The Wilmington morning star., 1947-06-01

| flee where the controller briefs
them On the emergency and the
commanding officer appoints a
field commander, who will be in
direct control of the search. The
field commander and the COM
handing officer select the best
suited airfield along the route to
be used as a base of operations
and all available maps and sup
plies are secured. In the mean
time, the maintenance crews are
preparing the search planes for
take-off. When the briefing is COM
pleted, the crews depart for the
base Of operations, carrying their
maintenance men and all neces-
sary tools and supplies with them.
Upon arrival at the base Of op-
erations the field commander
keeps in close contact with all po-
lice agencies and publicizes facts
concerning the search via radio
and newspapers. The public is
asked to call in any bits of infor-
nation that may aid in the To-
cation of the missing aircraft. In
formation called in by persons
hearing or reading these appeals
has often resulted in expediting To-
cation of the plane.
The complete area between the
point of departure and destination
is divided into small area and
each search plane is assigned a
specific area to search. This elm
mates duplication of effort and as
sures maximum coverage with the
search planes available. The dis
lance beyond the destination that
the missing planes range would
enable it to 60 is also covered
in the same manner in the event
the pilot overshoots.
During aerial search a ground
party is standing by on the alert
with a radio jeep, handle talkie
radios. and walkie talkie radios.
The handle talkie is a small COM
pact set carried in n hand and
used in the same manner that a
telephone receiver is used. The
walkie talkie is carried strapped
to the back of n person. When
a search plane locates the missing
aircraft Or anything resembling
aircraft wreckage, the word is
flashed to the waiting ground par
ty -hich Immediately departs for
the scene. The search planes d.
rect the party, through the radio
ieep. to as near a point as possible
to the scene. The party then pro-
ceeds on foot, receiving directions
from the overhead planes through
the handle talkie or walkie talkle
radios. When the party reaches
the scene these same sets are
used to direct the search planes
in dropping of needed supplies and
| describing the condition of the
! survivors. The needed supplies
and medicines are then dropped
by parachute to the scene. The
ground party itself, which must
sacrifice comfort for speed is kept
supplied by drops from the search
planes.
In the event a search plane de-
termines that there are injured
survivors who must have medical
aid before the ground party can
reach them, the helicopter comes
in and lands in the nearest small
clearing to either evacuate the in
iured or to bring medical person
mel to the scene. In the event the
area is so heavily wooded that no
clearing is available, the paradox
tor is ready to jump.
The same procedures used in
searching for military aircraft are
used in searches for privately
owned civilian planes. They can
also be successfully used in bring
ing relief to persons stranded by
hurricane or flood, and Air Res
u Service will render aid in
these emergencies. Also, when an
individual is critically i'll OR in
jured and normal civilian trans
portation is inadequate to save his
life, each AIRS Detachment Com
manding Officer is authorized to
fly him to a place of treatment.
This role of mercy toward CT
william, as we'll as military person
mel is indicative Of the spirit of
the Air Rescue Service and the
new Army Air Forces, and should
command h e wholehearted sup
port q everyone.