Evening star., 1928-09-10
NAVY RACE FLYER
ESCAPES IN CRASH
Expected to Live After Strik-
ing Ground, Speeding at
el. $50 Miles an Hour.
BY FREDERICK r. NEELY,
Staf Correspondent of The Star.

MINED F1ELO. Los AIlkcIGS, Yam
September l0.-Today is scheduled a.
''Navy day" on the program of the 1925
National Air Races and Aeronaut1ca
Exposition, but the sea flyers from the
carriers Saratoga, Lexington, Langley
and the naval air station at AnacoStls
took command of the situation for thrill
producing feats, climaXing the day WIFI
a crash in full view of the 100000 per-
sons who iammed this mammoth area
for the entire day
The paying public got its money
worth. and that section Of every public
gathering given over to desire FOL
something morbid was we'll paid when
Lieut. George H.. HaSSelman OF Stratflne
Squadron, No .. attached to the U. S. S
Saratoga, flew into the ground just after
turning the home pylon, upon which
the eyes of the assemblage we're focused
during a special race TO pilots OF that
squadron.
And in the crash they saw miracle
of aviation. for as Lieut.. HaSselman' S
Boeing single-seater fighter crashed to
earth from an altitude Of not more than
90 feet and at speed Of $50 miles per
hour. there was but one conclusion
death for the pilot. But last night he
was reported resting comfortably, suffer-
ing. naturally, from serious and palnful
injuries. But an air of optimism was
evident and the physicians in attend
snce predicted that If no complications
set in, he will live.
Starting Fourth Lap.
Lieut.. Hassolman was starting the
fourth lap Of siX-lap contest among
the pilots of the squadron which earlier
in the afternoon had executed the now
famous diving bomb attack and other
eerial maneuvers. and which, by its
general flying ability. has endesred
itself to the hearts of Californians as
the finest flying unit in the world.
On previous laps he had approached
the home pylon lower than the others,
and on turning in a 90-degree bank
had lost altitude as he started on the
new lap, recovering within few feet
of the ground. His flying in this re-
spect was conspicuous and soon the
thrill-seeking. public had its eyes on the
lookout for his plane.
Here he came, No. IA. Over he went
IN a vertical bank. Around the pylon
he wrapped" the ship, and then-he
went into the ground. The lower left
wing struck first and broke off. The
next to hit was the engine. The plane
bounced in the air and came to a final
rest The announcer earlier in the pro-
ceedings, either acting on Fremont
ton or conscious of the fact that when
something is going on within limited
area involving hundreds Of planes an
accident of some sort might be looked
for, had cautioned the audience to re-
main in its '>lace in the event OF mis-
hap. Grasping the situation instantly,
he yelled through the amplifierS for
every one to keep seated. And every
one did.
Talks in Ambulance.
Out there in the field, just few hun
dred feet away. lay the wreckage with
Lieut. HaSSelman within. Ambulances
and official cars rushed to the scene.
The other planes in the race continued
as though nothing had occurred. Lieut..
Hasselman was unconscious, but as he
was placed in an ambulance he regained
consciousness and began to talk. Word
was rushed to the crowd that he was
alive and not dangerously hurt. cheer
went up for the airman as though he
were a foot ball star who had been
knocked out and now was llmplng OF
the field.
A crash derrick numbered out to the
field The plane not total waShout, Gs
might be expected after oolaiding with
the ground at such tremendous speed,
was dragged out of view. The show con-
tinued AL Wilson, Hollywood stunt pilot,
went aloft in his 1910 Curtiss puSller
biplane and played around. Parachute
jumps followed and then the crowd
went home only to return few hours
later for night pyrotechnics.
Before the accident the famous trio
of Navy pilots, Lieuts D. w. INDIAN
Joe Tcmlinson, A. P. Stores and w. v.
Davis, the latter being the navigator OF
5 Art Gobel's Woolaroc in the Dole fight
ITO Hawaii. ran off their stunt formation
act, which is to be daily feature for
stne rest of the week. The crowd yeSter-
day. even larger than the opening day,
went wild over this flying display. IN
fact, it was hard for those who had seen
this "act" many times before to take the
show placidly. The main event to open
the days activities was a race among
the six Marine Corps planes of Marin
observation squadron, based at North
Island, San Diego. This race was fol-
lowed by a demonstration of attack
aviation" by the Cd Attack Group from
Galveston, Tex, commanded by Maj.
John H. Jouett, until recently on duty
In Washington.
Nearly everybody who has finger in
flying of one TT or another was here
yesterday when a Coast Artillery field
up the flagpole and the national an
them was played, inaugurating the 1928
national -:r races and aeronautical ex-
position. When the California sun had
disappeared into TIE Pacific, however
the Army. Navy and Marine Corps had
claimed the day These three services
brought out their best and paraded ii
for the NJ, than 100000 persons who
journeyed nearly Is miles from all parts
of Los Angeles out to Mines Field.
+ There was conspicuous absence OF
commercial planes, but they will have
their day Last night the best of the
commercial products were winging their
way across the continent, competing
with one shother in the transcontinental
races. There had to be a flll-in and
the Government air services filed that
bill to such degree of perfection thai
from the spectacular skillful flying
standpoint it will remain as the out.
standing feature of the air meet.
In a mammoth exposition building
erected especially for the purpose, com
mercial aviation was on display. No
one of the exhibitors of planes and ac
cesSories has had the experience il
aeronauticS that tie automobile maker
have had in the motor car competition
but, notwithstanding, the products ol
display, without exception, we're de
signed, constructed and set off witt
that degree of swank that the publi
calls for in everything, including fly
ing The various exhibitors may o
may not hold hopes e boosting thei
business and individual sales by mean
of the exposition, but that is not @
prime Importance. "A convert today
a customer tomorrow" : their slogan
and it is to the future they are looking
more than the pIaSent.
BomberS Arrive.
There were two outstanding feature
of the military aircraft display-th
arrival as the sun was setting of tn
zine keystone twin Liberty engine
bombers from Langley Field, Hampton
Va, and the revelation of the "divin
.lao,nnl,n tactics of la ROeinQ SlnplE