All Good Things Must Have a Beginning. We Do Not Believe That the Use Or the Word Good

Forward

All good things must have a beginning. We do not believe that the use or the word "good" is presumptive, for it is our commitment to save life, not to destroy it, which function in time of war, may seem a paradox.

It is the wish of the Commanding Officer and the entire personnel of the 1st Emergency Rescue Squadron, in addition to conforming with Army Regulations, to faithfully chronicle its daily activities, in order that General ARNOLD, with whom the idea originated, may be appraised of our efforts.

The purpose of this organization is to accompany Fighter and Bomber Squadrons, effecting immediate rescue of their crews, whose misfortune may lie in being set adrift on the open sea. In so doing we may not only save human life but trained and experienced fliers, who can again be at their battle stations with a minimum loss of time.

Exclusive of the humanitarian aspect, the monetary saving is not inconsiderable. It is estimated that the aggregate expense, to the Government, for the training program of an Air Crew of ten men, approaches a figure in excess' of $200,000.

In the event of high swells, making water landings impractical, close radio liaison is maintained with surface craft, namely Crash Boats. Pursuant to the geographic bearings received, these craft locate and pick up survivors that are stranded on dinghies, or that are floating in pneumatic life rafts.

Generally speaking, the greatest good that can be accomplished by a smoothly functioning rescue unit is that of maintaining and sustaining the morale of flying Bomber and Fighter Personnel. It is no small comfort to be assured that hovering on the edge of battle is a friendly formation, waiting expectantly to pull one out of the "drink", should he be ill-fated in combat. Such peace of mind definitely contributes to the prevention of "War jitters" and "flying fatigue". It is no less reassuring to know that as soon as a ship is abandoned the location has been accurately plotted and a PBY is launched on its mission. Much of the fear of "ditching" is thereby circumvented and the hope of survival made almost a certainty.

Like the loaded automatic at the MP's side, the very presence of an Emergency Rescue Squadron promotes the realization that help and protection are there, should the exigency arise. This will give to the airmen an additional measure of confidence, so vital to mental composure, for no man is unafraid.

Statements made by those actively engaged in Sea-Rescue work, paint vivid portraits of human suffering experienced by men adrift on the ocean for many days, whose misery is exceeded only by their touching demonstrations of appreciation at the time of rescue.

It must be remembered that friend or foe, are, by unwritten law entitled to this humane act. We are therefore resolved that mercy shall know no bounds. It should be considered that a salvaged enemy aviator is as effectively incapacitated, as though he were killed in actual combat.

EARLY HISTORY OF THE 1ST EMERGENCY RESCUE SQUADRON

On March 11th, 1943, in accordance with Paragraph 18, Special Order No 58, Headquarters, Army Air Forces, Advanced Flying School, Stockton Field, California, the following Pilots, all of whom are Second Lieutenants, were transferred to Pensacola, Florida, for the purpose of Naval Air Intermediate Training in PBY-5 Aircraft.

GEORGE A BARNES 0739704 NEAL D BARLETT 0739705 EDWARD W BLEIER 0739712

1 HOWARD W BRETON 0739717 JOSEPH A BURNS 0739721 FRANK C BURY 0739722 WILLIAM A CASON JR 0739727 EDGAR A DAVIDSON 0739739 EDMUND C EPPIG 0739753 ROBERT F GLADIN 0739744 WILLIAM A HART 0739744 ADRIAN E HIRST 0739781 FREDRIC F HOSS JR 0739785 KENNETH N HUNTER 0739790 THEREL C JARMAN 0739794 PERRY L KNIGHT 0739802 JOHN (None) MARLEY JR 0739816 MAURICE C MATSON 0739818 WALTER B MILBURN JR 0739828 JACK S PRINCE 0739853 WARREN T. READY 0739855 ROBERT F SMITH 0739863 ROBERT L SPRAGUE 0739865 CHARLES F TULLY JR 0739871 JARVIS T YAGLE 0739881 WALLACE G ANDERSON 0739701 HARVEY M BEERY JR 0739707 LEONARD M BILSLAND 0739710 JOHN A DAVIS 0739379 ROBERT M DIAL 0739743 CHARLES F EISMAH JR 0739747 COGE J GRAHAM 0739769 JAMES A S HOFFMAN 0739782 BEN R JACKSON 0739792 WILLARDO H JAIME 0739793 JAMES E STEWART 0739866 JAMES F WALKER 0739874 GEORGE W WILSON 0739876 CHARLES J ZOET 0739882

On 12 March 1943, pursuant to Paragraph 1, Special Order Number 55, Headquarters, Army Air Forces Advanced Flying School, La Junta, Colorado, the following Officers, having completed their course in advanced flying were ordered to report to Pensacola, Florida, to begin Intermediate Training in PBY-5 Aircraft.

