1 00:00:00,120 --> 00:00:03,160 Speaker 1: Hey, listeners, we are soon to be appearing at New 2 00:00:03,200 --> 00:00:05,200 Speaker 1: York Comic Con as part of New York Comic Con 3 00:00:05,280 --> 00:00:07,800 Speaker 1: presents their evening programming. We are going to do an 4 00:00:07,800 --> 00:00:11,680 Speaker 1: episode about the creation of what is usually credited as 5 00:00:11,680 --> 00:00:13,480 Speaker 1: the first comic book, and we'll be talking about the 6 00:00:13,480 --> 00:00:15,480 Speaker 1: man who did it and how that came to be 7 00:00:15,640 --> 00:00:16,919 Speaker 1: and if you want to get in on that, we 8 00:00:16,960 --> 00:00:18,919 Speaker 1: would love to see you for our live show. It 9 00:00:19,000 --> 00:00:22,119 Speaker 1: is taking place on October six, from nine thirty to 10 00:00:22,360 --> 00:00:25,120 Speaker 1: eleven at the Hudson Mercantile. Again that runs during New 11 00:00:25,200 --> 00:00:28,080 Speaker 1: York Comic Con, and for more information on it, you 12 00:00:28,080 --> 00:00:31,080 Speaker 1: can visit our website Missed in History dot com. You 13 00:00:31,120 --> 00:00:33,080 Speaker 1: will click on the link this is live shows and 14 00:00:33,120 --> 00:00:35,720 Speaker 1: you can get all the info and a link to 15 00:00:35,840 --> 00:00:41,320 Speaker 1: order your tickets. We hope to see you there. Welcome 16 00:00:41,360 --> 00:00:44,200 Speaker 1: to Stuff You Missed in History Class from how Stuff 17 00:00:44,200 --> 00:00:53,599 Speaker 1: Works dot com. Hello, and welcome to the podcast. I'm 18 00:00:53,640 --> 00:00:57,880 Speaker 1: Holly Fry and I'm Tracy B. Wilson. Tracy, did you 19 00:00:57,880 --> 00:00:59,720 Speaker 1: know that the loss of the U S. S Acron 20 00:00:59,800 --> 00:01:02,800 Speaker 1: was the biggest single tragedy in aviation history at the 21 00:01:02,840 --> 00:01:05,840 Speaker 1: time that had happened. I did not know that level 22 00:01:05,840 --> 00:01:09,440 Speaker 1: of detail. Yeah, because unless year in aviation or U. S. 23 00:01:09,520 --> 00:01:11,760 Speaker 1: Navy history buff you might not know much about it. 24 00:01:11,760 --> 00:01:14,199 Speaker 1: It's one of those things that kind of uh doesn't 25 00:01:14,200 --> 00:01:16,640 Speaker 1: get a whole lot of attention. I think we might 26 00:01:17,240 --> 00:01:20,160 Speaker 1: have mentioned it just as an aside in that episode 27 00:01:20,160 --> 00:01:22,840 Speaker 1: that we did about the Hindenburg, but even so we 28 00:01:22,840 --> 00:01:25,360 Speaker 1: did not get into any detail. Yeah, and even the 29 00:01:25,440 --> 00:01:29,119 Speaker 1: Hindenburg disaster, which happened four years after the Acron was lost, 30 00:01:29,200 --> 00:01:33,320 Speaker 1: resulted in far fewer lives lost, but probably because we 31 00:01:33,400 --> 00:01:37,679 Speaker 1: have terrifying dramatic footage of the Hendenburg burning, that very 32 00:01:37,720 --> 00:01:42,040 Speaker 1: tragic incident is far more commonly recalled in the public consciousness. 33 00:01:42,080 --> 00:01:44,920 Speaker 1: So today we are going to talk about the USS Akron, 34 00:01:45,040 --> 00:01:47,880 Speaker 1: one of two large rigid airships that were part of 35 00:01:47,920 --> 00:01:50,880 Speaker 1: the U. S. Navy's five year aircraft program, which was 36 00:01:50,920 --> 00:01:55,280 Speaker 1: authorized in and also just for clarity, doubts would come up, 37 00:01:55,280 --> 00:01:57,960 Speaker 1: but just in case, this is not to be confused 38 00:01:58,000 --> 00:02:00,920 Speaker 1: with a much smaller, privately owned air ship also called 39 00:02:00,960 --> 00:02:04,440 Speaker 1: the Akron. UH. That airship, which was owned by adventurer 40 00:02:04,520 --> 00:02:08,000 Speaker 1: and photographer Chester Melvin Vanaman, exploded off the coast of 41 00:02:08,040 --> 00:02:10,680 Speaker 1: New Jersey in nineteen twelve, killing its owner. But that 42 00:02:10,800 --> 00:02:14,800 Speaker 1: is a totally different thing. So for the one that 43 00:02:14,840 --> 00:02:18,520 Speaker 1: we are talking about, and the fall of nineteen nine, 44 00:02:18,680 --> 00:02:22,919 Speaker 1: construction began on the z R S four in acron, Ohio. 45 00:02:23,600 --> 00:02:26,320 Speaker 1: It was eventually renamed for the city where it was built. 46 00:02:26,720 --> 00:02:29,480 Speaker 1: The Good Years Zeppelin Corporation had signed a contract with 47 00:02:29,520 --> 00:02:33,680 Speaker 1: the Bureau of Aeronautics in to build this ship, which 48 00:02:33,720 --> 00:02:37,200 Speaker 1: was designed by Dr. Carl Arnstein to be an airborne 49 00:02:37,520 --> 00:02:41,240 Speaker 1: aircraft carrier. In a week into the build, there was 50 00:02:41,280 --> 00:02:44,400 Speaker 1: an official ceremony to markets beginning. So sometimes if you're 51 00:02:44,440 --> 00:02:46,960 Speaker 1: looking at the historical record, there are a couple different 52 00:02:47,080 --> 00:02:49,280 Speaker 1: dates that are listed as the beginning of construction, and 53 00:02:49,320 --> 00:02:51,800 Speaker 1: that's why there was some preliminary work done and then 54 00:02:51,800 --> 00:02:55,240 Speaker 1: a week after it they had this official ceremony uh 55 00:02:55,320 --> 00:02:58,400 Speaker 1: And during that ceremony, the chief of the Bureau of Aeronautics, 56 00:02:58,520 --> 00:03:02,079 Speaker 1: Rear Admiral William ama Fit, drove a golden rivet into 57 00:03:02,160 --> 00:03:04,800 Speaker 1: the main ring of the ship. By the spring of 58 00:03:05,680 --> 00:03:08,160 Speaker 1: one the hull was well underway and the name for 59 00:03:08,160 --> 00:03:10,440 Speaker 1: the ship, which was the Acron, like we said, was 60 00:03:10,520 --> 00:03:15,200 Speaker 1: announced by Ernest Lee Jankie, who was the Navy's Assistant Secretary. 61 00:03:15,440 --> 00:03:18,480 Speaker 1: The Goodyear Tire and Rubber Company, in cooperation with the 62 00:03:18,480 --> 00:03:21,840 Speaker 1: City of Akron, Ohio, actually produced a short silent film 63 00:03:21,919 --> 00:03:24,760 Speaker 1: about the Acron's construction. It runs about twenty minutes and 64 00:03:24,800 --> 00:03:28,040 Speaker 1: it showcases all the features and innovations of the dirigible. 