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THE NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC MAGAZINE 



Official Photograph, U. S. Navy Air Service 

 UEUTENANT COMMANDER READ, THE FTRST MAN TO FXY ACROSS THE ATLANTIC, 

 BEING WELCOMED UPON HIS DESCENT IN THE HARBOR OP USBON 



From the Portuguese Government Commander Read received the decoration of the Order 

 of the Tower and Sword for his epochal feat. He was subsequently awarded the cross of 

 the British air force upon his arrival at Plymouth, the last stop in the transoceanic voyage. 



command and leaves the juniors with 

 nothing? That is far" from democratic. 

 To take the position that the conferring 

 of decorations is contrary to democratic 

 ideals is to ignore human nature and to 

 line oneself up with those who think that 

 republics should be ungrateful. 



POUR MEDALS GIVEN AFTER THE SPANISH- 

 AMERICAN WAR 



But enough of this digression. Let us 

 return to the narrative. 



It was the Spanish-American War, 

 which caused so many changes in the out- 

 look of this nation, that brought about the 

 extension of our system of decorations 

 At its close Congress provided for four 

 different medals : one, familiarly known 

 as the Dewey Medal (No. 34), to be 

 issued to officers and men who partici- 

 pated in the Battle of Manila Bay; a sec- 

 ond, commemorative of the naval engage- 

 ments in the West Indies (No. 32), for 

 the officers and men participating therein ; 