1st Lt JOHN F TURNBULL 0421411 AC 2nd Lt ROBERT B BELL 0739888 AC 2nd Lt ROGER S BISHOP JR 0739891 AC 2nd Lt HENRY JAMES BLOM 0739893 AC 2nd Lt ALVIN R JOHNSON JR 0739962 AC 2nd Lt JOHN H MORK 0739983 AC 2nd Lt WILLIAM (none) RAYBOULD 0739994 AC 2nd Lt WILKIE E WHITE 0740009 AC

A total of forty-seven Pilots remained at Pensacola for a period of approximately sixty days and were by authority of aforementioned orders transferred to the U.S. Naval Air Station, Jacksonville, Florida, there to begin Operational Training in PBY Aircraft Which extended over a period of approximately three weeks. Upon completing the PBY Transitional Program the following Officers, were ordered to Stewart Field, West Point, New York, Pursuant to authority contained in Dispatch No 22359Z, of June 1943,

2 Washington, D. C., where they received three and one-half months of miscellaneous flying. Twenty nine of the PBY Pilot Officers, whose names appear below, having continued transitional flying at Stewart Field, were transferred to Selman Field, Louisiana, on 15th September 1943, by authority of Confidential Letter, File No 300.4, Headquarters, Army Air Forces Officers Replacement Pool, Lowry Field, Denver, Colorado. There they received a two week course in Navigation:

WALLACE G ANDERSON 0739701 FREDRIC F HOSS, JR 0739785 GEORGE A BARNES 0739704 WILLARDO H JAIME 0739793 LEONARD M BILSLAND 0739710 THEREL C JARMAN 0739794 EDWARD W BLEIER 0739712 JOHN MARLEY JR 0739816 HOWARD W BRETON 0739717 MAURICE C MATSON 0739818 JOSEPH A BURNS 0739721 WALTER B MILBURN JR 0739828 EDGAR A DAVIDSON 0739739 WARREN T READY 0739855 ROBERT M DIAL 0739743 ROBERT F SMITH 0739863 CHARLES F EISMAN JR 0739747 JAMES E STEWART 0739866 EDMUND C EPPIG 0739753 ROBERT L SPRAGUE 0739865 COGE J GRAHAM 0739769 CHARLES F TULLY JR 0739871 WILLIAM A HART 0739774 JAMES F WALKER 0739874 ADRIAN E HIRST 0739781 GEORGE W KELSON 0739876 CHARLES J ZOET 0739882 JARVIS T YAGLA 0739881 FRANK C BURY 0739722

On 18 September, 1943, so much of Confidential Letter, File No 300.4, Headquarters, Army Air Forces Officers Replacement Pool, Lowry Field, Denver, Colorado, 15 September 1943, as pertained to the following named Second Lieutenants, was revoked.

HOWARD W BRETON 0739717 JOSEPH A BURNS 0739721 FRANK C BURY 0739722 EDGAR A DAVIDSON 0739739 ROBERT M DIAL 0739743 EDMUND C EPPIG 0739753 WILLIAM A HART 0739774 ROBERT F SMITH 0739863 GEORGE W WILSON 0739876 CHARLES J ZOET 0739882

Confidential Letter, File No 300.4, Headquarters, Army Air Forces Officer Replacement Pool, Lowry Field, Denver, Colorado, was amended by adding thereto the following:

1st Lt JOHN F. TURNBULL 0421411 AC

3 2nd Lt ROBERT B BELL 0739888 AC 2nd Lt ALVIN R. JOHNSON, JR 0739962 AC 2nd Lt JOHN H MORK 0739983 AC

The Officers, whose names were revoked, from the Order as described, were sent on overseas assignments. Six of these men, by coincidence, met us at Camp Patrick Henry, Virginia, having just returned from active duty in the Mediterranean Theater of War. Their many interesting experiences will be recounted later.

Second Lieutenant WALTER B HILBURN, JR. left Selman Field, Monroe Louisiana, 22 October 1943 and reported to the Sixth Ferrying Group, at Long Beach, California, for immediate shipment, by plane, to the Southwest Pacific. On 22 November 1943, Air Transport Command Pilots, Captain DOSS and Lieutenant HOPE, flying a Catalina, cracked up on the take-off for Honolulu, in North Bay, San Diego, California. Lieutenants WALTER B MILBURN JR, MURREL BUSBY and Staff Sergeant Glaxbon, passengers aboard, were bruised but otherwise not seriously injured. On 29 November 1943, a full crew, comprised of Second Lieutenant MILBORN, Pilot, Second Lieutenant BUSBY, Co-Pilot, Second Lieutenant SCHULMAN, Navigator, Staff Sergeants Allen Cox and Wesley Claxton, Engineers, Sergeant William Keizer, Radar Operator, Corporal Charles Gorrell, Radar Mechanic and Private Harold Taylor, Radio Operator, left for Boca Raton Field, Florida, arriving 4 December 1943.

