Upper Marlboro High School - Elm Yearbook (Upper Marlboro, MD)

Page 34 text:

M.H.S. THE ELM I944 PACIFIC WATERS By ROBERT MERFA, '47 Sergeant John Smith was an American pilot based on Guadalcanal. He flew Bell Airacobras. It was August 6, 1943 when his squadron rose from Henderson Field. Their mission was to strafe the Japanese harbor of Rabaul. They didn't meet any enemy opposition on their way there. At Rabaul they did a good job of destruction. Their mission completed, they started for home, but not long after they had started they were fired at by a Japanese battleship. A piece of flak hit Sergeant Smith's plane. It tore off his right wing. The plane went spiraling down toward the sea. He bailed out. All the other planes returned home safely, but Sergeant Smith was by noways safe. He came floating down in his chute towards the boiling waters of the Southwest Pacific. As Smith hit the water he climbed into his rubber raft that was fastened to the bottom of his chute. He was now in Japanese controlled waters. Would he be captured by the cruel Japs and shot, or could he possibly be rescued by the Americans? Not long after Sergeant Smith was afloat on the water in his raft he started paddling southward in hope of drifting to an American island. Suddenly a Jap sub arose from the water's depths, and its crew began machine-gunning him. Smith became very startled. He toppled over in his raft as if dead. The Japs thought he was, and the submarine submerged. After a couple days had passed he became very hungry and thirsty. It hadn't rained a bit, so it made it impossible for him to get anything to drink. The morning of the fifth day he had been on the boiling water, Smith became very happy. Out from over the horizon came a squadron of American Scout planes. They spotted him. One plane broke off from the squadron and dove down to rescue Smith. As the plane was about to land on the water, it was spotted by a Japanese de- stroyer. The destroyer began shelling the plane. lt made some direct hits which smashed the plane to bits and killed the pilot. The Japs didn't see Sergeant Smith however, and turned their ship on its course. After this event he began to lose his hope. The next day he caught some fish and he was also lucky because that same day it rained and he caught some to drink. After that it didn't rain a drop and his food soon gave out. Smith grew very weak, hungry and thirsty. He had now given up all hope of being rescued. At the hot noon of one day, Smith could hardly believe his eyes. Prom over the horizon came a group of mosquito boats. They were on their way to smash at the Japanese shipping. Boy, was Sgt. Smith happy. He took the remains of his shirt and waved it to signal the Mosquito boats. He was very sure of getting picked up this time. One boat cut away from the group and came over and picked him up. There were many warm greetings between Sergeant Smith and the boat crew. They turned around and took him back in the Mosquito boat to Guadalcanal. When he finally got back to Henderson Field he was greeted by all the men there. That night he had his first good supper since he had left the base, which was twelve days before. He also got a good night's sleep. The next morning Sergeant John Smith was awarded the Dis- tinguished Service,Cross for his bravery. M i323

Page 33 text:

i944 THE ELM M.H.S TROOP Q 3 O F- 5- WYVH-L. REV, J. C. M. SHREWSBURY ASSlSi8Hf SCO'llII'l'lHSf81' Scgufmagjef BOY SCOUTS of AMERICA OFFICERS AND PATROL LEADERS Blue Squadron: Red Squadron: Scrrbe ...,..,.,,,,,,,,, - ,,,,.,,A. Quartermaster., .,,,,,,, ,, Fox ........,,...,,,,.,.,,,,,,,,,,,,, Beaver ,,.,,....... ....rrr Wildcat .A,,A,,,,,,,,, Stag ..........,........... .,........ MASON P. SMITH , ........ Edward Bitting John Van Wagoner' John Van Wagoner ...Bernard Cranford Allen ,.,..Jerry Shatenstein Scrlbe .........,,.... Ouartermaster.,,..... Panther ...,.......,.,. Cobra ..,...,. Wolf ......... Indian .......... .................Jack Cross .,,.....Claude McKee ........Junior Tayman ...........Perry Wilcox ................Jack Cross ......,......Harry Davies SAMUEL L. COOKE Junior Asst. Scoutmaster Blue Squadron NED ALLEN Senior Patrol Leader f3'l Junior Asst. Scoutmaster Red Squadron

Page 35 text:

I944 A THE ELM M.H.S. +01ls1n1:: YVY, ni: as-uint!!-I: nina-u: I: lu-nl-l I I w H 111-11. 1 1..1un1n1gg-411.11411-I.-gl-.Q CGMPLIMENTS x Mr. and Mrs. J. Martin Myers Mrs. Ida Jane Scaggs Mr. and Mrs. M. E. Cornish ll Mr. Albert W. Wells L Lansdale G. Clagett H Hayden's Filling Station H Southern Maryland Hatchery in fl A Friend I Mr. R. L. Groves 5 Mrs. Robert E. Montgomery H George P. Savage Brandywine Cash Store Anderson's Service Station Mr. and Mrs. James Tayman Albert Kahn Hall 8: Webb, State Roads Comm. Hammer's Gift Shop W. A. Moffat Mr. and Mrs. Walter B. Simpson Heights Realty Co. Q10 Frank Hall George Burroughs Maryland Home Title Co. Marlboro Variety Store Mrs. Dove Joe Wilson Earl Sheriff P. E. Clark Lansdale G. Sasscer Waverly Webb Dudley Digges Ernest Smith Judge Charles Marbury A. Gwynn Bowie R. Henry Robinson J. M. Levin Miss Myrtle V. Sudduth Mr. and Mrs. R. D. Dick Day Old Bakery M. Hampton Magruder 1. H H H 11 U H 1. U .I I li 1 U ,I in . H 1. 1. .1n-...1..-..i..1. -. 1..1n--:gimln--..1..1g.1g.1..1.qi..1. 1.11.1-..1..1..,...1.,1,, pa