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.
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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
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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