History
Blue Mountain Eagle
Wednesday, August 23, 2017
A9
O UT OF THE P AST
75 years ago
Aug. 21, 1942
Four bodies recovered
from Army airplane wreck-
age
The bodies of four men
recovered from the wreckage
of an Army airplane found
on Wolf Mountain, about 12
miles south of Dayville as
the crow flies, were taken to
the Pendleton Air Field last
Friday by a salvage crew.
The bodies had to be taken
by packhorse from the crash
scene to the camp where the
salvage crew had its head-
quarters and several days’
time was required to com-
plete the mission. The plane,
a two-motored bomber, was
discovered by R. Humphries
Thursday morning of last
week while searching for
sheep on Wolf Mountain,
a peak with an elevation of
nearly 6,400 feet, states the
Pendleton East Oregonian.
The plane is one that disap-
peared while en route to Spo-
kane from Sacramento, Cal-
ifornia, last Feb. 3. Names
of the four flyers were not
known at Pendleton or at the
Second Air Force headquar-
ters in Spokane. Advices
Eagle file photo
From Aug. 20, 1992: One of the most popular events at the Grant County Fair is the
Jackpot Rodeo and Horse Race, and one of the most crowd-pleasing events is bull
riding. Activities at the county fair opened yesterday and will continue through Sunday
with fun and entertainment for the entire family.
from the salvage crew from
Pendleton Field said trees
as large as three feet in di-
ameter were sheared off by
the plane when it crashed,
and wreckage was scattered
over an area of 150 yards.
Our Dayville correspondent
states that the wreckage
was first discovered by Tall
Stewart, a sheepherder em-
ployed by Mrs. Lulu Hum-
phries.
50 years ago
Aug. 24, 1967
Flights cover Malheur
forest regularly for fires
Toilet paper is not only a
handy item in the home, it also
plays an important role in ae-
rial fire fighting. Many hours
of flying time are recorded
each summer by the Malheur
National Forest for detecting
fires. Aerial observation is a
vital cog in preventing forest
O utlook
fires. After an electrical storm,
a fire check from the air is a
must. From the air it is easy
to spot a small isolated fire
smoldering slowly on a tree
or snag, but it is different on
the ground. Rough terrain and
high trees make it impossible
to spot some fires, even at a
relative close distance. When
there is no direct radio con-
tact between the airplane and
ground fire crews, toilet paper
is dropped adjacent to the fire
so it can be located quickly.
Sometimes a pilot may have
to make a low swoop and bank
off to a side to direct ground
crews to fires. Wing flapping is
another method of communi-
cating with ground crews.
Accompanying the pilot on
an aerial fire check is an ob-
server. Once a fire is spotted,
the observer pinpoints the fire
on the map, notices the roads
leading to the fire, and gives
other details to the District
Ranger Office or to a ground
crew. The plane may circle the
fire until firefighters arrive at
the scene or until the situation
improves. Then the plane flies
on, searching the fore for other
fires.
In case of a major fire, the
plane may remain to direct
ground fighting operations such
as demonstrated at the recent
Lost Creek fire. The plane may
also be used for observing the
rate of fire spread and direction,
fuel types, dangerous situations
and other fire information for
the fire boss on the ground.
Routine fire flights over the
1,500,000 acres of the Malheur
National Forest are made daily
during extreme fire danger peri-
ods. Sometimes several flights
a day are made. The plane usu-
ally flies for about two hours.
Routine flights cover an area of
the most distant, and those that
are blind from manned look-
outs. Flights are made from
John Day and Burns. The John
Day flights cover the northern
portion of the forest and the
Strawberry Mountain range
region. The Burns flight cov-
ers the southern portion of the
forest.
For an inexperienced air
passenger, flying with a fire
plane can be like riding on a
roller coaster. And it is a good
idea to have a bag ready for
the discharged contents of the
stomach.
But the loops and dips are
just part of flying for fires, re-
quiring highly skilled pilots
such as Dick Meyers, Phil Boy-
er and Oscar and Carl Davis.
Meyers is a pilot for John Mc-
Caige of the Flying Hat ranch
west of Mt. Vernon, and Boyer
is the John Day Airport man-
ager. The Davises fly for the
Burns ranger district. Flying as
an observer for the John Day
flights has been Joe Peniska,
former Grant Union coach
now at Payette.
SENI R
Hope you have all
recovered from the
fair… and the eclipse.
Maybe we can get back
to our Grant County/
Prairie City ‘normal’
way of life. Has been a
Rose Coombs
hectic two weeks. And I
had it easy.
Re: the grape vine.
There is a humongous one in Canyon City at the corner of Clark and Main
covering a house. Bet it’s cool in there! Mine looks a little sad since the
outside water restriction has been in effect. I keep hoping it will grow deep
roots – like the alfalfa does – six feet down.
The cement for the ADA landing pad has been laid. Has to be inspected, of
course. Then Joel can come back and get the ramp actually out of the
building. What a long trail – and trial – this has turned out to be. But I
believe I can see light at the end of the tunnel…
Got the beets all harvested and cooked up and put in the freezer. There.
The garden was another thing that turned out to be a trial this year. Better
luck next time. Hope springs eternal, you know.
We had some very tired guests for our meal. They had been peeling 100
pounds of potatoes for the breakfast at the Teen Center over the eclipse. I
couldn’t have helped them – I got a blister on my paring knife finger from
slicing the beets. Anyway, it was good to have Pete and Harriet Currier
with us. So taking advantage of a new face, I asked Pete to lead the flag
Prairie City
Seniors
Monday, August
7, Merry Henry and
Ron Dowse greeted.
Blue Mountain
Hospital Auxiliary
Nicky Essex
members Gloria Kulis
and Mary Jones
served at the tables
after making meal deliveries to John Day and Canyon City.
