Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1927-07-18


eyes on these men who had dared to
fly through almost insuperable OBJ
stacles and had won.
Sn0wstOrm of Paper.
AS the tug was locked ticker tape
and torn paper was tossed from a
thousand windows in the flyers honor
and the paper snowstorm that is Man
hattan's accolade began falling
through the air.
AS the flyers left the Macon they
were called to the microphone by Nc
Nance, who asked them to say some
thing to the millions unable to greet
them in person.
Hello, New York" Byrd said into
the microphone, and the other four
flyers filed behind him, Hello, hello:
hello, hello"
"They are greeting New York" Nc
Nance said to the radio audience,
land when they greet New York they
greet America"
The parade started from the Bat
terry at 1215, while thousands Of per-
sons jammed the sidewalks and the
paper snowstorm fell from the over
hanging windows Of the financial dis
trict
The Macon arrived at quarantine
shortly after IL O'Clock and started
back for the Battery as soon as it had
taken the flyers aboard.
Crowd Gathers at Battery.
Half an hour later crowds were be-
ginning to gather at the Battery, s3b-
way and elevated trains disgorging
full loads of passengers, who took
up positions where they could see the
flyers as they stepped from the
Macon. At this time three companies
of soldiers and a detachment of sail
ors and marines marched into the
Battery, preparatory to leading the
procession to City Hall.
Before the Macon left quarantine
a tri-motored Fokker airplane diner
flew over the Leviathan in welcome
to the flyers.
The 10 passengers ate a six-course
dinner in the air as guests of Arthur
l.. Lee, hotel man. Lee said that be.
fore flying for France Byrd had sug-
gested to him the Inauguration of an
air dining service and he had prom
ised to fly the first air diner the day
Byrd returned.
AS the Macon was leaving quaran-
tine with the flyers, Mrs. Byrd arrived
at the Battery and was applauded by
the waiting crowd. She was accom-.
panied by Mrs. James j. Walker, wife
Of the major.
Led by a marine band and detach-
ments Of soldiers and sailors, the 10
automobiles composing the welcoming
party and the returning heroes of the
air proceeded at lively speed up Broad
way.
Byrd i'm First Car.
Comdr. Byrd rode in the forward
car with Grover Whalen of the
mayors committee, bowling and wav-
ing to the cheering throngs that lined
the way and which were kept on the
sidewalks only by the greatest effort
of police.
In succeeding cars the other air.
men and their relatives rode, each one
receiving the full need of praise and
responding with grinning saIutations.
AS the procession was passing
through the narrow canyon of the
lower city large drops of rain began
splashing to the street.
At 1890 the flyers arrived at City
Hall, where crowd was gathered
rivaling that at the Battery. The
grandstands in the square and the
crowd overlooked into every available
bit of the plaza.
A thnnderouS cheer greeted the
airmen and paper fell through the air
to become sodden pulp on the streets
and sidewalks. where the rain was
cooling the heated pavement. The
crowd stood it's ground despite the
i rain as the flyers were taken to re
| ceive the city's medal of valor.
The flyers were greeted by Mayor
Walker. who shook hands with them
all, and then posed for news photog
raphers. After that the mayor pinned
! medals of valor on the five flyers.
Citations Are Presented.
The following citation, together
with medals of valor, was presented
| by Mayor Walker to Comdr r. E
Byrd, Acosta. Lieut.. Neville and
| Lieut.. Balchen:
| Citation.
| 1T is my pleasant duty as Mayor
| of New York City to present. to YOU
| the medal of valor which you have sc
| couraSeously won by your part in the
| heroic nonstop flight from New York
| to France in the now famous Wanna
maker transatlantic monoplane Amer
! lea.
| III d"drulnS you THIS distinction
in the name of the millions of oul
citizens, we are mindful of the eX
| traordinary heroiSm of your deed an6
| Of the marked contribution your in
trepid flight has made to the scien
tific data of aeronautics.
| May this, the city's medal, stand
to you as a perpetual reminder that
the city from which you took flight
will ever realize the enormity Of the
task you essayed: the dangers and the
difficulties you so bravely overcame.
Fighting against the fury of the
winds. battling against the freezing
cold that might well have struck ter
ror 70 hearts less brave; and penetra