Evening star., 1949-11-12
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plus fighter and had not accepted
delivery nor responsibility for the
| fighter.
While Maj. Pol looked on, Mr..
Aubin fatty contradicted his
statement and declared he and
Capt. Rios had signed the follow
ing statement:
1T is hereby expressly under
stood that the Government Of
Bolivia. through its undersigned
authorized representatives as
sumes full responsibility for any
or all damages that may be in
Cured as a result of test-flying
P-38 airplane No. 2 1927" This
is the registry number Of the
fighter that plunged into the Po-
tomac along with the shattered
DC-4.
Harold Jones, member Of the
CAB, declared that the disputed
ownership Of the P-38 Is not an
issue before the inquiry and that
statements on the question placed
in the record will carry no extra
weight in any future litigation.
Harold Kirk. attorney who rep
resents Mr.. Aubin, told the panel
that the Bolivian government had
entered a formal denial of owner
ship and responsibility into the
record and asked if the same rul-
ing applied to this statement. Mr..
Jones replied that the opposing
contention had equal status.
Air Race Question Brought Up.
Mr.. Jones said the CAB was
more interested in the history and
airworthiness Of the P-38 than In
its ownership. He questioned Mr..
Aubin closely about the possibility
that the fighter might have been
modified to compete in the Cleve-
land air races.
did it ever occur to you that
the number '48' painted on the
nose of the P-38 might mean it
had been entered in the Cleve-
land air races?" Mr.. Jones asked.
mo-" Mr.. Aubin replied, lit did
not"
Mr.. Aubin said he had been in
formed that the aircraft had been
picked" for six or eight months
and that it had not more than IS
hours In the air. It was reported
to him as an excellent P-38," he
said.
Before Mr.. Aubin testified, the
Air Force sergeant who dived from
a crash boat to rescue Capt. Rios
was commended by the CAB board
of inquiry and the Bolivian Gov
ernment joined in the expression,
according to Robert w. Crisp, q
member Of the inquiry panel.
Addressing Sergt. Morris j..
Flounlacker, 81, Of $40 Eighteenth
street south, Arlington, Mr.. Crisp
declared that ION behalf of the
CAB we desire to commend you
for saving the life of Pilot Rios
In so doing you not only did a
great service to Pilot Rios, but
to the CAB and to the public. The
Bolivian government joins me in
thanks to you."
Dramatic Account Of Rescue.
A few minutes earlier, the SER
geant had given dramatic ac-
count of the rescue. He was on
duty with the crash boat crew
when his eye caught an unfamiliar
motion on the opposite shore Of
the Potomac. Il said I think
that's an airplane." the sergeant
said. land just then the Boiling
crash alarm sounded. I ran for
my crash boat.
after we sped across the river
to the scene I saw a mans hands
barely moving on the water. II
realized. he was still alive. Before
we could get as close as we should
have, his head went under the
water. I realized If we were going
to save him I'd have to go after
him."
The sergeant dived from the
crash boat before he had time to /
remove his uniform or army
shoes. When he reached the man
under the surface, he said. II
realized he was still conscious, but
|he seemed abnormally calm. Onl
the surface he offered no resist
|ance whatever.
IT couldn't support him with my
arm across his chest because III
had on my uniform and shoes and
was weighted down.
II just held him by the collar
and got him to the boat. They
pulled him aboard and then
pulled me aboard" i
Session Likely Monday.
The conflicting testimony prob-
ably will extend the public in
quiry into fifth all-day session
Monday.
This was predicted ~ Mr.