Detroit evening times. (Detroit, Mich) 1921-1958, 1941-07-06
A Modern
Good Samaritan
With Wings
But certain Samaritan, as he journeyed,
came where he was: and when he saw him,
he had compassion on him." Luke 1888.


- TRANSPORTATION through some parts of Central
America may be almost as primitive today it was
in Biblical times but when life is At stake it may
be speeded up to better than 300 miles hour.
SO often has Major Russell f. Randall U. S. Army
fIer stationed Albrook Field Canal Zone proved
in the past and half that throughout Panama Costa
RIGA and Nicaragua he is called the Flying Samaritan
Not only has the major made many but h+a
ability TO be Johnny -the-Spot when IN
trouble almost uncanny The first 10 discover this
fellow officer Lieutenant Van Sladen who flew into
difficulties nearly is months ago training flight
Van saden heading for his air base when sudden
and furious tropical storm descended upon him. His
engine went dead. Buffeted by and rain he
get his engine going He worked at it long that
when he looked the side he but few hundred
feet above the and two miles from shore. He
baed out fast
4 few ninuea later as he floundered in the water
that ne would he carried out TO ne heard
plane and Major Randall who Just happened to be n.y.
ing around" dived his big amphibian plane landing 1t
close to the lieutenant
With the aid of his crew he half-drowned
pilot aboard where he given treatment by the
panying medical officer. Capt Herman. Had the Major
not acted so promptly Van SIaden undoubtedly would
by the ferocous sharks which the
waters off Chame Point, been carried far out to
Some months later when Major Randall at his
air base the Canal Zone urgent radio message
from Managua. Nicaragua. Some heavy machinery had
slipped and badly crushed engineers leg
Unless aid immediate the man would die He had
be taken to hospital in San Jose Costa Rica
Within IS minutes after the radio call Major Randall
flying high over the dense junges to Managua. An
ambulance waiting when he TAXED up the field at the
Nicaraguan Airport. In few minutes the patient
flying to the hospital and his life saved.
months later Major Randall flew to the Perlas
Islands off the Coast of Panama. native workman
cleaning a revolver had neglected 10 find out if it
loaded Unluckiy him, had been, and it neatly
blew the middle finger off his left hand.
Because this workman shouldn't have possessed the
gun the first place he afraid of questioning If he
applied for medical treatment So he tried to doctor
himself and his got badly infected The only way TO
save his life was TO amputate the arm Immediately.
Major Randall surgeons to the Perlas Islands
where the operation was performed 1t the
third life he had saved.
A few weeks later the Flying Samaritan" took off
on another mercy mission This time he flew 125 miles
into interior where desperately Ill l4year-od girl
Letica Gonzalez stricken with malaria and had TO be
taken to a hospital quickly if she were to survive
THE flight from Albrook Field to the vicinity Of
Bucaro Panama a small native village at the mouth OF
Tonosi River" said the Major "Letca was in the
process being carried by native from the small
town Tonos about eight miles from the Pacific Ocean
I'VE the river and located a heavly-aden
cayuca about three from the and identified
carrying the sick child We then landed in
very heavy where we attempted TO anchor until the
cayuca arrived.
The wind and current we're so strong arplano
dragged it's anchor and much difficulty experienced
to keep it drifting onto the rocks. Later when
cayuca reached the mouth of the river it was impossible
for to out in the heavy sea in the vicinity of tho
amphibian Plane and it necessary for us to taxi
through the surf and sand bar into the narrow
mouth Of the Tonos River.
THE plane eventually beached the edge of the
and the sick girl carried aboard With difficulty
turned the plane around in the stream and
take-of made through the heavy surf
Within hour Lctica safe in the Santo Tomas
Hospital where, in few days she out of danger.
Just few days ago. the Flying Samaritan saved him
self after his motor quit while he survey mission
Il approximately 1900 feet the Jungle" he
said land stayed with the airplane until about 1900 feet
when could not make safe landing"
The Major knocked unconscious when he baied
out and he hanging by his parachute from tree
For "a hours he lost. Then he followed a small
for half a day until he TO clearing where
a native guided him TO motor road where he picked
up by passing mooris and driven to his air base which
had many planes looking for him.
day later, after bath, shave and good rest
the Flying Samaritan ready to fly again.