Thomaston High School - Sea Breeze Yearbook (Thomaston, ME)

Page 28 text:

Mi. me f szwq aims ll -ee was 5 rw ff:-If is ,. :Q A-sf Y li ffJ 5,4! i3ar.f, V. . an I-1 1: 1- 'S,f'?m'2a' ' '1-f.,'i::,lg.i ,, Shi? , 'Si'-f fi-L4 , . , . l 2 X :N A .. 43. ' -,' 1 'll ' J M I 5 A. gw+,3Wg,i3Q,lS5. yf kgs' Y ,wif Y 2. 5,1 X zxffri A 2, ' K 'U ff .Q iiexy-.jg'gi3i-2 . 1 5 GfQ2fg'?f5g,1?214 my sf: -fzfw if is- ..f:+ 13Qff 'efQ1

Page 27 text:

T THE sm BREEZE 12 1yn's uncle, don't you? Ism't it funny how some people are always gossipingl Yes, Hannah. Yes, call me later. Good-bye! M. s. mi grolaoom Fon A oowluzp Captain Mike O'Brien had been flying a plane ever since he had been in grade school. The U. S, Navy didn't have a single one that he couldn't fly. His father was the owner of one of the largest air- plane factories in the world and yet Mike had been paying his own way ever since he was twenty years old. The test pilots at his fathers' field were always very much attached to him when he was young and they were the ones who taught him to fly. Ever since he could remember his father had been trying to make a good business man out of him. Mike Joined the Navy. His pals often said of him, NIf there's something you wanna know about flying ask Mike, an' if he dunno you can depend on it that, whatever it is, it ain't worth knowin'Y Now his younger brother, Jimmy, who had never taken any interest in flying when he was a boy, was attending a Navy flying school. Jim- my was a very promising student ass during his course until the day arrived for his first solo flight. Mike was at the field waiting to watch the flight, and, though he would never admit it, he was burst- ing with pride. One of Jimmy's friends was also doing his first flight alone just before Jimmy went up. When the boy ca e in,for a landing he lost his control over the ship and crashed. Before aid could reach him the plane broke into flame, leaving him at its mercy. Jimmy watched silently in horror. Then his instructor was walking over to him, saying, WO. K. Jimmy, and good luck.W Reaching the plane he found Mike standing beside it. Mike gripped his younger brother's hand silently, giving him an encouraged look. Jimmy climb- ed in, a mechanic cranked the plane but it never left the ground. As he came down off the wing, starting queerly away, he was white and shaking. Mike, who had been standing very still, gradually began to realize what had happened. Bounding after the cowardly fi ure mov- ing toward the hangar, Mike gripped him by the shoulder, whee?ing him around. He had meant to reason with him about it, but as he looked into the terror-filled eyes, felt the shoulder cringe under his grip, something inside him seemed to give way. What he did say was, WLost your nerve, eh? Well its mighty lucky we found it out. There's no place in the Navy for a yellow coward.H Wincing at the harsh words, Jimmy turned silently and walked away. In his room that evening Mike bowed his head in his hands. All the happiness in his life had suddenly been replaced by a bitter re- sentment. Jimmy, his own brother, was a quitter-a coward who couldn't even see his own solo through. The kid that crashed made one bad mistake, but at least he hadn't given in without giving it a try. Suddenly he felt a hand placed on his shoulder. He had been so deep in his thoughts that he had failed to notice one of his pals entering the room. NHuh,W he grunted absently as he looked up, WOh, hello Dan. UAW, don't take it so hard, Mike ol' hyy. He will get over it

Page 29 text:

THE SEA BREEZE 13 eventually and he will be as good as new. You don't need to worry about that boy. Why, shucks, look at his brother console him. WOh, it's no use, Dan. You know they're gon the unhappy man answered dejeetedly. .N Dan tried to e when they do that, 'Say, look here fella. Why don't you coach him in your spare time -see if you can't get it out of him somehow. WBy golly, maybe your right, boy.N Mike put N in quickly. WI never thought of that. It's darn sure worth a try anyway.n After some coaxing Mike finally persuaded hi into letting him give him some lessons. For week s uncertain brother s Mike worked with him, but they always went up together, Jim y always at the controls. Gradually, little by little, he began to regain a mer confidence. Going up with Mike beside him wa little of his for- s perfectly easy, but going up alone was terrifying to him. His older brother began to get skeptical about asking him to fly alone. Finally, when they had been drilling-for weeks without much encouragement, a vague plan be- gan to form in Mike's mind. At first he did not it seriously but as it slowly developed, he began tently on the subject. It was a rather dangerous absurd and extreme, but he made up his mind to do ing to try it-to frighten it out of him. When he hailed him, NHow about a short hop alone, Jimmy? and tag along just in case-well.N even dare consider to think more in- one, perhaps a bit it, and he was go- saw Jimmy again, he I'll take a plane WJust in case I lose my control,W he finished for him. nOh, Mike why can't we let the whole thing slide-forget abo nListen kid,N Mike challenged firmly, NDo yo flyer or not?N WOh, you know I do, but I tell you I've lost just no use, that's all.n NC'mon,U was the breif response. ut it?n u want to be a Navy my nerve and it's They walked over to the hangar and ordered the two planes they were using, put on the ways. As soon as they wer good shape, Mike befan. He zoomed by the other p he nearly touched it. Up and down he went, shoot the plane, but it seemed only to terrify Jimmy ev e leveled off in lane so close that ing in and out by en more than ever. Mike, determined to try once more, gained a high altitude and came down at the other machine, planning to swoop under it. He shot by Jimmy's plane and just as he was about to pull ba ck on the stick the engine stopped dead. It was such a stunning shock to him that his hand froze on the stick for a full second. Coming to his senses with a bound, he pulled the stick back with all his might. The ship's wings folded up like nothing at the sudden terrif the water squarely on the nose. Jimmy had seen what had happened. Unconscio ic strain. He hit usly his thoughts and hands steadied. With his ship in perfect control he circled and landed beautifully on the water near-by. Before the plane stopped