Evening star., 1944-11-23
BY w. H. SHIPPEN, Jr.,

Aviation Editor, The Star.
MEEKS FIELD, Iceland (By Air
Courier. - When sudden storms
close in ON the North Atlantic the
lives OF several hundred young air.
men in planes scattered al the way
from Scotland to Newfoundland may
depend on the judgment and expert
ence of the operations of1icer here
He must make his decisions swiftly
on the basis of vast amount OF
technical information. such as land
ing speeds, range, gas consumption
experience of the pilots and weather
conditions at various levels ever the
whole route. Some planes may be
turned back or routed to alternate
fields, while others are allowed to
come through.
The responsibility is enough to
turn an ordinary individuals hair
gray, but 1t. Col. Roger H. Kruse
the operations officer here, takes 1t
all in stride, although he may be
on duty around the clock when
gales and cold fronts are moving
across the Great Circle route. The
young Kansan grew up with the
system and helped to put it into
operation.
Veterans Know Way.
Three days of clear nights and
bright sunshine in what usually Is
the worst season of the year for
Atlantic storms found the bombers
arriving and departing by dozens
letting down here some seven OF
eight hours out of Newfoundland
and taking off for the four-hour run
to the United Kingdom.
Col. Kruse doesn't have to worry
too much about the transport crews,
the veterans who know the run and
could make it in all kinds of weather
with their eyes shut
The young combat airmen in the
bombers are his principal concern,
the cocky youngsters with more
training than transocean experience
Some of them are so proud OF
their ability, and so afraid of little
kidding, they refuse to admit they
are lost until their gasoline is run
ming out.
Sometimes these boys come In
here in thick weather and fly all
over this part of the Atlantic look
ing for the field" Col. Kruse said
but would they admit they were
lost, and ask for their position?
should say not.
With our equipment we can trace
them above the overcast. We know
where they are all the time and
when they're off course we ask them
If they need help and a lot of them
won't answer. They want to come
in on their own, without admitting
they were lost"
Operations officers at bases along
the route are responsible for the
airworthiness of planes which leave
their fields They must make Ger.
tain the ships have ample gasoline
for emergencies, and that the pilot.
are properly briefed and supplied
with weather information before
they leave and while they are ir
fight.
The planes are assigned to specia
attitudes, especially in thick
weather, and their pilots given the
proper codes and ciphers for the
fight. Each plane receives a cal
name like "bloomer," "broomstick,
camel" chorus" and such.
Service Litter Planes.
Weather information gathered
from planes, ships and ground sta
tions reaching half around the
world is transmitted between base.
by radio teletype at high speed and
in code.
This base is set up to service lit
ter planes returning from Europe
with the wounded. They carry from
16 to l8 stretcher cases or ambula
tory cases. The wounded receive
hot meals here and a hospital has
been provided for them in case OF
weather layovers.
Most of these planes. however will