Famous Flyers and Their Famous Flights

“Aklavik may be cold, but it was warmto the Lindberghs. Slim and Anne saw a lotof things they’d never seen before, and theyhad what you’d call their first real taste ofthe arctic. There were all the people youread about up there – Mounties, and Eskimosand fur trappers, who’d trekked infrom miles around to see the Lindberghsland. Eskimo kids trailed them around andgrinned when they were spoken to.

“They had a lot of time to look around, too, because they had to stay at Aklavik forthree days. The weather grounded them, but on August 7th, the sky cleared, and theywere off again, now for Point Barrow. Nomewas next. But before they got to Nomethere was trouble.

“They’d started out from the Point in themorning, and flew all day. All they sawwas packed ice for miles around. A thickfog was raising. Finally at 11 o’clock thatnight the fog grew so thick that the Coloneland his wife thought it would be best justto sit down and wait for the fog to clear.So that’s what they did. They sat down inShismaref Bay, on Kotzebue Sound.”

At this point Bob paused significantly, and waited. He had pronounced bothwords without hesitation of any kind, andhe was waiting for the praise that he feltwas due him. There was a strange silence.So Bob said again: “They sat down onShismaref Bay, on Kotzebue Sound.”

This time Captain Bill realized what wasrequired of him. “Good work,” he said“You got them both without a slip.”

Now Bob could go on. “They satdown,” he began.

“That they did,” interrupted Pat. “Theysat down on Shismaref Bay on KotzebueSound. What heathen names. But we’veheard them, and get on with you, lad.”

“I am,” said Bob, and got on. “They hadto wait for ten hours for the fog to lift, andit must have been mighty uncomfortable inthe cockpits of their planes. When theyfinally did get started, they found that theycouldn’t get to Nome after all. The fogdrifted up again, and they had to comedown – ”

Pat broke the silence with a mighty exclamation.“Not on Shismaref Bay!”

Bob was cold. “Of course not. This timethey came down on Safety Bay, and pleasedon’t interrupt.”

But there was another interruption, thistime from Hal. “Where’s Safety Bay?” heasked.

Bob stretched out comfortably. He wassatisfied with himself and his story. “I don’tknow whether you’re just trying to test me,or not,” he said, “but I’m prepared for you.I’ve been over every inch of the Lindberghtrip with an atlas, and I know where everythingis located, and how to pronounce it.”

Hal, his pale face lighted up by the moonlight, was obviously impressed, and his largeeyes beamed in the light. He was storing upnotes for his own story that was to comelater.

“Safety Bay,” said Bob, “is twenty-onemiles from Nome, and mid-way betweenNome and Solomon Beach. They call itSafety Bay because fishermen caught instorms out at sea used to come in to the bayfor safety. It was a ‘safety bay’ for theLindberghs, too, all right. They waited forthe fog to lift again, and they finally gotto Nome. Nome had been waiting so longfor them that it gave them a right royal welcome.

“Nome was an important stop, becausethe Lindberghs planned to use this as theirjumping off place for the hop across the PacificOcean to Karagin Island, off the KamchatkanPeninsula. The Pacific has beencrossed before, and was crossed later, too, byHerndon and Pangborn. But it’s a trickyplace to cross, especially in the northerly part, where the Lindberghs were to cross. It’s aplace of fog and ice, and quickly changingwind currents, so that a fog can creep up onyou and blot out the world in a split second.

“Well, this was the ocean that the Lindberghswere going to cross. And they crossedit. On Friday, August 14th, they startedout. They were the first to cross by thatroute, blazing a new aviation trail. For halfan hour there was silence. Then the St. PaulNaval station in the Pribiloffs made the firstradio contact. Anne Lindbergh signaledthat everything was all right, the weatherwas good, and the flying fine. Every halfhour the station sent out signals, and gavedirections, because up north there, so nearthe magnetic pole, a regular compass isthrown way off.

“St. Lawrence Island was the first landin their path; then from St. Lawrence toCape Naverin the route was over wateragain, about 250 miles. Finally the radiooperator got the message that they’d sightedCape Naverin, and that everything was O.K. They got to Karagin Island early in themorning. And that means they flew over1,000 miles in less than 11 hours. Whichis some flying over that treacherous route.

“The Lindys stayed at the Island for justa little while to rest up, and then took offfor the southern end of the KamchatkanPeninsula, for Petro – Petro – ” Bob paused, embarrassed. “Say, what’s the name of thatplace at the southern end?” he asked.

Bill felt called upon to answer. “Petropavlovsk,”he said.

Bob tried it. “Petro – Petro-what?”

“Petropavlovsk,” repeated Bill.

They all tried it then, with varying degreesof success. Finally Bob got it.“Petropavlovsk,” he said proudly, and was ableto go on with his story. “It was an easyflight, and they made it in about four hours.But Nemuro was next.