65 00:03:28,440 --> 00:03:31,440 Speaker 1: It features the quote huge building from which the giant 66 00:03:31,440 --> 00:03:35,240 Speaker 1: airship was hatched, as well as showing all of the 67 00:03:35,280 --> 00:03:38,760 Speaker 1: construction phases of this massive airship. In it, you can 68 00:03:38,800 --> 00:03:42,320 Speaker 1: also see workers raising the first ring into position, a 69 00:03:42,480 --> 00:03:46,000 Speaker 1: massive gas cell being placed in the frame for an 70 00:03:46,000 --> 00:03:49,440 Speaker 1: inflation and buoyancy test, the nose and tail of the 71 00:03:49,480 --> 00:03:52,720 Speaker 1: craft being moved into position, and the sheets that comprised 72 00:03:52,720 --> 00:03:55,640 Speaker 1: its outer covering being applied to the exterior of the 73 00:03:55,720 --> 00:03:58,800 Speaker 1: frame along with a number of other milestones and the 74 00:03:58,800 --> 00:04:02,600 Speaker 1: Acron's construction. Yeah, they show some cool footage of like 75 00:04:02,720 --> 00:04:05,600 Speaker 1: them doping that exterior, which is when they coat it 76 00:04:05,640 --> 00:04:07,960 Speaker 1: with its its protective coating, and it just looks like 77 00:04:08,040 --> 00:04:10,720 Speaker 1: dude spray painting. It's kind of fun to watch, um. 78 00:04:10,880 --> 00:04:13,960 Speaker 1: And the film also mentions the water ballast that was 79 00:04:14,040 --> 00:04:17,000 Speaker 1: used to keep the zeppelin steady, which was supplied by 80 00:04:17,080 --> 00:04:20,600 Speaker 1: exhaust vapors that were then condensed, so it was pretty 81 00:04:20,640 --> 00:04:25,960 Speaker 1: smartly designed as well. On August one, First Lady Mrs 82 00:04:26,000 --> 00:04:29,520 Speaker 1: lou Henry Hoover christened the airship as it was launched, 83 00:04:29,720 --> 00:04:32,520 Speaker 1: meaning that it was floating above the hangar floor, but 84 00:04:32,560 --> 00:04:36,159 Speaker 1: it was still contained there in the build bay. And 85 00:04:36,200 --> 00:04:39,120 Speaker 1: when the dirigible was completed, it was seven and eighty 86 00:04:39,160 --> 00:04:43,080 Speaker 1: feet that's two nine long, hundred and thirty two point 87 00:04:43,120 --> 00:04:46,360 Speaker 1: five feet or forty wide, and a hundred and fifty 88 00:04:46,400 --> 00:04:49,440 Speaker 1: two point two ft or forty six point five ms tall. 89 00:04:49,520 --> 00:04:53,480 Speaker 1: When fully inflated, its volume was six point five million 90 00:04:53,600 --> 00:04:56,240 Speaker 1: cubic feet and it had been built with a sturdy, 91 00:04:56,279 --> 00:04:59,560 Speaker 1: deep mainframe, and this design was actually a departure from 92 00:04:59,560 --> 00:05:03,840 Speaker 1: the rain design of prior dridgibles. It was inflated with helium, 93 00:05:04,120 --> 00:05:07,039 Speaker 1: and it featured eight may Back v L two engines, 94 00:05:07,080 --> 00:05:10,040 Speaker 1: which were reversible and thus offered a really high degree 95 00:05:10,040 --> 00:05:14,440 Speaker 1: of maneuverability for something this size. The Akron's design included 96 00:05:14,480 --> 00:05:17,640 Speaker 1: a third of the interior space dedicated to a hangar 97 00:05:17,760 --> 00:05:21,320 Speaker 1: which could accommodate five aircraft. We're going to talk about 98 00:05:21,360 --> 00:05:24,120 Speaker 1: how those planes were launched and retrieved in just a bit. 99 00:05:24,839 --> 00:05:28,120 Speaker 1: There were also two sections allocated to crew quarters, which 100 00:05:28,200 --> 00:05:31,080 Speaker 1: featured a galley, mess and washroom in addition to the 101 00:05:31,080 --> 00:05:34,600 Speaker 1: sleeping areas. The water that passed through the airship's engines 102 00:05:34,680 --> 00:05:37,680 Speaker 1: to cool them was then used to heat the crew quarters. 103 00:05:38,200 --> 00:05:40,240 Speaker 1: Yeah That hot water that they took away from the 104 00:05:40,240 --> 00:05:43,560 Speaker 1: engines then got a second life as a heating implement. 105 00:05:44,120 --> 00:05:46,480 Speaker 1: A month and a half after the christening, on September 106 00:05:46,560 --> 00:05:49,159 Speaker 1: twenty three, the Akron had her first flight, which was 107 00:05:49,200 --> 00:05:53,240 Speaker 1: conducted over Cleveland, Ohio, and before the dirigible was officially 108 00:05:53,240 --> 00:05:56,560 Speaker 1: commissioned as a Navy vessel, an additional eight test flights 109 00:05:56,560 --> 00:05:59,680 Speaker 1: were conducted, taking the ship farther and farther each time 110 00:05:59,800 --> 00:06:03,840 Speaker 1: and testing all of the various mechanisms aboard, just shy 111 00:06:03,920 --> 00:06:06,880 Speaker 1: of two years before the anniversary of the startup construction. 112 00:06:07,080 --> 00:06:12,240 Speaker 1: On October, the USS Akron was commissioned after having been 113 00:06:12,240 --> 00:06:15,560 Speaker 1: delivered to the Lakehurst, New Jersey, Naval Air Station, with 114 00:06:15,600 --> 00:06:19,520 Speaker 1: Lieutenant Commander Charles E. Rosendaal named as the commanding officer 115 00:06:19,600 --> 00:06:23,000 Speaker 1: of the new vessel. The Akron had its first official 116 00:06:23,080 --> 00:06:27,279 Speaker 1: Navy voyage on November two, on a course that took 117 00:06:27,279 --> 00:06:30,480 Speaker 1: it down the east coast of the United States to Washington, 118 00:06:30,600 --> 00:06:33,320 Speaker 1: d C. And from that moment on it saw plenty 119 00:06:33,360 --> 00:06:36,000 Speaker 1: of airtime, more than three hundred hours in flight over 120 00:06:36,040 --> 00:06:39,400 Speaker 1: the course of just a few weeks. Following that, forty 121 00:06:39,520 --> 00:06:42,640 Speaker 1: six of those three hours were logged on a single 122 00:06:42,720 --> 00:06:47,200 Speaker 1: mission that took the Acron on a round trip to Mobile, Alabama. 123 00:06:47,320 --> 00:06:51,320 Speaker 1: And the Akron really proved itself repeatedly. Um you will 124 00:06:51,360 --> 00:06:54,640 Speaker 1: see a lot of discussions of it as being plagued 125 00:06:54,680 --> 00:06:56,480 Speaker 1: by problems, and it had problems. We're going to talk 126 00:06:56,480 --> 00:06:58,760 Speaker 1: about those in a minute, but it also did some 127 00:06:58,760 --> 00:07:03,000 Speaker 1: pretty impressive things. On January nine of ninety two, the 128 00:07:03,080 --> 00:07:05,720 Speaker 1: Zeppelin took part in a search exercise that showed its 129 00:07:05,800 --> 00:07:09,480 Speaker 1: endurance and its capabilities as a search vessel. The goal 130 00:07:09,720 --> 00:07:12,040 Speaker 1: was for the Akron to locate a group of destroyers 131 00:07:12,080 --> 00:07:15,160 Speaker 1: that were on route to Guantanamo Bay and then follow, observe, 132 00:07:15,240 --> 00:07:19,000 Speaker 1: and report their activities. Due to the inclement weather i'm 133 00:07:19,120 --> 00:07:22,080 Speaker 1: January tenth, the crew of the Akron wasn't able to 134 00:07:22,080 --> 00:07:26,160 Speaker 1: sight the destroyers initially, although the destroyers did report spotting 135 00:07:26,160 --> 00:07:29,760 Speaker 1: the dirigible, but the airship kept looking for the destroyers 136 00:07:29,800 --> 00:07:32,720 Speaker 1: and eventually was able to spot and report on two 137 00:07:32,720 --> 00:07:35,679 Speaker 1: groups of ships on the eleventh, which made the scouting 138 00:07:35,680 --> 00:07:38,560 Speaker 1: mission a success. Yeah. This was to be clear when 139 00:07:38,560 --> 00:07:41,480 Speaker 1: we say it's an exercise, this is like a planned thing. 