The Western news. [volume] (Libby, Mont.) 1933-current, 1943-06-03
Wing Talk
By Robert Mccormick
(WNU Fextu4-Throuxh special arrangement
with Golfers Weekly


(WNU Featur4-Throuxh special arrangement
with Golfers Weskly)
One day, Major General James
Clancy, commander of the First Air
force at Mitchell Field, New York,
was flying comfortably at 10000
feet in twin-engined bomber. The
general was looking down distaste-
fully at the 30-foot waves, when he
thought he saw two impudent little
yellow-winged planes sitting on the
water beneath him. He made his
pilot circle and came down to in
vestigate. He discovered that the
planes weren't actually on the water.
They were low over it, looking for
submarines. They were units OF the
Civil Air patrol.
''How far is it to land?" the hor-
rified general asked the pilot.
"Seventy-one miles the shortest
way" the pilot said.
CLANCY wrote Mai. Earle
Johnson, national commander Of
the CAP. II just wanted you
to know he said, that you
have no draft dodgers In that
bunch"
incidentally, CAP men are not de-
ferred from the draft. Most Of them
have dependents or are average or
physically unfit for regular military
duty.
CAP Part Of OCD.
The CAP was started week be-
fore Pearl Harbor as part OF the
Office Of Civilian Defense. Plans
we're worked over for month be-
fore that, by a committee OF air
conscious people who refused to be
skeptical. The main idea was to
use the thousands OF private pilots,
planes and air enthusiasts, In work
which could be done by men and
equipment somewhat less high
powered than that used by the army
air force.
Since then, the CAP has flown
more than IA million miles-tnp
average is ST 900 miles a month.
A wing was set up Iii each state,
under wing commander.
The boys and girls (several CAP
groups are all women) meet three
nights week. usually, and study
navigation. radio, meteorology. mill
tary drill and military courtesy.
Those who bring their own planes
get paid around SIS an hour, depend
ing upon its horsepower, when it's
actually in the air. But only the
depreciation on the plane goes to
the owner, the rest goes into kitty
from which all owners buy parts,
tools and similar essentials, when
they can get what they need
Volunteers Must Go Anywhere.
There are 81 CAP bases from
Mexico to Maine, and volunteer is
just as likely as not to find himself
sent for 80 days to a forsaken hole
miles from the nearest civilization,
where he has to live by his wits and
courage.
One southern base. more than a
hundred miles from the nearest hos
pital, has among its active workers
well-known doctor, who serves one
month each year instead OF taking
vacation. Out over the ocean ono
day, he was notified by radio that
another man at the base was sick.
The doc tore back to find
young mechanic with ruptured
appendix. A workshop bench
was made into an operating ia
BILE, and with the few unspecial-
lied surgeons tools at hand, the
doctor went to work. The young
man Is doing nicely today at
the same old stand, and the doc
tor Is still placidly flying the
submarine patrol ON his time off.
When the CAP first got the idea
that its little outputs could be death
on subs, all even family orthodox
military minds were properly skep-
teal. Finally Major Johnson, who
throws off enthusiasm for the project
in all directions, wangled $4,000 for
30-day trial at base near one OF
the worst ship grayeyards on the
East coast. The usual complement
of base commander and 76 men
took over, with their customary
collection OF odds and ends for equip
ment, and went to sea in the aerial
equivalent of pea-green boats.
Within ten days, General Bradley
of the army air force came up to
inspect the base. Ten days is scarce
ly time to set new apartment in
order, but he found the little air.
planes buzzing over the ocean with
such effectiveness that sinkings had
dropped off 85 per cent.
Yet the planes carried no
bombs, and could only radio the
army or navy for help when
they found sub. Another base
was set up, and another and an
other, and at each one, the sink
ings went down.
One day two CAP planes found a