North Carolina Newspapers

ALL WHO READ READ THE NEWS-TIMES CARTERET COUNTY NEWS-TIMES 50th YEAR, NO. 96. TWO SECTIONS SIXTEEN PAGES MOREHEAD CITY AND BEAUFORT, NORTH CAROLINA FRIDAY, DECEMBER 1, 1961 PUBLISHED TUESDAYS AND FRIDAYS Three Marine Jets Crash in County The Season of Beauty ISH liSPS « jnmftMIflMKr News-Times Photo by Larry McComb Announcing the Christmas season in our calendar picture this month is pretty Marie Stoller, a grad uate of Beaufort high school. Mrs. Stoller, her husband, Lynn, and two children visited here this week en route to their home in Los Angeles. They recently returned from Australia. (The Yuletide wreath was provided by the Morehead City Floral Co.) Parade to Start at 5 Today on Moore Street Hearing Set For Amendment The hearing before judge W. J. Bundy tomorrow, relative to the dispute between Aviation Fuel Terminals, Morehead City, and the tanker, Montauk Point, will con cern amending of the compjaint. The hearing is set for 10 a.m. tomorrow at the Pitt county court ‘ house, Greenville. The complaint was erroneously filed against the “Seamen’s” International union, instead of the Seafarers’ Interna tional union. Defendants arc the Bull Lines, owner of the Montauk Point, the union, and personnel of the mon tauk Point. According to informa tion available yesterday, the de fendants are not opposing the amending of the complaint. The Montauk Point left Aviation Fuel docks Nov. 17 only after a * suit was filed seeking $75,000 in damages. Since that time ships in More head City harbor have occasionally been picketed by Dewey Lewis, Salter Path, and Ben Piner, Beau fort, members of the SIU. Woodmen Hope To Light Town Woodmen of the World, camp 188, Morehead City has taken as a project the lighting of downtown Morehead City for Christmas. An appeal is being made to business men, citizens or civic organiza tions to contribute to cost of the lighting. The Woodmen have agreed to order and install lights if enough money can be raised to pay for them. Members of the lodge will per sonally contact merchants and con duct a door-to-door campaign in the next few days seeking dona tions'. Anyone wishing to contribute to the fund may mail checks to Earl Taylor, Clifford Faglie, John Bor deaux Jr. and Gerald Phillips in Morehead City. Or they may call Taylor at PA6-5105 or Auto Supply, PA6-3311 and their cheeks will be picked up. Morehead City town tags go on sale today at the municipal build ing, Morehead City. All vehicles in the city must have a 1962 tag, announces Mrs. Blanda McLohon, ►' Beaufort's Christmas parade will start at 5 p.m. today at Moore street and move east on Front street, ending at Gordon street. The parade will not begin at the school, as originally planned. Children have been invited to en ter their pets in the parade. Three $3 cash prizes will be given. One for the smallest pet, one for the largest and one for the best dress ed. Judges will be Mrs. John L. Crump, Morehead City, and Miss Faye Mason, a member of the Beaufort school faculty. Judging will precede thd parade. Mrs. Charles Noe, parade co chairman, announced this week that the Batonettes, baton twirling troupe from Havelock, have ac cepted an invitation to parade. Other units will be the Beaufort, Morehead City, Newport, Queen Street and W. S. King school bands, Future Homemakers of America, Scout troops, and riding in con vertibles will be homecoming queens of schools throughout the county. The parade will escort. Santa Claus to Santa Claus lane, located on the W. H. Potter property, be tween Miss Mattie Duncan’s and Mrs. Vera Stubbs’ home on Front street. There, while the children talk to Santa, combined choirs, under the direction of Mrs. Wil liam Murray, will sing children’s Christmas songs. Following those numbers the choir will sing other Christmas music, inviting the spectators to join in singing carols. Those in the choir will wear gay Christmas caroler clothes rather than robes as in previous years. Beaufort firemen cut the com munity Christmas tree Thanksgiv ing Day and have planted it on the lot. They got as much of the root as possible, according to Ronald Earl Mason, chairman of the Christmas celebration. They hope the tree will take root. Beginning Wednesday, Beaufort stores will remain rpen Wednesday afternoons until Christmas, and be ginning Monday, Dec. 18, stores will stay open until 9 p.m. The Christmas season business hours were set Monday night at a meeting of the Beaufort Merchants association. Attending were Jarvis Herring, Janies Biggs, Ralph Eudy, Jesse Hairr, Jim