140 00:07:41,760 --> 00:07:44,520 Speaker 1: There were no enemies that they were citing. This was 141 00:07:44,560 --> 00:07:48,040 Speaker 1: all sort of training. And coming up, we're going to 142 00:07:48,120 --> 00:07:51,800 Speaker 1: talk about an accident that the Akron had in one 143 00:07:51,840 --> 00:07:55,560 Speaker 1: but first we're going to pause, have a little sponsor break. 144 00:08:00,200 --> 00:08:04,400 Speaker 1: So the following month after where we left off, on February, 145 00:08:04,880 --> 00:08:07,920 Speaker 1: the Acron was damaged in an accident. It was being 146 00:08:07,960 --> 00:08:10,480 Speaker 1: moved out of its hangar when a wind gust blew 147 00:08:10,480 --> 00:08:12,960 Speaker 1: the tail off its moorings and the back end of 148 00:08:13,000 --> 00:08:16,040 Speaker 1: the airship was then thrust downward and it impacted on 149 00:08:16,080 --> 00:08:20,000 Speaker 1: the ground. Repairs to the damage, which was mostly concentrated 150 00:08:20,040 --> 00:08:23,800 Speaker 1: around the lower fin, took two months. After this restoration 151 00:08:23,880 --> 00:08:27,920 Speaker 1: was complete, its first voyage took place on Ape and 152 00:08:28,080 --> 00:08:31,520 Speaker 1: this was a smooth nine hour flight. And soon after 153 00:08:31,840 --> 00:08:35,920 Speaker 1: there was this really unique technology tested. The Acron tested 154 00:08:35,960 --> 00:08:38,360 Speaker 1: what they called a spy basket on its next flight, 155 00:08:38,960 --> 00:08:41,400 Speaker 1: and this spy basket was just as it sounds. This 156 00:08:41,520 --> 00:08:44,160 Speaker 1: small addition that hung from the bottom of the airship 157 00:08:44,600 --> 00:08:46,880 Speaker 1: was space for a man to sit in uh and 158 00:08:46,960 --> 00:08:50,440 Speaker 1: observe the ground below. And the intent was that the 159 00:08:50,480 --> 00:08:53,360 Speaker 1: ship itself could stay within cloud cover for the most part, 160 00:08:53,559 --> 00:08:56,719 Speaker 1: while the basket could hang just below the clouds. This 161 00:08:56,920 --> 00:09:01,000 Speaker 1: test did not go well. It really did not go well, 162 00:09:01,400 --> 00:09:04,400 Speaker 1: and it's kind of it's not surprising to me that 163 00:09:04,440 --> 00:09:07,360 Speaker 1: it did not go well. The spy basket swung back 164 00:09:07,400 --> 00:09:10,120 Speaker 1: and forth really wildly, and it was considered to be 165 00:09:10,200 --> 00:09:14,120 Speaker 1: way too unstable for practical use. Fortunately, though, the test 166 00:09:14,240 --> 00:09:17,000 Speaker 1: was conducted with a sandbag in the spy seat and 167 00:09:17,040 --> 00:09:20,280 Speaker 1: not an actual person, so no one was harmed or 168 00:09:20,320 --> 00:09:23,880 Speaker 1: just traumatized by the test. No additional work was done 169 00:09:23,880 --> 00:09:25,560 Speaker 1: to try to make it viable either. They were like, 170 00:09:25,600 --> 00:09:28,880 Speaker 1: this is not gonna work, and they abandoned it immediately. Yeah, 171 00:09:28,920 --> 00:09:31,319 Speaker 1: we're about to talk about an interesting mechanism that kind 172 00:09:31,360 --> 00:09:33,880 Speaker 1: of ties into this, and I will explain. So we 173 00:09:33,920 --> 00:09:36,400 Speaker 1: mentioned earlier that the Akron was intended to be an 174 00:09:36,400 --> 00:09:39,800 Speaker 1: aircraft carrier, and the first time that function was tested 175 00:09:39,880 --> 00:09:43,040 Speaker 1: was on May third of nWo and in that flight, 176 00:09:43,120 --> 00:09:45,679 Speaker 1: which was conducted on the eastern seaboard along the New 177 00:09:45,760 --> 00:09:50,200 Speaker 1: Jersey coastline, pilots used the Acrons so called trapeze installation, 178 00:09:50,280 --> 00:09:53,360 Speaker 1: which was a method for docking aircraft with the dirigible 179 00:09:53,400 --> 00:09:55,800 Speaker 1: in flight. And this kind of followed up on that 180 00:09:55,880 --> 00:09:59,960 Speaker 1: spy basket idea because planes that were cooked on were 181 00:10:00,040 --> 00:10:04,000 Speaker 1: still hanging under the airship initially, and those guys could 182 00:10:04,040 --> 00:10:06,400 Speaker 1: also cite the ground, so that kind of replaced that 183 00:10:06,440 --> 00:10:09,679 Speaker 1: whole idea. There's actually some footage of some of these 184 00:10:09,679 --> 00:10:11,679 Speaker 1: types of connections and they give a sense of just 185 00:10:11,800 --> 00:10:14,719 Speaker 1: how precise and skilled the pilots of the planes had 186 00:10:14,760 --> 00:10:17,520 Speaker 1: to be. There was a rod assembly on the lower 187 00:10:17,559 --> 00:10:19,880 Speaker 1: side of the akron and that was the trapeeze that 188 00:10:19,960 --> 00:10:22,800 Speaker 1: had another rod across the bottom with a very slight 189 00:10:22,880 --> 00:10:25,800 Speaker 1: downward bend in the middle, and so for a plane 190 00:10:25,840 --> 00:10:28,840 Speaker 1: to dock it had to have uh what looked like 191 00:10:28,880 --> 00:10:32,800 Speaker 1: an inverted basket of rods, also a fix to the 192 00:10:32,800 --> 00:10:35,439 Speaker 1: top of it. So imagine like on top of the 193 00:10:35,480 --> 00:10:40,120 Speaker 1: cockpit there's this whole other little assembly and at the 194 00:10:40,120 --> 00:10:43,640 Speaker 1: apex of that inverted metal basket was a hook. So 195 00:10:43,679 --> 00:10:46,560 Speaker 1: the pilot would have to carefully align his plane so 196 00:10:46,600 --> 00:10:50,079 Speaker 1: that that hook would catch on to that trapeeze mechanism. 