◆ SpookStack

THe 0 en es ee — EL Ld rr 4 ¢..! din connection with the sauses of the wreck, He also stated that the rudder defect was noticed by William Bishop, a member of his detail, end that Bishop made mention of the defect te Kim at ths time that the Hindenturg passed overhead, Also on May 13, 1937 the statement of WILLIAM F, BISHOP, a member of the ground cren, as well as a member of the U. 5S. Navy, stationed at the Naval base at Lakehurst, Mew Jersey, was heard by the Board of Inquiry. He testified that he had been associated with lighter=-than- air oraft from August 1923 until October 1930, at which time he was assigned to general field duty et Lakehurst, New Jersey; that the first association he hsd had with the Airship Hindenburg was on Mey 6, 1937 on her initial voyage of this year from Germany, Further, that he was assigned to the mooring section of the ground crew, and that his im- mediate superior was Officer F. J, Tobin. Be testified that one of his duties was to take in the guide ropes after they were fastened to the yawl guide lines and tie them around the niggerhead, and after they were so fastened, see that all of the slack was reduced in these lines. He testified that he recalled seeing the Hindenburg approach the landing field at Lakehurst, and as ehe passed over the field and proceeded off, he noticed that the top rudder was a little to the starboard side and the lower rudder was a little to the port side and that they appeared mot to be properly synchronized, He stated that he was about 200 feet from the mooring mast at the time that the ship passed directly overhead, and that he observed the rudder at the time she passed. He stated that at the time the ship approached the mooring mast to effect her lending, he was, of course, primarily interested in the handling of the trail ropes that were dropped from the ship; that in connection therewith he picked up the port line that he was thrown out from the forward part of the Hindenburg, and fastened it to the yawl guide line, and in turn fastened 4t to the niggerhead, and that upon completing this operation he pro= seeded over toward the starboard trail rope, At this time he noticed thet the ship was starting to drift slowly at the stern in a starboard direction, He could see ali of the port side of the ship from the bow to the fins. He recalls seeing the flames appear om the after port side of the ship, and it appeared to him as though these flames were coming from the inside of the superstructure and that the flames, when they