Smyrna times., 1955-12-01
16O7th ATG SET
SAFETY RECORD
Air Transport Group at Do
yer Completes 100000 Hrs.
OF Accident-Free Flying
22,5OO,000 MILES FLOWN


at Dover Air Force Base this
week passed another milestone in
military air transport history by
completing 100000 hours of acci-
dent-free flying, figure equal to
more than 11.4 years of airborne
time without a major accident.
There has never been an injury
to a person, either crew or pas
senger, in an aircraft of the 1907
Air Transport Group. Since the
first four-engine cargo plane left
the runway atDover AFB in jan
uary, 1854 for Torbay, Newfound-
land, the Group has accomplished
a record of achievements seldom
equalled in the annals of aviation.
During this 100000 hour accident
free stretch, Group aircraft have
flown 22,5O0, 900 miles, most of it
over the Atlantic ocean, in the
process of airlifting priority car
go to the United States military
installations in Europe, Iceland,
Greenland, North Africa, New
foundland and the Azores. The
giant C-124 "Globemasters" and
C-54 "Skymasters" of the Group
which operates under Atlantic Di-
vision, Military Air Transport
Service, have flown the equivalent
of 900 times around the earth at
the equator during this period of
time. Another milestone surpass-
ed by the Group this week is the
total of tonnage carried while set
ting the flying safety record. From
July 1, 1854 to November 20, 1855
the Group processed more than
103 million pounds of cargo
through Dover AFVB. On the basis
of the above record, the Group
could have airlifted a distance of
10000 miles all $4,000 men, wom-
en- and children living in the State
of Delaware with each person
carrying lao pounds of personal
baggage using the same aircraft,
flying the same mileage and with
the same cargo total. These unus-
, ual flying records were accom-
plished by the 1st, 18th, goth
21st, seth, 10th and 45th Ali
Transport Squadrons. Colonel Rob
ert D. Forman, commander of the
Group, is proud of the accomplish
ments of the men who fly, main
tain and service the aircraft OF
the Group. He points out that
the flying safety record as we'll as
the other figures were achieved
during period when Dover AFE
has been in process of grow
ing" "It must be remembered
Colonel Forman says, "that Dover
is still a young base. Up to last
month, our maintenance crews
were operating from tents ant
working on aircraft in all kinds
of weather with little or no pro.
lection. Still each man in the
Group did his best and their eff
forts and sacrifice have resulted
in this gratifying record of flying
100000 hours without an acci
dent" Colonel Francis G. Gideon
1607th Air Transport Wing Com
mander, also praises the work Of
the air crews and maintenance
men, pointing out that the Group
has consistently attained or sur
passed it's scheduled mission
quota. II believe this record is
a real tribute not only to the mer
who accomplished the mission
but to Col. Forman and his squad.
ron commanders who directed the
entire operation. They have beer
responsible for the success of the
largest trans-oceanic air freight
operation in the world and they
have established q safety record
of which the United States Ali
Force can be proud" 1t. Col
Howard w. Abel, commander Of
the 1607th Air Terminal Squadron
and director of the cargo process
ing and loading operations, also
comes in for his share OF praise
During the same 15-month per-
iod, it was Col. Abel's squadron
which handled a record cargo
total and met traffic schedule
commitments. In conclusion, Col
Gideon refers to the accomplish.
ment as an outstanding team eff.
fort of the men who fly and the
men who support them" and ex'
presses his confidence that the fu.
ture will prove Dover Air Force
Base to be a successful and i'm.
portant part of the Military All
Transport Service and the United