LONDON, May 31, 1927 (UP) -- Charles A. Lindbergh today announced that he will leave from Cherbourg, France, on Saturday for the United States aboard the U.S. destroyer Breck, arriving in New York on June 14.
The destroyer was placed at Lindbergh's disposal following suggestions to President Coolidge by the Cleveland Press and the other Scripps-Howard newspapers that a warship be offered to the New York-to-Paris flyer.
Lindbergh's decision follows suggestions of Ambassador Alanson B. Houghton that he shorten his European tour as to avoid offending nations he would not be able to visit.
King George today bestowed on Lindbergh the Air Force Cross.
The Missouri National Guard captain's visit to Buckingham Palace came after he had said au revoir to the Ryan monoplane, Spirit of St. Louis, which carried him from New York to Paris, Brussels and London. He flew the plane from Croydon Airfield to Gosport, where it was to be dismantled at once for shipment to the United States.
The Air Cross was the third decoration bestowed on Lindbergh by a European nation. France made him a knight of the Legion of Honor and King Albert of the Belgians made him a chevalier of the Order of Leopold.
Before going to the palace, Lindbergh paid a brief visit to the Prime Minister Stanley Baldwin at No. 10 Downing Street. Later he was received by the Prince of Wales.
The audience with the king lasted 20 minutes. Lindbergh left the palace at 11:06 a.m. and drove directly to St. James Palace, where he was received by the Prince of Wales. They talked until 11.30.
The meeting between the Prince of Wales and Lindbergh, the two most popular and famous bachelors in the world, was private. Wales received Lindbergh in his private apartments alone.
Several hundreds of persons braved the drizzling rain to wait several hours before the grilled gates to the outer palace yard for Lindbergh's arrival. The unofficial welcomers lined both sides of the parkway by the time Lindbergh arrived and entered the palace at 10:40 a.m. The crowd cheered.
Lindbergh lunched privately with the Air Council, composed of air ministry officials, at Claridge's Hotel.
Sir Samuel Hoare, the air minister, presided at the luncheon. He described Lindbergh as follows:
"He is the pilot who has broken the world's record, and a worthy representative of our close friends and war allies, the pilots of the United States. He is a young man who embodies the spirit of adventure which lights up the world with a flash of courage and daring and, I am glad to say, with success."