Wheatley. Ronald Earl Mason, William Roy Hamilton, Clarence Guthrie, Mrs. Charles Noe, Gilbert Potter and Bill Willis. Arrested Yesterday Furlow Hill, Beaufort RFD, was arrested by Beaufort police chiejj Guy Spring yesterday afternoon a" Cedar and Live Oak streets on a charge of public drunkenness. Hill was put in the county jail under Band to Request Contributions Contributions for support of the Morehead City school band will be sought by majorettes and band members throughout Morehead City tomorrow. Ralph Wade, band director, an nounced Wednesday that the 1 p.m. concert has to be cancelled, be cause seniors will be taking tests at school, but the band will make an appearance in downtown More head City Tuesday, Dec. 19. At 2 p.m. that day a concert will begin on the Wallace lot, opposite Rose's 5 and 10. At 2:30 p.m. the band will be joined by boys and girls of grades 4, 5 and 6, who will sing Christmas carols, accom panied by the band. Three hundred boys and girls will take part in the concert. Francis Marion, New Navy Assault Transport, Ddcks at Morehead City One of the two largest personnel transport ships in US naval serv* ice was docked at Morehead City port Tuesday. The. ship, USS Francis Marion (APA-249) is capable of transport ing an entire Marine battalion in cluding personnel, equipment, ar mor and vehicles. Its single screw and rudder is powered by a 22,000 horsepower turbine drive engine that Will propel the 564-foot vessel at a speed exceeding 22 knots. The ultra-modern ship is equip ped with a 30-bed hospital and can accommodate as many as 1,550 troops plus an officer staff of 760. Capt. David Spencer Bill Jr., USN, is the ship's commander. Following its commissioning in July of this year, the Francis Mar ion was taken on its shakedown cruise to Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, and more recently was sent on a disaster relief mission to' Galves ton, Texas following hurricane Carla. People left homeless in Galves ton by Carla were fed and housed on the ship on a 24-hour basis and medical personnel and supplies from the ship were sent to inland areas. From Morehead City the Francis Marion sailed Wednesday for the Caribbean where it will join other vessels of the US fleet for training missions. The transport is named for the .Bavniutknarjr war ham, Francis Woman's Club Pleased With Park DayWork • Topsoil, Plantings Cash Donated • Next Park Day Will Be in October City Park day Wednesday was a cold day — but successful, Mrs. Gus Davis, president of the More head City Woman’s club reports. The Woman's club sponsored the day as part of its project of park beautification. Donations included more than 10 loads of topsoil, trees, shrubs, bulbs and rye grass, as well as cash; 150 pounds of rye was given. This will be the first winter that rye grass has been sown at the park. It was planted yesterday and concrete in front of the restrooms was poured yesterday. The con crete was also donated. No more topsoil is wanted at present, but Mrs. Davis said no playground equipment was re ceived. Anyone who has equipment they could donate should contact Mrs. Davis, PA6-4137. The topsoil will be added to that donated last year. “We had to spread it very thin last fall,” Mrs. Davis explained. Jaycees and members of the Woman’s club were on hand at the park to greet visitors and supervise planting. Boxwood has been planted in front of the new sign at the park on highway 70. Also planted near ,th» sign is a cedar tree which will sc(:ve as the park’s Christmas trea eaeh December. Mrs. Davis, ?bid lights probably will be put on it this year. Several Girl Scout troops and a Cub Scout troop have assumed the responsibility of caring for flower beds at the park. Mrs. M. J. Loutit, park day chair man, said approximately 150 per sons visited the park Wednesday afternoon. She, Mrs. M. T. Mills and Mrs. Davis express their ap preciation to all who participated in the day. The third annual park day will be staged next year, but it will probably be in October, Mrs. Davis remarked. Tide Table Tides at the Beaufort Bar HIGH LOW Friday, Dec. 1 2:53 a.m. 9:24 a.m. 2:57 p.m. 9:47 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 2 3:45 a.m. 10:17 a.m. 3:52 p.m. 10:32 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 3 4:36 a.m. 11:05 a.m. 4:48 p.m. 11:16 p.m. Monday, Dec. 4 5:23 a.m. 11:51 a.m. 5:39 p.m. 11:57 p.m. Capt. David Spencer BUI Jr., commands the USS Francis Marion, new Navy transport that docked at Morehead City this week. Marion, better known as the Swamp Fox. Marion’s men harried