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In a previous blog I mentioned that the "Action" promise on the recruiting poster did come to fruition in San Juan, Puerto Rico. I decided to let you in on more details of my previously told blog about my off shore rescue.

The station's complement had just been awarded the afternoon off for Good Friday, 1952.  Fortunately there was still enough personnel to man two PBYs when the alarm sounded; Pan American Flight 526A, a four engine, DC-4 lost power in two engines and had ditched 7 miles northwest of San Juan. Apparently the plane broke apart and sank in less than 5 minutes. I think 50 or so people died, but a dozen or so and a crew of 5 survived. 

Oddly enough one of the pilots was John Burns who had been injured in the crash of a Pan Am Clipper in 1944 at Lisbon, Portugal. Also injured in Portugal was popular singer Jane Froman, whom he later married and divorced. The movie "With a Song in My Heart", starring Susan Hayward, was about Jane's recovery of her life and career.

After we landed on the water the pilot cut both engines for fear of the propellers hitting survivors that were bobbing in the water. We picked up two survivors in life jackets. When we got ready to leave the scene we discovered that the batteries were dead and the A.P.U. (Auxiliary Power Unit generator) had been removed for repair. Now is when "Danger" should be on that recruiting poster. I had to climb up on top of the engine cowling, insert a two-foot-long crank, and crank - hoping the engine would start and the accompanying prop-wash didn't blow me off the wing. As you can surmise, I did survive the "Action" as promised in the recruiting poster.  Life was/is good.