Imperial Valley press., 1930-05-31
ZEPPELIN
REACHES
AMERICA
Eckener Says Voyage Up
From Brazil Was Hard
est He Has Made.
LAUDED BY ADMIRAL
Terrific Wind C0mpcls
Big Dirigible To Fight
Every Mile OF Trip.
By LYLE c. WILSON
United Press Staff Correspondent

LAKEHURST, n. j., May 81.
U.P)--The drigiblc Graf Zeppelin
rode out the worst storm in its his
tory when it sailed toward the
United States from Brazil, her
commander, DR.. Hugo Eckener, said
when he arrived here today.
The commander, an unlighted
cigarette in his hand and slight
~ weary expression playing about
his face, strolled over for u press
conference immediately after the
dirigiblc was landed al 6:25 u. m,
EST, today.
At 500 a. M, less than - min-
u.cs after It's landing, The ship was
snugly in its berth inside the han
gar.
During the process Of walking the
dirisihlo in, however, Il sailor was
injured IA gust of wind caught the
rear end and lifted several mca
hanging TO guide rope into the
air. They were taken aloft aud the
sailor in question lost his hold and
fell. He was removed to the hospital.
The passcsgers rode into the hang
ar with the dirigiblc and then were
taken by bus to hotels. The last leg
of the journey-approXimately 1900
miles WAS the longest log OF n
.rcat eomm mcreia al air voyage
which linked Europe with both her
ncighbor continents across the At
lantie. When the Graf Zeppelin ar
rived il had covered almost 1900
miles since its departure from Fried
richshafcn, Germany, on May Is to
test the feasibility Of new com
rscrcial air route across the southern
Atlantic.
II vas the dirigiblc's longest trio
since the cpochal around the world
flight of last summer.
The commander was eager to
smoke before he rccoInted the story
of the 60 hours and IL minutes
3 flight, which was the last phase OF
q trip from Germany to South Amer.
ioa and thence to the United States.
lie is not permitted to smoke while
aboard the dirigiblc.
He said the flight northward was
tranquil until the gray strip slippcd
cut over Pcrmuda last night. There
terrific wind struck the aircraft,
which in addition TO the crew car
cried - passengers.
1T WAS much worse for n little
whilc.' Eckcncr said, ethan the
mighty wini which ripped fin in
mid-occan during our westward
crossing in 1928.
WASHINGTON, May 81 (UR--
Rear Admiral William A. Mcffett,
chief of the navy bureau of aeron-
autics, today congratulated DR.,
Hugo Eckcner on the Graf Icppc'
Inns dcccssful flight and expressed
hope for completion of the navy's
two giant dirigibles and their pro
posed Pacific coast base.
"Thc new flight of the Graf Iep'
pclin under trying conditions in the
Tropics, both north and south of
the Equator, again demonstrates the
practicability and usefulness of the
drigiblc," Moffett said.
"Lct us hope the douhters viii
see the light and help the navy
complete its two 6,500,000 cubi.
root alrshlpS ana Tue pfoposcu pase
for them on the Pacific coast so
our country will take its rightful
place in this new field of transport
alton"
"Lct us hope the doubtcrs will
see the light and help the navy
c1nplctc its two G,500,000 cubic
foot airships and the proposed base
fnr thn,n .nu tho porific eoast sc
our country will take its rightfu
place in this new field Of trans
portation."