The Daily Alaska empire., 1944-10-31

HEADQUARTERS, ALA SKA T DEPARTMENTr-Details of mis sion tc recover the bodies of 19 per sons presumed killed when thei C-47 Air Transport Command plant crashed near tke top of Mt. Brook in September were disclosed todal (Oct. 24) at Alaskan Departmen readquarters. The expedition is ont of the most difficult ever attempted in Alaska.
 The plane, which was flying or instruments under icing conditions crashed September IS at an altitude of 9.7oo feet, near the top of the peak between Eldridge and Muldrov glaciers, Mt. Brooks, one of the greater peaks in the area of Mt Mckinley, is located in sector which has never been accurately charted, and so far as Army au- thorities can determine, no person hes ever climbed the mountain.
 Difficult M ssion
 The really difficult mission, that of actually climbing the snow-cover- ed mountain to the wrecked plane still lies ahead of the party. An
 dvance party headed by Grant Pearscn, a ranger of the Mckinley Park Service and one of the few persons ever to climb Mt. Mckinley highest mountain in North America has made its way to the edge ol ATuldrcw Glacier and was ordered not to proceed further pending ar rival of special equipment, without which ascent of the mountain was considered extremely dangerous
 Because. of the hazardous nature of the expedition, the A members of the party were selected from es- pecially qualified soldier volunteers from various organizations. Capt. America P. Peracca. Corps of En- Gineers, of Crockett, Calif., 11th Air Force land rescue expert, cancelled his scheduled return to the States en rotation to take charge of the actual expedition. Maj. J. G. Hill of Denver, Colo, was selected to organize the mission.
 Wreckage Located
 After the wreckage of the plane was located September 21, Col, Ivan N. Palmer, air base commander here, lew MT. Pearson over the wreckage to determine whether it was possible to reach the wrecked plane. Colonel Palmer and MT. Pearson reported their findings at a conference with It. Gen. Delos c. Emmons, Alaskan Department commander, Brig. Gen. Harry A. Johnson, commander of the XI Air Force Service Command, and other Army officials, and it was decided that every effort short Of risking lives would be made to reeoVer the bodies and gain infor- maticn about the accident.
 A base camp has been established at Wonder Lake, nearest point on the Mckinley Park road to Mt. Brooks. Forward camps have been set up at Cache Creek and McGoiaa- gall Pass, near the edge of Muldrew Glacier. to support the party that will attempt to climb to the scene Of the crash.
 Base Camp Supplied
 The base camp is receiving sup plies by truck from Mt. Mckinley Park station, on the Alaska Rail- read, and supplies are going to the camp at Cache Creek by tractor, end from there as far as the terrain will permit, by snow jeep and trac- tor. Some supplies have been free cropped and parachuted from a CAT plane at McGonagall Pass, and the party that will attempt to climb Mt. Brooks will be supplied from the air. Radio communication be- tween the various camps of the ex- petition has been established, and contact between the base camp at Wonder Lake and Elmendorf Field and Ladd Field is maintained by radio.
 Aerial Mosiac
 An aerial mosaic is being prepared of the proposed route up the noun tain, but weather conditions over the Alaska mountain range have prevented completion of aerial photographs of approaches to the scene of the crash.
 Also among the technical advisers with the expedition is MT James A. Ford, mountain climbing expert from the Office of the Quarter master General at Washington, D. c MT. Ford arrived here from Wash