Slipstream: the autobiography of an air craftsmanWilson, Eugene E.
History
Slipstream: the autobiography of an air craftsman
Wilson, Eugene E.
Aircraft industry -- United States -- Biography; United States. Navy -- Aviation; Wilson, Eugene E., 1887-1974
Admiral Moffett did not miss the opportunity, afforded him by the
_Saratoga’s_ performance, to press for his reappointment as Chief of
the Bureau of Aeronautics. He countered front office maneuvers in the
Navy Department through adroit handling of the political angle at
which he was past master. Someone on the Naval Affairs Committee let
the Secretary know that the admiral’s reappointment for a third term
was favored by that committee; then someone on the Appropriations
Committee inquired when his nomination might be expected—and lo, the
whole house of cards collapsed.
The performance of the _Saratoga’s_ planes created a front-page
sensation; _The New York Times_ handled the story exceptionally.
Hanson Baldwin, himself a Naval Academy man steeped in the Mahan
tradition, was on the scene, and went out with us on several
demonstrations arranged for fleet officers and distinguished
visitors. Charles A. Lindbergh, then at Panama in connection with Pan
American Airways’ first mail hop from Panama to Miami, spent several
days on board the _Saratoga_.
Instead of quartering him in the admiral’s cabin, we berthed him down
in the wardroom with the squadron pilots and passed the word around
that he should be treated like any other visiting Army file. However,
since his first act had been to request permission to take off and
land on the ship, and further, since approval of his request might
convey the impression that there was no mystery attached to being a
naval aviator—especially a carrier pilot—I was designated to chaperon
him during flight operations and diplomatically to fend him off.
We were standing together on the bridge of the _Saratoga_, watching
the evolutions on deck. The very precision of the landings and
take-offs was a delight, and the smooth teamwork of the deck
crews was breathtaking, even to those who had grown up with the
development. Lindbergh, enthusiastic as a kid with a toy airplane,
kept up a running fire of questions as to the whys and wherefores
of everything. He was particularly curious about the air tactics,
and kept Wagner and the admiral busy answering searching questions.
Lindbergh’s eyes gleamed and his boyish grin widened as the admiral
held forth as only he could do.
It was after the operations had been concluded and we were heading
back to port that Lindbergh popped the question that was uppermost in
his mind.
“Why won’t you let me land on board?” he asked abruptly.
“Admiral Wiley is reluctant to accept responsibility for your
safety,” I replied.
“I’m responsible for myself,” he retorted brusquely. “Isn’t it a fact
that they just don’t want an Army officer around a carrier?” he added.
“Of course,” I replied. And then I moved on to the counterplan. “You
remember the Three Sea Hawks at the Los Angeles air races last year?”
I inquired.
Naturally Lindbergh remembered.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account