The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1928-04-28
BREMEN CREW
IN TRIBUTE At
FLIER'S GRAVE
Drive Through Cold, PeIting
DOWnpour to Arlington
Cemetery.
HONOR TO AIR MARTYR
Rites SOmber and Gloomy;
Body Lies Near That
of Peary.
HONOR TO AIR MARTYR
BY LYLE C. WATSON,

WASHINGTON, April 2S.-Three
aviators-one Irish and two Ger
man-paid tribute today to Floyd
Bennett, polar airman, who gave his
life to succor them at the end of
their recent transatlantic flight.
In cold driving rain, Mai. James
Fitzmaurice, Baron Gunther Won
Huenefeld and Capt. Herman Koehl
laid a wreath and flags on the
muddy new grave at Arlington Ma
tional Cemetery where Bennett was
inferred Friday under weeping
skies.
Maj Gunther Won Huenefeld
Capt. Hermann Koehl and Mai.
James Fitzmaurice, the Irish-Ger-
man crew of the ice-bound airplane
Bremen, arrived in Washington at
1913 o'clock Friday night by train
from New York.
The f1ierS and Miss Herta Junkers.
who accompanied them from New
York, were surrounded by a small
crowd at the Union Station.
Cast Aside Welcome Plans
Plans for the informal welcome
were cast aside as police struggled
to eXtricate the aviators from the
crowd and place them in automo-
biles which took them to Boiling
Field.
The State entry of the first men
to fly across the North Atlantic from
East to West in a heavier-than-ai
machine will take place Wednesday.
Today they were not here in the
role Of world heroes, but as mourn
ers at Benefits fresh tomb.
Neither the State department nor
President Coolidge was represented
in the greeting at the station.
Miss Junkers and the f1iers en-
tered Army cars While a musician
of somewhat meager attachments
footed brass horn to produce Zach,
du Leiber Augustine"
The airmen strobe into the sta
ton wearing the informal dress of
men thinking more of comfort and
necessities than appearance.
Filters Arrival Broadcast
Won Huenefeld, in uniform with
a green felt shirt, urgently required
the services of a barber.
Fitzmaurice wore bis much photo
graphed hip boots and his upper
clothing was the uniform Of an
Irish Free State airman.
Koelh had a flaming red garment
which might have been a shirt or a
jacket.
Miss Junkers was bareheaded and
dressed for cold weather flying.
The f1iers' arrival at Union Station
was broadcast over the blue net
work of the National Broadcasting
Company.
After seeing his companions
safely housed at Boiling FIELD.
Baron Won Huenefeld made a short
visit to the German embassy, where
a dinner to Secretary of State KEEL
log was in progress. He briefly
greeted Kellogg, German Ambas-
sador Won Prittwitz and others and
returned TO Boiling.
BENEFITS burial Friday on a knoll
overlooking the Potomac and the
Capitol was as somber and gloomy
a ceremony as could be imagined.
He lies near Admiral Robert E.
Peary, first man to reach the Pole.
The crowd stood bareheaded during
the brief, austere rites
Rain Pelts New Grave
In little group near the lip Of
the rain-washed grave stood the
fiier'S widow, with Commander Rich
ard E. Byrd, who discovered Ben
nett's worth and valued his friend
ship and ability beyond that of any
other man.
Mrs. Bennett stood bravely until
the first volley of Benefits salute
was fired by a detail of bluejackets.
She shuddered as the echo rolled
back from the Virginia hills.
The plaintive notes of "tapS'
foated into the soggy air and as
the significance Of this summons to
sleep bit deeply into the Widows
consciousness she could stand it no
longer and was led away before the
coffin was lowered into
the earth.
The flier's mother remained ON
the special car which brought the
party from New York. She was too
feeble to make the last journey with
her son. The party returned to New
York Immediately after the burial.
The rain, which pelted BENEFITS
coffin and the mourners, continued
through the night, an unceasing
patter on the freshly turned clay.