’Plane Tragedy in Alaska

Manawatu Times, Volume 60, Issue 194, 19 August 1935, Page 7

’Plane Tragedy in Alaska

Will Rogers and Wiley Post Killed

MACHINE CRASHED ON FROZEN GROUND

SEATTLE, August 16.

Tlic Alaska telegraph system has

advised that Will Rogers, comedy actor, and Wiley Post, round the world flier, were killed when their plane crashed fifteen miles south of Point Barrow, Alaska. Sergt. Stanley Morgan, United States Army Signal Corps operator at Point Barrow, recovered the bodies after tho crash at 5.30 p.m. on Thursday. Both were dead when found. The bodies were taken to Point Barrow and eared for by Dr. Henry Greist, medical missionary. The tundra land, south ,of Point Barrow-, is generally devoid of bodies of water large enough to make a safe landing and while no details of the crash have been received it is assumed that the plane came down on frozen ground.

How the Tragedy Happened

Received Sunday, 9.50 p.m. POINT BARROW, Alaska, Aug. 17. Will Rogers and Wiley Post took off from .Fairbanks for Barrow on Thursday in the face of poor flying conditions. They alighted at Harding Lake, fifty miles out of Fairbanks, until the fog lifted. Once again the fog settled down and they found Little River on tiie peninsula south of Point Barrow. On taking off again the plane reaclia height of sixty feet when the motor misfired, the plane heeling over and striking first on the right wing and then nosing into tho bank head-on. Both were instantly nulled. A terrified Eskimo ran .15 miles to Point Barrow around lakes and across streams in three hours notifying Mr. Morgan, who dashed to tho scene and recovered the bodies. He sent word of tho tragedy to the world. Wiley Post's watch stopped at 8.20 p.m.

Both 1 men’s limbs were broken and they sustained head wounds. The wreckage had to be pulled apart to free Wiley Post. Both wings were broken loose and the motor driven into the fuselage.

The bodies are resting at the Presbyterian Mission warehouse and will be flown to Fairbanks probably on (Saturday by Joe Crossoa, who is coming from Fairbanks.

Meanwhile it became known in Los Angeles that the plane was made of second-hand parts and was operating under a restricted license. The two were on a vacation trip and had already flown over a large part of Alaska, Canadian Yucon and the Northwest Territories. There was uncertainty as to what their future plans were, but it is believed they possibly intended a Jcasurcly flight round the world. Will Rogers was believed to be financing the trip.

His Friend’s Tribute

TERRIFIC BLOW TO AMERICANS Received Sunday, 9.50 p.m. MELBOURNE, Aug. IS. Harold,Gatty, who was Wiley Post’s companion when they circumnavigated the globe, interviewed at Melbourne said he was deeply grieved at the death of his friend Wiley Post. He was an extraordinary man with no nerves at all. Ho only had one eye but started to learn to fly before he lost his eye which enabled him to gauge the relative sizes of things and obtain a judgment of distance which stood him in good stead. Afterwards he would fly in any kind of weather. “The only reason wo had not remained together was the fact that our interests were along different lines. Will Rogers' death will be a terrific blow to Amcri-.

cans. He was the best friend aviation had,’’ concluded Mr. Gatty.

The Nation Mouras Two Noted Sons

“WINNIE MAE” PURCHASED BY GOVERNMENT

Received (Sunday, Midnight. NEW YORK, Aug. 17,

A wave of the most sincere sorrow swept the country at the loss of the nation’s foremost flier and best-beloved humorist. It caused the (Senate session to go into recess. Flags were halfmasted throughout Oklahoma which was the home State of both meu. Hundreds of memorial services were planned throughout the country. Motor boats brought the bodies of Wiley Post and Will Rogers to Point Barrow.

Colonel Lindbergh, who was an intimate friend of both men, offered their wives any assistance they desired. He asked the Pan-American Airways, whereof he is the technical director, to have their subsidiary Pacilic-Alaska Airways to fly the bodies to Fairbanks where they will be transferred to a coastguard vessel. Both the Senate and the House authorised the expenditure of 20,000 dollars to purchase the “Winnie Mae,” the aeropiaue which Post and Gatty flew round the world, to place in the Smithsonian Institute where Lindbergh’s “Spirit of St. Louis” and other famous aircraft are now housed for posterity.