PARACHUTIST TELLS OF RESCUE

ALMOST LOST SENSES DANGLING UPSIDE-DOWN

Editor’s note: In an exclusive statement relayed by physicians from his bed in naval hospital, Lt. Walter Osipoff tells of his heroic rescue by two naval fliers as he dangled by the shrouds of his parachute from a Navy transport plane.

By LT. WALTER OSIPOFF

I was waiting my turn to jump from the transport when suddenly I was jerked off my feet and out the open door.

The slipstream of the big motors hurled me back, and when the shrouds of my chute snapped taut I though I would lose consciousness. The the cold air blowing back into my face seemed to revive me. It seemed like hours that I dangled head down.

Several things occurred to me as I trailed along behind the plane. Even if the worst happened, a thought, somebody would benefit by getting my insurance.

Then I saw the rescue plane flying toward us. The officers and men in the transport attempted to pull me back in, but they couldn’t reach me.

When I saw the little open trainer motion the transport out to sea I knew they were going to try to cut me loose after getting me in the plane.

After we got out over the ocean, where it wasn’t so bumpy, the other plane flew up and over me. I somehow wasn’t afraid any longer. Then I came into contact with the wing of the plane. I remember a sort of sinking feeling when I slipped off the wing and the shrouds again snapped tight.

FELL INTO COCKPIT

Finally the plane was directly below me. As it rose I feared it would strike the tail of the transport. Then I fell into the cockpit into the arms of Mccants (Machinist’s Mate J.R. Mccants).

The minute I came into contact with Mccants I put a death grip on him and I don’t believe anything could have pried me loose.

I shudder to think of what might have happened if Lowery (Lt. W.W. Lowery, pilot of the rescue plane) had failed to cut the shrouds with the propeller and I had been jerked out of the plane again.

After I had fallen headfirst into the plane everything went black. I didn’t remember anything until I came to in the sick bay. I feel fine now, but the doctors are going to keep me here until they are sure there are no internal injuries.

READ STORIES

The rescue was one of the most daring exhibitions of flying I ever have seen, and nobody can appreciate it more than I. I read the newspaper accounts of it and listened to a radio program in which Lowery and Mccants told how it was effected.

The stories and the broadcasts were very interesting and correct. I didn’t know as I lay in the cockpit after I was cut loose that the chute had caught on our tail assembly and that I was still in danger.