Former Air Officer Tells
Of Russo-German Front
' By Bud Bradley
Last term, while most of us were spending our Easter vaca
tions at home, First Lt. Bob Hamil, former GI navigation of
ficer with the 15th air force, was spending Easter-tide roaming
the plains of southern Hungary. During the last few months of
the war, the 15th air force was busy pulverizing the communi
cations between the Austrian
capital and the Russo-German
front. Bob has 26 bombing mis
sions to his credit, the principal
targets being Vienna, Lintz, Graz,
Insbruck and Salsburg in German
held Austria. For the accuracy of
these missions, he wears the air
medal, two oak leaf clusters and
four battle stars.
Motors Shot Away
It was on a bombing run over
Lintz, Austria, that the plane in
which he was flying was badly
crippled. German anti-aircraft
batteries had shot away two of
the plane’s four motors. To return
to their base in Italy, they would
have to climb very high to avoid
T crashing: into the Austrian Alps,
but this was impossible with two
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motors shot away. Their best hope
lay in reaching the Russo-German
miles west of Budapest.
“Our radio had been knocked
out during the fighting, and we
were unable to gain contact with
our Liberator squadron, so we
headed for Hungary hoping against
hope that we might not fall into
German hands,” the brown eyed
veteran remarked.
Inviting Target
A lone Liberator, flying at 7000
feet is a beautiful target for
enemy fighter planes and anti-air
craft batteries, so Lieutenant
Hamil set a course over thinly
populated areas. The B-24 crossed
the Hungarian border about one
hundred miles southeast of Vienna.
“As we approached the Russo
German lines, we could see the
distant flashes of artillery fire,”
Hamil said. “Over the line, we were
fired at by both Russian and Ger
man ack aclt guns,” the smiling
veteran added.
The plains of southern Hung-ary
looked very inviting, so the crew
decided on a crash landing. The
crash of the bomber caused con
siderable excitement, and many of
the local townspeople of near-by
Pecs rushed out to see the Ameri
can flyers. Shortly after, Russian
officers arrived on the scene, and
took over the situation.
In Russian Hands
At first the Russians thought
they would send the air men to
Bucharest, but decided on Buda
pest instead. The trip to Buda
pest, which in normal times is an
overnight journey, took 19 days,
most of which were spent on a
railroad siding, as the Russians
were moving troops up to the front
near Vienna at the same time.
Bob reports that despite the war,
Budapest is still beautiful, though
travel through the city is extrem
ely difficult as all the bridges over
the Danube are out. After an en
joyable holiday in Budapest, Lt.
Hamil and his crew returned to
Italy, just in time to see the end
of the war in Europe.
Bob is a native of Portland,
where he attended both Benson
and Washington high schools. In
September of 1941 he entered
Oregon State college, and joined
the air corps in April 1942. As for
■i
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3 P.M.
Enjoy Eugene's Newest and
Most Distinctive
Supper Club
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Featuring Tasty Snacks and Dinners
Suzanne Miller, senior at University high school, smilingly
receives her $25 Victory bond she won as first prize in the Kegister
Guard’s recent essay contest on Freedom of the Press from George
Turnbull, acting dean of the school of journalism. Scene of the award
dinner was the Eugene Hotel where prizes were awarded for Lane
county winners in the 7tl» to 12tli grades inclusive. Professor Turn
bull acted as chairman of the judging committee which also included
Mrs. Lucille Kennedy, county school superintendent, and Dr. Henry
M. Gunn, Eugene school superintendent. (Jack Lamb photo, Mitt
shire engraving). (Courtesy Register Guard).
his year at OSC, he asks his fellow
Ducks to forgive him, for he was
just a poor misguided soul at the
time.
The measure of a man’s true
character is what he would do if
J he knew he would never be found
out.
HEADS GOT
TOGETHER
RESULT: MORE TRANSCONTINENTAL
TELEPHONE CIRCUITS
Willi wire scarce and wartime calls increasing,
telephone engineers made existing pairs of long
distance wires carry nearly four times as many
calls as before. This was done through installa
tion of additional carrier equipment, requiring
closer spacing of the wires on the line and trans
positions at shorter intervals.
Three pairs on the Southern Transcontinental
Route were rearranged, and in a 430-mile section
this had to he done while keeping the urgently
needed wires in service all the time. To do this,
new tools and new methods had to be devised
in the laboratories and on the job.
This is another among many examples of how
Bell System teamwork and engineering skills
maintained telephone service under wartime
conditions.
BELL TELEPHONE SYSTEM
Alpha,Delts Elect
Arlo Calkins, junior in business,
was elected president of Thacher,
campus chapter of Alpha Delta
Sigma, national advertising honor
ary, at its first fall meeting, held
Tuesday. Fred Welty, junior in
journalism, was elected secretary
treasurer.
“The chapter is being re-acti
vated to fill the needs of students
interested in advertising as a
career and in its relation to im
proving business practices. We
hope to have various advertising
men from Portland and Eugene
to address the monthly meetings
of the society,’ said R. D. Millican,
adviser.
A rush dinner will be held next
Wednesday evening at 6:30 at the
Del Rey cafe, when the club’s
complement will be raised to the
normal level of twenty membei s.
In addition to the usual social
activities, the society's tentative
plans call for the formation of a
separate advertising club spon
sored by the chapter during t ie
spring term.
Captain Davis Visits
Captain Bob Davis, formerly of
the ROTC here, was in Eugene
Wednesday. Bob is now in the
auditing department of the Night
Service command in Salt Lake
City.
756 - 760 \\ illianu'tU'
EUGENE, OREGON
Telephone 3131
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