signed BASIL ROWE PAN AM SIKORSKY CLIPPER content!
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signed BASIL ROWE PAN AM SIKORSKY CLIPPER content! 7 x 10 INCH TYPED AND AUTOGRAPH LETTER SIGNED BY PAN AM CAPTAIN BASIL ROWE WITH HISTORIC PAN AM SIKORSKY CONTENT! Typed by Rowe: "WHEN THE FIRST AMERICAN CLIPPER CAME OUT OF THE SIKORSKY FACTORY AT BRIDGEPORT, CONN., I TOOK A CREW NORTH TO ACCEPT THE SHIP AND RUN THE TESTS WHICH ALL PAA SHIPS HAVE TO UNDERGO. AFTER THE TESTS WERE COMPLETED I FLEW THE SHIP DOWN TO WASHINGTON FOR MRS. HERBERT HOOVER TO CHRISTEN SAME, AFTER WHICH WE HAD TO MAKE A NUMBER OF PUBLICITY FLIGHTS WITH THE NATIONAL AND INTERNATIONAL OFFICIALS. BEFORE WE LEFT BRIDGEPORT I HAD THE FACTORY INSTALL A RIGHT-ANGLE PLATE ON THE BOW TO MAKE IT EASIER FOR MRS. HOOVER TO BREAK THE BOTTLE OF RIVER WATER TO CHRISTEN THE SHIP. (CHAMPAGNE WAS OUT SINCE IT WAS STILL PROHIBITION). I TOLD THE FLIGHT ENGINEER THAT AS SOON AS THE CEREMONY WAS COMPLETED HE WAS TO REMOVE THE PLATE AND KEEP IT FOR ME AS A SOUVENIR. THAT WAS THE WRONG THING TO DO. DURING ALL THE EXCITEMENT SOMEONE HELPED THEMSELVES TO MY SOUVENIR OF THE OCCASION. FROM WASHINGTON THE OLD AMERICAN CLIPPER CONTINUED TO MIAMI AND TOOK UP ITS EVERY DAY ROUTINE OF FLYING THE PAA ROUTES OUT OF THE OLD DINNER KEY BASE AT MIAMI. THE BASE WAS TAKEN OVER BY THE NAVY DURING WORLD WAR II AFTER WHICH IT WAS MADE INTO AN EXPENSIVE YACHT BASIN" Rowe signs and ads in pen: "CAPTAIN
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