ys c rap ers ▁Category : Art icles ▁containing ▁video ▁cli ps <0x0A> </s> ▁Ste pon as ▁D arius ▁( known ▁as ▁Stephen ▁D arius ▁in ▁the ▁US ; ▁born ▁Ste pon as ▁Ju ce vi č ius ▁- ▁D ara š ius ; ▁January ▁ 8 , ▁ 1 8 9 6 ▁– ▁July ▁ 1 7 , ▁ 1 9 3 3 ) ▁was ▁a ▁Lith uan ian ▁American ▁pilot , ▁who ▁died ▁in ▁a ▁non - stop ▁flight ▁attempt ▁with ▁the ▁L itu an ica ▁from ▁New ▁York ▁City ▁to ▁Ka unas , ▁Lith u ania , ▁in ▁ 1 9 3 3 . ▁ ▁Biography ▁ ▁Born ▁in ▁Rub iš k ė s , ▁in ▁the ▁K ov no ▁Governor ate ▁of ▁the ▁Russian ▁Empire , ▁D arius ▁imm igr ated ▁to ▁the ▁US ▁with ▁his ▁family ▁in ▁ 1 9 0 7 . ▁In ▁ 1 9 1 7 ▁he ▁joined ▁the ▁United ▁States ▁Army , ▁after ▁the ▁United ▁States ▁entered ▁World ▁War ▁I , ▁and ▁changed ▁his ▁name ▁to ▁D arius . ▁He ▁served ▁as ▁a ▁tele phone ▁operator ▁in ▁the ▁ 1 4 9 th ▁Field ▁Art illery ▁Regiment , ▁fought ▁in ▁France , ▁was ▁wounded ▁and ▁received ▁the ▁Pur ple ▁Heart ▁medal . ▁In ▁ 1 9 2 0 , ▁he ▁returned ▁to ▁Lith u ania ▁and ▁joined ▁the ▁Lith uan ian ▁Army , ▁gradu ating ▁from ▁War ▁School ▁of ▁Ka unas ▁in ▁ 1 9 2 1 . ▁He ▁participated ▁in ▁the ▁K la