File #242: "Cornhusker CAP News Vol. 1, No. 8 April, 1943.pdf"

Cornhusker CAP News Vol. 1, No. 8 April, 1943.pdf

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V o l , 1 , N o . 8 O f f i c i a l P u b l i c a t i o n o f t h e N e b r a s k a W i n g — C I V I L A I R PAT R O L A p r i l , 1 9 4 3

New CAP Rules Out:

Squadrons In Omaha
Patrol River Flood

Training Broadened

In the gravest emergeacy that has faced

After a period marked by uncertainty reT

Nebraska since the CAP was formed, mem

gardlng its own future, the Civil Air Patrol

bers of the Nebraska wing have bee^ carry-

once more is "on the beam," as a new set

iiig out their duties ip a inanner calculated

of rules from national headquarters makes
its future appear even more promising and

to justify the. existence of the organization.

The emergency was caused by the bois
t e r o u s M i s s o u r i r i v e r, w h i c h s t a g e d o n e o f
t h e m o s t d i s a s t e r o u s fl o o d s i n i t s h i s t o r y,

useful than the past has been.

inundating thousands upon thousands of
acres of land along Nebraska's borders, in
truding on farmsteads, driving people from

Hereafter an applicant for membership
in CAP is accepted only on a provisional
basis until he has earned his card by com

their homes, .marooning livestock.

pleting 25 hours of CAP training.

The new rules embody a number of im
portant changes.

When the gravity of the situation became

A new system of designating units is re
vealed. Wings are to be named after their
states. Squadrons will be identified by city

apparent, the wing immediately ordered the
'^maha squadrons to establish patrols. The

or county names or by numbers. For ex

ig's Second Air Force Courier Service

^rfitlon at the airport was designated emer

ample, instead of No. 761-2,. it, will be Omaha

gency headquarters, and the courier opera
tions officer^ 1st Lt. Carl Lang, was named

squadron No. 2. Each squadron, .will be
divided into from two to six flights, which
will be designated by letters of the alphabet.

e m e r g e n c y o p e r a t i o n s o f fi c e r. R i v e r fl o o d
maps were obtained from the U). S. Army

engineers and arrangments were made for
boats at the airport, "just in case."
Services of the CAP were offered to the

U. S. army engineers, the mobilized state
guard, airport weather bureau. Red Cross,
etc. The engineers and weather bureau

sent representatives on observation flights,

and the state guard maintained liaison with
the CAP to get information obtained by the
pilots and observers. Reports on specific
observations

were

also

made

to

the

en

gineers and the weather bureau, which bad

the important responsibility of forecasting
the river's probable rise.
In at least one Instance a CAP flier, Don

Lt.

Bergrstrom

Lt

Flights may be divided into sections, in>'

Walker

The Nebraska wing members pictured
above have earned the right to wear the
coveted winged foot which signifies that
they have served as pilots in the courier

service. They are Lt James H. Smith, Grand
Island, Lt. H. O. Bergstrom, North Platte Lt.
Arthur Luhrs, Imperial, and Lt Robert S.
Wa l k e r, O m a h a .

In ordinary life Lt. Bergstrom is a Union
P a c i fi c e n g i n e e r. C a m e t h e w a r, a n d h e
swapped the throttle of an iron steed for

that of a winged steed.

WING HAS NEW COURIER BASE

ald Henry, reported to the army engineers

The Nebraska wing has taken over the
Nelson Plying Service hangar at Omaha

the situation and location of three persons

Municipal, as a base for the courier service

who apparently were marooned. They made
numerous reports on stranded livestock,

which the engineers were attempting to

operated for the Second Air Force.
The hangar is owned by Marion Nelson,
member of Omaha No. 2 squadron. Nelson

r e s c u e .

formerly had CAA contracts, but now is in

On the first day of the patrol. Lis. Leo
nard Heinsen and Carl Lang made an aerial
to which was carried on the front page
^^he Omaha World-Herald, and carried by
Wirephoto.
Members of Omaha Squadron No. 1 work
ed on the river diite, filling sandbags, two

nights, for which they were warmly praised

structing
school.

in

the

Burnham-Millex.

