Day 339: Recovery, Day 2

 

December 5th, 2011My picture of the day is basically a shout-out to Yesenia, who single-handedly saved my camera, and as a subsequent result my 365 project. With me waking up slightly still feverish from the day before, I proceeded to COGN150, where I endured 3 and half hours of presentations. I then went to EHS to work for a bit, before picking up my camera at the Village. It was safely attached in its shiny blue pouch. After I was done I went to Geisel to finish my POLI113A essay. After hours of not eating I went home through the Arribal, purchased emergency Munchies at Von’s, made some rice for dinner, and collapsed in a massive 3-hour recovery nap. I awakened to start doing some Vietnamese studying for my only final on Thursday.

At 2:10 p.m., five U.S. Navy Avenger torpedo-bombers comprising Flight 19 take off from the Ft. Lauderdale Naval Air Station in Florida on a routine three-hour training mission. Flight 19 was scheduled to take them due east for 120 miles, north for 73 miles, and then back over a final 120-mile leg that would return them to the naval base. They never returned. Two hours after the flight began, the leader of the squadron, who had been flying in the area for more than six months, reported that his compass and back-up compass had failed and that his position was unknown. The other planes experienced similar instrument malfunctions. Radio facilities on land were contacted to find the location of the lost squadron, but none were successful. After two more hours of confused messages from the fliers, a distorted radio transmission from the squadron leader was heard at 6:20 p.m., apparently calling for his men to prepare to ditch their aircraft simultaneously because of lack of fuel. SCARY!

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