The Pilot Officers, whose names appear below were selected for transfer from Selman Field, Louisiana to Hunter Field, Georgia, per paragraph and Special Orders, Headquarters, Selman Field, Louisiana, as mentioned:

1st Lt TURNBULL, JOHN F 0421411 10 294 21 October 1943 2nd Lt MORK, JOHN H 0739983 8 294 21 October 1943 2nd Lt BLEIER, EDWARD W 0739712 10 294 21 October 1943 2nd Lt JOHNSON, ALVIN R 0739962 10 294 21 October 1943 2nd Lt BILSLAND, LEONARD M 0739710 8 295 22 October 1943 2nd Lt EISMAN, CHARLES F JR 0739747 8 295 22 October 1943 2nd Lt BELL, ROBERT B 0739888 7 295 22 October 1943 2nd Lt JARMAN, THEREL C 0739794 9 295 22 October 1943 2nd Lt MATSON, MAURICE C 0739818 9 295 22 October 1943

These Officers remained about one month at Hunter Field, Georgia, awaiting overseas shipment; which failed to materialize. On 29 November 1943 seven crews, intact, were ordered to report to Boca Raton Field, Florida, in accordance with Paragraph 5, Special Order No 319, headquarters, Hunter Field, Georgia, dated 29 November 1943, composed as listed:

P 1st Lt JOHN F .TURMBULL 0421411 Co-P 2nd Lt ONA W BURNS 0811005 N 2nd Lt VERNON J LYLE 0670146 747 T/Sgt Paul I Asbury 6634030 747 S/Sgt Samuel A GILL 36261819 866 Sgt Gerald R Bolles 12161969 775 Cpl Harold A Stahl 12149133

P 2nd Lt EDWARD W BLEIER 0739712 Co-P 2nd Lt THOMAS F MURRAY 0808226 N 2nd Lt JOHN K LONSDALE 0744074 747 T/Sgt Elbert Borden 6852084 747 S/Sgt Jack D Dillard 18098459 866 Sgt William McDonald 31164801 755 Pfc Ross Stansell 34262421

P 2nd Lt THEREL C JARMAN 0739794

4 Co-P 2nd Lt. CARL R MINGLE 0810921 N 1st Lt WILLIAM B WELLING 0439779 747 S/Sgt Frank J Trinca 12023994 747 S/Sgt Daniel A English 32364476 866 Sgt Charles A Dill 36432756 756 Pfc John F Schott 35510353

P 2nd Lt LEONARD M BILSLAND 0739710 Co-P 2nd Lt ROBERT F LASHER 0810900 N 2nd Lt ROBERT T MELVIN 0682215 747 S/Sgt Person M Wilson 6085107 747 S/Sgt Joseph E. Wasolek 32360805 866 Sgt David L Smith 35473317 755 S/Sgt William F Gannon 20200522

P. 2nd Lt CHARLES F EISMAN 0739747 Co-P 2nd Lt CHARLES MILLARD 0810919 N 2nd Lt JAMES H WITT 0676l96 747 S/Sgt Geither E White 32470969 747 Pvt William J Chaney 17071118 866 Sgt John J O'Brien 31179479 756 Pvt Gordon H Wortz 16070376

P 2nd Lt JOHN H MORK 0739963 Co-P F/O JOSEPH D MURPHY T-61216 N 2nd Lt REDMOND W COLNON 0798755 747 S/Sgt Louis Birard 33160137 747 Sgt Dan C Brown 39683082 866 Sgt Elmer C Rhodes 33212383 755 Cpl James M Thom 31068541

P 2nd Lt ROBERT B BELL 0739888 Co-P 2nd Lt WALTER NONNENMACHER 0811427 N 1st Lt CHARLES 0 CUMMINS 0662027 747 S/Sgt Ralph L Adams 13117966 747 Pvt Charles Schoenberger 13021426 866 Sgt Charles Waltrip 37390214 755 Pfc Allen T Haapanen 11106314

Second Lieutenant JAMES F WALKER, 0739874, was directly assigned to the 1st Emergency Rescue Squadron, at Boca Eaton Field, Florida, per paragraph 4, Special Order 307, headquarters, Army Air forces, Washington, D. C., 23 December 1943, from Selman Field, Louisiana.

Attention is drawn to the fact that all the Navigators assigned to Flight Crews at Hunter Field, Georgia, on or about the 1st of November, 1943, were formerly assigned as instructors in the various Army Air Force Navigation Schools: First Lieutenant W. B. WELLING JR and First Lieutenant A. B. CLEVELAND taught at Turner Field, Albany, Georgia, and then at Selman Field, Monroe, Louisiana, there, upon his graduation, to be joined by Second Lieutenant R. W. COLNON.

First Lieutenant C. O. CUMMINS instructed at Kelly Field, Texas. As was the case with Turner Field, Kelly Field was abandoned as a Navigation School and was replaced by the Army Air Forces Navigation School located at Hondo, Texas. Here Lieutenant V. J. LYLE graduated and joined Lieutenant CUMMINS on the teaching staff.

First Lieutenant O. J. HAYNIE first taught at Mother Field, Sacramento, California. When the Army Air Force Navigation School, San Marcus, Texas, was activated, Lieutenant HAYNIE was

5 transferred to this school and joined by Second Lieutenants J. K. LONSDALE, R. P. MELVIN and J. H. WITT, in the capacity of Navigation instructors. Each of these Officers reported directly from the various Navigation Schools for work in Air/Sea Rescue.