Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-08-06
new .A|RMA|L LINE
|. CRAMER'SPURPOSE
Transamerlcan Corporation
Tells Why Pilot Flew
to Greenland.
Continued From First Pase.)

Continued From First Pase)
by more misfortune than comes to the
lot of the normal man.
Three years ago his first transatlantic
attempt ended disastrously when he
was forced down with Bert Hassell on
the Greenland ice cap near Point Suk-
keftoppen. The pair struggled on loot
fer two weeks to reach civilization be-
the University of Michigan Greenland
expedition after they had been given up
for lost.
year later Cramer. as pilot Of the
Chicago Tribune amphibion 'Untin
Bowler, again failed when. after a gall
liant struggle with storm and foe ice,
the plane was swept into ice-filled Hud-
son Strait and lost on July Is, 1929.
Craner was born in Lafayette. Ind.
81 years ago ana took up nyine as a
means OF livelihood in 1915. During
stfuctor at Kelly ana Brooks Fields. in
Texas, and later was a test pilot at
scott Field. Belleyille, III.
Cult Federal Service.
After the war he transformed" the
country with his own plane. For a
time ne was a member of Mayor Hy-
lan's flying police force in New York.
He became an aefonautical inspector
for the Commerce Department Aero
nAutips Branch on January S, 1927. and
was assigned to the Texas territory, with
headquarters at Dallas. He took leave
without pay to make the Inflated
Greenland flight and resigned from the
Federal service on November IS. 1923.
CfAfiaer Is unmarried. His mother,
Mrs. Annie Ward, formerly of Clarion,
Pa, now lives at Greenville, Ill.
Since the war Cramer has worked
with the fixed idea in mind that the
northern transatlantic route by way Of
Greenland and Iceland was the logical
path for ocean air travel. His career
has been devoted largely to proving this
belief.
He was backed by the Chamber of
Commerce Of Rockford, H., in plan
ming his first ocean crossing, which be-
gan when he and HaSsell took of from
Rockford on August Is, 1923, in the
Stins0n- Detfeitef plane Greater Rock
ford. They had Stockholm, Sweden, as
theh goal and made their first stop at
CoehfAfie. Ontario, after flight of 800
miles. On August 18 they took on
across the wilds of Labrador and 800
miles of opsn sea for Mount Evans.
Greenland, 1900 miles away. Blown OF
their course by terrific storm. they
were forced down on the ice when their
fuel was exhausted. Their two week :
struggle to safety failed to qusncii
CFafiler's faith In the northern crossing,
ara when rescued Hassell voiced this
belief for himself and Cramer.
believes Route Best.
1.-THE air route from the Middle West
through Canada, Greenland and Ice
land to Northern Europe has proved to
both Crafner and myself that it Is the
most logical route that exists Hassell
said. I'VE had been planning during
the last two days OF our walk to re-
turn to the states and ny this route
over again, since We have gained 81
much Information and knowledge, par
ticularly on the area from Cape Child
ley to Greenland"
craner was selected. with Bob Cast
to fly the "'Untin' Bowler" from Chi
cage to Berlin by way Of his chosen
northern route, and the trip went au-
| spiciOi1slH until the Northern GALES
wrecked the plane.
with w. S. Gamble. Crafner was. the
hero of record fight from the United
States 10 AlhskA last year He has
maue NUMBER OF viSi@ 70 the capital
during his eyentful career, and has
many friends In aviation circles here.
w. Irving Glover, Assistant Post
master General in charge Of airmail
announced that, though the Post once
Department Is watching with interest
Cramer's latest North Atlantic fight
it is not connected with the aerial
survey the flyer is reported to be
making.
Glover said the Thompson Aeronau-
tical Corporation had discussed with
the department several months ago the
| possibility of the northern air route
to Europe and had submitted data or
! the proposed course The department
had not been advised that Crafnef
would attempt the flight, however, he
added. Any steps taken by the United
states In establishing such route
Glover said, would have to be In con
junction with the Canadian govern
| ment, with which he recently confer
red informally on the matter.