197 00:10:50,800 --> 00:10:53,719 Speaker 1: Once the plane had hooked onto the trapeeze and settled 198 00:10:53,760 --> 00:10:56,360 Speaker 1: to the bottom of the bend, mechanisms would drop into 199 00:10:56,400 --> 00:10:59,199 Speaker 1: place to keep the plane's hooks centered there, and then 200 00:10:59,200 --> 00:11:01,440 Speaker 1: the plane and the isilet could be drawn up into 201 00:11:01,480 --> 00:11:05,480 Speaker 1: the akron's internal hangar. Uh. This has been described in 202 00:11:05,559 --> 00:11:09,319 Speaker 1: some writings as like better than any amusement ride on Earth. 203 00:11:09,679 --> 00:11:11,959 Speaker 1: To me, it seems slightly terrifying, but you're minding to 204 00:11:12,080 --> 00:11:17,800 Speaker 1: be very uh well, and I'm wondering. I'm wondering what 205 00:11:18,000 --> 00:11:22,280 Speaker 1: all signaling and what not they had to make connections 206 00:11:22,400 --> 00:11:26,400 Speaker 1: just because um. Earlier this year, I toured the Midway 207 00:11:26,920 --> 00:11:29,880 Speaker 1: and listened to pilots talk about landing on an aircraft 208 00:11:29,920 --> 00:11:33,960 Speaker 1: carrier on the ocean. Yeah, which is also kind of 209 00:11:33,960 --> 00:11:36,760 Speaker 1: a white knuckle experience. But like there there are definitely 210 00:11:36,800 --> 00:11:39,400 Speaker 1: things that you have in your field division to align 211 00:11:39,440 --> 00:11:43,520 Speaker 1: with in instruments. So I'm very curious. Yeah, since that 212 00:11:43,640 --> 00:11:49,320 Speaker 1: was usually sort of centered underneath the the airship, like 213 00:11:49,360 --> 00:11:52,120 Speaker 1: they could align a little bit just by centering. But 214 00:11:52,360 --> 00:11:55,840 Speaker 1: I mean, it's it looks so sort of casual and relaxed. 215 00:11:55,880 --> 00:11:58,080 Speaker 1: When you watch the footage, they just seem like they 216 00:11:58,160 --> 00:12:01,840 Speaker 1: zip up, they're very it's smooth, and they just latch on. 217 00:12:01,960 --> 00:12:05,800 Speaker 1: But I can't imagine that there weren't some clunkers they 218 00:12:06,440 --> 00:12:09,720 Speaker 1: at some way, but these were also incredibly well trained pilots, 219 00:12:10,200 --> 00:12:12,480 Speaker 1: and the two pilots that performed that maneuver in the 220 00:12:12,480 --> 00:12:16,280 Speaker 1: May third test were Lieutenant Daniel W. Harrigan and Lieutenant 221 00:12:16,360 --> 00:12:19,680 Speaker 1: Howard L. Young. They first did the demonstration with an 222 00:12:19,880 --> 00:12:23,760 Speaker 1: end to Y Dash one biplane trainer and then with 223 00:12:23,800 --> 00:12:27,440 Speaker 1: a Curtis x F nine c DASH one sparrowhawk, and 224 00:12:27,480 --> 00:12:31,120 Speaker 1: these tests went really well, and they actually performed them 225 00:12:31,120 --> 00:12:33,600 Speaker 1: again the next day for members of the House Committee 226 00:12:33,600 --> 00:12:36,560 Speaker 1: for Naval Affairs who watched all of these proceedings and 227 00:12:36,559 --> 00:12:39,120 Speaker 1: how well this whole thing worked from a vantage point 228 00:12:39,120 --> 00:12:42,679 Speaker 1: as passengers on the Akron. On May eighth, the Akron 229 00:12:42,720 --> 00:12:45,400 Speaker 1: took flight again, this time traveling down the East Coast 230 00:12:45,400 --> 00:12:49,280 Speaker 1: to Georgia and then cutting west to California. The ultimate 231 00:12:49,360 --> 00:12:53,200 Speaker 1: destination for the Akron was Sunnyvale, California, but a stop 232 00:12:53,280 --> 00:12:56,760 Speaker 1: was planned at Camp Kearney in San Diego County, and 233 00:12:56,840 --> 00:13:00,280 Speaker 1: this stop was a tricky undertaking. The crew a Camp 234 00:13:00,320 --> 00:13:03,480 Speaker 1: Kearney had not brought in a dirigible like the Acron before, 235 00:13:04,040 --> 00:13:06,440 Speaker 1: and the specialized moorings that were used at the Navy 236 00:13:06,480 --> 00:13:10,000 Speaker 1: base in Lakers, New Jersey were not on hand, and 237 00:13:10,040 --> 00:13:12,800 Speaker 1: to further complicate the landing, the craft was lighter than 238 00:13:12,840 --> 00:13:15,080 Speaker 1: normal because it had burned so much fuel on this 239 00:13:15,160 --> 00:13:18,200 Speaker 1: cross country trip, and because the heat from the sun 240 00:13:18,240 --> 00:13:21,120 Speaker 1: had warmed it, the gases inside had expanded to be 241 00:13:21,240 --> 00:13:23,760 Speaker 1: less dense, so it just wasn't as easy to control 242 00:13:23,840 --> 00:13:26,920 Speaker 1: as it normally would be. Those two factors led to 243 00:13:26,960 --> 00:13:29,959 Speaker 1: a loss of control of the ship, and to prevent 244 00:13:30,000 --> 00:13:32,640 Speaker 1: it from hitting the ground nose first, the mooring cable 245 00:13:32,679 --> 00:13:35,520 Speaker 1: had to be cut. This did prevent a crash, but 246 00:13:35,600 --> 00:13:38,880 Speaker 1: it also resulted in a tragedy. Four of the men 247 00:13:38,960 --> 00:13:41,319 Speaker 1: who were holding lines to the ship didn't let go, 248 00:13:41,559 --> 00:13:43,560 Speaker 1: and one of them fell from a height of fifteen 249 00:13:43,600 --> 00:13:46,360 Speaker 1: feet which is four point six meters, and broken arm. 250 00:13:47,200 --> 00:13:51,679 Speaker 1: Three others held on. Initially, apprentice seamen cm Cowart was 251 00:13:51,760 --> 00:13:54,600 Speaker 1: able to cling to the line and not lose his grip, 252 00:13:54,920 --> 00:13:57,600 Speaker 1: and after a wild ride of about an hour, he 253 00:13:57,640 --> 00:14:01,079 Speaker 1: was pulled onto the akron. Yeah, there was allegedly an 254 00:14:01,080 --> 00:14:03,679 Speaker 1: attempt or a thought for a while that they were 255 00:14:03,720 --> 00:14:05,719 Speaker 1: going to land just him on the ground, but then 256 00:14:05,720 --> 00:14:08,360 Speaker 1: they realized they were not confident that they could do 257 00:14:08,440 --> 00:14:10,679 Speaker 1: it without like slamming him into the ground, so he 258 00:14:10,760 --> 00:14:13,840 Speaker 1: ended up being pulled aboard. Two other men were not 259 00:14:13,920 --> 00:14:18,000 Speaker 1: so lucky. Aviation Carpenter's mate, third Class Robert H. Edsel, 260 00:14:18,120 --> 00:14:21,800 Speaker 1: and apprentice Seaman Nigel M. Hinton both died after they 261 00:14:21,840 --> 00:14:23,880 Speaker 1: lost their grips on the lines that they held and 262 00:14:23,920 --> 00:14:26,800 Speaker 1: they fell to their deaths, and when interviewed a few 263 00:14:26,840 --> 00:14:29,120 Speaker 1: days later, Cowart, who was