9 3 7 ▁the ▁group ▁located ▁and ▁attacked ▁the ▁target ▁ship ▁USS ▁Ut ah ▁off ▁California , ▁followed ▁in ▁May ▁ 1 9 3 8 ▁by ▁inter ception ▁of ▁the ▁Italian ▁l iner ▁R ex ▁ 6 2 0 ▁miles ▁at ▁sea , ▁both ▁under ▁ad verse ▁weather ▁conditions . ▁In ▁January ▁ 1 9 3 8 , ▁he ▁made ▁two ▁record - bre aking ▁non - stop ▁trans cont inental ▁fl ights ▁between ▁Lang ley ▁and ▁March ▁Field , ▁California , ▁comple ting ▁the ▁ 2 , 3 1 7 ▁miles ▁in ▁just ▁over ▁ 1 1 ▁hours ▁on ▁the ▁return ▁flight . ▁Old s ▁personally ▁led ▁two ▁good will ▁fl ights ▁to ▁South ▁America , ▁first ▁to ▁Buenos ▁Aires , ▁Argentina , ▁in ▁February ▁ 1 9 3 8 ▁( for ▁which ▁he ▁was ▁awarded ▁the ▁Mack ay ▁Tro phy ▁and ▁the ▁Dist ingu ished ▁F lying ▁Cross ) ▁and ▁next ▁to ▁Rio ▁de ▁Janeiro , ▁Brazil , ▁in ▁November ▁ 1 9 3 9 . ▁A ▁third ▁to ▁Bog ota , ▁Colombia ▁was ▁assigned ▁to ▁a ▁squad ron ▁commander . ▁In ▁August ▁ 1 9 3 8 ▁the ▁ 2 nd ▁B G ▁received ▁the ▁only ▁Bo eing ▁X B - 1 5 ▁bom ber ▁built , ▁and ▁the ▁following ▁February ▁Old s ▁dispatch ed ▁it ▁on ▁an ▁earth qu ake ▁relief ▁mission ▁to ▁Santiago , ▁Chile . ▁ ▁Old s ▁ended ▁his ▁tour ▁with ▁the ▁ 2 ▁B G ▁by ▁developing ▁plans ▁to ▁reduce ▁unit ▁costs ▁of ▁new ▁B