Word: hendersons
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...High Commissioner in Austria. Walter J. Donnelly had arrived from Vienna to receive the captive airmen for whom the U.S., a few hours before in Budapest, had paid a ransom of $120,000 (plus a C-47 aircraft still held by the Reds). The four flyers-Captain Dave Henderson, Captain John Swift, Tech. Sergeant Jess Duff and Sergeant Jim Elam-did not relax until they were well on the way to Vienna in the ambassador's Cadillac. When they heard over the car's radio an Armed Forces Radio broadcast of their release, followed by stateside basketball scores...
...flown their C-47 39 days ago, they were enveloped by a heartfelt greeting from families and friends. Next day, after military intelligence officers and a State Department specialist had quizzed the airmen, the four faced a swarm of newsmen and photographers. As commander of the aircraft, Captain Henderson told how the captives had fared at the hands of the Reds. As he spoke, he fumbled nervously with typewritten notes; at times his voice broke with emotion...
...pick up any radio signals, were running low on fuel. They prepared for an emergency landing. Shortly after dark, an aircraft ("It was going so fast it must have been a fighter") flew in front of them. The C-47 followed it on to a lighted field. Pilot Henderson thought he was in Yugoslavia. He could not identify the uniformed men who swarmed around the plane, until one of them said something about Russia. Then Henderson realized they were in Red hands...
...didn't believe it," said Henderson. "The first I knew of any negotiations was when I met the High Commissioner." During his long imprisonment, had he felt abandoned by his country? Said Henderson: "I always had hope in my heart that we would be remembered...
Died. Paul Henderson, 67, Kansas-born non-flying "father of airmail service," who, as second Assistant Postmaster General (1922-25), organized the first coast-to-coast airmail run, pioneered in the development of light signals to make night flying possible, retired to work as an official of National Air Transport, Inc.; of a stroke; in Washington...