Brownsville herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1910-current, 1929-09-03
FLYING VIKING
RADIO SPEAKER
VIII Celebrate Anniversary
OF First 'Round-the-
World Flight

NEW YORK, Sept. 3.-Ihe fifEn
anniversary Of mans first flight
around the world viii be celebrated
tonight as n feature Of the Roads
OF the Sky" aviation radio series
sponsored Jointly by the National
Br0adcasting company and the
Aeronautical Chamber Of Com
mercc. Erik Nelson. the Flying
viking who led the American world
filters. viii be the speaker on the
cOEt-to-coast hookup.
Around the World In Aviation
Is the subject Of the famous world
flier's talk. which will be broadcast
between Y and 7:30 o'clock Cast
ern daylight time) as the tenth
program on the Road OF the Sky"
series devoted to aviation. lie win
contrast the present development or
aviation throughout the world with
the pioneer conditions he saw on
his world tour five years ago.
Plotted New Orleans"
AS the runaway Swedish boy who
winged his way to immortal fame
by being one OF the four men ever
to fly around the world. Lieut.. Mel
son Is known the world over as the
Flying Viking" He piloted the
New Orleans one OF the two army
planes which completed the 26.345
mile flight around the world in a
total flying time of 1863 hours just
five years ago this month.
He will arrive In New York today
after a flight from Seattle, Wash,
in a new 18 passenger air liner TO
deliver his talk from WEAF, New
York, over the NBC hookup. lie l.
sales manager Of the Boeing Air
plane company.
"A native of Stockholm. Nelson, rs
a youngster. took night courses in a
technical institute where he learn
eel the rudiments OF mechanics.
After completing school Elk spent
q summer as a sailor on a Swedish
training ship. AT sixteen the lure
OF the sea became resistless and he.
like his ancestors went CIT acrcss
the world.
As a full fledged sailor before the
mast In the old style schooners. the
youth caught his first glimpse OF
the United States. Later he made
two trips around the world before
the mast on an English schooner.
Hearing that sailors we're well paid
for working on racing yachts In
America. Nelson, when 2l. arrived
az HOboken and got a lob as 4 rig
ger In the shipyards nc Greenwich,
Conn.
Unemployment followed, and Mel
son did odd jobs ranging from be-
ing a swimming instructor to act
ing a Roman Centurian with n
shining helmet. as stage scenery In
a 6alome production. All or his
dreams were Of the day when he
would be a flier. When the war
started Nelson was all set To enlist
In the Esquadrill Lafayette. but
failed TO be chosen. and went TO
work for an airplane company In
Buffalo. BY then he was n recog-
nized expert In building and testing
engines.
Nelson next sought to enlist in
the United States air service. but
was rejected. although later he was
To carry the col0rs Of the United
States air corps around the world.
After falling to get into the Cana
dian and British royal air forces
he attempted again to enter the
American air service, and was fin
ally accepted and became a bomb
ing pilot in Texas.
In 1920 Nelson was chief engi-
neering officer Of the difficult New
York TO Nome and return flight, for
which Nelson recently was given the
distinguished service medal. Nelson
pulled all the planes through the
great Atlantic To Arctic flight with
out a single failure.