the British forces in South Caro lina. In October, the Francis Marion paid an official visit to Charles ton, S. C., and for three days was open to the public. The second battalion, 2nd Ma rines, also left Morehead City this week aboard ships of the Atlantic flMt- fkimmaadod by LL CUj Two Pilots Survive Wednesday Tragedies; Lt. C. A. Brunt Dies Port Calendar Morehead City State Port Kokah Maru — Docked yester day to load tobacco for Japan. Shizuoka Maru—Due today to load cargo of tobacco for Japan. Magurosan Maru — Due today for tobacco for Japan. American Miller—Due Tuesday to load tobacco and lumber for Europe. Platidia—Due Tuesday with im ■ port asphalt products. Heidelberg—Due Dee. 8 to load tobacco and lumber for Europe. Hudson Maru—Due Dec 8 to load tobacco for Japan. Tarantel—Due Dec. 10 to load tobacco for Hong Kong and Bang 1 kok. Otis Warren Hurt by Combine Otis Warren, 43, North River highway, was in serious condition in Morehead City hospital yester day. Both his arms were caught in a soybean combine Tuesday aft ernoon on the Warren farm. His left arm is mangled to his shoulder and the right from his wrist to the elbow. The accident happened between 4:30 and 5 p.m. According to Otis Warren, the injured man’s father, grass had jammed the cutter blade of the combine. Warren, who had gloves on, reached in to free the grass. As the blades started turning again, they caught his gloves. Mr. Warren shouted to twu help | ers on the combine to cut ttw ma rine tff. But it had made about ' ‘-H rounds. Mr. Warren said his I son'literally had to be cut free of the blades. He was rushed to the Morehead City hospital by automobile. It was doubtful yesterday whether his left arm could be saved. Scallop Season To Open Today The scallop season opens today. By special order of Hargrove Bowles Jr., director of the Depart ment of Conservation and Develop ment, regulations have been chang ed slightly. On the advice of C. G. Holland, state commercial fisheries com missioner, and Dr. A. F. Chestnut, director of the Institute of Fish eries Research, scallops may be taken during the daylight hours of Friday, as well as Monday and Wednesday. Commissioner Holland said the extra day will be permitted until it is seen what production is like. He also adds that taking scallops with dredges is not allowed in Car teret county. Robert H. Venn, the men will re place the first battalion, which has been in the Caribbean since October. Lt. Cdr. J. A. Davis, chaplain of the second battalion, says cloth ing and toys donated by residents of the Camp Lejeune area will be distributed to the needy on Vieques, an island from which the Navy and Marine Corps conducts train iag exorcises. h Three A4D Skyhawk jets, all from the same squadron, j Second Marine Air Wing, Cherry Point, crashed Wednes day in this county. The surviving pilots are first Lt. Daniel J. Hampton, 25, whose plane went down at 12:46 p.m. in | the Open Grounds, and Capt. Harris J. Fennell, 28, whose jet collided with another jet at*- .~ 7:22 p.m. Wreckage of both jets in the night crash landed in Newport river at Crab Point. Killed in the Newport river crash was first Lt. Charles A. Brunt, 25, of 30 Fi.ke Dr.. Havelock, who is I survived by his wife, Sue Ellen, 1 and a three-inonth-old daughter. I All pilots are of Marine Attack | Squadron 242. Lieutenant Brunt's body was found in the water at 12:25 a.rn. yesterday by the 30-footor from i Fort Macon Coast Guard station. He was still wearing his opened : parachute. His helmet was crushed ! in, indicating that he may have re ceived a heavy blow on the head. According to the informational ' services office. Cherry Point, cap ! tain Fennell and lieutenant Brunt .were flying together on a routine night training hop. They were not j returning for a landing at the base when the accident occurred. The pilots were flying together. Indications are that one plane bumped into the other as they were on a parallel course. Captain Fennell, who ejected from his plane, was rescued by | men in the Crab Point area after He was in the water almost an hour The wreckage of the two planes landed about a thousand j feet apart in fairly deep water. Whether the Marine Corps will make an attempt to take the ■ wreckage out depends on depth of i the water and other factors. The wreckage can be reached only by ! boat. i lp addition to the two boats sent to the scene at 9:30 p.m. by Fort Macon, the 30-footer and a 16-foot outboard, the Coast Guard air sta tion at Elizabeth City sent an am phibious plane. Captain Fennell, his wife and