The Kennewick courier-reporter. [volume] (Kennewick, Wash.) 1939-1949, 1946-11-07

difficulty was expected. Don
Knowles, manager of Vista Field,
Wayne Erwin, manager of the La
Grande field, and pilots Brand and
Don Burlingame made the trip. It
only took 80 minutes to remove
the wings of the Globe-Swift. Too
heavy to load the group prepared
to tow the fuselage down the
mountain. They had only pro-
ceeded a mile or so when all hell
broke loose. A snow storm OF
unbelievable fury hit with the
speed of a candidate bouncing on
a prospective vote.
The tow-load was abandoned In
favor of a quick getaway. How
ever, even without the plane in
tow, the truck made only SO feet
before it was hopelessly stalled in
the drifting snow.
The four, expecting quick trip
in and out, had brought no food.
Erwin in hopes of a shot at game,
had brought a 30.06.
Facing a 11-mile drag through
the storm, the group started out.
First casualty was difficulty with
Burlingames feet. Wearing pair
of heavy overshoes over his flyers
boots, snow had packed in to form
something like an ice cream freez-
er. A fire was built and the pilots
feet were restored to something
like normal.
Stumbling on they finally came
upon an abandoned car. A search
produced four slices of bread. A
slice each and hot water started
them on their way again.
Lee Brand, for the second time
in the week faced with the rigors
of storm without food, was the
next to suffer. Tired out, Knowles
was forced to practically push
him to keep him moving.
Erwin proved to be the strong
man of the four. He went on a
head, stopping about each sec
ond mile to build fire. He would
wait for Knowles to push te ex-
hausted boys in and then he would
take off to another fire site.
In this manner they finally
reached Finley Camp, where there
was building, a telephone that
worked and a box ONO, not
cream of Wheat-hot cake flour,
and four loaves of bread.
A comparatively comfortable
night was spent and truck man
aged to reach them late Thursday
morning. -
About six in the morning
Knowles took the gun out to
search for food. He determined to
"shoot the first thing that moved. /"
Finally he sighted a snowshoe rab-
bit parked under a tree. The high
powered gun was not exactly suit
ed to rabbit hunting.
He raised it and aimed. Hands
were so cold he could scarcely
hold it still. He decided he couldn't
hit it anyway. But he had to
and did. The animal stretched out
in the snow. Knowles expected to
find nothing left but pair of feet.
But second miracle had occur
red. The shot had hit the rabbit in
the belly with the result that the
meat was practically untouched,
and the carcass was cleaned.
An amusing sidelight was a bit
| of conversation Knowles over
heard. The young pilots were
apologizing to Erwin for their in
ability to stand up to the trek
Said one, referring to Knowles.
what makes me feel ashamed is
that guy is THIRTY-FOXR years
old!"
Friday bulldozer started up
the hill to clear the road. Elk
hunters were still marooned in
the upper hills. Flying back in the
Sky Ranger, Knowles and Bur-
lingame dropped the food they had
and packaged in the first place for
us, they reported the hunters were
camped at the scene of the wing
less plane.
All's well, it is said, that ends
well. The plane was finally brot