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About Medford mail tribune. (Medford, Or.) 1909-1989 | View Entire Issue (Oct. 17, 1956)
SIX MZDfORD (OREGOrT) MAIL TRIBUNE Wednesday, October 17, 1958 20, at 8 p.m. A program of local 24. A potluck dinner will b talent is planned. Refreshments served at 7 p.m. and Miss Ann will be served. Forbes will show color slides of The next regular Grange meet- Egypt, Syria and Palestine. The ing will be a social evening, Oct. public is invited. Cutter Speeding Plane Crash Survivors To San Francisco Waiting for Plane To Crash-Land on Ocean Said 'Tough' San Francisco (UR; The Coast Guard cutler Pontchart rain sped toward San Francisco today with 31 persons who sur vived the crash-landing of a lux ury Pan American World Air ways stratoclipper at sea. The Ponchartrain took the 24 passengers and seven crewmen board after the $1.5 million plane pancaked into the ocean 1045 mile southwest of San Francisco Tuesday. Two of the plane's four motors had gone out. The rescue itself took only 21 minutes. It was carried out with Incredible smoothness. Five per sons suffered minor hurts. Capt. William K. Earle, skip per of the Pontchartrain, said waiting for the plane to crash land proved to be the "tough est thing" of the whole opera tion. "We were at our rescue sta tions and on the alert for five hours. he said. Passengers Calm But the passengers on the plane, once they got over their initial nervousness, were calm They credited their captain Richard Ogg, and the crew for making the whole thing seem "routine." Ogg put it simply: 'There was no alternative but to ditch. There was no panic nd the operation was orderly throughout. Some of us got our feet wet, but not one was actu ally in the water." But to Richard Gordon of Sil ver Springs, Md., and his wife, Jane, it was more than a routine operation. "Ogg and the crew were won derful," Gordon said. "If it had rot been for their calming man ner. I don't see how he could have done as well as we did. Gordon said he. his wife, and their Z'i-year-old twin girls, Maureen and Elizabeth, were asleep at the time. PraisM Passengers MaryE. Daniel, one of three atewardesses aboard, praised the passengers in turn for "obeying orders and doing everything we asked." Asked what the' passengers did while waiting to ditch, she aald: They asked questions. They aat around and thought up more pertinent questions . . . they were very relaxed and well behaved." The Stratoclipper began hav ing trouble with its engines ahortly after 3 a.m. (PST). At that time, the plane had reached th point of no return on its flight from Honolulu to San Francisco. The flight had origin ated In Tokyo on Monday. sr - 4 Wa . id- aw. -i . ssaw. . for nlrT ' trtrfh rrr If ' -IL 1 1 , -si AIRLINES TRAINING PAYS OFF Under the split-second control of Captain Richard Ogg (lower right) of Sara toga, CalifT, the big-four engined Pan American Airways Stratoclipper (above) crippled by propeller trouble, came down in the Pacific Ocean 104a miles from Honolulu alongside the U. S. Coast Guard cutter Ponchartrain. Emergency training of the airline's crew and the crew aboard the Ponchartrain paid off in a dramatic sea rescue that saw all 31 persons aboard the plane rescued with a few suffering only minor injuries. At lower left is Patricia Reynolds of San Mateo, Calif., purser aboard the plane. 5VB 'x p0, XT' phots by Sara Mlkulln HIS PRAYER ANSWERED Ray Dami of Oakland is near the breaking point at San Francisco's International Air port as he waits for word of his wife, Ruby, who was a passenger aboard Pan American Airways Stratoclipper that ditched in the Pacific Ocean midway between Hono lulu and San Francisco. The plane's captain brought the big ship down alongside the U. S. Coast Guard weather ship Ponchartrain which rescued all 31 persons aboard the plane with only minor injuries reported. Passengers Praise Stratoclipper Pilot San Bruno, Calif. U.R The passengers who survived the ditching of a Pan American Stratoclipper 1,000 miles out to sea Tuesday, were lavish with their praise of Capt. Richard Ogg, but the veteran pilot treated the dramatic crash-land' ing and rescue almost as routine. Ogg, from Saratoga, Calif., told dispassionately of the land ing at sea in a matter-of-fact voice during a radio interview with newsmen over a thousand miles of water from the Coast Guard cutter Pontchartrain. "We had mechanical diffl culty and were unable to hold our 21,000 foot altitude. It was impossible to reach either Hono lulu or the mainland he said. "There was no alternative but to ditch. There was no panic and the operation was orderly throughout. Some of us got our feet wet, but no one was actual ly in the water. Right 'Or Else' "We had a job to do and it had to be done right or else. Our action was clearly indieiled. Asked how the three children among the passengers took the ditching, Ogg said: "They are asleep now. I guess that is good testimony. To Richard Gordon, Silver Springs, Md., and his wife, Jane however, it was more than just "a job to do." "Oez and the crew were von- derful." Gordon said. "If it had not been for their calming man ner I don't see how we could have done as well as we did. The Gordons were returning from the Philippines with their twin daughters, Maureen and Elizabeth, 2Va years old. Gordon is a U.S. Information Service oi ficial in Manila and is return ing on leave after two years overseas. No Panic Br Passengers "My wife and I and the kids were asleep. Then we heard this strange noise from the engines and woke up, uoraon saia. "We were told that something was wrong but we didn't know what. Shortly Capt. Ogg came in and said they were having dif ficulty with the propellers and would have to ditch, but things were under control and a cut ter was waiting nearby. We were asked to stay in our seats and put on our life belts and fasten our safety belts. I fas tened my safety belt, and I had a feeling that we would come out of it