Imperial Valley press., 1930-06-19
BYRD AND
men ARE
GREETED
New York Stages Riotous
Welcome For Famous
Explorer and Crew.
GLAD TO BE BACK
Party Will Be Officially
Welcomed by President
Friday Morning.
BY MORRIS DE HAVEN TRACY
United Press Staff Correspondent

NEW YORK, June 10. U.P)-Rear
Admiral Richard Evelyn Byrd and
his party of antartic explorers who
for two years have been following
the sea and ice lanes far from civil
izstion, returned today to their
homeland.
A procession of II ships escorted
them up New York harbor. Thous-
ands of people crowded the Battery,
Broadway and City Hall Park to
acclaim them.
In high spirits the double hand
full of men whom history will re-
cord as the first to map the ant
arctic ice cap and to explore the
frozen regions of the south by air,
fairly blinked at the towers of
Manhattan; the swarming traffic
of the harbor; the crowded streets;
the roaring subways; and all the
accoutrements of civilization so
long denied them, except for the
brief foretaste in Australia.
Bernt Balchen, w Ii o piloted
Byrd's plane in the major explor
ations; Paul Sipple, the Boy Scout
member of the expeditions and all
the others were in full uniform as
they climbed over the sides of their
two ships, the Eleanor Boiling and
the City of New York into the
midst of the mayors committee
headed by Grover a. Whalen.
The two starred flag of rear ad
miral was run up, the first time it
had been flown in America for Ad-
miral Byrd, who was but a com
mandcr when he left two years
ago.
"lt's good TO be back" said
Whalcn and all others. Tt's fine
to be back"
Someone took him to the radio
installed on the cutter and asked
him to say something.
ats good to be back" he said.
Family Present
Admiral Byrd's mother, Mrs. Elc.
amor Boiling Byrd, his brothers,
former Governor Harry Byrd OF
Virginia and Captain Thomas Byrd
his nephew, Harry Byrd, Jr., two
nicces. Miss Wcstwood Byrd and
Miss Margaret Byrd, and the wife
of Governor Byrd, represented the
Byrd family aboard the welcoming
cutter.
When the Macon came alongside
the City of New York, Byrd came
forward. He raised his hands high
above his head and shook them
20 l..
little. and waved to others.
Grover Whalen climbed aboard
the City of New York and the
handshaking began. Byrd said lit,
tie except to repeat over and over
again his pleasure at being home.
Then all were transferred to the
Macon and the trip up the bay be
gan. amid bedlam of screaming
whistles.
With welcoming escort the
party was brought ashore, while "A
crowd which filled the Battery
Park chccred, bands played and the
blizzard of ticker tape, which is
always New York's welcome to dis.
tnguished guests, began falling in
to Broadway's canyons from White
hall to Park Place.
Walker Gives Welcome
Governor Pollard, Lieutenant
Governor Price and delegation
from the house of delegates of Vir.
ginia, had positions of honor in the
parade.
The unruly head of Bernt Balcbcn
fairly shone among the others. He
was scrambling everywhere, laugh
ing and seldom still.
1t was the noon hour by the time
the procession had penetrated the
clouds of ticker tape and reached
its haven at the city hall,
There Mayor James j. Walker
was waiting Byrd and his men were
escorted to the platform where the
mayor was introduced.
SIN the next three months" said
Walker to Byrd, 81 imagine every
scientist in the country will tel
you just what you did down there
at the South Pole. ! don't want to
tell you that. ] want to tell you
how glad we are that you are home"