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Show October 23, 1953 HILL TOP TIMES He Lived to Tell About It vc is L- fx O fO ;u - l- - ' Major D. Grimes Decorated for Courage, Skill I . ay it feel to be the guinea pig in one of the first tests ever made of the pilot ejection seat? Well, it feels good after its all over, says TSgt. Harry J. Brickheimer, holding parachute above, who's now stationed at Hill AFB. The picture above was taken in 1946 at Patterson Field, Dayton, Ohio, and shows Air How does Force technicians congratulating Sgt. Brickheimer after he landed safe and sound following the hazardous test. Sergeant was Human Guinea Pig in First Pilot Ejection Seat Tests Hill If a call should go out asking for a volunteer to ride a rocket to an airman assigned to the maintenance engineering division at Hill AFB would probably offer himself as the human guinea pig. hat sort of mission would be just "duck soup" for TSgt. Harry J. the moon, Brickheimer. his sonnel to escape a disabled plane. Because of the tremendous rate of modern-da- y planes, paraequip- speed of must be thrown clear or chutists ment is almost they may be crushed against the getting to be plane by the terrific rush of air. routine for Sgt. Brickheimer was also one bgt. Brickheimer. He of three volunteers who donned has been doing new apparel and it for years. fought a roaring blaze fed by 200 The Sarere has gallons of gasoline. This was to test a new lightweight aluminum Sgt. Brickheimer foil garment. Brickheimer came f experience without so fought through roaring fires, and out ofasthis a much singed eyebrow and thus the in lake all a parachuted into helped the Air Force develop bet name of research. equipment. One of Set. Brickheimer's most ter to tell about Brickheimer lived was of valor fetes being important one of the "human subiects" to another adventure he had and so test the pilot ejection seat first helped the Air Force develop a new exposure suit which shot out of a high-spee- d aircratt rubberized would help keep parachuted crew back in 1M6. men and protect them from nnsplf bp shot out. of a cold afloat waters. sergeant made at 300 miles an hour at 5,000 the jump into The lake a testing the feet using equipment that s still new without equipment any mis doubtful takes a lot of nerve. Only haps. one other person had made the Of the 211 parachute jumps the test just 10 days before and while he lived through it, there sergeant has made, over 50 of were still many things about the them have been in testing of paraejection seat that Air Force offi chutes and survival gear. cials weren't sure about. There Sgt. Brickheimer, who lives at were a lot of angles that had to be Hill Garden Homes with his wife checked again before they could and three small daughters, has prove the practicality of this meth- been stationed at Hill AFB since od of escape from high speed air July. Assigned to the 2949th Depot craft. Training group, he has been at management personnel So the Sarere volunteered. When tending and giving his valuable as the plane was travelling about 300 school sistance to the UR control unit miles an hour he pressed the but ton that fired the 37 millimeter and the parachute unit of the shell that shot him, the pilot's seat maintenance division. and the parachute out into space a tew seconds later a small ex plosion separated him from the . seat in mid-ai- r. Exactly three sec onds after this his parachute auto matically opened by another small explosion. Second Lt. Paul E. Russum and The election seat shot Brick his wife, Mary, are celebrating the heimer straight up at about 60 hirfh of their second child, a daugh feet per second.' He cleared the ter, born October 12. It was almost tail of the plane with about 20 ovnrtlv one vear aero that the Rus- eet to spare. His jump that day sum's first daughter, Carolyn as successful and paved the way re Leigh was born, Lt. Russum or the ejector seat now used in nnrtpH TTpr birthdav was Octo a'i jets and high speed aircraft. ber 2. The new baby will be named The ejection seat is necessary in Betty. Lt. Kussum is communica nigh speed aircraft to enable per tions officer. Risking life to test un-prov- en fire-fighti- ng aircraft. fire-fighti- Page ng T.pM-.in- P-- Couple Welcomes New Baby Daughter Major Daniel D. Grimes of the 28th Logistic Support Squadron at Hill AFB, received the first Oak Leaf Cluster to the Distinguished Flying Cross and the 13th, 14th, and 15th Oak Leaf Cluster to the Air Medal in ceremonies held recently. The citation for the first Oak Leaf Cluster to the DFC stated that Major Grimes displayed extraordinary airmanship while participating in aerial flight as a navigator of an unarmed RB-2- 0 of the 12th Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron, Night Photo, on 27 March 1953. The citation reads: Major Grimes was assigned to a railroad reconnaissance mission deep in North Korea. Though heavy clouds and poor visibility made navigation difficult, he spotted a locomotive pulling 14 box cars. Intense and accurate flak appeared as he lined up on his target run. Major Grimes directed evasive action through the flak and showed great skill in leading the aircraft directly over the train on six flare dropping runs. These provided the necessary illumination for devastating attacks by night intruder aircraft, called to the scene. In the face of a possible early arrival over the target area by medium bombers, Major Grimes completed the bomb assessment run with complete disregard for his personal safety. By his skill in leading the aircraft, cour age under enemy fire, and techni que in making the bomb runs, Major Grimes brought great credit upon himself, and the United States Air Force." According to the citation for the 13th, 14th, and 15th Oak Leaf Cluster to the Ay Medal, Major Grimes distinguished himself "by while meritorious achievement in aerial participating flight as a navigator, 12th Tactical Recon naissance Squadron, Night Photo, in the air offensive of the United Nations over enemy held territory. The courage, alertness, and pro fessional ability displayed by this officer upon these occasions reflect great credit upon himself and the United States Air Force." The 13th cluster covered from 30 Jan. to 22 Feb. 1953. The 14th cluster covered from 23 Feb. to 20 April 1953 and the 15th cluster covered the period from 21 April to 20 May 1953. The veteran navigator was grad uated from Minneapolis West High School in 1937 and then attended the University of Minnesota for three years. In April of 1942 he entered the Army Air Corps navi gation school at Mather Field, Calif., where he earned his wings and gold bars on 10 Oct. VMJ, Later during World War II he flew 70 missions over Europe in the Martin Major Grimes is the son of Mrs B-2- 0. Eunice Grimes who lives at 2538 Homboldt St. in Minneapolis. He and his wife, Rosemary Clark Grimes, are now residing at 524 S. Main St. in Kaysville, Utah. Thank You Note I would like to express my sincere appreciation to all Hill AFB employees concerned for the help extended to our family, and the beautiful floral tributes sent at the time of the death of my mother. , Leland M. 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