Larry and Rodney from Step Forward delivered meals to Mt.
Vernon. Total regular meals delivered were 23, with total
frozen meals delivered 61. Thanks so much.
Mary Jones opened our time by leading our salute to the
flag. Dale Stennett gave the blessing on our meal. We
enjoyed Shay’s wonderful rendition of pinto beans and ham
with fried potatoes, cornbread muffins and watermelon, and
“Lisa’s Surprise” for dessert. I failed to welcome Yvonne
Major last week. We welcomed Evelyn Sheets, and after some
years of absence, welcome back, Carol Roe! We served 22
diners in the center. I failed to note drawing winners.
Thursday, August 10, Drew Harmer and Jeanette Julsrud
were on the desk to greet our friends. Cornerstone Church
John Day
Seniors
Not only was it a
madhouse in Bend at all
the stores, I thought it
was quite busy here at
the Monument Senior
lunch as well. We had
53 guests on the
books. Terry Cade and
Carrie Jewell cooked us
some zesty orange
chicken with fried rice, fresh green salad, and cookies for our
dessert.
Our greeters were Bodean Andersen, Jimmy Cole, and Linda
Blakeslee. Bodean led us in the flag salute, made the
announcements, and prayed over the blessing of our meal. Jimmy
and Linda collected and counted the money.
Our winners for the free meal were Jim Davenport and Christian
Yukawa. We welcome Jim and Tina Davenport to our
community. They are the new owners of Wally and Marva Walker’s
ranch.
My hubby showed me the big traffic jam around the Prineville/
Mitchell area. I am so glad we went to Bend when we did. I’ve
been hearing of how the towns of Prineville and Madras are all out of
gas. Wow. I am steering clear of those areas for a while.
Friday was the day I volunteered to help out at the senior center
Monument
Seniors
Soo Yukawa
salute. And then Harriet won the gift certificate donated by Chuck’s Little
Diner. See, it pays to come to dinner. Ken Koser got the $5 in trade at
Prairie Hardware and Gifts.
Tom’s food for thought: Most children hate to begin a meal on an empty
stomach. After Jack Retherford asked the blessing, we got down to the
business of filling our empty stomachs with spaghetti and meat sauce,
green salad, corn on the cob, rolls, and an orange ‘poke’ cake with ice
cream for dessert. Yummy, yummy. Good job, Tom, Marjean, Julia, and
Ellie. Thank you for a great meal. A letter in last week’s paper talked about
a photo of naked people that apparently was in a previous edition. I didn’t
see it, but it does bring up a pet peeve of mine. Why in various sports and
other exhibitions is it a requirement that the male be fully clothed and the
female practically naked? I, for one, am sick of it. I distinctly remember
one ice skating contest that I saw where the couple had a fantastic routine
and they did it by switching roles. She had on a male costume and he had
on a female’s. And the audience loved it. The judges, however, hated it.
Wasn’t according to their rules, you know. When the scores were shown,
the judges got booed. Right on.
We had to make a journey to get a new bike wheel for our 30+ years old
garden cart. It had air-filled tires when we got it and we could never keep
the air in them, so had Randy Moles make a different frame/axle and put
on solid rubber tires back in the early ‘80’s. I think that is a good testimony
for the wheel that it lasted this long! Derrol just hauled too many heavy
rocks…
Ps. 18:31 “For who is God besides the Lord? And who is the Rock except
our God?”
members Zola Pike, Donna Mulder, Linda Sprouffske and
Donna Johnson served us. Buzz Glass and Brenda Taramasso
delivered meals to John Day and Canyon City while the guys
from Step Forward took the Mt. Vernon route. Total meals
delivered were 36. Great job to all of you. We love and
appreciate our volunteers.
Donna Johnson opened our time together by leading us in
the Pledge of Allegiance. We also learned that it was National
S’mores Day.
The winners from the drawings were Jerry Williamson,
Valley View; Jan Ellison, Chester’s Thriftway gift certificate;
and Donna Johnson won the Harrison Ranch Produce
Certificate. Linda Sprouffske gave the lunch blessing, which
was our “Fair Meal” (entrée donated by The Methodist Church
Resale Shop). Barbecued pork ribs, baked potatoes, fresh
veggie salad and dinner rolls, and “Lisa’s S’mores” for dessert
made for an exceptional meal. Thanks to all of you who serve
us so generously. We love our kitchen crew and helpers. We
love our volunteers, too.
Psalm 28:7 NIV “The Lord is my strength and my Shield; my
heart trusts in Him and He helps me. My heart leaps for joy,
and with my song I praise Him.”
along with a bunch of others. We all worked together to bring
about cooking some breakfast, lunch, and supper. I left before 2
p.m. but other people came and took the evening shifts.
The crowds that were expected hadn’t shown up quite yet but I’m
pretty sure there will be by Saturday and Sunday. I am thinking
that the Monday, the day of the eclipse, is going to be pretty
crazy. By the time you read this, it will be yesterday’s news,
literally. Ha.
When we were in Bend, the stores were packed. We went to Cash
N Carry, and the meat section was quite bare, not to mention the
lines were long. The Costco was busy too. I didn’t get my
broccoli because there was none, and other things were flying out
the door.
The strangest sight I saw on the shopping trip was when I took my
little girl to the restroom at Wal-Mart. We saw a grown man (I
think he was in his early 20’s) sitting in a shopping cart like a little
kid in front of the restroom. Later saw the same man at the deli
section talking to a friend declaring he needed three meals a day and
snacks wouldn’t cut it for him for the next nine days. I thought,
“Good luck with that with no fridge.” The companion said
something about food being good for three days at camp. Oh dear.
Joel 2:30 “I will show wonders in the heavens and in the
earth. Blood, and fire, and pillars of smoke.”
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