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