Page 8 Summer Session Kansan Friday, July 19, 1963 --- 1. ( ) Wrong Way Corrigan Flew To Dublin, Fame 25 Years Ago By Robert J. Sterling WASHINGTON (UPI) — The legend of "Wrong Way Corrigan" was born 25 years ago last Wednesday. It was on July 17, 1938, that a smiling Irishman named Douglas J. Corrigan climbed into an old Curtiss Robin monoplane at New York's Floyd Bennett Field. THE 31-YEAR-OLD pilot-mechanic from San Diego, Calif., had been talking publicly about a solo flight to Ireland. The Bureau of Air Commerce, aviation's government regulatory agency at the time, had warned him not to make the trip. On this particular morning Corrigan told field attendants he was going back to California. He climbed aboard his single-engine plane and waved goodbye. It turned out his flight plan was blarney; instead of heading west toward California, Corrigan turned northeast — toward Newfoundland and the Atlantic Ocean. Exactly 28 hours and 13 minutes later, he landed in Dublin, Ireland with the most unbelievable alibi for an illegal flight in aviation history. He claimed he flew the wrong way. "MY COMPASS must have been wrong," Corrigan explained. "I must have flown in the wrong direction. I thought I was over California, but when I came down to see, there was nothing but water." The excuse may have been phony and the flight illegitimate, but Corrigan promptly became a very real and legitimate hero. He went from Ireland to Britain where he was the guest of Ambassador Joseph P. Kennedy (whose son John was a 19-year-old student at Harvard). Hollywood signed him for a movie to be called "The Flying Irishman" starring none other than Douglas P. Corrigan himself. And Corrigan also wrote an autobiography appropriately titled, "That's My Story." One could have counted the believers in his "story" on the fingers of Venus de Mile's non-existent arms. But it didn't make much difference. In a world rapidly approaching World War II, Corrigan's stunt was a refreshing breath of audacity. A NEW YORK paper (The Post) ran a headline on his return to the U.S. reading: "nagirroC yaW gnorW ot liaH." You had to hold the front page to a mirror to realize it read, "Hail to Wrong Way Corrigan." Even the federal government was cautious in its early reaction. "It's a great day for the Irish," commented the director of the Bureau of Air Commerce. THE DIRECTOR'S objectivity in the case was slightly suspect, inasmuch as his name was Denis P. Mulligan. This coincidence led the Oregon Journal to editorialize in rhyme: "Corrigan landed in Dublin — "Right over the sea like a gull again. "The Air Commerce Bureau is bubblin' — "His papers they'll not be a troublin'. "The chief is named Denis P. Mulligan." UNFORTUNATELY for Corrigan, Mulligan's sense of public duty eventually watered down his Irish blood. The bureau revoked Corrigan's pilot license — the notification coming in a letter typed by a Miss Delores Corrigan, a government secretary not related to "Wrong Way." When Corrigan came to Washington to plead his case and insist on his total innocence, he was introduced to Miss Corrigan who apologized for having to write the revocation letter. "It's okay." Wrong Way assured her. "Anybody with the name Corrigan couldn't go wrong." Douglas J. Corrigan today lives on a 20-acre ranch in Orange County, Calif., with his wife (a childhood sweetheart), and three children. Although 25 years ago he enjoyed the limelight, he is almost a recluse now and refuses all requests for interviews. IN RETROSPECT, 1938 was a zany year. An actor named Orson Welles almost caused a nationwide panic with a radio dramatization of "War of the Worlds." A United Air Lines captain married a couple aboard a DC3 five miles out over the Pacific Ocean and three miles high—to test whether an airline captain's authority extended three miles up in the same way a ship captain's authority extended three miles beyond shore. The chief deputy county counsel of Los Angeles ventured the opinion that the aerial marriage was illegal. The couple said they'd take a chance and refused to go through another ceremony. Albert Hays, a student at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, set a world's record in the nation's 1938 contribution to civilized culture. He swallowed 42 goldfish. NYLON STOCKINGS made their first appearance, dance floors were trembling to the "Big Apple", and the entire country was speculating on who was going to play Scarlett O'Hara. But the happiest, screwiest event of the year was still Doug Corrigan's wrong-way flight to Ireland. "If government officials think it was a crazy stunt," editorialized the trade publication, American Aviation, "Let government assume leadership in the encouragement of youth to aim at more worthy flight objectives." Only three years later, quite a few Fraternity Jewelry Badges, Rings, Novelties Sweatshirts, Mugs, Paddles Cups, Trophies, Medals 411 W. 14th VI 3-1571 AL LAUTER Balfour NEW AND USED PORTABLES STANDARDS ELECTRICS See Us Before You Buy Sales — Rentals — Service TYPEWRITERS LAWRENCE TYPEWRITER 735 Mass. VI 3-3644 SUMMER WORSHIP First Presbyterian Church 9th and Vermont First service — 9:00 a.m. Sunday school — 9:45 a.m. Second service — 11:00 a.m. housand American youths with a little bit of Wrong Way Corrigan in their souls took on a more worthy light objective—the conquest of the Axis powers. informal dress encouraged Visitors welcome REV. HAROLD M. MALLETT, DD, Minister Read the CLASSIFIEDS What of Accidents? CAMBRIDGE, England — (UPI)— Headmistress Margaret Higginson of Bolton School told a conference here recently "for wholesome discipline I would advocate the practice of deliberate mistakes" by teachers "with confession to follow." Things Dull for Deer! LONDON—(UPI)—Viscount Massereene and Ferrad, speaking in the House of Lords on a bill to protect wild deer, said he thought "some of these old deer really enjoyed" being hunted. HAVING A PARTY? We are always happy to serve you with Ice cold beverages Chips, nuts, cookies Variety of grocery items Crushed ice, candy Ice cold 6 pacs all kinds OPEN TO 10 P.M.EVERY EVENING LAWRENCE ICE COMPANY 616 Vt. Ph.VI 3-0350 ANDY'S THRIFT AND SWIFT DRIVE-IN HAVE YOU TRIED SANDY'S FISH-ON-A-BUN? JUST 25c We believe it's what's up front that really counts and SANDY'S got it all the way. Quality. Service. What else is there? ACROSS FROM HILLCREST MIDWESTERN MUSIC & ART CAMP presents Romeo & Juliet by William Shakespeare THURS. & FRI.—JULY 25 & 26 8 p.m. Main Theater TICKETS ARE NOW AVAILABLE Phone K.U. Ext.591 for reservations. Get your tickets early to avoid missing this final show of the 1963 summer season.