Salt Lake Telegram | 1948-12-24 | Page 2 | Carrier Ready to Rescue Arctic Fliers

p Carrier Re Ready dy To Io Rescue Arctic Fliers NORFOLK Va Dec 24 INS The The aircraft carrier prepared prepared prepared pre pre- pared Friday to steam to the theres res rescue ue of 11 airmen irmen apparently doomed to spend Christmas on a swept gale foot Greenland icecap The carrier will carry helicopters and specially trained naval and marine crews who gave up their Christmas leave to brave the roaring winds sweeping down over icy Greenland in further rescue efforts The ship is scheduled to leave Norfolk Christmas eve and arrive at Greenland about New Years Year's day The air force which has has been unsuccessful in a number of rescue efforts has abandoned further attempts attempts at- at tempts until the subzero winds abate This means that unless there theres is s an unexpected break In weather conditions the 11 marooned men will rill spend Christmas In their small mall ice houses equipped w with th style camp heaters To Drop Dinners It'll be a bleak Christmas for them but the air hir force plans to drop turkey dinners to the fliers Meanwhile a var variety ety of planes and gliders are standing by at the U. U S. S air b base se at Greenland and at Goose Bay Labrador Labrador Labrador Lab Lab- rador to make rescue attempts as soon as weather conditions permit Air force officials emphasized that no opportunity will go beg beg- ging It was recalled however that two of the rescue efforts thus far not only resulted in failure to take takeoff takeoff takeoff off the original seven-man seven C 47 crew which skidded to the flat icecap when they ran out of gas but added four men to the number number number num num- ber marooned Seven of the marooned fliers have been on the icecap for two weeks and the four others now have spent 10 days with them Two 1 of the latter group crash- crash landed on the ice during a rescue attempt and the final two landed with a glider that it has not been possible to bring off the ice Safety Secure There is no fear for the safety of the men so long as they remain in their ice-house ice shelters It was pointed out that ample provisions ha have ve been dropped to them as aswell aswell well as plenty of warm wann clothing The navy said it would take the giant aircraft carrier about five days to reach the Greenland shore which the sized mountain-sized icecap overlooks A Once there however it was anticipated anticipated anticipated an an- that the special l helicopter helicopter heli hell copter crews could effect 9 I. I quick rescue of the marooned m men mn n provided provided provided pro pro- vided the weather 0 outlook utI 0 a k kI brightens I