Page Four
CLOUDBUSTER — SPORTS
Friday, March 9, 1945
-Ex-^BusterS"
(Continued from Page 1)
bomber pilots who operated from
a fast carrier, Air Group 44 shot
down 49 Jap planes, considerably
more than the number of planes
making up the air group itself
and, in addition, destroyed scores
more on the ground.
In attacks on the Jap fleet and
shipping. Air Group 44 helped
sink a heavy cruiser and three
destroyers—a tonnage equal to
that of the group’s own carrier
—and 53,000 tons of merchant
shipping. The group helped dam
age 21 other warships, including
two battleships, an aircraft car
rier, and three cruisers, as well
as more than 55,000 tons of mer
chant shipping.
For this toll of damage to the
enemy, the group paid with the
loss of 16 pilots and 12 aircrew-
men killed or missing in action.
Scout Plane Hero
The 26th Batt is represented
in the Navy Department releases
by Ens. Thomas F. Humphrey,
of Woodbridge, N. J.
Ens. Humphrey was in a de
tachment of Naval airmen
aboard a cruiser whose members
have returned to the U. S. after
16 months of putting their nine-
year-old bi-plane SOC scout
planes through such antics as the
designers never dreamed of.
They accomplished a feat never
before reported from the Pacific
war when they bombed and blew
up a detachment of mounted Jap
horse cavalry.
The handful of pilots, radio
men, and mechanics were aboard
the cruiser for the passive job of
spotting the warship’s gunfire—
flying above the shell bursts and
correcting the aim. They did
this job well. In addition, they
spotted and managed to break up
a “Banzai” charge by a squadron
of Jap tanks; knocked out big
shore guns with their little
planes to help save their ship
from damage; killed hundreds of
Jap troops with bullets and
bombs; and saved one U. S. tank
trapped by enemy gunfire.
All this was achieved because
the pilots and rear-seat men
wanted a bigger part of the war
than gun spotting, and because
the skipper of their cruiser let
them hang lightweight bombs on
the wings of their little planes
and strafe and heckle the Japs
from treetop level to suit their
fancy.
Army Airmen Rescued
Four Army airmen, survivors
of a downed transport plane in
the Philippine Sea, are alive to
day after their raft was spotted
tossing in 12-foot swells by Ens.
Eddie W. Johnson, 27th Batt
member from Brocton, Mass.,
and co-pilot of a Catalina flying
boat.
Thirty aircraft and two big
surface convoys had passed with
in sight during the 17 days and
20 hours that the four airmen
were adrift, but no one spotted
them. Then shortly before noon
on the 18th day, when the sur
vivors had gone without food for
three days, the raft was sighted
Cloudbuster Swimmers And Coaches
Splitting even in two meets each with Camp Lejeune’s Marines and
Duke, the Cloudbuster swimmers have completed their season. The
squad as lined up for the photo follows: First row, left to right—
C. F. Holmes, C. P. Willis, W. A. Maass, A. L. Hausman, R. B. Sul
livan and R. W. Smith. Second row—J. C. Warren, D. K. Dillon,
A. F. Frazen, F. A. Pedrich, M. R. Bechstedt, captain, and R. H.
Swigert. Third row—Lieut. Comdr. B. J. Feurer, head coach;
Lieut, (jg) W. R. Hoover, assistant coach; M. Cuniberti, L. K.
Barnes, manager; Lieut, (jg) H. E. Hickman, assistant coach, and
Lieut, (jg) C. L. Muller, assistant coach. Fourth row—N. N. Dippy,
F. A. Bostwick, J. A. Van Wie, D. R. Weideman and A. Stanley.
Lejeune Swimmers
Upset Cloudbusters
In 48-41 Thriller
With the score deadlocked at
41-41 in a tense swimming duel,
Camp Lejeune’s Marine tankmen
won the 200-yard medley relay,
final event on the program, to
gain revenge on Pre-Flight last
week at Lejeune. The final score
was 48 to 41.
A week earlier the Cloudbus-
ters had handily beaten the Ma
rines in the Chapel Hill pool, 56
to 22.
Summary:
150-yard medley relay—Won by Camp he-
leune (Flagg, Rodbell, Kern). Time: 1:28.6.
200-yard free style—Won by Czernerys
(Lejeune); second, Warren (PF); third,
Holm (PF); fourth, Van DeBerg (Lejeune)-
Time: 2:16.2.
50-yard free style—Won by Bechstedt
(PF); second, Hausman (PF); third, Bednef
(Lejeune); fourth, Sullivan (PF). Time:
0:26.2.
Diving—Won by Aaron (Lejeune); second,
Willis (PF); third, Swigett (PF); fourth,
Hanley (Lejeune).
100-yard free style—Won by Czernerys (Le
jeune); second, Bechstedt <PF); third. Van
DeBerg (Lejeune); fourth, Hausman (PF)-
Time: 0:59-5. (New pool record).
50-yard backstroke—Won by Stanley (PF);
second, Benedetti (Lejeune); third, Weideman
(PF); fourth, Aaron (Lejeune). Time:
0:31.1. (New pool record).
100-yard breast stroke—Won by Rodbell (Le
jeune); second, Cuniberti (PF); third, Pres
ton (Lejeune); fourth, Pedrich (PF). Time:
1:13.
400-yard free style—Won by Warren (PF);
second, Czernerys (Lejeune); third, Holfn
(PF); fourth. Van DeBerg (Lejeune). Time:
5:15.1.
200-yard free style relay—^Won by Lejeune
(Kern, Flagg, Bedner, Blanchard). Time:
1:44.5. (New pool record).
400 Cadets Report Here
Approximately 400 cadets—one
of the largest groups ever to ar
rive here at one time—reported
aboard last Wednesday for Pre-
Flight training. Included in the
total were 158 constituting the
68th Batt, 110 as four-week re
freshers, 129 as 12-week refresh
ers, and nine as 26-week refresh
ers. All of the 68th Batt members
are transfers from the V-12 pro
gram.
OPERATIONAL REPORT
ARRIVALS:
Lieut. Francis D. Matthews; Lieut. John L
Rinne. jr.; Lieut, (jg) J. Francis Druze; Fer
nando Moret, SKDlc; C. D. Baker, Ylc, and
D. A. Jackson, HAlc.
DEPARTURES:
Lieut. Russell E. Curry; Lieut. Eugene D.
Forker; Lieut. Charles E. Galbreath; Lieut,
(jg) W. O. Shanahan; Lieut. Frederick B.
Lukins; Margaret J. Smith, HAlc; W. F.
Macy, PhMlc; F. Williamson, S2c.
by Ens. Johnson and the rescue
made.
The Catalina, attached to Air
craft, Seventh Fleet, was flying
from Woendi to Leyte on a com
bination ferry and anti-subma
rine hop. The pilot jettisoned his
depth bombs and headed down.
The Catalina hit the water,
bounced once, and settled down.
The Army transport airmen
waved their arms, yelled, and
beat each others’ backs. The
Catalina was taxied alongside
the raft and the survivors were
taken aboard through the port
blister.
The rescue was effected 541
miles east of Leyte’s Tacloban
airstrip.
She Sings, Too!
Miss Anne Jeffreys will NOT be
seen on the Village Theater
screen this week, as far as we
know. The sole excuse for run
ning her picture is by way of
pointing out that the lady has
singing ability which led her to
the doorway of Metropolitan
Opera (it is said), and won the
feminine lead in RKO-Radio’s
“Sing Your Way Home,” which
eventually will come to Chapel
Hill. We hope, we hope.