Salt Lake Telegram | 1934-05-10 | Page 2 | Macon Flight Held Success

MACON FLIGHT HELD SUCCESS Swanson Denies Report That Dirigible Considered as as Failure W WASHINGTON ASHINGTON May 10 On R-On the bas basis ot of a detailed direct report from the airship Macon Rear Admiral Admiral Ad- Ad miral Ernest J J. J KIng chief chic ot of the Havy bureau of aeronautics said to- to today day mission in the present pres pres- ent Caribbean fleet maneuvers had been cn Q a s success Simultaneously Secretary Swanson Issued a forn l statement in connection connection tion with wilh widely circulated reports that the navy considered th the airship a failure He Hc added There is no basis whatever for any statement to the effect that the Macon lS damaged other than theoretically or that the navy has S yet set reached a decision as to the thc usefulness useful useful- ness of dirigibles Commander Garland Fulton who was Vas aboard the Macon durIng its work wIth the maneuvers arrived here by airplane early tOd today y Fulton reported that the first task assigned to the airship had been b n to survey lurvey 1800 square miles 3 and locate enemy aircraft carriers Umpires decided that planes which attacked the airship from the carriers theoretically destroyed it it Fulton repOrted that after Its theoretical the the- destruction the Macon became became be- be came a new ship in the and was assigned to scout for enemy cruisers cruis s. s Working at a a. speed ot of more than tOOn 80 miles on hour the airship sighted Il airplanes cruisers destroyers and aircraft carriers carrier On this expedition the umpIres umpIres' judgment was that it escaped es- es any theoretical damage from enemy fire