the man who had survived, 264 00:14:29,120 --> 00:14:32,040 Speaker 1: said quote, I just hung on. I saw the other 265 00:14:32,080 --> 00:14:34,400 Speaker 1: fellows fall and it didn't make me feel any too good, 266 00:14:34,440 --> 00:14:36,680 Speaker 1: but there was nothing I could do about it except 267 00:14:36,720 --> 00:14:40,840 Speaker 1: to hang on tighter. The Acron continued its missions, though 268 00:14:40,880 --> 00:14:43,320 Speaker 1: it stayed on the West coast for several weeks, It 269 00:14:43,440 --> 00:14:46,760 Speaker 1: traveled north to the Canadian border and participated in scouting 270 00:14:46,760 --> 00:14:49,520 Speaker 1: fleet exercises similar to the one that we mentioned earlier, 271 00:14:49,560 --> 00:14:52,360 Speaker 1: when it searched for destroyers that were headed to Guantanamo Bay. 272 00:14:53,120 --> 00:14:57,840 Speaker 1: The Acron once again performed admirably in these exercises. In June, 273 00:14:58,120 --> 00:15:01,120 Speaker 1: the airship left California to head back to lake Hurst, 274 00:15:01,240 --> 00:15:04,080 Speaker 1: and that journey took four days from June eleven to 275 00:15:04,240 --> 00:15:08,520 Speaker 1: June fifteenth, two before the Acron was able to get home, 276 00:15:08,600 --> 00:15:12,080 Speaker 1: and that was in part because it encountered several incidents 277 00:15:12,080 --> 00:15:14,800 Speaker 1: of just really bad weather along the way, and when 278 00:15:14,800 --> 00:15:17,760 Speaker 1: the Akron finally docked in New Jersey, the seventy nine 279 00:15:17,760 --> 00:15:21,200 Speaker 1: main crew was exhausted from the journey. When they're described 280 00:15:21,240 --> 00:15:23,760 Speaker 1: as coming down the gang point, they just all sound 281 00:15:23,800 --> 00:15:26,680 Speaker 1: like they were completely depleted. And the next several weeks 282 00:15:26,720 --> 00:15:29,640 Speaker 1: brought a welcome respite from flights as the airship underwent 283 00:15:29,680 --> 00:15:33,560 Speaker 1: maintenance and repairs. In July, the Akron was once again 284 00:15:33,600 --> 00:15:36,080 Speaker 1: air ready and assisted in a rescue mission when the 285 00:15:36,160 --> 00:15:38,680 Speaker 1: yacht Curlew went missing. This had been part of a 286 00:15:38,720 --> 00:15:41,160 Speaker 1: six d and twenty eight mile which is a thousand 287 00:15:41,160 --> 00:15:44,520 Speaker 1: and eleven kilometer race from Montauk to Bermuda, when the 288 00:15:44,560 --> 00:15:47,200 Speaker 1: boat and the six people on it were lost during 289 00:15:47,240 --> 00:15:50,200 Speaker 1: some bad weather. All the other twenty five yachts made 290 00:15:50,240 --> 00:15:52,840 Speaker 1: it through, but contact with the Curlew had been lost. 291 00:15:53,480 --> 00:15:56,880 Speaker 1: The Akron was ordered to fly in circles along the 292 00:15:56,920 --> 00:15:59,600 Speaker 1: course from the Curlew's last known location and to try 293 00:15:59,600 --> 00:16:03,840 Speaker 1: to report results back to naval operations. It was eventually 294 00:16:03,880 --> 00:16:07,400 Speaker 1: found off the coast of Nantucket. Yeah, but that yacht 295 00:16:07,400 --> 00:16:09,320 Speaker 1: search had caused a little bit of a pause in 296 00:16:09,360 --> 00:16:12,080 Speaker 1: the Acron's training missions. But we're gonna get right back 297 00:16:12,080 --> 00:16:15,080 Speaker 1: into that after we first take a quick break to 298 00:16:15,200 --> 00:16:17,360 Speaker 1: hear from one of the sponsors that keep stuff you 299 00:16:17,360 --> 00:16:25,320 Speaker 1: missed in history class going. So the focus of the 300 00:16:25,360 --> 00:16:29,280 Speaker 1: Akron's efforts at that point rescue missions for yachts aside 301 00:16:29,840 --> 00:16:33,560 Speaker 1: was continued experimentation and development of the trapeeze system. They 302 00:16:33,560 --> 00:16:36,120 Speaker 1: really wanted to primarily just drill the pilots so that 303 00:16:36,160 --> 00:16:39,360 Speaker 1: they would be extremely good at this uh and the 304 00:16:39,400 --> 00:16:42,520 Speaker 1: man in charge of these ongoing trapeze experiments, as appointed 305 00:16:42,520 --> 00:16:46,520 Speaker 1: by Rear Admiral Moffatt, was Commander alger Herman Dressel, and 306 00:16:46,600 --> 00:16:50,320 Speaker 1: under Dressel's leadership, the AKRON continued to advance its trapeeze work, 307 00:16:50,400 --> 00:16:53,880 Speaker 1: eventually achieving the ability to manage a full load of 308 00:16:53,960 --> 00:16:59,280 Speaker 1: Curtis F nine C two sparrowhawks on August two. There 309 00:16:59,320 --> 00:17:02,320 Speaker 1: was a new pro problem, though, due to a timing 310 00:17:02,360 --> 00:17:05,480 Speaker 1: accident and the relay of orders because the command was 311 00:17:05,520 --> 00:17:08,919 Speaker 1: given to early, the dirigibles fin hit a beam in 312 00:17:09,000 --> 00:17:11,640 Speaker 1: the hangar as it was being taken off its moorings. 313 00:17:12,119 --> 00:17:14,240 Speaker 1: This put a stop to the trapeze training that had 314 00:17:14,240 --> 00:17:17,399 Speaker 1: been underway while the Finn had to be repaired, but 315 00:17:17,440 --> 00:17:20,480 Speaker 1: the last quarter of nineteen thirty two still yielded eight 316 00:17:20,520 --> 00:17:24,199 Speaker 1: successful flights for the Acron, so that a little accident 317 00:17:24,240 --> 00:17:26,600 Speaker 1: had happened in August and they were able to repair 318 00:17:26,640 --> 00:17:30,480 Speaker 1: it pretty quickly. Training continued for the Trapeez system as 319 00:17:30,480 --> 00:17:33,399 Speaker 1: well as training for the Gun and Lookout cruise, and 320 00:17:33,440 --> 00:17:36,800 Speaker 1: they also worked with a formation scouting setup to test 321 00:17:36,840 --> 00:17:39,880 Speaker 1: that where two planes flanked the Akron as they performed 322 00:17:39,880 --> 00:17:44,199 Speaker 1: search exercises. In early nine thirty three, the Acron had 323 00:17:44,200 --> 00:17:48,159 Speaker 1: a leadership change. Commander Dressel was moved to the akron 324 00:17:48,280 --> 00:17:52,840 Speaker 1: sister ship, the USS, making His replacement was Commander Frank McCord. 325 00:17:53,080 --> 00:17:56,680 Speaker 1: This personnel change took place on January third, ninety three, 326 00:17:56,720 --> 00:18:00,439 Speaker 1: and almost immediately McCord was underway on a flight with 327 00:18:00,520 --> 00:18:04,040 Speaker 1: his new command and the Akron on this This first 328 00:18:04,040 --> 00:18:06,840 Speaker 1: flight under McCord traveled down the East coast to Florida, 329 00:18:07,040 --> 00:18:11,000 Speaker 1: stopping in Miami Dade County at Opallaca, Florida, to refuel. 