Viewing page 26 of 140

This transcription has been completed. Contact us with corrections.

pg.25

unable to see the airfield and runway.

Although the average complement of a GCA unit consists of sixteen men - two crews - an extra crew [[strikethrough]]was[[/strikethrough]] had been added to GCA team # 1, as this one was named, because it was expected that we would encounter difficulties in supply and [[strikethrough]]maint[[/strikethrough]] mantainance common to most new installations such as ours where no one had ever heard ofit outside of ourselves. We learned too, that another reason why four of the people had remained at Hickam Field, Hawaii, was in the event that [[strikethrough]]any[[/strikethrough]] if any of our group were injured or killed, replacements [[strikethrough]] [[wer]] [[strikethrough]]ewould be available in short order.
 
Crew # 1, of GCA team # 1, consisted of White,on the first scope, who made the initial contact with the airplane by radio, directed it along the regular pattern of flight until it was flying on its "downwind" leg, and otherwise keeping the other planes waiting to be landed "stacked" in the air and away from each other. Then, like slipping a card out from the bottom of the deck, the plane is turned over to O'Brien, on the second scope, while White turns his attention to [[strikethrough]]another[[/strikethrough]] the next plane scheduled to be brought in. O'Brien, now concentrating on the first airplane, continues to bring it along the "downwind" leg. At the time he considers it proper, he directs the pilot to make a right turn which brings it into the"base leg", or that part of the flight path of the plane