big plane circling the
field once, banking the plane to the
left and swinging around behind and
above the hangers and dropping down
on the north end of the field at low
speed. then taxing down the field,
bringing the plane to a partial halt
and swinging it around in front of
what we took to be the reviewing
stand, located on the north side OF
the field near the hangers.
The Crowd Also Surprised.
Maitland brought the plane to a
stop directly in front of the stand.
We learned afterward we had been
expected from the opposite direction
and the Army planes had vainly gone
TO meet us. Our sudden arrival took
the crowd completely by surprise. We
stepped out Of the plane and removed
our flying suits. Then came the rush
of people to greet and congratulate us
Hawaii's fragrant flowers were
wreathed around our necks. and even
the plane received it's garland. We
had landed at exactly 6:29 am. Ha
waiian time. We had reached Kauai
2,425 miles from Oakland airport, in
just % hours. 1t was about two hours
and 40 minutes later when we stepped
out of the plane at Wheeler Field.
For minute it looked as if our re-
ception was going to be lot tougher
on US than day and night up in the
air. but we did not mind. We felt
| right then fresh enough and strong
enough to go through it all again.
After the first tumult OF congratu
lations We were escorted through the
crowd to the reviewing stand. which
had been erected just for this occa
sion. and there welcomed by the
governor Of the territory, Wallace r
| harrington; by the commanding gen
eral Of the Hawaiian Department
Maj. Gen. +. NJ. Lewis, and the com
ma ndant of the Fourteenth Naval Dis
| trict. John ID. Mcdonald, and other
officers. as we'll as great crowd OF
! civilians.
Meet Many Old Friends.
Old friends were around us every
where. Among the very first was