330 00:18:11,440 --> 00:18:13,720 Speaker 1: This is not to be confused with the very very 331 00:18:13,760 --> 00:18:18,640 Speaker 1: familiar sounding Opalaika, which is a city in Alabama. After 332 00:18:18,680 --> 00:18:22,280 Speaker 1: the refuel at the Naval Reserve Aviation Base in Opelaca, 333 00:18:22,640 --> 00:18:26,879 Speaker 1: the Akron proceeded to Guantanama Bay, Cuba. This mission was 334 00:18:26,920 --> 00:18:30,560 Speaker 1: to inspect bases, and the crew performing those inspections was 335 00:18:30,600 --> 00:18:33,800 Speaker 1: actually taxied from the Akron in flight to the basis 336 00:18:33,920 --> 00:18:37,879 Speaker 1: via an into Y one biplane. Once the inspection rounds 337 00:18:37,880 --> 00:18:40,719 Speaker 1: were completed, Commander McCord and his crew took the Acron 338 00:18:40,800 --> 00:18:45,280 Speaker 1: back to New Jersey. Inclement weather kept the Akron grounded 339 00:18:45,320 --> 00:18:47,960 Speaker 1: for several weeks at Lakehurst, but it wasn't long before 340 00:18:48,000 --> 00:18:51,880 Speaker 1: the trapeze training continued. And as we mentioned when describing 341 00:18:51,920 --> 00:18:55,400 Speaker 1: the trapeze mechanism, it really did require an incredibly deft 342 00:18:55,400 --> 00:18:57,200 Speaker 1: hand on the part of a pilot to hook onto 343 00:18:57,240 --> 00:19:00,159 Speaker 1: the airship. So it really, uh if it's see was 344 00:19:00,200 --> 00:19:02,000 Speaker 1: like we're just saying over and over that they were 345 00:19:02,000 --> 00:19:04,240 Speaker 1: doing a lot of training in this particular area. It's 346 00:19:04,320 --> 00:19:07,320 Speaker 1: because they were. It was needed to get those pilots 347 00:19:07,359 --> 00:19:09,520 Speaker 1: just so proficient that they could do it almost without 348 00:19:09,520 --> 00:19:13,840 Speaker 1: having to think. When Franklin Delano Roosevelt was worn in 349 00:19:14,000 --> 00:19:16,399 Speaker 1: as the thirty second President of the United States on 350 00:19:16,440 --> 00:19:20,480 Speaker 1: March fourth, three, the Akron was overhead, but just a 351 00:19:20,520 --> 00:19:24,080 Speaker 1: week later, on March eleventh, Acron once again left its 352 00:19:24,119 --> 00:19:28,000 Speaker 1: northeast home of Lakehurst. This time the mission took the 353 00:19:28,040 --> 00:19:31,280 Speaker 1: airship to Panama, stopping once again at opal Laca, Florida 354 00:19:31,440 --> 00:19:34,359 Speaker 1: en route, and after that the dirigible and its crew 355 00:19:34,400 --> 00:19:37,040 Speaker 1: were on course for the naval station at Balboa in 356 00:19:37,040 --> 00:19:39,760 Speaker 1: the Panama Canal zone, which sits just at the south 357 00:19:39,880 --> 00:19:41,479 Speaker 1: end of the canal if you're looking at it, and 358 00:19:41,600 --> 00:19:44,679 Speaker 1: that's the entrance from the Pacific Ocean. And as with 359 00:19:44,720 --> 00:19:47,560 Speaker 1: the Acron's mission to Cuba, the objective in this case 360 00:19:47,640 --> 00:19:50,359 Speaker 1: was an inspection, this time of a possible site for 361 00:19:50,400 --> 00:19:54,359 Speaker 1: an air base. Once the inspection was concluded, the Akron 362 00:19:54,400 --> 00:19:58,520 Speaker 1: headed back to Opelaka. This time additional drills were conducted 363 00:19:58,560 --> 00:20:01,880 Speaker 1: at the Florida base. The gun cruise got target practice, 364 00:20:02,000 --> 00:20:05,520 Speaker 1: using the N two y ones as targets. As March 365 00:20:06,600 --> 00:20:09,000 Speaker 1: came to a close, the Acron headed back to New 366 00:20:09,080 --> 00:20:12,560 Speaker 1: Jersey from Florida, but the airship wasn't moored for long. 367 00:20:13,000 --> 00:20:16,600 Speaker 1: On April third, another mission began, and this time it 368 00:20:16,680 --> 00:20:20,440 Speaker 1: was intended to help calibrate radio direction finding stations along 369 00:20:20,480 --> 00:20:23,919 Speaker 1: the New England coast which were used for radio triangulation. 370 00:20:24,800 --> 00:20:27,920 Speaker 1: But the voyage wasn't smooth. When the Akron passed over 371 00:20:27,960 --> 00:20:31,040 Speaker 1: Barneket Light in Ocean County, New Jersey that ten pm 372 00:20:31,040 --> 00:20:34,280 Speaker 1: on April three. The airship was already dealing with severe weather. 373 00:20:34,840 --> 00:20:37,320 Speaker 1: Two and a half hours later, at twelve thirty am 374 00:20:37,400 --> 00:20:40,160 Speaker 1: on April fourth, the Acron was swipped by a particularly 375 00:20:40,240 --> 00:20:44,720 Speaker 1: powerful gust and dropped tail first into the sea. There 376 00:20:44,760 --> 00:20:48,840 Speaker 1: had been a witness to the struggle the acron struggle 377 00:20:48,880 --> 00:20:50,760 Speaker 1: with the wind, and that was a German ship called 378 00:20:50,800 --> 00:20:54,240 Speaker 1: Phoebus that had seen lights in the air dropping down 379 00:20:54,280 --> 00:20:57,320 Speaker 1: toward the Atlantic, and the crew aboard the Phoebus actually 380 00:20:57,359 --> 00:21:00,919 Speaker 1: thought they were witnessing a plane crash, so Phoebus altered 381 00:21:00,960 --> 00:21:04,240 Speaker 1: course to investigate. In about a half hour after the incident, 382 00:21:04,320 --> 00:21:07,040 Speaker 1: they pulled the first person from the water, and that 383 00:21:07,080 --> 00:21:10,479 Speaker 1: was Lieutenant Commander Henry V. Wiley, who was unconscious at 384 00:21:10,480 --> 00:21:12,920 Speaker 1: the time. At this point, the crew of the Phoebus 385 00:21:12,960 --> 00:21:15,919 Speaker 1: still thought they were finding the results of a plane crash. 