WTS

b y C o m m i s s i o n e r H a r r y Tr u s t i n .
(Note: The above was written before the
flood reached its crest and flooded the Oma
ha airport. Next issue The News expects to

e l u d i n g s e c t i o n s f o r s p e c i a l d u t y, s u c h a s
photography, or medical, or band.
An expanded training program is reveal
ed, listing 375 holers of training, including
required and optional courses. A number of
training directives, training memoranda,
general orders and general memoranda are
declared obsolete.
Enlistments in CAP will be for the dura

tion, plus six months. A member may be

ordered to CAP operations duty, but the
usual procedure except la emergeacy will
be to permit him to apply for assignment.
A member who is accepted for active duty
and then fails to report or be available dur
ing that term is liable to revocation and

cancellation of his license to own, operate
and service any aviation and radio equip
m e n t

If a member.in CAP uniform should be

captured by the enemy his status would be
that of a prisoner of war, rather than a.spy
or a civilian taking unlawful part in. com
bat. The CAP emblem is registered inter
n a t i o n a l l y.

The Scottsbluff squadron, bereft of a

carry more information on flood activities,

field, will take part in an aviation field day
at Mitchell, where citizens are trying to

and the names of those who Hew patrols.)

arrange for an airport.

CORNHUSKER CAP NEWS

Page 2

April, 1943

CORNHUSKER CAP NEWS
Published each month by the Nebraska Wing

Headquarters of the Civil AJr Fatrol. Offices

at 602 South Nineteenth Street, Omaha, Neb.

Extra copies may be obtained by writing
to Wing Headquarters. Five cents each.

W i n g S t a ff
Commanding Officer Harry B» Sidles
E x e c u t l Te

Officer

JI.

JI,

Meyers

Adjutant
Dorothy
G.
Orr
Operations Officer Vic M» Sdiroeder
Training Officer G. Crawford Follmer
I n t e l l i g e n c e O f fi c e r L a n r e n c e Yo n n g n m n

Supply
Officer
Bndy
Mueller
Transportatiun OCficer Earle C. Reynolds
Conununications Officer Harry Hurke
E n g i n e e r i n g O f fi c e r . . . . W i l l i a m A . F r a s e r, J r.
Medical

Officer

Liaison
EditorPhoto

Dr«

J.

Ltiwrence
Editor

A*

Ta m i s i e a

Gould

Officer

Diet«

W.
Robert

Yo u n g m a n
C.

Flsk

T h e C A P N E W S i s p r i n te d b y th e C i ti z e n
Printing Co.. 2308-10 N Street, Omaha, Nebr.

Reproduced
here—but
without the

original
coloring—Is
the striking
Civil

Air

Patrol poster
which has
been- issued
by the Office
of Civilian
Defense.

Copies of this

ADVICE ON THE PROPER USE OF
HIGH

O C TA N E

GASOLINE

By Capt, >V. A. Fraser, Jr.

20x24 inch
poster may
be obtained
at

Many tales are being passed around at the

Wing

headquarters.

present time concerning the effects of us
ing gasoline being sold for consumption in

privately owned aircraft. The following ex*
planation is offered In an effort to settle
some of the controversy on this subject.
The war has caused the government to
order all aircraft gasoline below a 90 octane

rating to be made from a baslcly low grade
gasoline. Modern engines will detonate and
overheat badly If such fuel is ever used
without increasing its octane rating.
The

designers

of

all

engines

CIVIL
AIR PATROL
©

Of

rWf

U

i.

O

F

f

t

C

{

Of

CIVILIAN

0

I

f

I

N

$

f

Q

proceed

from the start by specifying that the gas

come pitted which allows compression leak

100, as an example, as far as power out

oline used must be above a certain minimum

age and consequential burning of the valve

put of the engine is concerned.

specified octane rating. Then the cylinders
are designed to have the highest possible

face.

3. On cross country trips in smooth air

The above paragraph Is the sole reason

change your throttle position from time to

compression ratio when usit^g this fuel. A
high compression ratio is-a fundamental requlrment for high horsepower output from
the cylinders. If the octane rating of the

why "leaded" gasoline must be used, but
which need not have a higher octane rating

time to prevent engine from running at the

than that minimum specified by the engine

d e p o s i t s o f l e a d i n t h e c o m b u s t i o n c h a m b e r.

manufacturer. It has been the practice to

In rough air the plane bounces around

fuel is lower than that specified from the

add one tenth of one cubic centimeter to the

beginning, then combustion takes place in
the cylinder with detonation and overheat

basic low grade fuel to raise its octane rat

enough to change the lead on the engine
and cause it to change speed slightly and

ing resulting.

