[Congressional Record Volume 155, Number 78 (Wednesday, May 20, 2009)] [Senate] [Page S5694] From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov] TRIBUTE TO ADMIRAL JOHN HENRY TOWERSMr. ISAKSON. Mr. President, I wish to honor and commemorate in the Record of the Senate ADM John Henry Towers, pioneer naval aviator, on the 90th anniversary of the first crossing of the Atlantic Ocean in an airplane on May 8, 2009. Admiral Towers was born and raised in Rome, GA, and graduated from the U.S. Naval Academy with the class of 1906. As one of the earliest of all naval aviators, he participated in the development of new aviation technology and the application of air power as a part of the surface fleet. By the time World War II was over, Admiral Towers was the senior surviving aviator of the Navy. In every chapter of the early development of naval aviation, John Towers made his mark. He organized the Navy's entry into aviation in 1911. Admiral Towers worked very closely with Glenn Curtiss in designing the first naval aircraft and due to his efforts became known to his peers as the ``Crown Prince of Aviation.'' Towers held aviation records for endurance, altitude, and speed. He survived a fall out of an airplane in 1913 by hanging onto the aircraft strut as it crashed into the Severn River from 1,300 feet. Unfortunately, his pilot-in-training, ENS, William Billingsly, was killed and became the first naval aviation fatality. As a result, Towers mandated seat belts and harnesses in all naval aircraft after the crash. He also took the Assistant Secretary of the Navy Franklin Delano Roosevelt, future President of the United States, for his first airplane ride, which secured a special friendship that lasted their whole careers. Admiral Towers was the first to use naval aircraft in combat in the Mexican War in 1914. Then, in 1919, he conceived, organized, and commanded the first flight of three Navy NC-flying boats to fly across the Atlantic Ocean, fulfilling his early vision to be the first flight across the Atlantic Ocean. The flights began at Rockaway Beach, NY, on May 8, 1919, and one of the planes made it to Plymouth, England, on May 31, 1919. It was Towers' vision that inspired others and changed the world forever. The flight actually lasted 52 hours 31 minutes, for a distance of 3,936 nautical miles. Towers and his group became international celebrities. During their Atlantic crossing, the Nation was on pins and needles reading about the happenings each day, particularly when they received the news that Towers' float boat NC-3 went down and was lost at sea for 5 days. After he sailed the seaplane 200 miles to the Azores, his became a household name around the world. The significance of this epic flight affected the psyche of the American public because until that time, we were largely protected from invasion by having two oceans on either side of us. When the airplane made that first Atlantic crossing, Americans became aware that we were not immune from future wars on our soil. In addition, Britain, France, and Germany were more advanced in aviation than the United States. When the United States beat them across the Atlantic, we were immediately thrust into a ``super power'' status. The U.S. Navy beat the world in crossing the Atlantic. Admiral Towers' career was a stubborn, determined battle to gain acceptance for aviation from a Navy that was dominated by battleship admirals. He was the first to integrate women into the U.S. Navy and U.S. Marines by creating the W.A.V.E.S. in 1942. The W.A.V.E.S. eventually grew to 12,000 women officers and 75,000 enlisted women. He was also the first to obtain four stars in any branch of service in the State of Georgia and was awarded the Distinguished Service Medal. Apollo 17 honored the admiral and his contribution to aviation by naming a crater on the Moon in his name. In addition, he was honored by Time magazine and placed on the front cover for his efforts during World War II. Towers began in naval aviation at its inception in 1911 and remained dedicated to the field through his retirement in 1947. He is a member of five Aviation Halls of Fame. It is a privilege to pay tribute to the remarkable life of ADM John Henry Towers. ____________________