386 00:21:16,040 --> 00:21:18,159 Speaker 1: They had no idea that the Acron had been in 387 00:21:18,160 --> 00:21:21,520 Speaker 1: the area. Phoebus also sent out its boat to widen 388 00:21:21,560 --> 00:21:26,080 Speaker 1: the search for victims. The boat crew fished Boson's mate, 389 00:21:26,119 --> 00:21:30,480 Speaker 1: second class Richard E. Deal Aviation Metalsmith's second class Moody 390 00:21:30,520 --> 00:21:34,199 Speaker 1: e Irvin and Chief Radioman Robert W. Copeland out of 391 00:21:34,200 --> 00:21:38,560 Speaker 1: the turbulent water. Copeland died after being transferred to the Phoebus, 392 00:21:38,600 --> 00:21:42,440 Speaker 1: despite efforts to revive him. As the rescue effort continued, 393 00:21:42,480 --> 00:21:46,040 Speaker 1: Lieutenant Commander Wiley regained consciousness and communicated to the crew 394 00:21:46,160 --> 00:21:48,440 Speaker 1: of the German vessel, but it had been the Acron 395 00:21:48,680 --> 00:21:51,040 Speaker 1: and not a plane that they saw to send into 396 00:21:51,040 --> 00:21:54,760 Speaker 1: the sea. For more than five hours, Phoebus continued to 397 00:21:54,800 --> 00:21:59,080 Speaker 1: search for survivors, but their efforts were for not two 398 00:21:59,119 --> 00:22:01,439 Speaker 1: more men. Actually, he died in the search effort when 399 00:22:01,480 --> 00:22:04,919 Speaker 1: another blimp, the non rigid J three, which also served 400 00:22:04,920 --> 00:22:07,479 Speaker 1: out of the base at Lakehurst, went on a mission 401 00:22:07,480 --> 00:22:12,159 Speaker 1: to search for survivors. Five men survived the unsuccessful forced 402 00:22:12,240 --> 00:22:14,280 Speaker 1: landing of the J three, but there were two killed. 403 00:22:15,200 --> 00:22:17,720 Speaker 1: Five and a half hours after the Acron went down, 404 00:22:17,800 --> 00:22:22,080 Speaker 1: the Coastguard destroyer Tucker arrived on the scene. The Phoebus 405 00:22:22,119 --> 00:22:24,840 Speaker 1: transferred the body of Chief radium In Copeland and the 406 00:22:24,840 --> 00:22:27,840 Speaker 1: surviving crew of the Acron over to the Tucker and 407 00:22:27,920 --> 00:22:30,960 Speaker 1: the search for any additional survivors. The destroyer Tucker was 408 00:22:31,040 --> 00:22:35,160 Speaker 1: joined by the Portland, a heavy cruiser destroyers Cole McDougall 409 00:22:35,240 --> 00:22:39,480 Speaker 1: and Hunt, the cutter Mojave, and two Coastguard planes, but 410 00:22:39,600 --> 00:22:42,719 Speaker 1: no additional members of the crew of the Acron were found. 411 00:22:44,000 --> 00:22:47,960 Speaker 1: This loss was particularly noteworthy because of the leadership staff 412 00:22:48,040 --> 00:22:51,000 Speaker 1: that was on board when this accident happened. So, in 413 00:22:51,040 --> 00:22:55,320 Speaker 1: addition to the regular staff, UH and Commander McCord, Rear 414 00:22:55,359 --> 00:22:59,600 Speaker 1: Admiral Moffatt, his aid, Commander Henry B. Cecil, the commander 415 00:22:59,600 --> 00:23:02,080 Speaker 1: of the name Will Air Station at Lakehurst, and several 416 00:23:02,119 --> 00:23:06,280 Speaker 1: additional guests were also on the Acron when it went down. 417 00:23:07,040 --> 00:23:09,520 Speaker 1: In total, seventies three men lost their lives when the 418 00:23:09,520 --> 00:23:12,600 Speaker 1: Acron was destroyed. So for comparison, we mentioned the Hendenburg 419 00:23:12,680 --> 00:23:14,960 Speaker 1: at the beginning of the show UH and the death 420 00:23:15,040 --> 00:23:17,720 Speaker 1: hole in the Hindenburg disaster was thirty six, one of 421 00:23:17,840 --> 00:23:19,639 Speaker 1: whom was a man who had been on the ground. 422 00:23:20,280 --> 00:23:23,480 Speaker 1: Sixty two of the people aboard the Hennenburg survived, which 423 00:23:23,640 --> 00:23:26,960 Speaker 1: is a far greater proportion than the three who survived 424 00:23:26,960 --> 00:23:31,520 Speaker 1: the Akron. Not long after the disaster, Wiley, Richard Deal, 425 00:23:31,600 --> 00:23:34,800 Speaker 1: and Moody Irvin appeared together before the public, and Wiley 426 00:23:34,800 --> 00:23:37,640 Speaker 1: described to the events of April fourth this way, we 427 00:23:37,640 --> 00:23:40,199 Speaker 1: were rescued by the German tanker Phoebus and are the 428 00:23:40,200 --> 00:23:43,520 Speaker 1: sole survivors. Just before the accident to the Akron, I 429 00:23:43,560 --> 00:23:45,600 Speaker 1: was in the control tower on the left side of 430 00:23:45,600 --> 00:23:48,679 Speaker 1: the control tower. Our first indication of being near the 431 00:23:48,720 --> 00:23:51,360 Speaker 1: center of the storm was when the ship shuttered violently, 432 00:23:52,400 --> 00:23:55,560 Speaker 1: and per Wiley's account, the crew did not realize how 433 00:23:55,560 --> 00:23:58,760 Speaker 1: closely they had gotten to the ocean until they had 434 00:23:59,240 --> 00:24:02,159 Speaker 1: sudden visibility that they were only about three feet from 435 00:24:02,200 --> 00:24:05,720 Speaker 1: the water. And he continued quote, the order was given 436 00:24:05,760 --> 00:24:08,600 Speaker 1: to stand by for a crash. The ship hit the 437 00:24:08,600 --> 00:24:11,440 Speaker 1: water within thirty seconds of that order, and most of us, 438 00:24:11,480 --> 00:24:14,760 Speaker 1: I believe, were catapulted into the water. We were in 439 00:24:14,800 --> 00:24:17,360 Speaker 1: the water about forty five minutes, and we are now 440 00:24:17,400 --> 00:24:22,600 Speaker 1: ready for duty in airships or wherever we may be assigned. Incidentally, 441 00:24:22,960 --> 00:24:25,480 Speaker 1: Herbert Wiley had been passed over for command of the 442 00:24:25,520 --> 00:24:29,360 Speaker 1: Acron when both Dressel and McCord were appointed. Wiley had 443 00:24:29,400 --> 00:24:32,720 Speaker 1: notified McCord if the weather conditions that could include potentially 444 00:24:32,720 --> 00:24:35,760 Speaker 1: hazardous storms before the Acron had left for the mission, 445 00:24:35,880 --> 00:24:39,040 Speaker 1: but McCord had determined that they should proceed as planned. 446 00:24:39,640 --> 00:24:41,720 Speaker 1: A storm that developed in their path was one of 447 00:24:41,720 --> 00:24:44,960 Speaker 1: the most powerful in a decade. Yeah, even though there 448 00:24:44,960 --> 00:24:48,520 Speaker 1: had been indications that there was going to be inclement weather, Uh, 449 00:24:48,560 --> 00:24:51,800 Speaker 1: there was no sense of how bad and how violent 450 00:24:51,840 --> 00:24:55,840 Speaker 1: this storm was going to be. Wiley was commanding officer 451 00:24:55,920 --> 00:24:59,240 Speaker 1: aboard the Akron sister ship, the USS Making, when it 452 00:24:59,320 --> 00:25:01,960 Speaker 1: went down in storm off the California coast just a 453 00:25:02,000 --> 00:25:06,720 Speaker 1: year later. Wiley also survived that incident. While portions of 454 00:25:06,720 --> 00:25:09,560 Speaker 1: the Akron were salvaged from the sea weeks after it sank, 455 00:25:09,680 --> 00:25:13,440 Speaker 1: in two thousand two, additional debris was explored by the Navy. 456 00:25:13,600 --> 00:25:17,040 Speaker 1: Portions of the ship's rigid ribs were observed still sticking 457 00:25:17,040 --> 00:25:20,639 Speaker 1: out of the sediment on the ocean floor. The Akron's 458 00:25:20,720 --> 00:25:24,040 Speaker 1: pennant is now part of the Franklin D. Roosevelt Presidential 459 00:25:24,040 --> 00:25:28,639 Speaker 1: Library and Museum's collection. In fourteen, a grant from the 460 00:25:28,720 --> 00:25:32,560 Speaker 1: National Film Preservation Foundation to the University of Akron's archival 461 00:25:32,680 --> 00:25:37,000 Speaker 1: services enabled the library division to preserve several films of 462 00:25:37,040 --> 00:25:40,000 Speaker 1: the Akron, and several of them were referenced in this episode. 