Evening star., 1946-09-21
Air|iner
Continued From First Page.

crew skimming over spruce trees so
thick they obscured the ground.
Another member of the rescue
party, 1t. Kenneth Rothe of Madi-
son, Wis, reported by the walkie
talkie that the camp had been set
up 200 yards from the -blackened
debris of the plane.
1t. Comdr. James Schrader of
Chicago, pilot of one of the two
Catallnas alternating on the opera :
ton, said smoke could be seen
through the tree tops.
Second Rescue Team.
A second rescue team, composed of
80 Newfoundland boatmen, was pol
ing its way toward the scene They
were reported last night to be only
miles away.
Comdr. Schrader, returning from
mission of dropping additional
supplies to the survivors. gave a dra-
matte account of the rescue oper-
ations.
He said the Army team reached
the survivors by flying to a nearby
lake, travelling by rubber lifeboats
down dangerous rapids, and finally
striking out overland.
The stream was slow and sluggish
at the start, he said, but as it met
other streams it became very swift.
I'VE could see them hit a rock and
bounce back, and spin around many
times, he said They were dumped
into the water.
Finally they seemed to get the
knack of it-When they'd hit the
rapids everyone would 20 over the
side and lift the boat on their
shoulders. They would climb in
when they came to smooth water
again.
Were Ducked Eight Times.
Christian told me over the
walkie-talkie they got ducked eight
times, and that they were wet, tired
and cold.
I'VE have dropped plasma, distilled
water, sulfa drugs, emergency
rations, soups. some steaks, coffee
tea, milk, so sleeping bags, insect
repellent and stretchers.
1T really must be tough going
down there. Several times we've
dropped bundles and it looked like
we had put them right in theil
laps. But Christian would come
back and say: Cant you get them
in closer?'
He says they bog down in that
muskeg if they're carrying any load
at all.
The Sir Frederick Banting Memo
rial Hospital at the Gander Ali
Base was standing by with an aug
mentetd staff to receive the in
Jured. The hospital is operated by
the Newfoundland government in
memory of the famous Canadian
scientist, discoverer of insulin, who
died in a plane crash in these
same woods several years ago.
The Catalina Crews.
Among members of the Catalina
crews, operating out of Argentia
on the southern shores of Newfound-
land, are Ensign A. j. Guillemette
OF Bay City, Mich; 1t. Comdr. L. l.
Davis of New London, Conn: 1t
O.go 0. E. Mcdowell of Salisbury
Md, and Ensign w. N. Killebrew
OF Cheyenne, Wyo.
Inc Army ground party is from
Fort McAndreW, near the Coast
Guard base at Argentia.
Capt. Murray A. Wiener. of Brad :
ley Beach, N. j.. rescue officers for
the Atlantic Division OF the Air
Transport Command. said he would
go to the crash scene TODAY. pos
slbly by helicopter, to aid Capt
Marin.
Airmen who have studied the
crash scene from all angles said
there was no apparent explanation
of tine tragedy.
The plane, which had been di-
rectly on the southwest leg of the
Gander radio range beam, plowed
into the side of the hill shearine
of the tops of the supruce trees.
Stephensville Clear.
Ofhcials at the air base here saic
that although there was only 400
foot ceiling at Gander when the
crash occurred, the air base a,
!. Stephensville, a little more than ar
hours flight time away, reported
perfect weather with unlimited visi.
hility.
l The plane was believed to have