ing to 73. Likewise two-tenths are added to
produce 80 octane gasoline.
This currently unavoidable problem of

The octane rating of gasoline can be in

creased by adding a small quantity of "Tetraethyl" lead fluid. This accomplishes the

high lead content causes the pilot or owner
to make certain concessions to his engine

all important purpose of suppressing de

as

tonation without creating any other diffi

follows;

1. More frequent top overhauls will be

culties during the process of combustion.

required to prevent exhaust valves from

O v e r a p e r i o d o f t i m e , h o w e v e r, a s m a l l

blowing and EPMs from falling off too

amount of lead and a trace of other chemic

m u c h .

same speed and thus forming concentrated

thus accomplishes the desired result.

NEBRASKA CAP BUYS TRUCK
A sturdy and serviceable panel truck has
been purchased by the Nebraska wing, from
S t a t i o n W O W, w i t h f u n d s a p p r o p r i a t e d b y
the Nebraska Aeronautics commission. Ex

tra equipment includes a generator for radio
and floodlights, and big plans are being
made for the use of the vehicle.

als are deposited in the combustion chamber

2. Steady insistence upon the use of the

and upon the exhaust valve mechanism.

proper minimum octane gasoline. But when

This in turn restricts the action of the

this is not available it is absolutely imper

spring operated exhaust valves by causing

husker News hopes to publish a rosier of

too much friction between valve stem and

ative that a higher rated fuel be used rather
than a too low rating. No harm will result

valve guide. The valve seat can likewise be

from using fuel with octane rating above

issue.

Space permitting, The Nebraska Cornall staff members in the state in the May

Page 3

CORNHUSKER CAP NEWS

April, 1943
NEW COMMANDERS NAMED
F O R T W O S TAT E S Q U A D R O N
^ ppointment of two new squadron comtitanders has been announced by Maj. Harry
B . S i d l e s , w i n g c o m m a n d e r.
Lt. Frank Bringham, flying school op«r-

ator at Crete, has been named commander
of Squadron No. 762-3. He succeeds Marlon
" B u d " S U e g e l m a r. B r t n g h a m i s o n e o f N e b
raska's best-known and best-liked commer

cial operators, and was a group command
er when C. A. P. had a -group set-up in Neb
raska.

L t . M a t P. B r e n n a n o f S c o t t s b l u f f b a a
been named commander of No. 765-1. Bren

n a n s u c c e e d s E . V. H o g a n w h o h a s m o v e d
from Scottsbluff. Brennan who is a flier,

has been executive officer of his squadron
since its organization, and has been one of
the ma:in-reasons why the C. A. P. at Scotts
b l u ff h a s o p e r a t e d s o s u c c e s s f u l l y.

Studying methods that Cbey hop^ will nerer be needed* members of Sqaadron 761'1
are Ttorkingr sssfdooasly at tbe t&sk of developing a top<notch crash crew at Omaha UQulr

S TA R T O M A H A - S A U N A
SCHEDULE ON APRIL 1

cipal airport The work Is directed by Dr. A« b. Cloydt squadron medical officer, who has

Effective April 1, the Nebraska wing
courier service between Kearney and Salina,

Kansas, was eliminated, and a new run
from to Salina, via Fairmont, was inaugur

been assisted by City Fireman J. Flanoagan* Pictured here as they inspected an asbestos
suit at the airport flrehouse are: left to rights standing—B. W. Houghton, Fireman Flan>

nagan and J* U. £wiDg; kneeling—€• £> Babcock, G» B* Garst^ C* L» Gordon, B* C» Henry
and £• Shaffer.

The Harvard-Grand Island-Kearney Cour
ier run connects with the Omaba-Salina run
Fairmont.

^'he Nebraska courier service continues

to set a very high standard. Mishaps have
been infrequent, and of a minor nature. The
Second Air Force's Increasing use of the ser
vice is demonstrated by the rapidly grow
ing loads that the pilots are called upon to
haul. Courier pilots never miss an oppor

tunity to mention, in glowing, terms, the
courteous

and

hospitable

treatment

ac

C R A S H D E M O N S T R AT I O N
DRAWS A LARGE CROWD

FREMONT MEMBERSHIP
E M U L AT E S S K Y R O C K E T

ated.

