Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1933-11-21
SETTLES RECORD
OVERJOYS MOTHER
Undertook Dangerous Ascent
With Her Approval,
She Says.

The faith Of a lonely. widowed
mother in the ability of her son, Lieut.
Comdr. Thomas G. w. Settle, to over
come the difficulties and dangers of the
first American flight into the strato-
sphere, mistaken by night of waiting
for word of his landing, was justified
in full today when Settle and his aide
Mai. Chester Lawrence Fordney, u. S
new American altitude record to Their
credit.
"Oh, / am so happy" Mrs. Settle
said. Il had perfect faith in his cour-
age and ability, but there was always
the danger that he might have to land
in the ocean or be hurt landing In the
dark"
Mrs. Settle did not sleep at all last
night, maintaining constant vigil be-
side the radio and telephone in heI
room in the Lafayette Hotel
Il was afraid to go to sleep for fear
I might not hear the telephone or a
radio announcement" she said.
Proud of Achievement.
II am so proud of him." she said
when informed that her son had at
tanned the greatest altitude ever reach
ed by an American. Hes such g
wonderful boy and he has such glo-
rious record"
Settles flight into the stratosphere
was made with the full approval Of
his mother, she said
IT don't believe in parents interior
ing with their children's lives" she
explained. Williams-I always call him
Williams in remembrance Of my father
whose name he carries-has wanted SO
much to make the worlds greatest
flight into the stratosphere. Now that
he has made a new American record
am the happiest mother in the world
and 1 know he is happy, too"
Mrs. Settle received the news of her
sons landing in room crowded with
mementos of his active life In the
naval avition service and with pictures
of him tracing his life from the cradle
on. Pictures of the ships on which
he has served and his framed commits
sions. framed newspaper clippings and
magazine articles describing his fights,
al lied for space On the wallc.
% Army Family.
lars. Settles father and husband were
Army officers, her son naval officer.
and she describes herself as "a Marine. y
She admitted that she was very tired
after last nights vigil, but that she
from her son that his flight was COM
pleted.
HE always notifies me Just before
he goes up and just after he lands. "
she said. LAS soon as he makes sure
his balloon and instruments are safe,
he will telegraph or telephone. But he
will want to make sure about the
balloon first. He knows / wouldn't
want him to take time to call me until
he had done everything necessary in
that respect"
But while Mrs. Settle was awaiting
word from her son, she received a
telegram from her daughter-in-law
saying
TEX landed near Bridgeton, NJ ]
Everything fine. Love, Fay"
She explained her son was called
TEX" by his intimates because he
went to Annapolis from the State 0i
Texas.
With delight Mrs. Settle received
word that the Navy Department was
sending plane to New Jersey to bring
her son back to Washington.
That's glorious" she exclaimed
I'm so thankful he'll be down here
then I'll see him"
Settles mother said that she hac
received word from her son before HI:
take-off yesterday at Akron.
My sons wife, Fay, telegraphed me
from Akron just after he left and TOLD
me it was a perfect take-off," Mrs
Settle said
Mrs. Settle, the daughter of Brig
Gen. Thomas G. Williams, u. S. A.
of Virginia, was born in San Antonio
Tex, and has lived here since 1917
when her son entered the Naval Acad-
envy. She is member of the League
of American Penwomen. the Daughters
of the American Revolution and the
First Families of Virginia.
Children Await News.
Maj Fordney's four children now are
in Washington visiting Mrs. Fordney's
parents, Mai. Gen. Ben H. Fuller, COM
mandant of the Marine Corps. They
were notified of the successful conclu-
sion Of the flight at Gen. Fuller's home
in the Marine Barracks, Eighth and
streets southeast. Three of the chill
dren, Katherine, Mary and Theodore
students in the Gunston Hall JUNO!
School, stayed home from school this
morning to receive the news of theil
fathers landing
Theodore is named for Gen Fuller's
only son, killed in the battle of Belleau
Wood. The youngest son is named Ben
for his grandfather.
Ofhcially. Maj. Fordney, who obtained
special permission from Secretary of tn
Navy Swanson to make the stratospher
flight with Comdr. Settle, is in com
mand of the Marine Corps Central Re
serve Area, with headquarters in Chi
cago. He holds a commission in tn
Marine Reserves, but now Is on activ
duty Until recently he was detailed
as technical aide to Harry s. New, for
mer Postmaster General and commits
sioner of the Chicago Century of Prog
ress Exposition.
Maj Fordney was born in Saginaw
Mich. June 16, 1892, the son of tn
! late Michigan Representative. JOSEPH
Warren Fordney, co-author of the ia
nous Fordney- McCumber tariff ACT
The son enlisted as a private in tn
Marine Corps in May, 1917, won hi
commission, and served until after tn
close OF the war when he transferre,
to the Marine Reserve.
Maj. Fordney was married to Mis-
Dorothy Fuller in Santo Domingo Cit,
III 1919. MAJ. rOruney mas naQ Hylnl
experience. but is not pilot. He ha
served at Quantico. Va. in Haiti and il
Santo Domingo in addition to his wa
service in France.
The wives Of the two balloonists, it 4
understood here, eft Akron by auto
mobile Immediately after the take-of
in pursuit Of the balloon and spent las
night at Gettysburg.
Actress Under Knife.
HOLLYWOOD November 81 CP.-