Navajo times., 1963-04-25
Window Rock Airport May Save Life
BV Chet MacROrie

BY Chet MacRore
Sawmill woman and her family may have oppor-
tunity this week be humbly grateful for the fore
sightedness of the who planned the large modern
airport at Window Rock, Arizona. The afternoon OF
April 18, at 545 o. M, huge Wln-engned COnValr
ietpane crcled the Window airport several times
before coming in for landing. 1t bore red cross
sign the tail fin and its passengers we're Colonel
Switzer and his medical team from the Brook General
Hospital Research Center, Fort Sam Houston, Sal
Antonio Texas, which is justly famous tor It's re-
search in the treatment of burns Also aboard we're
the Evacuation Crew from Kelly Air Force Base The
giant plane and the personnel aboard in response
emergency call from the Fort Defiance Hospltal
almost twelve hours to the minute from the time that
Mrs. Louise Bia Sversmith, age %, was admitted
the Defiance Hospital, suffering from severe and
extensive burns the result of a fire which had de-
stroyed her home and taken the life Of her two year
old child that morning.
Mrs Silversmth was admitted to the F ort Defiance
Hospital at 54Oa. m. by Dr. Thomas Gaydos and was
seen shortly afterwards by Dr. James Hopkins Chief
of Surgery. Shortly fter 800 a M, DR.. Hopkins
placed call DR.. Montcrief, Chief of the Research
of the Brook General Hospital asking them to
accept Mrs. Silversmith for emergency treatment.
Colonel Walter Switzer returned the call, ac-
cepting the patient for and giving the
as to the that the Air Force Convar would arrive
at the Kirkland AFB outside of Albuquerque, and asking
that patient be brought to Kirkland by station wagon
to meet them The Air Force had checked out the CAL
upAirport as the feasible possible landing point
and found that they would not be able to land the big
plane there and assumed that Kirkland was the next
nearest possible landing strip The secretary OF the
Medical Officer in Charge asked why they dlont Just
land at Window Rock--it's closer!" thirty minute
conversation followed with the secretary. Mrs Marie
G. Lincoln sitting in between two phones, the Four
Corners Aviation Service having provided her with all
the available information the Window Rock strip,
one telephone connected with Colonel Switzer in San
Antonio, his secretary and the Kelly Air Force Base
and the Window Rock Airport the other hand After
the extended double telephone call, the Air Force ap
parenty had been adequately reassured that Navajo
landwas accessible by jet plane and agreed to attempt
a landing The idea that our remote avaoland could
be reached by something faster than pack mules
apparently and startling thought.
The teamwork all the way through was fantastically
well coordnated The group met at the airport by
Public Health Service personnel Phil air. DR.. Bon
durant and Mr. Arviso. During the next three hours
they examined the patient prepared her for the air
plane transfer held with the local doctors
talkedwith members of the patients family, and were
again airborne at 8:45 p m.
Colonel Switzer accompanied by Captain Jones
and Sgt Deaven The Air Force crew was made up OF
pilot co-pilo engineer, flight nurse and two med1-
cal technicans Also aboard the plane were reporter