Detroit evening times., 1945-08-13
Chapter XVIII

WE SHOULD all have been happy and contented as
w as kings in this lotus land
Instead we were wildly impatient to escape from
Paradise
We spent large part of our waking hours discussing
Just when and how we would be wsked out of the valley
True the glider strip ready. We had expected to be
rescued within "a hours after reaching it. But day fol-
lowed day and seemed closer to release from the
prison" of ShangriLa.
The army plane came over daily with mail, supplies and
blow-by-blow glider Wadke Early
anything but satisfactory and the reports were
seldom encouraging the Is of mpanty awaiting rescue
The major difficulty stemmed from the altitude of
Shanghai The valley lies $500 feet above level glider
before snaked off the ground such a-
tude quite what would happen until the
tests completed
AT altitude plane has tendency to stall at
speeds The big CAT assigned would
literally walk in at a 13O miles hour to
pick up the glider
Furthermore, the added drag Of a glider slows such
ship down dangerous los to 1O miles hour at
level That speed would further reduced by the
mle-hgh valley altitude.
Every connected with the project apprehensiye.
WE WERE picked up the floor of Shanghai by
" CAT nicknamed the Leaking Louise. The was
chosen by the pilot Maj. William j. Samues of Decatur, ILL.,
and the copo Capt William Mckenzie of Lacrosse. Wis.,
because the plane spewed oil from her two engines.
pickup winch installed Louise Biak Tests then
followed Wadke. first trail, Maj Samuels cut the
glider owrope with Louses props and knocked all the
bottom plane the second day the
steel cable broke and winch had to be installed.
On Sunday June "a the army plane over with its
report the glider We had been week the big
valley and to home to Holanda But that
journey seemed and hazardous when Maj Gardner
reported ao cable had broken again the day
before.
1T had only broken but had snapped back inside the
CAL both the planes radio winch operators and
had unca of tha shin'S
neither seriously hurt.
bed that night said my rosary and asking
God that be hurt in trying to and that all
eventually reach safety Later Maj Samues told that
Sunday day after the accident he had to church
chaplain prayed the mission, and
said prayers too he said. I'm firmly convinced that
the prayers did it, From then everything went okay
succeeding days reports successful radioed
Weather ShangrLa took emperamenta turn for
the
until Thursday 28 that the glider grace
fully valley runway about 80
We all the field, jumping up and down with
happiness before the glider pilot 1t Henry F. Paver
of Baton Rouge, could step out of his plane.
BY begun collect, This was
their chance close up of those monsters of the
that had been terrifying them first. Now they
gazed at it with fear than did.
ready go:" demanded of McColom, Decker
and myself. express schedule 80
minutes"
Thirty mnutes!" shrieked "Why I'm
packed"
Neither McColom Decker. We raced back to the
pack up and the bows and
had bought with shells from natives souvenirs Of life
in Shangri-La.
1t was decided that Sgt Ben c. (Doc) Buaao and Sgt
Fernando L. Dungao to with They too, rushed
to pack
CAT above waiting snake the glider into
the air.
T. PAYER hustled the glider without much ceremony
IL time say goodby to the natives But they under
stood that going Tears sreamed down their black
faces They felt they losing friends and knew was
losing kindest friends would ever have.
blew my rather noisy and discovered that McColom
and Decker doing the thing
Don't be upset IL the tow rope breaks the first try
1t Paver saying in meant to be reassung, but
which certainly wasn't.
what happens il it does:" McCollom demanded.
"Wel, suh," said Paver with his soft, southern accent
"the army's got insured for 10000"
cluched my rosary Ever since the pararoopers had hrs