Evening star., 1946-06-09
u. 5. Destroyers Sold
To Russia by Britain
Downed u. ). Plane

Downed u. ). Plane
The 1Uriter is a ueteran OF 80
combat missions oUer Europe. In
1914 he 1Cas assigned to a spe-
cial detachment of the United
States Strategic Air Forces under
Col. Bernt Balchen. He helped
to bring back to England for
study by American and British
scientists the first w rocket
Which fell intact in SWeden.
By Copt. Robert c. Durhom
NEW YORK, June (NANA).-
Back in the days of the so-calleC
phony war when neutral America
conveyed supplies across the At.
lantic to aid the British cause, Win
ston Churchill appealed to Presi-
dent Roosevelt for some fast de-
stroyers to help bolster the British
feet.
In order to make the transfer OF
the ships more palatable to the
American people deal was worked
out whereby the United States
would receive 99-year leases to
world bases in return for the out
right gift of number of destroyers
of the four-stacker class.
These destroyers were supposed to
be desperately needed to keep the
Union Jack flying over the North
Atlantic. Yet in September of 1914
eight of these same destroyers were
lying at anchor in Kola Inlet just
north Of Murmansk, flying the
Hammer and Sickle of the Russian
Peoples Commissariat to the Navy
Given $500 Mission.
At that time I was a member
of crew which was to attempt
one of the longest missions f1owr
in the European theater of opera.
tions. We were to take of from
an airport in Northern Scotland
drop two Norwegian Army lieu.
tenants by parachute about 10(
miles southwest of Petsamo ane
return to Scotland, fight OF some
$500 miles. The mission was being
flown as an operation of British
Supreme Intelligence.
We took off shortly after moor
on September 20, with 1t. Col. Keith
Allen, one of the American All
Lines senior pilots before the war
and Maj. David Schreiner, Colum-
bus, Ohio, alternating as pilots. ]
was acting as navigator and BON.
bardier and 1t. Lester Schick
T/Sergt. William Jesperson, T/Sergt
Albert Sage, T/Sergt. Albert Krase-
vac, SiSergt. Neil Richards, anc
S/Sergt. William Bollinger COM
pleted the crew.
Just before reaching our target
our No. l engine caught fire ano
the propeller had to be feathered
Col Allen succeeded in completing
the task assigned us and then it wa
decided to make for Murmansk
since it was impossible to return
to Scotland, and Petsamo was occu-
pied by the Germans.
Displayed Distress Signals.
Approaching Murmansk every ef-
fort was made to identify the plane
to the Russians. Distress signals
were sent in international @" code
We were carrying the Russian col
ors of the day for just such an
emergency. These were fired as
rapidly as possible. We turned on
all the planes lights, yet as We came
in at less than a thousand feet
every Russian land battery and all
the units of the fleet opened fire
The plane was soon enveloped in
flames and Col. Allen ordered the
crew to bail out. He remained at
the controls. Fighting to keep the
plane in the air long enough to
allow us to get clear. He gave his
life, but saved every member of his
crew.
Several of the first to jump landed
in the waters of the inlet, but they
were fished out. Due to the long
distance between the parachute
it was nearly two days
before the entire crew was assem-
bled at the British Naval Hospital
at Vaenga. a small suburb of Muir
After two weeks there the
British battleship Rodney brought
us back to England.
Russians Refuse to Talk.
During our stay at Vaenga I had
ample opportunity to talk with a
of Russians as we'll as many
Of the British representatives. Two
of the ex-American destroyers were
tied up at a dock in the harbor
and we were permitted to go on
board. 1t was difficult to get the
Russians to do much talking since
with foreigners subjects
any Russian to possible exile or
worse.
We learned, however. that Rus
sia had few light units in a minor
fleet in the Baltic and a heavy
cruiser and some light units in the
White Sea. Their principal navy,
however, was the northern fleet at
Murmansk. under the command OF
Admiral Golovko.
A ~vHA NN,