The Washington times., 1933-12-27
PILOT DEPICTS
BATTLE WITH
FOG, SNOW
Cross Winds Rock Ship Racing
With Death; Landing Peril
Overcome on Field of Ice


Winner of race to saUe the
lite of a 5-month.old baby on
Dhom a delicate brain operation
DnS ordered, James f. WedeH
speed tlier, In the tollo1Oinq
story tells of his daring cross
country flight against the chGl-
lenge OF death and hazardous
flying conditions
BY JAMES r. WEDELL
Copyright. 1898 by International
News Service)
BALTIMORE, Dec. q GN.SD .
I was so miles away, at Columbia,
Tex, yesterday afternoon when I
learned that an emergency trip
had to be made to Baltimore.
I received a phone call from my
partner telling me to get ready
Immediately for the trip. I was
told it was a hospital case. I
Jumped in a plane and a half
hour later I was in Houston.
Mr.. and Mrs. w. B. Trammel,
their little daughter, Sue; another
member Of their family, and a
nurse were already at the Houston
flying field.
The ship was made ready at
once and the passengers and the
baby entered the cabin.
From Summer To Winter
The weather in Houston was
almost like summer. In Balti-
more we arrived in what seemed
to be a near blizzard.
The baby was all wrapped in
blankets, though. and held care
fully by the nurse or mother
during most of the trip.
From Houston to New Orleans
we ran into a fog. Visibility for
many miles was absolutely i'm
possible. The fog was dense and
I tried to get out of it but had
no luck. The instruments, how
ever. functioned perfectly and I
drove the ship ahead, giving the
motor all it would stand. We
clipped off about $50 miles an
hour most of the time.
After we had left New Orleans
the fog began to lift. My next
stop was Atlanta. where we stop
ped for half an hour and my pas.
sengers went in and had supper.
l had a sandwich and drank a
cup of coffee.
Altitude Increased
The boys at the Atlanta field
saw the plane was fuelled and the
mechanics saw. everything was
okay. AS night came on, I
changed my altitude. I had been
flying at an average height Of only
600 feet but changed it to 1000
feet. For nearly 800 miles of the
trip we encountered cross winds
that almost rocked the ship.
At 1920 p. m. I set the plane
down at Greensboro, N. c., for
fuel. We we're there only a few
minutes and I told my passengers
our next stop would be Baltimore.
After leaving Greensboro, I
took the ship up to 5000 feet
where I found a tail wind that in
creased my speed. It got terribly
cold but no ice formed on the
wings.
Field Lights Welcome
When IS miles from Baltimore
saw snow. Fifteen miles away
! saw the lights and signals of
Logan Field, the Baltimore air
port. You can't imagine how well
come those lights were. The men
had lighted the field almost as
bright as day.
From an altitude of 500 feet
we could see that the entire
country was covered with snow.
Realizing the danger of landing
on frozen snow, I was extraordi-
narily cautious as I brought the
ship down. It responded beauti-
fully and I landed and TAXED
right up to the field station.
You don't know how happy it
made me feel when l saw that
little baby carried to the ambu-
lance and started for the hospital.
I only hope that the operation is
successful and that she pulls
through it all right.