Another for Texas

To vary the routine of honoring all its own Heroes on the occasion of its Centennial (TIME, June 8), Texas last week unveiled in Dallas a statue of Virginia's one & only Robert E. Lee. Orator at the dedication was RFChairman Jesse Jones, who, as the biggest man in Houston, founded by Texas' most famed Hero, rivals Vice President John Nance Garner for the current title of No. 1 Texan. Duty done, Mr. Jones hopped off for Houston by plane.

Cruising along at 6,000 ft., Pilots Eugene Schacher and Ed Hefley suddenly smelled a gasoline leak, cut the motor. Without warning a backfire enveloped the engine in flames. Pilot Hefley put the ship into a sharp dive. At 275 m.p.h. it hurtled downward, pancaked on the nearest field, slithered to a stop. Out from their blazing little hole Jesse Jones and three fellow-passengers yanked the pilots, arms and faces seared and sooty. Few minutes later the plane was smoking ashes.

Next day, soon after a visit from the uninjured RFChairman, Pilot Schacher died. Deeply moved, Jesse Jones paid his tribute to a new Texas Hero:

"You stuck to your post in a veritable furnace with the white heat literally burning your clothes off your body. You did this notwithstanding Pilot Ed Hefley begged you to leave the pit to him. When the door into the pilot room blew open, and the flames were reaching into the cabin, you came out and closed the door. . . . Again the door blew open, so terrific was the speed, and again you came out, this time a human torch. . . .

"But when it seemed the fight was winning and that the plane might be landed, you came back and warned your passengers that the landing would be rough. You unlocked the door so that all could escape from the burning plane. . . . You did this when your hands were burned to the bone. You could hardly hold the key. I pray God for the knowledge to understand for what purpose He saved my life by sacrificing yours."

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