Evening star., 1947-12-13
By Harry Lever

The fortitude of a young Air
Force parachute doctor who strug-
gled through stabbing underbrush
and deep snow to treat six surviv-
ors of the Labrador plane crash Is
one reason why four of them are
safely in Walter Reed Hospital to-
day.
Leaving two OF the injured for
treatment at Fort Peperell, New
foundland, a big C-54 arrived at
Boiling Field last night with the
remaining four and First 1t. STAN
ley H. Bear, the 26-year-old doctor.
The plane was the same type as the
Army Transport Command ship
that crashed against a low hillside
in the northern wasteland Tuesday,
killing % of the % aboard.
The survivors were placed in am
balances and whisked to Walter
Reed behind Metropolitan Police
motorcycle escort. They were First
1t. j. M. Buckley, 26, of Santa
Monica, Calf, whose condition was
termed critical at Boiling Field;
Corpl. John H. Shaner, 18, Harris
burg, Pa. serious; Corpl. Gene L.
Harter, 20, of Fort Wayne, Ind, and
Sergt Joseph P. Stefanowicz, 20, of
Warren, Ohio, both good.
Tells Story of Rescue.
1t. Bear told of the rescue to news
reel men and reporters, although he
had been without sleep for 48 hours.
1--WE went out in a helicopter from
Goose Bay, where the plane was
based" he said. after about eight
miles we saw small lake nearly
half a mile from the wreck and
landed near its surface.
Then I started crossing the
dense brush It took more than an
hour before I saw the wreckage.
There were a couple of Canadian
woodsmen there"
He said he found the six men,
two unable to move from injuries
and shock and the others with
minor hurts but lawfully hazy." He
unlocked the medicine kit strapped
across his chest and administered
plasma, transfusions and morphine
to 1t. Buckley and Corpl. Shaner.
Both had broken legs. Corpl.
Shaner's left arm was broken.
1t was noon Thursday, and it was
wet and getting colder. The sky
was overcast and unfriendly. There
was intermittent snow. He made
warm fire, using life preservers from
the wrecked plane for fuel because
the wood from trees was wet. There
was no American personnel to help.
Pretty soon radio equipment was
dropped from a plane and ground
rescue party came toward dusk after
fighting the underbrush.
They cut a slender trail through
the brush. Improvised stretchers
were constructed from ladders and
mattresses hauled from the wreck
age. Three of the hurt men were
started toward the helicopter and
civilization. The snow was still COM
ing down and now it was dark. Res
cuers were getting lost because they
couldn't see the trail. So the other
three had to wait until the next day.
1--WE used parachutes as tents" 1t.
Bear continued. "A plane dropped
sleeping bags, and we had the fire
We all got out in the morning"
He told of how three or four of
those in the ill-fated plane lived for
a while after the crash and how the
rest of those killed died instantly
The ship had crashed in the noun
tains, and a tree had sheared the
fuselage right through the middle
The men were "catapulted right out, .
1t. Bear declared.
Supervises Removal.
Before talking to newsmen, he
helped supervise the unloading of
the injured men. The first one taken
out was 1t. Buckley. Corpl. Shaner
was then removed, followed by Corpl.
Harter and Sergt. Stefanowicz.
Only Sergt. Stefanowicz seemed
able to talk as flash bulbs popped
and movie cameras. ground away in
the hood-lighted area.
This is just like Hollywood" he
said.
| Later he told some one near him
I'm hungry"
AS he drank coffee given him by
| the Red Cross, 1t. Bear said he
would leave TODAY for WeStOver
IRetiredMiniste,