Lituanica Geocoin

Hi guys, this coin had a great adventure all over the world! Now it is time for it to return home :).

If possible, please move it closer to Freiburg in Germany!

The flight of Steponas Darius and Stasys Girėnas across the Atlantic Ocean was one of the most significant events in the history of both the Lithuanian and world aviation. It became a symbol of love for the Motherland and bottomless respect to the Homeland for all the Lithuanians as well as an example of never-ending determination and resolute pursuit of the set goal. In the history of world aviation, this flight is recorded among the flights of the greatest precision. In 1933, this flight ranked second in the world in terms of the transatlantic distance and fourth in terms of the time the aircraft spent airborne. According to Brigadier General Antanas Gustaitis, Commander of the Lithuanian Air Force, the exclusivity of this flight lied in the pilot’s energy and their strong-willed and do-or-die determination to overcome all obstacles and reach their goal. Darius and Girėnas were also the pioneers of air mail services from North America to Europe. When leaving the USA for their trip to Lithuania, the pilots carried 983 letters and 5 consignments containing the newspaper called Naujienos (the News).

The Lithuanian pilots aimed to fly 7186 km cross the Atlantic Ocean, from New York City to Kaunas, which back then was the capital of Lithuania. However, having spent 37 hours and 11 min airborne and flown as far as 6411, the Lituanica aircraft was caught in a storm. The plane hit the treetops in the Soldin Forest (former German, presently Poland territory, near Myślibórz) and crashed. Both pilots were killed in the accident. The crowd of 25 thousand Kaunas’ residents had been waiting for them in vain.

Kaunas Cultural Centre of Various Nations and Smile Family implemented a project in 2013 to commemorate the 80^thanniversary of the Lituanica flight. During the project, the first Lithuanian anniversary geocoins were released and named Lituanica. A hundred of most active Lithuanian geocachers registered one coin each and let them across the world, this way spreading the message of the heroic deed of the Lituanica’s pilots.