“Nemuro’s on the tip of Hokkaido Island, and to reach it the Lindberghs had to flyacross the Kurile Islands, the worst fog trapin the world. There’s a warm Japaneseocean current that flows up here and hits thecold arctic blasts, so that there are suddenfogs that you can’t possibly see through.And besides, there are volcanic peaks thatstick their peaks up but of the water. Someare dead and some are alive, but they’re allpretty bad news for an airplane if it happensto come in contact with one of them.

“The start was pretty good. The skywas clear, and the visibility good. But theyshould have known better than to trust suchluck. They’d been out about 500 mileswhen a thick blanket of fog came up fromnowhere and wrapped them around. Aminute before they’d been able to see MurotonBay, but when they turned back, it haddisappeared. There were two things forthem to do, and neither one pleasant. Theycould either fly on in the fog, and riskhitting a peak or losing their course, or landin the water. This was hardly better thangoing on, because the currents are verydangerous around there, and their planemight easily be capsized. But they decidedthat it was better to land. They landed onthe sheltered side of a place called Ketoi Island, and put their radio to work sendingout an S.O.S.

“It didn’t take long for somebody to getto them. The Japanese government orderedtwo ships to Ketoi to help them. One wasthe Shimushiru, and it stood by all night, while the Lindberghs spent the night doubledup in the cockpit of their plane. They stoodby because of the danger. You see, the islandis pretty wild, and is inhabited by HairyAinus, who live in caves. They’re whitepeople, and they’re supposed to have livedall over Japan once, but they’re not verypleasant to have around, especially if you’reunprotected. But with the Japanese shipstanding by, the Lindberghs were safe.

“In the morning the ship towed the LockheedSirius to Muroton Bay, and while itwas sort of quiet, Lindy fixed up a wet sparkplug and they were ship-shape again, andraring to go. But the fog wouldn’t lift.Finally it seemed to lift, and they startedoff.

“When they got to the island of Iturupa thick fog came up from nowhere andcut off their visibility again. Then a radiomessage told them that the safest placeto land was at Shana, so at Shana theylanded. And at Shana they stayed, too, grounded by the fog. But finally the foglifted, and they were able to get to Nemuro.

“Tokyo next. And Tokyo was glad tosee them! There were over 30,000 peopleat the airport when they landed. The Lindyswere just as popular as ever, and justas much the good will ambassadors as ever.They were taken all over Tokyo, ate withchopsticks, lived through a little earthquake, and did as the Japanese did generally.

“Lindbergh told the Japanese people whathe had set out to do, and that he hoped thatthere’d be a regular airplane route betweenJapan and the United States. He said thathe thought the route would be from thenorth, too, but a little south of the onethat he and Anne had taken.

“Japan liked the Lindberghs, but they hadto leave, bound for China. That was inSeptember. Japan and China hadn’t decidedyet to go to war, but things were pretty badin China, anyway. The Yangtze Kiangand the Hwai river had overflowed andflooded hundreds of villages and cities. Togetherthey’d covered about 1,000 squaremiles of land, so you can imagine in whatsort of condition China was then. Everythingthat goes with flood had come to Chinatoo, including starvation and disease. TheRelief Committee was doing all that it couldto help the inland people, but it couldn’tdo much, because there was no way of communicatingwith them, and of finding outwho needed aid, and what towns had beenflooded.

“As soon as Lindy landed in Nanking,he volunteered to help the Chinese governmentby making surveys of the flooded land.The government accepted his offer, and Lindyflew over the country, making reportsof districts that were under water. He founda lot of places that no one knew about, anddid wonderful work. At one place he landedon the water in a village that was completelycovered. He had a doctor andmedical supplies with him, but the poor Chinesethought that he had brought food. Theypaddled over to the plane, grabbed the suppliesand tore them to shreds, looking forsomething to eat. Lindy and the doctorstook off as soon as they possibly could. Asa result of this, Lindy advised that all suppliesshould be brought by armed guards, and that food was the most urgent needat the moment. Because of the good workthat he did, the President of China gaveLindy another medal to add to his collection, the Chinese Aviation Medal.

“In October the Lindbergh’s trip was suddenlycut short, in the first place, by an accidentthat might have proved pretty serious.The Colonel, Anne, and a doctor were settingout for a survey of the Tungting Lakedistrict, and were to take off in the Yangtze.But just as they were about to leave thewater the current caught one of the wings, and it crumpled up. The plane turned over, and threw them all into the river. Theywere all weighed down by their heavy suits, and could easily have drowned, but theywere pulled out of the water. The Lockheedwas pulled up on board a British carrier, and Anne and Lindy decided to go to Shanghaiwith it and wait while it was being repaired.

“While they were on board the Hermes, the aircraft carrier, they got word thatDwight Morrow, Anne’s father, had died.This meant that their trip was over, sincethey had to get back to the United Statesas quickly as possible. They took a steamerto Vancouver, and then flew across the countryto Maine.”

“From then on the Lindberghs droppedout of the news, because they wanted to.And they didn’t figure in the news againuntil that terrible day when their baby waskidnapped. That was on March 1st, youremember. But in spite of everything that’shappened, Lindy is carrying on, and so isAnne Lindbergh. They’re still the country’smost loved couple.

