“We”

York to Paris, without a hand to clasp or a face to look into, was a deed to lose one’s head over. And that’s what everybody in France, Belgium and England proceeded to do.

“After all, the greater was behind⁠—the young fellow’s keeping his own head when millions hailed him as hero, when all the women lost their hearts to him, and when decorations were pinned on his coat by admiring Governments. Lindbergh had the world at his feet, and he blushed like a girl! A more modest bearing, a more unaffected presence, a manlier, kindlier, simpler character no idol of the multitude ever displayed. Never was America prouder of a son.”

Endnotes

1. In the following account of flying during the postwar period of aviation, before flying laws and the Aeronautical Branch of the Department of Commerce came into existence, it should be borne in mind by the reader that the experiences and incidents related in this book in no way describe modern commercial flying conditions. Even in this account it will be noticed that the more spectacular events took place in such a manner that all risk was taken by the pilots and by members of the aeronautical profession; also that exhibition and test flying were responsible for most of these.

   In the four emergency parachute jumps described herein, it is apparent that in each case the plane would never have been flown with passengers under the conditions which necessitated the jump.

   Commercial air transport has developed rapidly during the last few years, until today it has reached a stage where the safety of properly operated airlines compares favorably with other means of travel. ↩

List of Illustrations

1. “We”

2. Father and son

3. Madison, WI⁠—Instructor and classmates in a mid-western military school

4. Shipping the Spirit of St. Louis

5. The men who made the plane.

6. St. Louis, MO⁠—Financial backers of the nonstop New York to Paris flight

7. Fuselage frame of the plane

8. Working on navigation charts for flight

9. Instrument board of the plane

10. “We” make a test flight

11. Curtiss Field, L. I.⁠—Patsy, the mascot for the Spirit of St. Louis

12. Curtiss Field, L. I.⁠—Police guarding the Spirit of St. Louis on its way to the runway for the takeoff

13. Curtiss Field, L. I.⁠—Captain René Fonck wishes Lindbergh the best of luck

14. Curtiss Field, L. I.⁠—Getting ready for the takeoff. “The weather was pretty sick”

15. Curtiss Field, L. I.⁠—Just before starting on the big adventure

16. “I didn’t use my periscope all the time, but could look out my windows”

17. Paris, France⁠—A salutation from M. Bleriot

18. Paris, France⁠—Paul Painlevé, French Minister of War, extends his welcome. On the right is Ambassador Myron T. Herrick

19. Paris, France⁠—With M. Doumerque and Ambassador Herrick

20. Paris, France⁠—Crowds at the City Hall at the official reception

21. Paris, France⁠—Guests at the luncheon of M. Bleriot

22. Paris, France⁠—With Ambassador Herrick on the steps of the embassy, just after arrival in Paris

23. London, England⁠—The welcome at Croyden Field where a milling mob of nearly half a million had gathered

24. Brussels, Belgium⁠—With Crown Prince Leopold during the official reception

25. London, England⁠—With H.R.H. the Prince of Wales and Lord Lonsdale (left) in the royal box at the Derby Ball

26. London, England⁠—Crowds pressing around the Spirit of St. Louis as the plane landed. Some of the souvenir-hunters managed to tear away bits of the wing

27. London, England⁠—“At Croyden Field I escaped to the top of the observation tower overlooking the crowd”

28. The U.S.S. Memphis, flagship on which the author returned to America

29. Washington DC⁠—Coming down the gangplank of the U.S.S. Memphis, followed by his mother

30. Washington DC⁠—Charles Evans Hughes confers the Cross of Honor from the United States Flag Association

31. Washington DC⁠—At the tomb of “The Unknown Soldier” at Arlington Cemetery

32. Washington DC⁠—Speeches at Washington Monument. The President at Colonel Lindbergh’s right

33. From the Top of Washington Monument

34. Washington DC⁠—At Arlington Cemetery

35. Copy of the $25,000 check presented by Raymond Orteig

36. New York City⁠—Receiving the Orteig Prize medal. Mr. Orteig is standing in the center between Colonel Scott and myself

37. Welcome in New York Harbor

38. New York City⁠—Riding up Broadway

39. New York City’s welcome

40. New York City⁠—A June snowstorm

41. New York City⁠—The parade passing through Central Park where over 400,000 people were gathered. A solid bank of humanity flanked our passage

42. New York City⁠—Parade in Central Park as seen from a nearby skyscraper

43. New York City⁠—Speaking at the ceremonies in Central Park. Governor Smith of New York behind the “mike”

44. Brooklyn, NY⁠—Speaking at the ceremonies in Prospect Park

45. The Spirit of St. Louis after her return

46. Mitchel Field, L. I.⁠—After the flight to Washington

47. St. Louis’ welcome⁠—Looking down Washington Avenue

48. Mother and son

Colophon

“We”
was published in 1927 by
Charles A. Lindbergh.

This ebook was produced for
Standard Ebooks
by
Jason Livermore,
and is based on a transcription produced in 2024 by
Tim Lindell, David E. Brown, and Distributed Proofreaders
for
Project Gutenberg
and on digital scans from the
Internet Archive.

The cover page is adapted from
We,
a painting completed in 1927 by
Einar Kverne.
The cover and title pages feature the
League Spartan and Sorts Mill Goudy
typefaces created in 2014 and 2009 by
The League of Moveable Type.

The first edition of this ebook was released on
January 17, 2026, 8:15 p.m.
You can check for updates to this ebook, view its revision history, or download it for different ereading systems at
standardebooks.org/ebooks/charles-a-lindbergh/we.

The volunteer-driven Standard Ebooks project relies on readers like you to submit typos, corrections, and other improvements. Anyone can contribute at standardebooks.org.

Uncopyright

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