three children live in the married officers quarters at Cherry Point. He was released for duty from the Cherry Point hospital yesterday. Lieutenant Brunt, who is survived by his parents, Mr. and Mrs. Thomas L. Brunt, RED Dundee, Miss., as well as his wife and daughter, enlisted in the Marine Corps Sept. 23, 1955. He was com missioned a second lieutenant June 4, 1958, received his wings Oct. 20, 1960 and reported to Cherry Point the following month. Lieutenant Hampton, whose plane crashed in the Open Grounds eject ed at 2,000 feet. (The planes are equipped with an automatic device which hurls the pilot from his seat and automatically opens his chute in case of emergency.) Hampton’s jet had a flame-out (loss of power). He attempted to relight, but could not, so headed the plane for the wide spaces of the Open Grounds. The jet bored into boggy, woody area about six miles cast of Core Creek. The pilot was picked up by hcli See JETS CRASH, Page 2 Crab Point Farmer Tells About Rescue of Jet Pilot Norman Avery, Crab Point farm er, who heard Capt. Harris Fen nell’s cries for help after the cap tain bailed out of his jet Wednes day night, said that when rescuers reached Fennell’s side his first words were concern for the pilot of the other jet. Mr. Avery said that as he, Ro land G. Buck and Rupert E. Smith pulled the shivering captain into Buck’s boat he said, “I hope the other pilot isn’t dead.” Mr. Avery said he was playing with his baby son in the living room of his home when he heard the sound of a plane, followed by a window-jarring explosion. Mrs. Avery ran to the front porch while Mr. Avery went into the yard through the back door. When they didn't hear any more explosions, Mrs. Avery went back inside but Mr. Avery realized he didn't hear the plane any more, so he remained on the porch for about 15 minutes before he heard calls for help. When he first heard the cries, Mr. Avery said he thought it was someone on the shore. He told Mrs. Avery the plane had gone down and he was going to find the person who was calling out. He drove his truck to the river’s edge and found that the plane had crashed in the Newport river. From the .cries for help, he realiz ed that whoever needed help was also in the water. I lie dram fiueUy beak hone, j Driver Pays Fine Totaling $300 Monday Driving with a revoked operator’s license and using another person’s j license cost a Cherry Point de fendant $300 and court costs Mon j day in Morehead City recorder's i court. Robert James Johnson was fined that amount in place of a I six-month jail term by judge Her ! bert O. Phillips. Johnson was also placed on two years' good behavior. Joseph Leo Johnson, Havelock, appeared before judge Phillips charged with allowing another per son to use his driver's license and having improper registration. He pleaded not guilty and was acquit ted on the first charge. The court did not prosecute on the second. Two women defendants were giv-1 en suspended jail sentences. Lu cille Jones, Morehead City, was sentenced to 30 days in jail, sus pended on six months’ good be havior and payment of $10 and costs for public drunkenness. Also drawing 30 days, suspended, was Tammah Jones, Morehead | City, charged with disturbing the' peace and resisting arrest. Herj sentence was suspended on a year’s good behavior and payment of $25 and court costs. Dallas Preston Rose, Harkers island, paid $50 and costs on a bit and run conviction and William Randolph Banks, Maysvilfs, paid one-half costs for having no turn signal on his truck. Cases against Ralph H. Merwin and Andrew L. Davis, both of Morehead City, were not prosecut ed. Merwin was charged with making an improper left turn and Davis with having no operator’s license. Willie McDonald of South port forfeited bond on a charge of public drunkenness. Paying court costs were Robert Thompson Garner, Beaufort, charg ed with failing to yield the right of way and James Spencer Moran, Morehead City, charged with pass ing a stopped school bus. Norman F. Smith, Greenville, charged with issuing a worthless check, was ordered to pay court costs and to honor the check. Wil liam Gilbert Pctteway, Beaufort, was not prosecuted on a charge of having an expired operator's li cense. Kator Nixon, Wilmington, ap peared to answer charges of hav ing no operator’s license and hav ing insufficient brakes on his car. He was not prosecuted on the first charge but was ordered to pay court costs for having insufficient brakes. Fifteen cases were continued un til later terms of court. told his wife what had happened and went