New Britain herald., 1928-03-30
BYRD DISCUSSES
 HERO BUSINESS
Tells His Experiences in Air in
 New Book

New York. March 30 Rl-Com- mander Richard L. Byrd. one Of the most decorated men in America, has rsured out this hero business and decided the cheers Of the throngs who greeted him when he returned from his polar and tran atlantic flights were not really for him at all.
 In his book. 'Skyward." publish cd today, he relates how for. nine Nears he worked quietly 10 contri- bu'e to the art of flying, Then re- turning from his flight 10 the north pole. was perpleAed to find himself the center Of a national hulla baloo.
 Cropping for an explanation. he recalled the pride he felt during his Annapolis days as color bearer in a parade-until it occurred to him that the applause was for the rolors. not for him. And so. re- turning from his flight to the pole he was also a color bearer, bearing the banner of success, an invisible banner, but one which thrilled the throngs who greeted him, for it was a success that might have been experienced by each one of them. or their sons, husba nds or brothers.
 Started 10 Years Ago
 Tn himself and Floyd Bennett. who flew with him, he writes. America dramatizcd for the mo- thof fire which is American spirit. For the moment we seemed to have caught up the banner Of American progress"
 He describes himself but 8 few weeks later leaning from a Fifth avenue window as Gertrude Ederle rode In triumph up the avenue. and he wanted to shout, Here tt is.' and cast that invisible something into her hands.
 Ten years ago Byrd began gath ering data for an air crossing Of the Atlantic. and applied for per- mission from the navy to make the flight in the No. 1. feat later ac- complained by the NC in 1891. Col. Theodore Roosevelt. then ss- sistant secretary of the navy. per. sGaded him to abandon for the time a plan to fly across the At lantic alone, because he calculated that only thus could he carry ade- Quate gasoline.
 He Jet himself be persuaded to give up the plan in the hope of securing A. place on the dirigible R-ss. then being prepared in Eng land for a flight to America. He was given a place on the airshir. and diScloses that only through the circumstance of missing a train did he fall to go on the disastrous test flight In which tho great ship broko in two and fell into the Humber river with a toll of nearly 50 lives.
 Scientific Flight
 When his transatlantic flight came to pass last summer. he found plane had been developed which would permit him to take three companions. and he felt that he could thus better demonstrate the ultimate practicability of trans oceanic air service.
 Byrd points to the experiences of that flight as proof that long and careful prepa'ration is essential in hazardous and pioneer flights. The foresight which caused them 10 carry one-quarter pound flares, ho explains. saved their lives. Arriving over Paris in a thick and stormy night, they were unable 10 land. and made for the seacoast. The flares. dropped into the water. gave adequate light to enable them to come down safely little way off shore. He hopes that similar pre- paration will save lives in future expeditions.
 Discussing hts plans to fly to the south pole, he described the great antarctic continent. practically un- explored. as fast challenge. Ex- rlaining the wealth of data that may be found there, he says Tt has always seemed to me that sci ence is the loser so long as there remains a large unexplored area left in the world"