Evening star., 1950-10-04
Plane Owners
Urged for Role
In Civil Defense
Small Private Craft
Use Outlined by
CAP Commander

A directive to bring 300 civilian
aircraft owners in this area under
the civil defense setup was pro-
posed today by 1t. Col. Donald D.
Webster, acting commanding Of
flcer of the National Capital
Wing, Civil Air Patrol.
Col. Webster advised civil de-
fense leaders at the District Build
ing he has prepared a list of the
owners whose craft are based on
Is airf1elds within 15-mile
radius of the District. He said
aircraft owners are eager to serve
and that CAP would like to get
word to them from civil defense
leaders on how they could do so.
Uses for Private Planes.
Privately owned aircraft could
be used, it was brought out, for
such purposes as:
Flying in emergency provisions
such as blood plasma, in case of
disaster and personnel, such as
doctors and nurses.
Transportation of key personnel
out OF the disaster area.
Reconnaissance Immediately
after the "all clear" to spot the
concentration of damage.
Reconnaissance to find out what
roads or communications may be
blocked.
Patrols of various vital installa.
tions.
Some rescue missions.
Practice Missions Suggested.
Engineer Commissioner Gordon
r. Young emphasized that since
this type of operation would have
to be on an area basis, the next
move would be to confer with the
civil defense authorities in Vir-
ginia and Maryland.
| A directive such as Col. Web
Ster described. he said, could not
come from the Commissioners
themselves, but would have to be
a joint affair.
Col. Webster suggested a meet
ing OF the aircraft owners with
civil defense officials and setting
up OF two practice missions, per-
maps in the Mall area, as soon as
possible. He estimated that prob
ably $50 aircraft would participate
In the practice missions.
On Volunteer Basis.
Col. Webster said the Air Force
indicated tht it would give CAP
priority on gasoline and oil for
any emergency mission. In a
pinch, he said, automobile gaso-
line could be used for light planes.
| Col. Webster said most of the
300 aircraft owners are not
members of the CAP wing. and
ne stressed that it is not desired
to use the civil defense project as
a lever for trying to get them to
JOIN. The organization would be
on voluntary basis for civil
defense activity.
Gen. Young said he thought the
light aircraft might be of great
value in the few minutes immedi-
lately following, an atomic attack
in spotting heavy damage and
sporadic fires.
Maryland's Plan Disclosed.
Meanwhile, it was disclosed that
Maryland'S civil defense plan
is based on giving help to two
cities-Washington and Baltimore.
That was announced in the
printed plan formally presented
to the National Security Re-
sources Board yesterday by Col.
David G. Mcintosh III, Maryland
civil defense director.
Through maps, charts and ex-
plantations, the plan spelled out
what is expected from the State.
the counties, the cities and in
dividual residents of Maryland.
Five Maryland counties-CaJ-
vert, Charles, Montgomery, Prince
Georges and st. Marys were told
their primary mission" was 10
support the District.
AS for Baltimore, the counties
were told that any one of them
may be requested to give assist
ance to the city and Baltimore
may be called on to lend as
sistance anywhere in the State,
Check List Provided
The city and county civil de-
fense planners were provided with
a check list by which they can
determine what they have now
and what they need to be ready
for an emergency.
Meanwhile, in the District, the
Commissioners yesterday ordered
a study on whether the city
should form a home guard. Brig.
Gen. William H. Abendroth, COM
mander of the District National
Guard, said after a District Build
ing meeting that he would work
with Police Superintendent Rob-
ert j. Barrett and Acting Civil
Defense Director John E. Fondahl
and TRY to come up with a plan"