to get somcom who own ed a boat. By the time the res cuers reached the wreckage, the pilot had drifted about a quarter of a mile down the river from the wreckage. Captain Fennell was still wear ing his parachute when the three men hauled him into the boat. They managed to get it off him by cut ting some of the straps and un zipping the harness. The captain was helped into the small cabin on the boat and Mr. Avery wrapped his coat around the pilot's legs. Mr. Smith put his coat around the man’s shoulders. Mr. Avery estimated that the pilot must have been in the water at least an hour. “I'm glad we found the man and sorry we didn’t find the other one. We might have been able to save him too,” Mr. Avery said. It is somewhat miraculous that Mr. Avery heard captain Fennell. The Avery home is about 1,500 feet from the water and persons near er than that did not hear the calls for help. Pole Damaged A telephone pole was damaged Thursday, Nov. 23, when hit by a 1954 Nash driven by William Paul Weeks of Arlington, Va. The Nash ran off highway 70 nine miles east of Beaufort and hit the pole. Weeks was headed west. State trooper W. J. Smith investigated. 4- -— Three Crab Point Men Pull Pilot From Icy Water § Capt. Harris Fennell Rescued # Pilot Said He Bailed Out of Skyhawk I Three Crab Point men, Rupert Earl Smith, Norman Avery and Roland Glenn Buck, rescued the pilot of one of the jets involved in a mid-air collision over Newport river Wednesday night.. The pilot, 1 Capt. Harris J. Pennell, 28, was discharged from the Cherry Point hospital yesterday. Mrs. Rupert Smith, to whose ; home the rescued pilot was taken, 1 said the first noise she heard was i shortly after 7 o'clock. It sounded like a jet crashing the sound bar rier, she said, and was followed j by two rapid "booms.” She and her husband went out to look, saw nothing, and returned to the house. In just a few min utes, Mr. Avery, who operates the : 11. L. Joslyn farm, came in and said he heard a man calling for help in the water. I Mr. Avery and Mr. Smith got Mr. Buck and in Mr. Buck’s boat went out into the river. They found the wreckage of the planes and located captain Pennell, floating in the water several hundred feet [ away. The men got the pilot into the boat and took him to shore. Mrs. Henry Smith, who lives on the shore near the crash scene, said captain Pennell wanted to stay on the shore and look for the pilot of the othd$r jet, although Fennell had been'1n'The “water about half an hour The temperature was in the mid-thirties. Mrs. Henry Smith said that Ru pert Smith, Mr. Avery and Mr. Buck had to make the pilot leave the shore and go to Rupert Smith’s home. See PILOT SAVED, Page 7 Willis Funeral To be at 3 Today E. C. Willis, 67, Morehead City building contractor, died shortly after midnight Wednesday at More head City hospital after an illness of six weeks. The funeral service will be con ducted at 3 p.m. today in the Bap tist church by the Rev. Corbin Cooper, pastor. Members of the board of deacons will act as hon orary pallbearers. Interment will be in Bayview cemetery. Mr. Willis was a deacon in the First Baptist church, a member of the Emeritus club and the Wood men of the World. Surviving are his wife, Mrs. Lena Willis; two sons, Ronal Earl and E. C. Jr., Morehead City; two daughters, Mrs. Vance Mason, Morehead City, and Mrs. Frederick G. Wiliis, Fort Eustis, Va.; one step-daughter, Mrs. Wayne Cheek, Greensboro; two foster children, Mrs. Kenneth Broadhurst and Mrs. Tommy Olsson, Morehead City, and three sisters, Mrs. M. T. Lew is, Mrs. Emmitt Willis and Mrs. George Snooks, Morehead City. Motorist Cited After Collision Grover Guy Paul, route 1 Have lock, was charged with failing to grant the right of way after the 1960 Chevrolet pickup he was driv ing collided with a 1960 Chevrolet station wagon at 4:30 p.m. Mon day. The accident occurred just south of the Core Creek bridge on high way 101. Bud Dixon, Morehead City, was driving the station wa gon. Highway patrolman R. 11. Brown said Dixon was going south on highway 101 and Paul was leaving a service station. As Paul pulled onto the road in the path of the station wagon, Dixon swerved to the left to avoid a collision. The front of the pickup scraped the entire right side of the wagon, the patrolman said, as Dixon’s car came to rest in the ditch on the left side of the highway. Dixon and a 5-year-old boy, Nel son Paul, received cuts on their ! lips. The child was riding in the truck with his grandfather. Dam age to the truck was estimated at $150 an<l to the station wagon $800.