“Lindy’s still working hard at aviation, and trying to make the world aviation conscious.That’s what he says his aim is, and that’s what he makes his trips for. Hewants people to get so used to airplanesthat they’ll ride in them just like they ridein automobiles, without thinking twiceabout it. He hasn’t had any serious accidents, because he’s always careful that everything’sin perfect order before he starts on aflight. That’s part of his program. Hewants to make people see that if you’re cautiousenough, flying isn’t dangerous.

“I think that Lindy’s succeeded in whathe’s tried to do. The world, and especiallythe United States was never more interestedin aviation than in the year that Lindy flewacross the Atlantic. That made them sit upand take notice. The United States wasway behind Europe in air service, but sinceit perked up and got interested in what couldbe done, why, its been getting ahead byleaps and bounds.

“And we mustn’t forget that the most importantthing about Lindy is that he wasborn with wings. He wasn’t made a flyer,he just was one. I’ve seen him give an exhibition, when we went to see the air races, and golly, you could tell his plane fromanybody else’s in the world. He handles itso easily, and takes it off like a thistle andbrings it down like a feather. A plane’s justpart of him.

“And besides that, he’s as modest as theycome. Of course, that’s an old story. Everybodyknows that. But it still strikes meas pretty marvelous that a man can make abig success when he’s only 25, and then goon as though nothing had happened, stickingto his work, only working harder thanever. If anybody gets my vote, it’s Lindy, even if he was running for President, and Iwas old enough to vote.” Bob stopped.“Well,” he said then, “I guess that’s the endof my story.”

It was pretty late. The moon had gonedown, and the garden was dark, with thefour men making four mounds of deeperblack where they sat. Suddenly a light inthe house switched on, sending out a streamof light that picked out Bob, his hair tousled, his eyes blinking in the sudden glare.

Hal started. “It must be late,” he saidanxiously. “I’d better be getting on. Thenight air – I shouldn’t have stayed so long.”

The screen door of the house slammed, and a figure approached, then down thegarden walk, strangely burdened.

“Hang around,” said Captain Bill, startingup. “This is going to be interesting.”He hurried down the path and met Bob’smother, whose strange burden turned outto be a tray with glasses and a covered dish.He took the tray from her. “You can’t gonow,” he called to Hal. “Look what we’vegot.” He set the tray down, and lifted thenapkin from the plate. “Home baked cookies,”he said, and took one. “You shouldhave joined our group sooner,” he said tohis sister, between bites.

“Because I brought cookies, I suppose, iffor no other reason,” she said with a laugh.

“Why, Meg, you know that you’d bewelcome even without cookies. You shouldhave been here to hear your son and mynephew tell a grand story in a grand way.”

Bob felt himself blushing in the dark.Praise from Bill was rare and much soughtafter. “Aw,” he said, “it wasn’t anything.”

“It was a good yarn,” said Bill, emphatically.

“If it was a good yarn, then he’s yournephew, all right,” said Mrs. Martin. “Therewas never anybody like you for yarning.And good ones, too.”

Captain Bill laughed, and took anothercookie. “If I can tell stories the way youbake cookies – ”

He didn’t finish his sentence. Hal had beenstanding nervously at the edge of the group, waiting for a chance to break in. Now hebroke in, chance or no chance. “I’ve gotto go, really I do,” he said. “My motherwill be worried. Thanks a lot for everything.Goodnight.” He broke into a run, and disappeared into the darkness.

Captain Bill looked after him. “Say, what’s the matter with Hal? What was hishurry?”

Bob was a little embarrassed. He hatedto talk disloyally about his friend, but hefelt that Bill ought to know. “I guess he’safraid to be out so late alone. You see,Hal’s pretty much of a baby yet. He’s afraidof a lot of things he oughtn’t to be afraidof, and he’s always afraid that his mother’sworrying about him.”

“I think that it’s his mother’s fault,” saidMrs. Martin. “She’s pampered him andspoiled him until he can’t do a thing or thinkfor himself. She just didn’t know that thebest way to rear a boy is to give him plentyto eat and a place to sleep and let him takecare of himself.”

“That’s why I turned out so well, isn’tit, Mother?” said Bob.

His mother laughed. “Oh, I don’t knowabout you. You must be the exceptionthat proves the rule.”

Bill spoke suddenly. “There ought tobe something done about Hal,” he said. “Ilike that boy. He’s got the stuff there, buthe needs something to bring it out. Howabout it, Bob?”

“I think so, Bill,” said Bob, pleased thatCaptain Bill had seen so much in his friend.“I’ve been trying to help Hal, and I thinkthat he’s getting much better than he was, don’t you, Mother?”

“I have noticed an improvement,” saidMrs. Martin.

“There’ll be more before I go home,” saidCaptain Bill.

“Don’t hog the cookies,” said Pat, makinghis first, but most important contributionto the conversation. But Pat, thoughhe had said nothing, had thought a lot.