Imperial Valley press., 1935-08-16
ST-ROGERS
VICTIMS Of
PLANE CRASH
Continued from Page u


when Sergeant Stanley Morgan of
the U. S. signal corps, Point Bar
row station. and the United Press
correspondent reached the scene.
Notified by Natives
Morgan and this correspondent
were notified in Point Barrow by
excited natives. They reached the
vicinity Of the crash in a whale
boat, manned by natives.
Posts body was pulled from the
wreckage where it had been
smashed among the controls and
cabin.
Rogers Body was placed with
that of Post in the whale boat and
| returned to Point Barrow. Here the
bodies were turned over to DR.. Hen
ry Griest. superintendent of the
Presbyterian mission hospital,
where they were taken to await the
arrival of the coast guard cutter
Northland.
Both bodies were crushed badly
The plane was demolished. Gaso-
line spewed over the water between
the moss hummocks, caught fire
and blazed for several minutes.
Post, 'round-the-world record
holder, and Rogers. the humorist,
movie actor and famous air travel
er, were on a leisurely trip around
Alaska.
Originally they intended to visit
Point Barrow several days ago, in
stead they flew from Aklavik. N.
w T, TO Fairbanks and spent the
interval visiting Central Alaskan
points. They took off yesterday
from Fairbanks and their arrival
had been awaited at this farthest
north outpost of civilization with
keen anticipation by the few white
persons here.
SEATTLE, Aug. 16. UP) - Two
of Americas most famous airmen,
Wiley Post. 'round-the-world fly
er, and viii Rogers, No. l air pas
senger, cowboy humorist, and be-
loved character, were killed when
their plane crashed near Point Bar
row late Thursday.
Their tragic death came when
they were only Is miles from the
farthest north outpost Of western
civilization.
Death apparently was instanta-
neous although the cause cf the
crash was not learned Immediately.
Residents of Point Barrow removed
the bodies of the famous flyers
from the wreckage of Posts new
airplane and took them 10 the
Presbyterian Mission hospital at
Point Barrow.
Information of the tragedy came
in a message sent by Sergeant
Stanley E. Morgan, signal corps Of
ficer at Point Barrow, to his chief,
Col. G. E. Kumpe, head Of the
Seattle Alaska district Of the U. S.
signal corps.
The flyers were on a leisureiy
trip through Alaska, after which
Post planned to cross the Bering
Strait on a hunting trip in north
i cIIl olDcIld WI4cI4 CliClL JOdAllNS was
ended tragically.
Stephen B. Gibbons, assistant
treasury secretary. ordered the
coast guard to render full assistance
and cooperation in the Rogers-Post
tragedy.
Meanwhile, coast guard officials
said they believed the cutter North
land was in the vicinity Of the re-
ported crash, having left Point
Barrow August IS for Nome.
They said that the commander
of the Northland would proceed
Immediately to the scene on his
/ own initiative. They said the
Northland undoubtedly had learn
ed of the crash through radio dis
patches.
The coast guard offered to bring
back to the United States the
bodies OF Rogers and Post.
Gibbons said he would get in
touch with Mrs. Rogers and try to
make arrangements. A mortician,
he said, would be sent ID Alaska
Immediately by plane 10 assist.