TRANSCRIBED FROM THE NEWPORT DAILY INDEPENDENT SEPTEMBER 9, 1918 P. 3
Naval Air Station
Mami, Fla.,
Sunday, the First.
Hello Mamma!
How are you all? I am still feeling fine. I think I will get a furlough real soon and will sure be a happy bird if I do.
I had quite an experience since I wrote you last. We had news of a German submarine operating off the coast and they sent out a seaplane to scout around. I was lucky enough to be sent along as a relief pilot. We were about 90 miles from our station and the lead pipe (gas) broke and we were forced to land. Our wireless was out of commission and we could not signal for help. We made our forced landing around 5 a.m. The sea was pretty rough and we had to bale water from 5 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. to keep afloat. At that time we sighted a steamer bound north and wig wagged to her. She sent a launch out to us and they towed us to the ship. She was going the opposite direction we wanted to go as our station lay southwest, but she towed us along, and we sighted a southbound steamer about 6:30 and signaled to her and she came over and took us in tow. The sea was very rough by now. The waves 10 and 15 feet high and we had to go very slow. There were three of us in the plane, but one of the fellows was sure some seasick, so that left us to do all the work of guiding the plane and baling it out. It sure was some thrill to see the high waves coming rolling in and us wondering how long it would be be-fore we were swamped, especially to an “inland sailor” like myself. And the worst part of it was that we carried 3 bombs each--one with 175 pounds T. N. T. inside. There sure would have been an awful splash if they had gone off; About 6 o’clock the next morning the plane sprung a leak so we had to beach her at Boynton, Fla. I sure felt a lot better when we were on dry land once more. We were about 40 miles from the station so we wired them to send for our plane. They sent an S. P. boat (subchaser) after us and a truck after the plane and we reported back to camp O. K., after being about 48 hours out.
Flying is play compared to the thrill you get when you are out of sight of land and nothing in sight and you just drifting around with nothing to do except to sit still and hope you are not swamped. Of course we would have gotten out all O. K., for we had life preservers, but sure would have been a long wait, and especially a wet one for us. A little experience like that helps to break the monotony when you are doing nothing but flying around the bay and loafing around the camp.
I have been recommended for a commission and have been awarded my “wings.” So I am now a full-fledged Naval Aviator. It will be 6 or 8 weeks before I get my commission though, and believe my story, you sure earn your commission when you get one in the navy.
Tomorrow is Labor Day and we will rate a holiday. A holiday means a lot to us, as we only rate liberty from 6 to 11:30 p.m. on Saturday, and from 8 a.m. to 11:30 p.m. on Sunday. However we worked today (Sunday) from 4:30 a.m. to noon, flying and overhauling planes. It is the first Sunday we have worked though.
How is the old “Home Town” and all the people? Same good old town I guess. I will feel like a bird out of a cage when I am given my furlough. I didn’t appreciate a good time before I enlisted, but I sure will know what it means when I get out of the service. I sure was lucky to get in this branch of the service, for it is absolutely the cream of it. Must close. Love to all and best regards to all of my friends.
Your son,
Duffer Ballew
NOTES:
TRANSCRIBED BY LARAE SHURLEY
Naval Air Station
Mami, Fla.,
Sunday, the First.
Hello Mamma!
How are you all? I am still feeling fine. I think I will get a furlough real soon and will sure be a happy bird if I do.
I had quite an experience since I wrote you last. We had news of a German submarine operating off the coast and they sent out a seaplane to scout around. I was lucky enough to be sent along as a relief pilot. We were about 90 miles from our station and the lead pipe (gas) broke and we were forced to land. Our wireless was out of commission and we could not signal for help. We made our forced landing around 5 a.m. The sea was pretty rough and we had to bale water from 5 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. to keep afloat. At that time we sighted a steamer bound north and wig wagged to her. She sent a launch out to us and they towed us to the ship. She was going the opposite direction we wanted to go as our station lay southwest, but she towed us along, and we sighted a southbound steamer about 6:30 and signaled to her and she came over and took us in tow. The sea was very rough by now. The waves 10 and 15 feet high and we had to go very slow. There were three of us in the plane, but one of the fellows was sure some seasick, so that left us to do all the work of guiding the plane and baling it out. It sure was some thrill to see the high waves coming rolling in and us wondering how long it would be be-fore we were swamped, especially to an “inland sailor” like myself. And the worst part of it was that we carried 3 bombs each--one with 175 pounds T. N. T. inside. There sure would have been an awful splash if they had gone off; About 6 o’clock the next morning the plane sprung a leak so we had to beach her at Boynton, Fla. I sure felt a lot better when we were on dry land once more. We were about 40 miles from the station so we wired them to send for our plane. They sent an S. P. boat (subchaser) after us and a truck after the plane and we reported back to camp O. K., after being about 48 hours out.
Flying is play compared to the thrill you get when you are out of sight of land and nothing in sight and you just drifting around with nothing to do except to sit still and hope you are not swamped. Of course we would have gotten out all O. K., for we had life preservers, but sure would have been a long wait, and especially a wet one for us. A little experience like that helps to break the monotony when you are doing nothing but flying around the bay and loafing around the camp.
I have been recommended for a commission and have been awarded my “wings.” So I am now a full-fledged Naval Aviator. It will be 6 or 8 weeks before I get my commission though, and believe my story, you sure earn your commission when you get one in the navy.
Tomorrow is Labor Day and we will rate a holiday. A holiday means a lot to us, as we only rate liberty from 6 to 11:30 p.m. on Saturday, and from 8 a.m. to 11:30 p.m. on Sunday. However we worked today (Sunday) from 4:30 a.m. to noon, flying and overhauling planes. It is the first Sunday we have worked though.
How is the old “Home Town” and all the people? Same good old town I guess. I will feel like a bird out of a cage when I am given my furlough. I didn’t appreciate a good time before I enlisted, but I sure will know what it means when I get out of the service. I sure was lucky to get in this branch of the service, for it is absolutely the cream of it. Must close. Love to all and best regards to all of my friends.
Your son,
Duffer Ballew
NOTES:
TRANSCRIBED BY LARAE SHURLEY