Pan Atlantic clipper, December 7, 1944

              Read on four continents and four islands in between
Copyright 1944. by Pan American Airways Inc.
Santa Claus Asks
Kids To Visit Him
At Clipper Club
Have you a little boy or girl who want? to place an order with Santa Claus? Bring him to the Clipper Club Wednesday afternoon, December 20, to meet Santa and enjoy a Christmas part. The party, which is being sponsored by the A&S Club, is open to children of club members and non-members alike.
Because they expect such a large number.
1 the A&S Club is limiting the children to from 3 to 10 years. Presents, candy, ice cream and cookies will be provided for each little guest in addition to a program of entertainment. Mothers are invited to accompany their children.
Dec. 10 Deadline
The mimeographed invitation circulated to all NBA employes last week provides a return blank to be filled out with the name, number, aee, and sex of your children. Chairman Paul Wollam asks that you return the blank before Saturday. December 9, so that a present can be provided for each child. If you didn’t receive an invitation, call Florence Johnson, Ext. 346.
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WHEN THE JAPS HIT--
WE HELP HIT BACK
Three years ago today — it was a quiet Sunday morning, you will recall — the Japs struck without warning at Pearl Harbor, even while their “peace”'emissaries were in Washington talking with ex-Secretary of State Hull.
With that blow our country was at war — and Pan American’s Pacific Division found itself right in the midst of the fight. The scene depicted here — a shot from the soon-to-be-re-leased company moving picture, “Clippers At War”—is the bombing of our base at Hong’ Kong the day after the Pearl Harbor attack.
This attack by Jap medium bombers resulted in the loss of the Hong Kong Clipper (Sikorsky S-42), the only ship we lost to the Japs.
When word of the Jap attack was flashed at 10:30 A.M. that Sunday morning, one code word was radioed to every Clipper and ground station of PAA. By 10:35 every Pacific Clipper in the air had blacked out, silenced its radio and changed to a predetermined “Plan A” course. Every ground station from the Golden Gate to the Malay docks and the Auckland waterfront had been alerted.
Atlantic In The War
By 11:05 — just 32 minutes after the first flash from Hawaii — the whole Pacific network was switched over to the well rehearsed “Plan A” and before noon the Atlantic, from New York — Lisbon to Natal-Leopoldville, was similarly swung in. Since then you know that part of the story that can be told of our military operations.
But to get back to that fateful Dec. 7 and what occurred following the first flash:
The Hong Kong Clipper, commanded by Capt. Fred S. Ralph, made a hurried departure from Manila for Hong Kong, 760 miles across the China Sea. The arrival was five minutes before the Jap attack — enough time to unload passengers and mail and for the crew to scramble for shelter beneath the dock as the bombers dropped their eggs from within 50 feet of the ground. On the 12th pass a direct hit sent the Clipper into flames.
Only other of the Clipper fleet caught in the
Victory-minded NBAers, quick to realize the importance of the biggest drive in our history, dropped a block buster squarely on the Rising Sun with their purchase of $26,300 in War Bonds during the first week of the Sixth War Loan Drive.
Four Departments — Operations Mgr’s Office, Public Relations, Industrial Relations and Medical —signed up 100% in that order, by the end of the first week and^five other Departments were 50% signed up.
Typical of the spirit of enthusiasm shared by coordinators and purchasers alike, was Captain Howard Cone’s all-out effort to contact flight personnel. Because our flight crews are constantly coming and going at North Beach, Captain Cone’s assignment was a difficult one. But he attacked it with spirit and strategy.
From his home in Douglaston, he would call Mary McGoldrick each morning to find out the time of scheduled training flights and arrivals and departures. Then he would (Continued on Page 4)
Jap attack was the Philippine Clipper, which returned to Wake Island when the word was flashed 20 minutes out. Before it could load extra passengers and gas, two flights of Jap bombers attacked, machine-gunning and setting numerous fires in the five minutes they were over the island. The Clipper escaped with 16 bullet holes in her fuselage. None of the crew was lost.
Not so fortunate has been all PAA personnel. Since Pearl Harbor, 90 have given their lives in performance of their wartime duty. Forty-five are interned in Japanese prison camps.
This is partly the reason that PAAers have always supported the War Bond Drives and are continuing their support during this 6th Drive, as reported in the story below.
Captain Howard Cone (far right)
100% CLIPPER CREW sign up in the Sixth War Loan Drive just before leaving the crew ready-room for a 14,000 - mile Clipper run that will take them to three continents and twelve of our foreign stations.
Crewmen who signed up were (left to rig ): First Officer Arthur Valla, Navigator Walter Schulte, Pilot John Knaul, Radio Operator Robert Trenaman, Radio Operator Victor Johnson and Pilot Dick Marlow.