European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - September 26, 1967, Darmstadt, Hesse I stood on my hands As much As i did on my feet by Ben Funk a staff writer Over the tortured Waters of the Caribbean sea Hurricane Janet erupted 12 years ago into one of his tory s most dangerous storms one that was to kill 500 persons before breaking apart in the mountains of Mexico. In Al directions from this colossal storm thrashing aimlessly about the sea Lay populated coastlines. On what shores would Janet s fury fall to Wor ried weathermen in Miami the time fora decision had come. And so on the morning of sept. 26,1955, a Hurricane Hunter Pilot it. Csc or. Grover b. Windham took off from Flor Ida in a Navy we Ather reconnaissance plane and headed for Janet. His Mission Fly into the wild hear of the Hurricane and find the clues essential to forecasting its 9 30 a.m., fighting to keep his plane from being battered into the sea Windham radioed the weather Bureau beginning penetration into the vortex of the that was the last anyone Ever heard of Windham. The plane carrying a Crew of 10 and two Canadian newspapermen vanished. The men were the first of the Hurri Cane Hunters to die in the search for the secrets of the giant storms. The were not the last. But lives lost in the skies have meant life for literally thou Sands of others who fore warned by the Hurricane Hunters have escaped fro the paths of the storms. Since 1946, pilots of the Navy air Force and weather Bureau have been pitting their skill and courage against the awesome Power of the Hurricane. Before then a forecaster often did not even know where his storm was located. Consequently he had no Way of fore casting where it would go. Sometimes a Hurricane fed upon coastal City without warning and took an awful toll of lives and property. Forever $10 million in damage in those Days 500 persons , that death figure has dropped to four largely because the Hurricane Hunter s information enables the weath Erman to say with reasonable accuracy where and when a Hurricane will strike. In All three planes have vanished i tropical storms carrying All hands to their deaths. Others have limped Home with engines torn off fuselages flooded rivets Popper and hones of crewmen broken. There Are three branches of Hie Hurri Cane rei/onnai.-,.sani e service. All u1 eking and spot report ing is done by the Mitty pilots who penetrate a storm at Low Levels and air Force fliers who Jjo in High. Civilian pilots of the weather Bureau s Page 12 c Hunters accurate warnings have sharply reduced death toll in hurricanes. J Minnesota at 17/� of / St. Pouf la Wisconsin i i o w Imolin t i f a p in Len r i re h i i i ratio. Bol%vy.1h to " j 0 or a it. 5prin9 i our Jeffeson cily i. Jet f a up storm forecaster Gordon Dunn thinks satellites will eventually take Over the dangerous Job of the Hurricane Hunters. M i s s o in f Noi Villa ii s or "1 Rel Noih vill b-0" wxsavx2l-r r hot \ in l a h o m a or a or i 1 a ,. Alabama a / Mississippi or s. Caj Coly Woji f f Atilomo Atlantic mean � aug ten Oton Rouge i 4 a 7 upset in Sam Seuss is Gill 3/ejbco it i1 ill Ltd
