Evening star., 1947-10-20
CAB Prepares Probe
As Cutter Lands 50
Rescued From Plane
By the Assoeiofsd Pre,s

an all-out investigation of the
near-disaster in the North At
lantic.
The Coast Guard cutter Bibb,
which wrote maritime history in
effecting the rescue of every man,
woman and child on the plane which
was ditched 800 miles off New
foundland last Tuesday because of
a gasoline shortage, brought the
Sky Queens erstwhile passengers to
Boston yesterday.
A public hearing opening the CAB
investigation will be held October
80 in New York, CAB officials said.
The cutters 1,600-mile run from
Station Charlie the Coast Guard
code for its weather station where
the flying boat came down, ended in
one of the widest demonstrations
since the first troopship came home
from the war.
From the entrance to Boston har-
Dor to Constitution Wharf, it was
a continuous round of salutes from
other craft. Whistles were tied
down. Fireboats sent up vari-
colored streams of water.
Thousands OF relatives, friends
and folks who just came down to
lend cheer, met the rescued and
their saviors at the dock. ,
One and all, the survivors, many
clad in dungarees, shouted their
praises OF the crew Of the Bibb.
Too, they couldn't say enough
about the airmanship i, of Capt.
Charles Martin Of Miami, Fla, pilot
of the Sky Queen.
At the same time, however, many
Of the passengers charged the sea-
plane had been overloaded"
Passengers Protest.
William Bostock, Shell Oil Co. en-
ploye, a survivor, said a declaration
was signed by all but three of the
planes adult passengers, asking
why planes of this type are al
lowed to fly"
Robert Latter, 81, New York fur
dealer, and Patrick Quinn of Long
Beach, Calf, first officer on the
S. S. Chisholm Trail, both agreed
to the Overlooking" complaint. Mr..
Quinn was one of nine of the CHS
holm Trails crewmen aboard the
plane.
When Capt. Martin brought the
big seaplane down, waves IS feet
high, with crests 100 feet apart were
reported
Capt. Paul B. Cronk, commanding
the Bibb, asserted Capt. Martin
Should have received larger share
OF todays acclaim. He was not a
lsailor but kept his plane stable,
although handicapped by sea-sick-
ness"
Fed by Red Cross.
The Sky Queens passengers and
crewmen we're taken to Boston
headquarters of the American Red
Cross.
There they were given a hearty
meal and furnished with clothing,
transportation and money.
The American. International Air
ways, operator of the plane, fur
nished transportation. The crew
Immediately flew to New York.
There Capt. Martin, former Navy
officer. said he had sufficient
supply of reserve gasoline when he
left Poole, England, for Baltimore,
but that "the headwinds buffeted
us and decided we would not make
the effort to go on to Gander, New
foundland, and almost surely sacri-
flee the lives of all these people. So
I set her down."
j. Stewart Robertson, president OF
the line, accompanied the crew on
an Eastern Airlines plane to New
York.
Mr.. Robertson declined to discuss
the CABS order. halting the COM
pany's operations. The company
now has four flying boats.
The airline president said that
the Sky Queen carried a payload
well under that permitted by law
and had no cargo or mail. He said
the flying boat was in excellent
condition" and fully equipped with
every known instrument of safety
A party of CAB men, headed by
George Gay of New York, regiona
director of the CAB accident inves.
tigation department, boarded the
cutter Bibb as she approached Bos-
ton and questioned the seven-mar
crew of the plane.
This questioning is preparatory
to the public hearing" one of the
CAB men said. I'VE are seeking ts
determine the physical reasons fol
the forced landing"
First Officer Quinn said that he
and eight mates tried to keep some
semblance of order on the plane ir
the many, hours that elapsed be
tween the time it came down anc
rescue was effected.
Captain Tells Of Prayers.
Capt. Cronk said that when q
quartermaster told him there were
SO persons aboard the Bermuda Sky
Queen, after being told the plane
was about to attempt a landing in
the rough seas, he began to pray.
Il asked the good Lord to not let
us stand there and see that plane
sink before we could save them"
He said he quickly became recon-
ciled 'to lose some of those people
and perhaps boat crew or two"
AS the Bibb neared Boston, Capt.
Cronk called the nine merchant sea-
men to the bridge and conferred
upon each citation "for demon
strating that the American seaman
still excells."
A moment after the cutters dock
lines were made fast, citation was
taken aboard from the Secretary
of the Treasury, civilian head of the
Coast Guard, lauding her crew for
Skill, courage, seamanship and un-
wavering devotion to duty in one
Of the most daring rescues in mari