The Waterbury Democrat., 1935-02-13
Mysterious Crash
 Destroys The Macon
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(Continued Shenandoah went down Septem- Der 8, 1925 near Caldwell, Ohio. with the loss of IA lives. The Roma, purchased for the navy, but not yet commissioned, was burned over Hompton Roads, Va, in 1922, killing 34. The only naval dirigible surviving is the Los An- geles which Is worn out and de- commissioned.
 The Macon disaster, following 50 close on the previous tragedies, was believed to doom further lighter than air building for the navy and was 8 severe blow to de- velopment of this type of aircraft.
 First Official Story
 Lieutenant Commander Herbert V. Wiley, commander of the Macon and one of the rescued, gave the first official story of the disaster. He said the stern of his charge "crumbled." A survivor Of the Akron disaster, Wiley filed an official report with his superiors the moment he reached the safety of the U. $. s. Concord.
 Wiley made his report to Rear Admiral c. R. Train, commander of the cruiser, and 1t was reiayeo to shore by radio. It follows:
 While off Point Sur on a north erly course, all engines running at standard speed of 63 knots at an altitude of 1250 feet, with the air equally at times, a casualty oc- cured about 5:18 D. m., In the stern period.'
 q thought the elevator control had been carried away. The snip took an upward inclination and rose rapidly. I ordered all ballast and fuel slips dropped aft and miship.
 "We received prompt word the No. 1 gas cell under the fin was gone, the stern was crumbling,, and finally, that the No. 2 cell was gone. We tried to land the ship near cruisers off Point Sur but could not see the surface until shortly before landing. Ship landed astern first with no way on at 5:40 D. m.
 Discipline Excellent.
 Discipline was excellent. All hands had alarm in and time tc don life jackets"
 The two of the Macon's crew lost were Chief Radio Engineer E. A. Daley, North Bend, Ore, and Cook F. Edquiba, a Filipino. Daley leaped from the Macon when she was 125 feet above the sea. He landed on his back and sank. Ed quiba was seen last inside the dirigible just as No. cell brust.
 The Macon was commissioned after the Akron disaster and had been carefully nursed. She had suffered only a few minor mishaps, one of @ mechanical nature while with the fleet in Carribean mane- uvers a year ago this spring. Yes- terday she was leading 34 ships of the fleet.
 Some 23,OO0 bluejackets and 1,- 500 officers aboard the vessels watched the Silver ship built at a cost of $2,450,000, as she maneuv- cred along the course from San Pedro harbor, in Southern Cali fornia, toward San Francisco Bay.
 Trouble Started.
 At 5:15 p. m., (8:15 p. m. EST) with fog rolling around Point Sur started. Naval radio operators first, and then the nation and the world, were mortified.
 We have had a casualty" cracked the Macon's radio.
 Then came:-"SOS falling-as."
 As" said Victor l.. Babb. radio- man first class, San Francisco. who received the call, means "wait minute"
 My heart jumped out of my mouth," said Babb.
 Then the Macon's final message:
 At 5:31-"We will abandon ship as soon as it lands on water. We are 20 miles off Point Sur, prob bably 10 miles at Sea-"
 At 5:32-Various ships reported to shore radio stations they were "off Point Sur" standing by to assist. Frantically they called the Macon. There was no answer.
 BattIcfleet In Action.
 Meanwhile, off Point Sur, the calls which Jumped the hearts" of the navy radio, men ashore in San Francisco had sent the battle fleet into action. Searchlights flashed over the darkening ocean.
 Quickly the fleet converged On the ill-fated Macon. Thomas Hen- derson, Point Sur lighthouse keep CT, the laSt person tO see the Mu~ con aloft, saw the searchlights playing through the fog.
 Rubber boats dotted the ocean as the first of the rescue craft drew near. The Concord picked up Wiley and 10 of his men. The cruiser Cincinnati had men a. board and the cruiser Richmond had GA.
 Within q relatively short time. Rear Admiral Joseph Reeves, in command of the battle fleet, ra- dioed that commercial craft, which had heard the Macon's call and proceeded to the rescue, should re. sume their courses.
 Rear Admiral Thomas J. Senn, commandant of the 18th naval dis trict, ordered that disqualification for possible injured be prepared at Monterey Presidio, at San Fran cisco and at Mare Island, at Val. lejo, on San Francisco Bay.
 J. M. Jackson, boatswain's mate, whose home is in Florence, N. J., was reported to have received in- ternal injuries. There were no re- ports of other injuries.
 Rescue One Averaging Feat. :.
 "The rescue of all but two of the survivors from the Macon will