Evening star., 1933-04-07
M0FFETT QUOTED
ASPRA|S|NG AKRON
R. E. Deal Tells House Naval
Committee of Conversation
With Air Chief.

With Air Chief.
Continued From First Page)
said that he would prefer not to say
anything further today, but write out
q statement and give it to you later
Deal Tells Story.
Deals story, told after he. had held
up q bandaged right hand to be sworn,
follows:
"On the take-off of the U. S. S.
Akron on the night of April 3, 1888, my
landing station was in the bow of the
ship, this position normally take dur
ing flight when my section was off
watch
THE take-off was uneventful and
pipe down landing stations was
sounded as soon as we were at our de-
sired altitude.
IT did not come on watch until 8
O'Clock and then I was detailed to the
telephone at frame ITO starboard.
"At about BIS while standing there
Admiral Moffett came up the gang
way from the control car and said
Good evening. Admiral He replied,
wardroom.
AT about S:25 he came back headed
for the control car or the officers
quarters.
HE asked me if was 'on watch
II replied, yes, sir, have the tele-
phone at this station
Moffett Fond of Ship
HE stopped on the first step leading
down the gangway and said, Admiral,
you must like flying on this ship He
replied, 7 am very fond Of it, much
mere so than the other (meaning
heavier than air, assume), he further
said 1t is much better than the Shen-
andoah'
Il replied, yes, sir and he then pro-
ceeded to the control car
"At about 8:55 I went to the control
car and took the elevator wheel, ~reliev-
."fIe told me the ship was flying from
light heavy and that the altitude, was
1000 feet.
1.-The lightning was heavy on, tnesport
side and Comdr. Wiley and Comdr. INC
Cord were going from one side Of the
control car to the other making obser-
vations and conferring with one an
other.
Drop in Altitude.
"At approximately $50 Comdr. NC
Cord, who was standing at the port
window, ordered me to come to 1900
feet. e
This was suggested by Lieut.. Comdr.
Wiley. The captain later told Lieut..
Glendenning, who was officer of the
day, that he ordered the altitude
changed. a~
"At 10. pm, Johnson requested per-
mission to relieve me on the wheel and
1t was granted
II asked Lieut.. Glendenning for per-
mission to go up in the ship and he
replied that I should stay in the con-
troll car with johnson as relief elevator
man or to get Stine to come down.
II stayed in the control car until
about 10:30 and then went in the navi-
gators compartment and an army COL
onel was there.
HE seemed quite perturbed about
the weather and I assured hun there
was no cause for alarm as ! had wit
messed electrical storms OF more IN
tensity In the Shenandoah Z,
AT 10:45 'ent back In the control
Car and stayed there until Slime came
down.
II told him that he was to stand hg
with the elevator man as 1t was the
o. o. DIS orders that one Of use be
there. -
Discusses Static Condition. -
"At IL o'clock left the control car
and went back to the galley and had a.
cup of coffee and spoke few words
with Chief Machinist Walsh about the
condition of the ship-that is, its static
condition. 4e.sstSs 4d5a
"At 1905 Iywent back to, my station
on ITO starb0ard'
"I was there only moment or two
looking down across the gangway when
I noticed that every lightning flash
seemed to center on tthe air-speed or
radio antenna Il don't know which,
that is located at or about longitudinal
2, so went down and stood above. the
control car and watched the antennas
on the port side and also this antenna
of the starboard side.
Lieut. Calnan came along and asked
me what was doing there.
1T called his attention to what had
noticed and he told me to stand by the
COZ unit. -
while standing there Comdr. Cecil
came up from the. control car and /
noticed the wings on his coat and asked
him whether he would rather be on an
airplane or where he was. -
"He replied he was damn glad to be
where he was
shorty after this Lieut.. Glenden-
ming came up from the control car and
asked me where Lieut.. Calnan was. =
II replied did not know.
Ordered to Shift Weight.
"He tod me If could locate him TO
tell him to either shift fuel forward or
water and that if could not locate him
right away to shift 1t myself.
IT proceeded aft to carry out his
orders when my section chief (Caflson)
stopped me and told me to take water
ballast reading on the starboard side.
Lieut.. Glendenning came along Just
then SO did not tell Carlson of my
orders and went aft and took the water
ballast reading
IT went to the control car and en-
tered it on the ballast chart and went
back to the crews smoking room and
smoked my pipe for about minutes.
''It was minutes past IL when
left the smoking room by my watch,
which was set with the chrOnOmeter
In the crews mess hall.
II spoke q few words to Stine, who
had Just been relieved, and then took
my flying gear of, also my shoes, and
laid down on my bunk in the outer
keel, with my head on my hand, restf
ing on my elbow.
'I happened to be looking UP and
noticed the No. cell was swishing
quite more than usual.
Sees Girders. Giving Way.
while looking at this cell the ship
gave terrific lurch sideways and
longitudinal girders and gave way.
as well as some Of the wires.
Il was on my feet in the keel and