This is a continuation of last week's comment, "The Miracle". A true event that took place on September 23, 1953. Forty-two aircraft were stuck circling above a zero visibility fog bound naval exercise called "Operation Mariner." Running out of fuel and not being able to land on the three carriers in the operation, the USS Wasp, USS Bennington, and HMCS Magnificent. They were ordered to ditch in the ocean, next to the submarine, the Redfin. The senior Chaplain on the Wasp, CDR Slattery, CHC, USN, wrote this article on the next day, Sept. 24th.
" We on the Wasp were asking for a miracle, for God's direct intervention in a hopeless situation.
Prayer, prayer, prayer, the lifting up of the mind and heart to God almighty, in an appeal for friends, comrades in arms, for those in peril on the sea. No one had to open a Bible now, remembered phrases came readily to anxious lips. One Chaplain, after hours on the cold weather deck, was now on his knees in his room. He begged God to open the curtain of fog. The other Chaplain climbed up to "vultures roost" with his rosary in his hand..."Hail Mary...pray for us sinners now." Other voices in audible prayer. "O God bring them in." "Lord, you've got to help." No one was ashamed or even conscious that such prayers burst from their frosted lips or hearts chilled with anxiety.
ENS George Allen Booth in plane 506 knew that below all hands were working on the technical aspects of the effort to bring the planes down safely. His thoughts were like this. "I never considered the possibility of being lost until we were told to ditch. Then I calculated my chances as better than 50-50. I questioned myself as whether or not I was ready to meet my Creator, whether or not I would have seriously changed my life should I have the chance to relive it, and then prayed for forgiveness of my sins. After this I placed all matters except the saving of the body, in the back of my mind, and concentrated on the problem at hand."
You have often heard about the stream-of-conscious examination of the past which flows rapidly by in a quick review. When the chips are down most men turn to God and think of making peace with Him. All of us must face the Eternal Justice sometime... but all can seek mercy all the time. LTJG Tom McDonald had such an experience. "I made the first and third controlled let down attempts. Each time I broke out at slightly less than fifty feet and went back on top. I thought, when my gas gets to three hundred pounds, I'd better ask...please put the Chaplain on the radio."
They were not alone up there, though. LTJG Robert J. Sample in 504 knew that. "It became very apparent that the situation was beyond help. At that point I thought of God as my co-pilot and felt He would see us through our present peril."
Yes, we had a lot of prayers soaring to God that afternoon of 23 September 1953.
Have you ever seen prayer answered directly... dramatically and powerfully and positively? Within moments the surface visibility widened. God Almighty reached down and lifted that heavy curtain of fog. And He held it up. A clear space appeared and the ships were on a calmer surface and able to take the wings aboard. We could see for about three miles on the surface and upwards to five hundred feet.
Was it too late for recall? Had anyone ditched? From the stern of the Wasp went flares. At the suggestion of LTJG R.S.Agnew, a line of flares was being dropped, to make a path leading to the ramp. One of the pilots LT Tom McDonald, who got into the groove later, said it looked like Main Street. Lights blazed on the ships, the first time we were allowed to light ship since being underway. On the signal bridge, the immense search lights were stabbing with blue-white fingers of light into the clouds, adding a feel to the ships radar ears.
The pilots were being kept informed about developments. The miracle of the clearing was so sudden that their thoughts were still on survival in the water. LTJG E.A. Grunwald, in plane 503, flew along with these thoughts as cockpit companions. "Up until the time we were ordered to ditch I had confidence that we would land safely, somewhere, somehow. However, at the time the order came to ditch at the submarine in twelve foot swells, I lost hope; at least, I had very little hope of ever surviving in that mass of churning fifty degree water. However, one thought occurred to me; if I were to meet my doom in the next hour, I was lucky that at least I had time to pray and ask for forgiveness ahead of time. That privilege is one so few people ever realize."
Bob Sample, who spoke of God as his co-pilot, had some interesting thoughts. "When our fuel got lower and everyone realized that we had very little chance to land at any base, the order came to ditch near the submarine Redfin. I had visions of forty-two planes in a mass ditching at sea. I began to figure the odds of survival and had almost given up hope of coming out on top. I dreaded the thought that my child will arrive in December, would have no living father and that my wife would be widowed after a year of marriage. Things looked really bad and I'm sure I wasn't alone in my ardent prayers to God for help. As we proceeded outbound to the submarine, the report came that the ceiling and visibility were improved. I knew that our prayers had been answered. From then on, I had no doubt in my mind that we would make it home."
The three carriers bore on into the clearing, their destroyer plane guards dashing about like so many urgent watchdogs...
The planes were returning... word was passed about. What a thrill! We could expect our friends back. LTJG John R. Miller in plane 515 felt the effect of prayer. "Confidence in OUR FATHER IN HEAVEN, kept me calm and enabled me to do the things I had been trained for. I asked for special help as I was leading a division down through the overcast as the light was failing." Yes, the light was failing now, but not the lights in our hearts. Dusk had no chance against the faith we had.
The first plane was sighted in the mist of the port quarter. A cheer, which was almost a concerted gasp, was heard. LT Jim Shannon the LSO, aided by his spotter and assistants...guided the first plane down with his paddles. The first tail hook caught the wire, and LCDR James M. Nifong, plane 518 was aboard. Jim was the flight leader. "When all the worldly materials and inventions of scientists had failed to save one pilot from a sure watery grave, and when we, one and all, had turned to the Almighty, the miracle happened and for a few brief minutes the ceiling and visibility lifted and we were all saved. I shall always be humble before our Lord."
Three planes from the Bennington and one from the Magnificent were nestled aboard with ours. TBMs went by on their way to the Magnificent and they were cheered. Cheers went up as each plane came aboard and was safely arrested. The cheers were heartfelt, the way men cheer after a hard victory. There was no hysteria...no tears. Men were still too tense to slap backs...that would come later in the ready room. Men were cheering in thanks and release in wonder, too.
Roy Davis in plane 508 who spoke of a hopeless feeling continued, "When they called us back, I was too busy getting through the overcast and getting aboard to think about "how" or "why." But after getting aboard and fully realizing what had happened, it became obvious to me that THE POWER greater than ordinary man had made our safe return possible. It was truly a miracle, that only God could have brought about." "
Next weeks comment will be the final part of "The Miracle."
By George Konig
9/9/2007
www.georgekonig.org
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