Evening star., 1941-09-19
Navy Bomber Crews
Perfect Pantomime
For Conversation
Life Aboard Atlantic
Petrol Plane Develops
Tolerance, Comrudeship
(Fourth OF q Series.)
BY MORGAN NJ. BEATTY,

Associated Press Feature Service Writer
ABOARD U. S. NAVY PATROL
BOMBER OVER THE ATLANTIC.
Men live a stream-lined life in
these big aluminium tunnels. Every
things planned just like it is in
those folding stove and bed apart
ments in New York, only 10 times
more so.
The men around me in this tiny
speck over the ocean are all plain.
alert, healthy Americans. They
hail from various parts of the
United States, have all kinds of
backgrounds.
Take our commanding officer
He's from Washington, D. c. A
few short years ago he was romp-
ing up and down football fields.
urged on by thousands of fans.
All-America mention, too.
Signals Complicated Now.
He's calling signals up front right
now, but they're vastly more COM
plicated-and important-out here
in mid-Atlantic. A slip means
precious lives-trained liveS-and
taxpayers money. There are poiSe
and authority in his mature face.
The navigator is from the Mid
west. His is the same small town
background I know so well. The
radio operators a New Englander,
sharp featured. He's got -nimble
fingers, a quick mind. Crazy about
radio since childhood Now he's
IL Ii,
dream about and he loves it. He
works out our position on a di-
rection finder, gets the same answer
as the navigator. Quite a feat.
Accents are mixed. Piercing New
England tWang relays orders. A
southern drawl shoots back AYE,
aye. sir" Nasal Midwestern farmer
voices tell us to come forward to
balance ship for the takeoff.
A gunner comes from the South
west. I talk to him in the center
section, where bunk bedding muf-
fes the noise.
Good jobs were scarce in Little
Rock he says. Dad works in the
post Office Id pick him up often.
I got to talking to the Navy recruit
ing officers in the post Office build
ing a couple of years ago-and here
! am with a steady job"
At this time of year the men wear
summer weight coveralls that zip
up all over the body Watch them
get in and out of this gear and
you're reminded of an actor max
ing a quick change. Some use fly
ing helmets. Some don't. There
are white caps cooked over eyes,
just like you see them ashore; blue
toboggan caps, too.
The navigator sometimes wears
the tradition aerial navigator's cap.
like baseball or jockey cap. Each
squadron has its special color or
combination. The cap seems odd
up here, but it protects the eyes
from brilliant cloud glare, and you
can wear the headphones over them.
Special Rations.
The Navy has put itself out for
the comfort of these crews within
the limits of military efficiency.
They have special flying rations, a
large seabag full of vitamin- packed
food. The bread isn't white like a
bakery'S but infinitely better than
any of the advertised kinds. They
bake it aboard the floating base.
And do these boys annihilate the
fations!
I'VE seem to get hungrier on these
long flights" says the navigator,
chomping down on a fig newton.
Many sweets for quick energy;
they need them. They're constantly
climbing through, up, down and
around.
The Navy wastes no weight or
space in these patrol bombers on
bathrooms and lavatories. Water
comes in aluminium cylinders about
the size of big fire extinguishers.
There's little shaving or handwash-
ing aboard. Some of the men,
especially the mecks (mechanics)
wear boards. They stay aboard
more than other members of the
crew. Hair is forever mussed. Blame
1t on headsets.
Close quarters and common con-
Germ for safety develop a sense of
liberation and comradeship aboard,
but nobody wastes time on Alfonso
and CASTOR gestures.
Some conversation is pantomime,
with smiles and frowns and eyebrow
lifting A slice with the hand
across the neck means Cut the en-
gines," or Bad weather ahead"
Everybody seems to understand
which. A frown means Il don't un-
derstand," a slap of the fiat hand
at the air means Never mind" 4.
The most frequent sign is the
circle with the thumb and forefin-
ger. 1t means 20. K"
The flight commander peers just
now through the port, grins huge
grin and makes that sign. We've
sighted home base through the haze.
Our flight is almost over, and, eff
cheney or no efficiency, want good
hot shower like nobodys business.
This is downright plain hard work.
Tomorrow: Our Floating Base,
the dnSWer to an dirman'S prayer.