The data from the worldwide network of neutron monitors have been used to deduce the spatial distribution, rigidity spectrum, and propatation characteristics of the GLE on May 7, 1978. The large magnitude of the GLE and hard rigidity spectrum enabled an analysis to be made utilizing both high-latitude and mid-latitude stations. A straightforward method of analysis could not be used to determine the source function, probably owing to the influence of external magnetospheric currents upon the asymptotic directions of high-latitude neutron monitors and on the asymptotic directions of all stations at rigidities near cutoff. Consequently, we used measurements from the mid-latitude neutron monitors sensitive to high rigidity particles from the solar flare. The apparent source of the solar particle flux near earth was located in a region around 20 ¿N, 87.5 ¿E, which is approximately 40 ¿ west of the sun. The functional form of the pitch angle distribution was given by exp (-Δ2/2ϑ2), ϑ?25 ¿ during the first 30 minutes and then became flatter. The observed anisotropy was ~1 until 0410 UT, then decreased to 3 GV was an exponential exp (-P/P0) with P0=1.45 near the onset, changing to P0=0.7 GV later. An analysis using the telegraph equation [Fisk and Axford, 1969> yields a scattering mean free path &lgr;11>3 AU. The analysis indicates that the propagation was scatter-free for about one hour and that the intensity-time profile of the solar injection was observed for particles with P>1 GV.