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National Geographic : 1936 Dec
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THE NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC MAGAZINE water exactly at the point the marker buoys indicated. Involuntarily, we all applauded. Dahlstrom had gauged the landing exactly and with the first contact the Philippine Clipper was in the water slowing down. While terns swirled above, chirping shrilly, in harsh contrast to their beauty, flashlights revealed the white sand bottom and fish appeared to be momentarily paralyzed when caught in their beams. Dinner was ready, as the blinking light had promised-and what a dinner! It was Bicknell's last night on the island and the Chinese kitchen staff had outdone them selves in his honor. There were turtle soup and turtle steak (from a big fellow that had eluded all the Wake Island fishermen for more than two weeks), corn, potatoes, hot rolls, and chocolate ice cream. After dinner we were all disappointed to learn, through radio messages from Ala meda, that the China Clipper had been forced to turn back after flying seven hours toward Honolulu. This was a genuine disappointment for the personnel at Wake and Midway, as the China Clipper was due to bring the Christmas turkeys, plum puddings, and other holiday fixings. Within the hearts of the Philippine Clipper personnel, however, a new hope was stirring. Why could not we make bet ter time home, carried on by these same winds that had turned back the sister ship? We were eager to be off again and no one had to be called a second time the next morning when 4:30 arrived. After break fast, everyone who could followed us down to the ramp. While the launch was being loaded they stood around, attempting to joke. All hands were rather quiet. They were losing the leader who had landed here with them seven months before. As Bicknell had never seen the island from the air we circled slowly over Wake several times before heading out across the water for Midway. HIGH WINDS SPEED FLIGHT Climbing higher, we encountered high winds and, carried along by one 22 miles strong, flew to Midway in eight hours. We had gained a day on Christmas, and while it was the afternoon of Christmas Eve now at Wake, at Midway it was the afternoon of December 23. Some of the flight crew, with families and sweethearts waiting on the West Coast to spend Christmas with them, were anxious to fly on with the favoring wind. But Cap tain Tilton ignored their veiled sugges tions, although he too had a wife, and a baby just old enough to enjoy her first Christmas, waiting in San Francisco. The strong winds continued throughout the night. At the base of the flagpole, and near some of the electric light poles, we found several dead birds, their lives dashed out as the strong wind drove them against these obstacles. Next morning the air was clear and the sun bright. Strong winds drove us as our engines pulled us through the sky and we soon were aware that we would make record time in the 1,304-mile flight to Honolulu. HOMEWARD BOUND, ON CHRISTMAS DAY It was Christmas Eve, so we opened the packages we had obtained in Manila and decorated the three-foot Christmas tree which had been set up in the lounge. We hung holly wreaths at the windows, strung tinsel and red and green streamers across the ceilings, and hung small stockings on the light fixtures. Here and there were hung sprigs of holly-one of these sprout ing on the instrument board on the bridge. Seven hours and thirty-three minutes after leaving Midway, we settled on the waters of Pearl Harbor. As the Philippine Clipper was drawn inshore, Weber hung a huge holly wreath on the bowsprit and the small group on the shoreline cheered. Here it was, after we landed, that the customs and immigration authorities put into practice their first experience at re ceiving air passengers at Honolulu. Bick nell and Karl Lueder, retiring manager at Midway, were passed as employees of Pan American Airways, but Harold See and I were carefully put through a routine-re quired to show our passports, etc. Obvi ously the customs officials were enjoy ing this first experience, for they were meticulous in each detail. On Christmas morning the clouds were low, the weather rainy, so we thought there was little hope of getting off. Shortly after noon, however, the sun broke through and orders were telephoned for all to assemble at Pearl Harbor. By the time we had reached the Philip pine Clipper, the sun was brilliant and all evidence of the rain of the night and morn ing had disappeared. 702
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