Since its reorganization slightly over a

W e l l , s i r , C . A , P. o f fi c e r s d i d n ' t r e a l i z e

month ago the Fremont squadron has stag
ed the most phenominal recruiting program
in the history of tbe Nebraska wing. And
this was done during a period in which the
f u t u r e o f C . A . P. w a s t i n g e d w i t h u n c e r

there were that many member cadets in

t a i n t y.

tion of Capt. Earle Reynolds, wing trans

Squadron Commander Arthur Baldwin re
ports that the squadron now includes 61
Fremont members, 25 in David City and 15
i n Wa h o o — a t o U l o f 1 0 1 . T h e D a v i d C i t y

t h i s p a r t o f t h e c o u n t r y.
On April 2, a special demonstration of
crash crew operations was staged at tbe
Omaha

Municipal

airport,

under

direc

portation officer and Airport Superin
tendent William R. Milner.
Member cadets just kept a comin' and a

recruiting began after three fliers attended

corded them at army bases, .
Active in Squad
ron

No.

761-2

- since its organ-'ization

a

year

ago, Mrs. Edward
Kiss, wife of a
pilot with the
army reserve war

training service.
Is clerk-typist for
the

Nebraska

C.

A . P. c o u r i e r b a s e ,
which

has

head

quarters at Oma
ha Municipal air
port.
She
is
studying ground
courses

at

'University

the
of

laha.

comin' until there were about 250 altogeth
er. Last time anyone counted noses around

the reorganization meeting in Fremont. .

Omaha there were only "upwards of a hund

From Wahoo, Fred Kolterman attended
a Fremont meeting, went home with, tbe

red" members,

bug. and he predicts that the total of 15

resented. From way out west in North Platto

members will soon be increased to 25.

fl e w D r . L . F. Va l e n t i n e , e x e c u t i v e o f fi c e r

Commander Baldwin announces the ap

pointment of three additional members to
his staff; E. D. DIers, operations officer
L t . D i l l o n H u d e r. t r a i n i n g o f fi c e r, a n d F o r
e s t R o s e , s u p p l y o fi c e r, a n d M r s . B e s s
S p a n g l a r, a d j u t a n t . H e h a d p r e v i o u s l y a p
p o i n t e d B o b M c D o n a l d e x e c u t i v e o f fi c e r.
"We have a very live unit," observed the
c o m m a n d e r. " O u r m e m b e r s a r e c e r t a i n l y

Several outstate communities were rep

of his squadron, and H. W< Wright, drill
sergeant, "just to see what you folks are
doing here. Commander Baldwin and a size
able delegation from Fremont were on hand,
as well as members from Wahoo and David

C i t y, a n d a b o u t 5 0 7 6 1 - 2 m e m b e r s f r o m
B l a i r.

T h e c r a s h c r e w, m a d e u p o f m e m b e r s

sold on C. A. P. They all show up for the

from Squadrons No. 761-1 and 761-2, demon
strated how to rescue a pilot from a plane,

meetings."

bow to use grappling hooks to pull a plane

The squadron has three drill sessions,
and is well-started on tbe training direc

apart, and how to fight a fire in a plane.
The dummy plane burned so fiercely that
it required the city's new crash truck to

tives.

extinguish the fire, after hand extinguishers
had failed.

Wing headquarters has been advised as to

Officers of the Crete squadron report that
t h e i r t r a i n i n g p r o g r a m i s i n h i g h g e a r. I n
evidence they submitted a training schedule

the proper procedure for transfer of title of

airplanes under the WPB freezing order. No

local squadrons and cadet uuits engaged in

worked out for all meeting through June.

L-262.

outdoor drill [or the first time this season.

In

addition

to

the

demonstrnrioD,

the

CORNHUSKER CAP NEWS

Page 4

April, 1943

Ask C A P to Organize
To Protect Airports
I n l i n e w i t h C . A . P. ' s p u r p o s e o f u t i l i z

ing available Qualified persons and equip
m e n t t o a s s i s t w i t h p r o s e c u t i o n o ( t h e w a r.
national headquarters has requested that
"Emergency Airports Security Units," which
should be prepared to render any service
needed.

This

development

increases

the

s c o p e o f C . A . P. s e r v i c e .

