As I said yesterday morning. It was just a week to the hour from the time
I left home till I stepped aboard a C54 transport bound for the islands of
the Pacific I wish you could have been in on the briefing that preceded
the beginning of that flight. We were shown a film illustrating the
mechanics of ditching a C- 54 in the event of trouble at sea. It was
tremendously realistic, so much so that you will let no doubt of the
seriousness of difficulties in flight far out over the pacific step by
step from the development of motor trouble or other complications to
actual rescue, the motion picture revealed to carefully thought out
procedure. We learned about the all important Mae West, the handy
rubberized vest that becomes a life preserver the minute it comes in
contact with the water, every passenger has issued one of these compact
units and given special training and understanding its working parts and
what to do with it In the case of certain possible emergency, it all
sounded very grim, so no one hesitated a minute in absorbing every tiny
detail. We were likewise shown the workings of the rubber raft that open
and inflate automatically when thrown into the sea. All kinds of useful,
in fact, absolutely essential devices were pointed out as being a part of
this magical package capable of carrying from 5-8 persons for long periods
of time with comparative safety. There was a compact radio transmitting
unit operated by the turn of a crank that we were assured would throw out
an S. O. S. That could be heard at great distances. With precise precision.
We were shown the potential danger. Then the ways in which we could save
ourselves in the event that it proved possible to bring the plane down to
the water right side up and for long enough to have time to clear the ship
with the equipment provided for survival at sea. Immediately after the
briefing was finished, We were let out on the flight line of the gigantic
plane that was to carry us across to 400 miles of ocean to Hawaii. This
was the first leg of our journey only than this first plane and its crew
would be replaced by other planes and crews as we moved on deeper and
deeper into the pacific. It would be almost impossible to give you an
account or an accurate description of the way I felt when I heard the door
of that transport slam shut in an instant the engines began to start one
at a time. Soon we were rolling into the position at the head of a runway
that looked miles long and at the end of it was the last contact with land
that we would know for possibly 12 hours or more. There was no delay in
the takeoff before there was time to think about too many things. We were
airborne And climbing as fast as one could expect 35 tons of weight to be
hoisted to an altitude of 10,000 ft by the strength of four powerful
entrance. He took two great circles over the field and the adjoining bay
before turning westward to the sea. All the time the plane was reaching
for a cruising altitude that would be reasonably safe for shoreline
departure. Soon the Golden Gate and Oakland Bay Bridge is were immediately
below then behind us as san Francisco gradually dropped from sight for a
time. I just sat there in the early evening and thought as the engine
settle down to the work ahead in my ears and other senses gradually became
accustomed to the changes in atmosphere and speed. The seeds were
wonderfully comfortable, and there were the bells along the ceiling that
we had been told would ring sharply in the event of trouble. The sight of
them prompted me to turn hurriedly to see if the rubber boots and the
radio were aboard. They were, and I could feel myself relax just a little
bit. The young soldier, who was the steward aboard gave strict orders that
there would be no smoking except in the crew compartment up front. one
person at a time would be allowed access to this area, not being a smoker.
This detail didn't concern me. We were told that the lounge in the
restroom with the rear would accommodate only one passenger at a time,
since any sudden shifting of weight to the tail of the ship would change
the flying characteristics and be undesirable. So after a while we began
to be at ease, and I began a few observations in which I think you might
be interested By the time we had been in the Air 40 minutes. The coastline
was just a whisper in the gray mist that dull the due to the east we
seemed completely detached from everything tangible across the rolling
ripples of the seat of the southward. The Hayes was a thick purple, capped
by the pink gold settled there by the setting sun. To the northward and
open. C had the look of a glazed plain, smooth and regular, except for the
tiny white caps that lazily rumpled the water, where such detail was close
enough to the plain to be seen straight past the bullet like hub of the
outside motor on the right wing the sun, a weary companion was still able
to welcome us with a beautiful farewell one that lured us to a tomorrow
that meant Hawaii, and the orient low clouds reflected a charming glows.
The blue of the sea deepen the sky seemed emptier than usual, and a thin
crescent of a brand new moon hung high like the curled edge of a white
pine shaving. The fall of twilight was heavy and fast to the south, so
much so that the skyline was quickly squeezed out of sight. In a matter of
minutes the trailing edge of the left wing was lost in the blur of
gathering dusk and a fading see rolling along behind us, as though to
cover the wisps of our trail. Night settled with the swiftness that was a
sharp contrast to the reluctance of the sunset. In the way straight away
the bow of the C 54 pushed on, unafraid. Sure, steady and eagerly willing
slowly but surely variations of coral and deep rose fringed with sunset.
Gold died in the west, and almost complete darkness crept in to cut us
off from almost every visible thing. The plane gave no hint of concern.
Her great hull slipped along with the drive of an arrow. Her completely
synchronized engines hummed in perfect harmony gracefully. The taper of
her wings bled off into the night. Inside. The cabin was dark, except for
the pinpoints of light that bore directly on the reading and writing of
those aboard. Around the walls of the ship, dimmed circles marked the
slowly disappearing lines of the plane's window. A propeller arcs outside
had ceased to be even a blur, tipped by the 6" gold band made by the
painted and of each blade. Only the hard lines of the leading edge of the
right wing and engine mounts remain to prove that there was still
dimensional contrast in this picture of sea sky and growing darkness
without hands. At last we were alone. The feeling of flight had passed as
we moved along, suspended in an Impenetrable darkness. It was a long time
before I went to sleep. There were so many things about which thinking
insisted on going on and on. Among them was the realization that this was
the longest over water flying hop in the world that I was launched on a
flight that few persons of my generation would ever have an opportunity to
take before daylight. The next morning we were stirred awake by the flight
steward who told us we were nearing the islands. We strained our eyes for
a look at the lights of Pearl Harbor, and before long we were rewarded. In
another half hour we were at Hickam Field, the area that was torn to
shreds by the first Japanese attack on american soil. Today that field is
as clean as a whistle and hard at the work of reclaiming everything that
has been lost to the enemy. In the pacific I thought of the many boys I
had known who at one time or another had been stationed at Hickam. One of
them was jimmy Samuels, who was a brilliant young flyer, lost his life in
the islands in the very early stages of the war that has since stretched
into months and years of agonized combat. I wished for time to make
Honolulu. The first major chapter in this specific adventure, but my
orders read through to Manila. So we were but three hours in continuing on
our way as we took off in the clear air of a beautiful morning. I took
along and respectful look At Pearl Harbor where the good ship Arizona took
such an awful beating on that fateful December seven so long ago. I
remember the Oklahoma, the California and the other ships that were
sacrificed in that first day of the pacific war. I wished for all of you.
That the man, many of them Arizonans who died in that sneaking attack
could be around for the victory that is growing out here. Instead they
sleep on and we fight home tomorrow morning. I'll give you more of my
flight to Manila and then we'll be ready for the real business of my
junkie. To the pacific. I'm telling the story of the travel involved
because to me it's important and I feel certain that most of you would
want to know how it was all accomplished and what happened along the way
until next time here is fred Macpherson. Mhm.