The Southwestern Historical Quarterly, Volume 63, July 1959 - April, 1960 Page: 22
684 p. : ill., maps, ports. ; 23 cm.View a full description of this periodical.
Extracted Text
The following text was automatically extracted from the image on this page using optical character recognition software:
Southwestern Historical Quarterly
old sea captain. At 12:34 Art Goebel in the "Woolaroc" made a
fine take-off.'" Finally, at 12:36 P.M., Captain Erwin and Alvin
Eichwaldt, the last to leave, made a successful take-off.1
Then the trouble began. At 12:44, just about a quarter of an
hour after he had made his original departure, Auggy Pedlar re-
turned to the airport because his motor was backfiring. New spark
plugs were installed and the "Miss Doran" took off again shortly
after 2:oo P.M., never to be heard from again.l7
During the hour and a quarter the "Miss Doran" was being
worked on, several other newspaper reporters and I walked over
to the plane and talked to Mildred Doran. She was dressed in a
little army officer's gabardine suit, puttees and all. Across her left
breast, where veterans wear their service ribbons, were a half doz-
en fraternity pins. Tears ran down her cheeks and her face was
'oGoebel and his-pilot, William Davis, reached Honolulu as winners of the first
prize of $25,ooo in twenty-six hours and seventeen minutes.
'6Son of a Presbyterian preacher, the thirty-one-year-old Erwin had no pre-
monition that he would lose his life in the Pacific. Before taking off he left a
written message for his mother and a second message for his sponsors which evi-
dences his deep religious beliefs and his confidence in the outcome of his flight.
Reprinted in the Dallas News, August 21, 1927, the statement reads:
Tomorrow begins the great adventure. Flying personifies the spirit of man. Our
bodies are bound to the earth; our spirits are bound by God alone, and it is my
firm belief that God will guide the course of Dallas Spirit tomorrow over the
shortest route from the Golden Gate to the Isle of Oahu. I want to thank each
and every sponsor for the opportunity of doing this thing. If we succeed it will be
glorious.
Should we fail, it will not be in vain, for a worthy attempt could never result
in a mean failure.
I believe with my whole heart that we will make it. I believed in it when I first
conceived it, and I believe it more strongly now. We will win because Dallas Spirit
always wins.
But if it be His will that we should not make it, and from the exploration of the
Pacific we should suddenly be called upon to chart our course over the Great Ocean
of Eternity, then be of good cheer. I hold life dear, but I do not fear death. It is
the last and most wonderful adventure of life. If something should happen to me
I know I don't have to ask you to look after Mrs. Erwin. It broke her heart that
she could not accompany me. She is my life, gentlemen, and the sweetest, finest,
truest girl the Almighty ever created.
Knowing that she is safe gives me confidence and vigor for the trial. We will
make it because we must, but whatever comes, I am the master of my fate, and,
God willing, the captain of my soul. WILLIAM P. ERWIN.
The Mrs. Erwin mentioned in the letter was Captain Erwin's wife-Constance
Ohl Erwin. She had planned to accompany her husband on the flight, but was
ruled out at the last minute because she was under twenty years of age. It was
fortunate because she was also pregnant at the time.
When Captain Erwin left the Oakland airport on his last voyage into the air,
he had a small Bible in the right hand pocket of his sack coat. He did not mention
that he had it, but I saw it there as I was helping him on with his flying suit.
17Dallas News, August 17, 1927.
Upcoming Pages
Here’s what’s next.
Search Inside
This issue can be searched. Note: Results may vary based on the legibility of text within the document.
Tools / Downloads
Get a copy of this page or view the extracted text.
Citing and Sharing
Basic information for referencing this web page. We also provide extended guidance on usage rights, references, copying or embedding.
Reference the current page of this Periodical.
Texas State Historical Association. The Southwestern Historical Quarterly, Volume 63, July 1959 - April, 1960, periodical, 1960; Austin, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth101186/m1/44/: accessed May 15, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Texas State Historical Association.