Evening star., 1933-04-10
WILEY CRlTlClZES
COURSE OF AKRON
WHEN STORM HIT

COURSE OF AKRON
WHEN STORM HIT
Continued From First Page)
Washington is the judge advocate.
In one corner of the long, narrow
shop in which the court convened, sat
a group of women, widows of some of
the men who were lost with the Akron.
Gravely and in silence, they watched
the PROCEEDINGS.
Six Plane Pilots Saved.
Indications that visibility would be
poor at sunset, the night of the take-off,
probably saved the lives of six airplane
pilots attached to the Akron, Wiley's
testimony indicated.
afternoon led Comdr. MoCord. Wiley
said, to order Cancelled q scheduled drill
Of the Akrons six fighting planes. to
have ended with their being taken
aboard
The airplanes and their pilots were
left behind when the Akron took of
VI,
there was fog with 300-foot ceiling
| Comdr. Wiley said he and Comdr.
McCord studied the weather map short
ly before noon, the day Of the take-off.
and again in the late afternoon.
The morning map, he said, indicated
that bad weather conditions prevailed
over Michigan and were moving north
eastward.
This, however, was outside our
area" he said, "and we did not con-
slider it q threat"
He said that in the Middle Atlantic
States the pressure was "fat"-indi-
eating fairly settled weather.
Il remember the forecast was for
light wind and fog along the coast
probably continuing In the Newport
area until noon the next day"
| The Akron's objective when she took
on was to be over Newport, r. I.
the following morning an hour before
sunrise, ready to start work ON cali
brating the compass.
| The inquiry opened with the read
ing Of the official report Of Wiley, In
which he told Of the great gust of vino
that shook the Akron from stem tt
stem just before she crashed.
The report was q running narrative
OF the night Of the Akron's last cruise
from the time the ship left Lakehurst
at 1880 pm, April 3, until the crash
at about 1880 Tuesday morning.
1t told Of the storm which surrounded
the ship and Wiley's attempts to offset
the effects of the storm.
At about 1890, Wiley's report stated
- very sharp gust struck the ship. II
seemed to me much more severe than
any I had ever experienced before, In
that 1t was exerted SO suddenly"
Describes Ships FAN.
The rudder control cables gave way
the report said, and in a few seconds
the ship had dropped so rapidly that
Wiley gave the order: Stand by for
q crash"
The Akron hit water q moment later
and Wiley was carried out of window
of the control car by the rush Of water
The report then related the rescue OF
Wiley, Erwin, Deal and Chief Radio
Operator Copeland, who later died.
Admiral Butler asked Comdr. Wiley
II his report was q true narrative OF
the disaster.
"Yes, sir" said Wiley.
Have you any complaint to make
against any of the officers or men IN
the loss of the Akron?" he was asked
NO" came the clear reply. The
Judge advocate called Wiley as the first
witness. Before the grey-haired sur
vivor took the witness chair the Judge
advocate requested all other witnesses,
except those who were aboard the
Akron when 1t crashed, to leave the
room.
The first questions dealt with Wiley's
experience with lighter -than-air ships
Served ON Three Ships.
Wiley said he had first reported for
duty at Lakehurst April II, 1928, and
that he had served on the Shenandoah,
the Los Angeles and the Akron.
II made every fight on the Akron, F"
he said, with the exception of one
flight last year to Miami"
experience in lighter-than-a craft as
any man in the Navy, Wiley replied
with q slight smile, possibly"
! Wiley said he believed the ships log
was lost with the Akron. He added
he had not examined the Akron's
navigating chart during her last fight.
He had prepared, he said, chart from
memory, and this was introduced in
! evidence.
A notebook was shown Wiley, and he
identified 1t as the property of Lieut..
r. j. Dugan, one of the Akron missing.
1t contained notes on the navigation
Of the Akron on her last flight.
Confirms Own Data.
Wiley said the notes confirmed his
own recollections. 1t was not stated
where or when the note book was found
Dugan's records mainly consisted of
running q log of the temperature and
superheat from the time the Akron left
its hangar, as well as the speed, altitude
and inclinations of the tail surfaces.
Wiley said the data was taken particu-
larly to determine the static condition
Of the ship. agreeing exactly" with his
own observations.
The first entry was timed pm, April
3. and gave the air temperature. Entries
followed every few minutes. At 1925
(6:25 p.m) the barometer reading was
given at e72. At 1928 (7:28 p.m) was
the notation take Of"
Other entries stated the feight of the
ballast aboard was 25,400 pounds and
that $4,000 pounds Of fuel was carried.
The useful lift of the ship has been
given as 1901 pounds.
Wiley next identified large chart Of
the Akron which fianked the court plat
FORM
Referring to the chart, Wiley de-
scribed the Akron briefly, giving her di-
mensions, motor equipment, gas ca
pacity, speed and lift
Wiley said his report to Secretary of
the Navy Swanson was made hurriedly
and as he wished to aid the court with
as much information as possible he
wanted to add to his previous statement.
Tells Of Operation.
He read the schedule of operations
for the Akron. including the order, ap-
hvy tlo No
calibrate radio directions on April 3.
The schedule was submitted to the Navy
Department by the late Comdr McCord.
Wiley then launched into an ampli-