The unit should be prepared to perform
any of the following; functions: Provide ade

quate armed guards at any- given airport
location; to quickly render a landing area
unusable

by

hostile

aircraft;

to

rictured here are the elect«d members of the staff of 761-r8 cadet stiuadron. Left to ri^ht
SgL F. F. Neber^ll (of 7G1-1), Lt. Richard Blinard, personnel officer, Lt. John Wrabetz,
coiinnuoicationst Lt. Ro? KankiD^ traioiDg I.t £ddie Dworak« executive^ Lt. Boland Beif*
Schneider, adjutant, Capt.Robert Bloom, comTnaoder Tecfaoical Sgt. Robert Jay, Ist
Jerry Vacek, J<t. Joe Bachnmn, operations, Lt ADaii. Mavis, intelligence, Lt. Fred Randall,
training
and
Lt
Lloyd
Williams,
s u p p l y.
—Fisk
Photos.

properly

remove wreckage and debris from the
landing area; to make adequate emergency
repairs on runway or landing-surface,, such
as filling in bomb craters, washouts as a re
sult of flood, etc.; to provide an emergency
fire service for the extinguishing of fires
in aircraft, buildings or airport' appurten
ances; to provide adequate First-Aid; to
properly direct the dispersal of aircraft on

and around the landing area; to render air*
craft temporarily unserviceable, without
damaging the aircraft; to furnish adequate
protection to gasoline facilities, water sys
tems, and communications, and to set up

These men, ell se^eants in 761-1, are guiding the 701-1 cadet

Bobert Bloom,

squadron. Left to right» tliey are: Robert Fisk, F. K. Patrick,
Dre^v Adams, and L. A. ('utler. The chief cadet advisor, Sgt. Hoy

uhoni the cadets
selected as their

Highfield, and Cecil Henkels are uot in the picture.

captain.

emergency communications in event of the

failure of established communications; to
properly handle and police the public in the
event of the evacuation of an area; be pre
pared to move into a given area, either by
air or ground transportation.
Tr a i n i n g D i r e c t i v e N o . 3 3
S. Equipment.
Such Units should be equipped with hand
tools and equipment that might be necessary
to perform any of the above functions, to
gether with at least one truck of adequate
size and nature to transport such equip
ment.

4. Personnel.

It is recommended that each Unit be com
posed of one "Emergency Unit" Commander,
and two Assistant "Emergency Unit" Com

A study in preocupation; members of the cadet squadron engage in a **Iine Inspection"
a plane at the Municipal airports

m a n d e r s , a Tr a n s p o r t a t i o n O f fi c e r, i n a d d i
tion to fifty enlisted personnel. Enlisted

and then spoke at a squadron meeting

personnel to include a first-sergeant, three
sergeants, and four corporals.

WING OFFICERS VISIT GRAND
I S L A N D A G G R E G AT I O N
Three members of the wing staff, Maj. H.
B . S i d l e s , c o m m a n d e r, C a p t . W i l l i a m A .
F r a s e r, e n g i n e e r i n g o f fi c e r, a n d C a p t . L a w

way they are going ahead, despite the fact
that they have to leave the good muni

trol will fly blood plasma supplies into
stricken areas in the event of emergencies.

members of the whole state."

tornado, etc., it becomes necessary to sup

The squadron has a rule that members

m e t w i t h L t . C . F. L a r s e n a n d h i s G r a n d

who fail to attend at least three meetings a
month are dropped.

March 6 and 7.

BLOOD PLASMA
The U. S. Director of Civilian Defense has
made arrangements so that the Civil Air Pa

cipal airport and stake their planes out In
the open, should be an inspiration to CAP

rence W, Youngman, intelligence officer,
I s l a n d s q u a d r o n S a t u r d a y a n d S u n d a y,

C A P C O M M I S S I O N E D T O F LY

at the KMMJ studio Sunday morning.

"The v/ing staff is proud of the Grand
Island squadron," said Maj. Sidles. "The

of

The trip had its educational interlude for

one member of the wing staff, "Ahem,"
said Maj. Sidles, "So it cost you |40, I

In instances where, due to bombing, fire,
plement stocks of blood plasma in stricken
areas, and where other methods of trans
portation are not available or are ina<>

quale, the Regional Medical Officer of Civi^_^
ian Defense should contact the appropri

The wing representatives were entertain
ed at a dinner at the Stratton hotel Satur

could have taught you to roll 'em for less

and request emergency air transportation

day evening by Grand Island staff members.

than that."

for the plasma.

ate

Wing

Commander

of

Civil

Air

Patrol