Medal Men

Into the President's White House office one day last week filed seven airmail pilots. All were ordinary in appearance, extraordinary in achievement. They were:

Short, baldish, TWA Pilot Edward A. Bellande, who landed seven passengers with only one minor injury, saved most of his mail when his plane caught fire between San Francisco and Los Angeles in 1933.

Gaunt, gangling, Central Airlines Pilot James Henry Carmichael Jr., who made a one-wheel landing at night without injury to his passengers or mail after flying 85 miles back to Washington when one of his plane's three motors fell away with part of the landing gear (TIME, May 6).

Dark, tightlipped, Brainiff Airways Pilot Gordon H, Darnell, who landed his passengers without injury when his plane caught fire between Kansas City and Denver in 1933, managed to extricate most of the mail before an explosion destroyed the wrecked plane.

Blond, handsome, American Airlines Pilot Wellington P. McFail, who succeeded in gliding safely to earth with his mail when the motor of his plane dropped out between Texarkana and Dallas in 1933.

Short, stocky, onetime American Airlines Pilot Lewis S. Turner, who, though severely burned, landed his two passengers safely when his plane blazed up over Fort Worth in 1933.

Greying, mustachioed, United Air Lines Pilot Grover Tyler, who landed his blazing plane in a grove of trees while flying between Seattle and.San Diego in 1931, saved his passengers with but minor injuries, managed to carry out the mail though the pouches were on fire.

Swart, bulky United Air Lines Pilot Roy H. Warner, who stayed with his burning plane even after his clothing was ignited on a 1930 flight from. Boise, Idaho, to Pasco, Wash., managed to land with one wing completely eaten away, saved his mail before an explosion demolished the wreck.

To each of these seven heroes President Roosevelt last week handed the nation's highest award for airmail pilots--the Air Mail Flyers' Medal of Honor.

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