▁American ▁countries . ▁The ▁ 2 2 , 0 0 0 - mile ▁tour ▁took ▁two ▁months . ▁Buenos ▁Aires ▁was ▁the ▁half way ▁mark . ▁W ool sey ▁probably ▁could ▁have ▁par ach uted ▁to ▁safety ▁but ▁apparently ▁chose ▁to ▁ride ▁his ▁am ph ib ian ▁bi plane ▁down ▁in ▁an ▁attempt ▁to ▁land ▁because ▁Bent on ▁was ▁on ▁the ▁wing , ▁without ▁his ▁ch ute , ▁attempting ▁to ▁lower ▁the ▁landing ▁g ear ▁by ▁hand ." I ▁have ▁never ▁witness ed ▁a ▁more ▁courage ous ▁sacrifice ," ▁said ▁Capt . ▁Ira ▁E aker , ▁who ▁witness ed ▁the ▁crash ▁from ▁his ▁plane . ▁Fl ight ▁Commander ▁Bert ▁D arg ue ▁and ▁L t . ▁En nis ▁White head ▁ba iled ▁out ▁of ▁Lo ening ▁O A - 1 A ▁" New ▁York ", ▁while ▁W ool sey ▁and ▁Bent on ▁rode ▁O A - 1 A ▁" Det roit " ▁in . ▁▁▁ 1 3 ▁March ▁First ▁of ▁two ▁Naval ▁A ircraft ▁Factory ▁P N - 8 ▁flying ▁boats , ▁Bu No ▁A - 6 7 9 9 , ▁delivered ▁ 8 ▁May ▁ 1 9 2 5 , ▁intended ▁for ▁a ▁flight ▁by ▁the ▁Navy ▁from ▁San ▁Francisco ▁to ▁Hawai i , ▁is ▁w reck ed ▁while ▁being ▁transport ed ▁fully ▁assemble d ▁on ▁the ▁deck ▁of ▁the ▁. ▁Hit ▁by ▁heavy ▁se as , ▁the ▁plane ▁is ▁lifted ▁against ▁its ▁tie - down ▁c ables , ▁which ▁cut ▁through ▁the ▁h ull , ▁air frame ▁written ▁off ▁with ▁