Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1956-03-06

WHERE CAN WE BE?-The planes navi-
gator isn't quite sure where they are, but
he's sure of his figures.-Photo by permits
sion of the Broadway play "No Time for
Sergeants."
way it gets at night, with only the sounds of
the engines and no lights to speak of except
little blue dialS and the lamp that come down
over Lieutenant Covers head: but watching
him work was enough to wear you out, so
got little bit sleepy, and must have dozed
off for good while because when woke up
there was big disturbance going on with
people walking around and talking, and
didn't know what was going on.
Anyhow, L woke up and felt the plane
going in these big circles, and then looked
over to the desk and there was Lieutenant
Bridges standing holding one of the maps
in his hand and looking at it, and Lieutenant
Cover arguing with him, rafting papers
around and trying to show him how he had
figured this and that. Lieutenant Kendall
was setting over there watching them with
his chin propped up on his hands, and Lieu
tenant Gardella was up front flying the
plane in these big circles, looking around
every once in while to see what was going
on with the big cigar stuck out of his mouth;
they was talking loud and everybody seemed
real interested in it, and it seemed like Lieu
tenant Bridges knowed a lot about naviga-
ton himself, even though he was the pilot
He was waving the map around saying, II
don't care what your figures show. I guess
can look out the window and see cant -"
We'll, you just check the figures for
yourself" Lieutenant Cover said II got a
nix about thirty minutes ago and that
showed us right here, and thirty minutes
later we're supposed to be right here. You
can check every figure down there. figured
that position by Dead Reckoning and
figured it thirty minutes from that fix. and
know it's right"
But Lieutenant Bridges kept on shaking
his head and saying, We'll. by God, can
see, cant I? can look right out the window
and see, cant II"
Just Lost Again
So they talked good bit about nayipa-
ton that way and both took lot of interest
init, 1t seemed like. Lieutenant Kendall was
setting back there listening to the whole
thing and he was right interested too, even
though he was the engineer, and so I
stepped back there and asked him what the
discussion was all about. And he said "What
do you think it's about? They're lost again
naturally. been in this plane seven times
and flve OF them we been lost All know is
now much gas we got and If they want to
know that, I'll be glad to tell them. but
can ditch the plane or Jump out for all
care; the only thing I know Is about how
much gas we got'
Then Lieutenant Gardella called back
and asked how much gas did we have. and
Lieutenant Kendall said, Tell him we can
ny another forty minutes I don't want to
taik with him because every time we do, we
get IN an argument over where we are, and
I'm tired of talking about it,"
i know what you mean" said. IT don't
like to argue about things neither. but II ia
good to see everybody taking such an interest
IN things; old Ben would be surprised to see
It," w 'es
who is Benz"
Hes one Of the gunners," said "rIe
rides in the back of the plane
wen" Lieutenant Kendall said. 1T hone
ne knows how to use parachute"
Sho," I said. Il bet Ben knows about
ever seem" ''N
Anyhow we chatted while and then T
went back and listened to Lieutenant Bridges
ana Lieutenant Cover some more Lieutenant
cover was still talking about his DIR position
where he said We ought to be; he turned to
Lieutenant Bridges and said well. who's
peen navigating, you or me? got a fix no
mofen thirty minutes ago and that means
our DIR position is right here, about hun
~AAANS coe oFCi VIC ATull Oh MEXICO
And then Lieutenant Bridges come in
with his side of the argument, saying. "Well
might not have been navigating but I pot
eyes IN my head. and guess can look out
the window right now and see we're circline
over town half the size of New York: and
according to this map or none I ever saw
IN my HE, there amt a town at all in the
middle OF the Gulf of Mexico, much less
one half the size of New York and
Well, just look then" Lieutenant Cover
sad. Don't argue with me, just look. You
can check every figure I got here. MY DIR
position puts us -
Well, don't care anything about that"
Lieutenant Bridges said. And all I want n
know is what town we're circling over and if
you can tell me that we can land this thing
because we cant fly here all night long while
you try to tell me there is town of that
siZe III the middle OF the Gulf of Mexico"
Tomorrow: rough night in Houston.