463 00:25:40,280 --> 00:25:42,800 Speaker 1: We will link to them in the show notes. Yeah, 464 00:25:42,880 --> 00:25:47,240 Speaker 1: it's just four, but they're um they're really interesting, particularly 465 00:25:47,240 --> 00:25:49,399 Speaker 1: that one that shows them training to hook onto the 466 00:25:49,400 --> 00:25:53,000 Speaker 1: trapeze is really spectacular. It seems very slow and relaxed, 467 00:25:53,040 --> 00:25:56,679 Speaker 1: but when you realize what's happening, it seems almost discordant 468 00:25:56,720 --> 00:25:59,400 Speaker 1: in how calm it seems, because I would be completely 469 00:25:59,440 --> 00:26:01,680 Speaker 1: in a state of nerve wrack. Uh. So that is 470 00:26:01,680 --> 00:26:04,640 Speaker 1: the acron. We may eventually also do an episode on 471 00:26:05,119 --> 00:26:07,560 Speaker 1: the sister ship the USS make in, but for the moment, 472 00:26:07,800 --> 00:26:10,480 Speaker 1: that's the akron. Do you also have some listener mail 473 00:26:10,520 --> 00:26:13,160 Speaker 1: for us? I do, Um. We have gotten so many 474 00:26:13,160 --> 00:26:15,880 Speaker 1: postcards lately, and I just wanted to acknowledge a few 475 00:26:15,920 --> 00:26:19,640 Speaker 1: of them. Um. The first is from our listener page. 476 00:26:19,800 --> 00:26:22,840 Speaker 1: She says, Hey, I thought you might enjoy the sweet postcard. 477 00:26:22,920 --> 00:26:24,800 Speaker 1: I also wanted to thank you for the great show 478 00:26:24,880 --> 00:26:27,800 Speaker 1: and express how much I enjoy listening. As a student 479 00:26:27,800 --> 00:26:30,119 Speaker 1: at b Y you studying American studies. I love learning 480 00:26:30,119 --> 00:26:32,960 Speaker 1: new things about history. Keep up the good work. Thank you, Paige. 481 00:26:33,000 --> 00:26:36,640 Speaker 1: It's a lovely postcard, and I presume it's probably aimed 482 00:26:36,640 --> 00:26:38,080 Speaker 1: a little bit more at me because it is a 483 00:26:38,119 --> 00:26:41,320 Speaker 1: Star Wars postcard. Um, and I love it. It's darling. 484 00:26:41,359 --> 00:26:44,920 Speaker 1: Thank you so much. We also had a postcard from 485 00:26:45,000 --> 00:26:48,000 Speaker 1: our listener Joe Anne uh, and it is uh an 486 00:26:48,119 --> 00:26:51,639 Speaker 1: Edward Gory postcard that said her laugh made beatles swoon, 487 00:26:51,880 --> 00:26:56,200 Speaker 1: her frown made geese and cows turn upside down, illustration 488 00:26:56,359 --> 00:26:58,800 Speaker 1: of a goose and a cow flipped over uh, and 489 00:26:58,880 --> 00:27:01,040 Speaker 1: suggested maybe we should do an episode in the life 490 00:27:01,040 --> 00:27:04,159 Speaker 1: of Edward Gory, which we've certainly talked about. I have, 491 00:27:04,440 --> 00:27:09,520 Speaker 1: but that unless something goes wrong, it is in the works. 492 00:27:09,640 --> 00:27:13,920 Speaker 1: It is in the works, but a couple of things 493 00:27:14,040 --> 00:27:18,000 Speaker 1: need to happen first. Yeah. Uh, so that is lovely 494 00:27:18,000 --> 00:27:20,520 Speaker 1: and I love Gory, so I'm always in and I 495 00:27:20,560 --> 00:27:23,840 Speaker 1: can't wait for that one. And then our last one 496 00:27:24,240 --> 00:27:28,920 Speaker 1: is this hilarious postcard from I think it is Helena. 497 00:27:29,440 --> 00:27:32,160 Speaker 1: This is one of those cases where the postage markings 498 00:27:32,160 --> 00:27:35,080 Speaker 1: have kind of obscured things. But it is a postcard 499 00:27:35,480 --> 00:27:39,919 Speaker 1: from Froggy Land. She says she is holidaying in Croatia, 500 00:27:40,240 --> 00:27:43,520 Speaker 1: and amongst visiting many other interesting sites, we came across 501 00:27:43,600 --> 00:27:47,280 Speaker 1: this strange tourist attraction, which is Froggy Land, a room 502 00:27:47,520 --> 00:27:50,640 Speaker 1: with lots of boxes of stuffed frogs. Uh, I'm reading 503 00:27:50,680 --> 00:27:53,159 Speaker 1: this correctly. It says five hundred and seven of them 504 00:27:53,359 --> 00:27:56,240 Speaker 1: arranged in lifelike human poses. So now I have another 505 00:27:56,280 --> 00:27:58,560 Speaker 1: place that I want to go. It reminds me a 506 00:27:58,600 --> 00:28:02,680 Speaker 1: little bit of the the episode that we did about 507 00:28:03,080 --> 00:28:06,560 Speaker 1: the taxidermist named Potter, who did particularly a lot of 508 00:28:06,640 --> 00:28:10,800 Speaker 1: little cute mammals in adorable human poses. Froggy Land looks 509 00:28:10,880 --> 00:28:13,240 Speaker 1: very much the same, but all with frogs. So thank 510 00:28:13,280 --> 00:28:15,920 Speaker 1: you so much. This is just delightful. Uh. If you 511 00:28:15,960 --> 00:28:17,439 Speaker 1: would like to write to us, you can do so 512 00:28:17,520 --> 00:28:20,080 Speaker 1: at History Podcast at house to works dot com. You 513 00:28:20,119 --> 00:28:22,600 Speaker 1: can also find us across the spectrum of social media 514 00:28:22,680 --> 00:28:25,840 Speaker 1: as missed in History. You can visit missed in history 515 00:28:25,880 --> 00:28:28,240 Speaker 1: dot com to see all of our episodes of the 516 00:28:28,280 --> 00:28:31,119 Speaker 1: show ever, including many, many many before Tracy and I 517 00:28:31,160 --> 00:28:34,440 Speaker 1: were even involved. Uh, and on the episodes that Tracy 518 00:28:34,480 --> 00:28:37,240 Speaker 1: and I have worked on, they're also show notes, so 519 00:28:37,320 --> 00:28:39,200 Speaker 1: you can get all of that stuff if you just 520 00:28:39,240 --> 00:28:46,080 Speaker 1: come and visit us at missed in History dot com. 521 00:28:46,080 --> 00:28:48,600 Speaker 1: For more on this and thousands of other topics, visit 522 00:28:48,680 --> 00:28:58,200 Speaker 1: houst works dot com.