safely. "The babies were upset. They did not know what was wrong except that their sleep was be ing disturbed so they acted up a bit." Mrs. Louise Walker, 58, Oak land, returning on the last leg of a four-month world tour, also commented on the crew s calm ness. Craw Receives Praise "At no time was there any alarm," Mrs. Walker said. "They assured us we would rje safe and that the water was calm. At no time were we afraid that our lives would be lost." Mary E. Daniel, one of the three stewardesses aboard, helped guide the passengers through the rear exit where they dropped into the rafts. "We had an excellent group Rescue Crew Determined En Route to San Francisco OJ.R) Capt. William K. Earle, skipper of the Coast Guard cut ter Pontchartrain,, said today his crew showed a "burning de termination" to rescue all the passengers and crew. aboard a crippled Pan American Airways plane. "They would not be satisfied with anything less," Earle said in a radio interview. "I have great pride in these men." Every one of the 31 passen gers and crew was taken aboard the Pontchartrain after the Stratoclipper ditched in the Pa cific 1,045 miles southwest of it'M just unbelievable! oonc troman could keep her hout hwkinf jo nice and Mtill have bo much leisure time! r t, gfrl! Want to Inow the real truth? Trudy's a bug on find ing quicLer, eaif r ways to do her housework. Like using new, longer-wearing Bruce Self-Polish-ing Wax on her floors! No re waxing for her every time some thing spills or someone tracks in dirt. Bruce's hard, bright shine really resists scuffs, dirt and stains. One waxing lasts for weeks instead of days! Try it yourself next time you wax. Like Trudy, you'll find new firure Seif-Pplish-in$ Wax will save you a lot of time and hard work. For floors, use BRUCE! (knnnf tx " Of Mtr Alphas TiW OitMf Isold Tils f as ttsu Has Si-itaais i j ; ! San Francisco Tuesday. Earle singled out Machinist's Mate 2-C Ronald Christian of Los Angeles for special praise. "The plane was sinking and we did not know for sure that everybody was off. We were worried that it would sink with someone still aboard. ' "This man volunteered to go into the plane and check. He got out of his motorboat and went into the plane. He cruised around in there and found that there was nobody left. "It was dangerous since the plane was sinking. I think he showed great courage." GRANGE Griffin Creek Grange Griffin Creek Grange will hold the annual Booster night program Saturday, Oct. 20, at the Grange hall at 8 p.m. The event will be in the form of a Halloween party, and those at- , tending are to wear costumes or j "hard times" clothing. Prizes will be given for the ; best costumes. I Grangers, their friends, and i all in the community, are invit ed to attend. Grange women at ; tending are each asked to take a pie. Fur Restyling Let us give your fur coat the New Look CLEANING GLAZING Frances' Furs Formerly Frances Dallaira 1100 Crater Lake Ave. Telephone Remains 2-6326 of passengers and they obeyed orders and did everything they were asked. We went out the rear exit and everything went smoothly. There was a four or five foot drop to the rafts but as the plane setUed the rafts got closer." Asked what the passengers did during the long, tense wait, she said: "They asked questions. They sat around and thought up more pertinent questions. The naviga tor (Second Officer Richard L. Brown, Belmont, Calif.) and the engineer (Frank Garcia, Moun tain View, Calif.) came back and the passengers asked them more questions. The passengers were very relaxed and well-behaved." Medford Man Arrested In California Friday William Raymond Pickett, 28, 233 South Riverside ave., Med ford, was arrested last Friday in Tulelake, Calif., by city police there and returned to Jackson county jail on charges of obtain ing money under false pretenses, according to Medford police. Pickett will appear in circuit court tomorrow. He waived ex tradition in district court Mon day. He was arrested following complaints from Gerald Wayne True, of the Northern Piggly Wiggly company, 528 South Riv erside ave., Medford, and Homer A. Sullivan, of the Central Mar ket, 437 South Central ave., Medford, involving checks. Grange Notes Shad? Cot Grange The Shady Cove Grange met Oct. 10. Mrs. Thelma Rynning and Mrs. Ted Conway received the obligation in the first and second degrees. Phil Motschenbacher spoke on community service and how to control juvenile delinquency. Secretary Annaburl Kee stat ed a meeting will be held at the Grants Pass library Oct. 25 , for the purpose of discussing j flood control. Oct. 27 the Pomona Grange ; will meet at 10 a.m. for an all ' day meeting. Judging of the white sugar jellies and fruit contest and election of officers for the next two years will be part of the business for the day. Members are reminded that the meeting of Nov. 14 will be for election of officers for the coming year. j During the lecture hour Mrs Reed, Mrs. McKay, Mrs. Little- '. field and Mrs. Kee told of their most embarrassing moments. Games were also played. The Grange will hold a bene fit card party for the Shady Cove-Trail fire department Oct. BEDROOM FURNITURE 10 Off! Open Tonight 'Till 9 P.M. Swartz Furniture & Maple Shop 1213 N. RIVERSIDE One side, please! That's how Penaljo laces its beloved classic saddle for a smart, off-side look! So smooth is the fit, so blissful the comfort. $1 T! 95 you'll live in it. ..and love it! " Buoyant crepe sole. ' OPEN TONIGHT UNTIL 9 P.M. Grey Shag Camel Shag 195 THE CORNER STORE Main at Central Medford SALE! 3 Days Only Ar-paam. : : llg' mm $ Every One Brand New After this event suits will sell at regular prices Choos beautiful xophyr or boucl wools Angora, braid, rhinostono, poarly jewol trims Slipover and cardigan topi, dolman iIhvsi Novelty patterned weaves, rib and panel ilclrhj e Peter Pan, ascot, yoke and turtle neckline Seasan's nine most important colon, 10-18 Buy your on convenient monthly payment plan at Wards! i
