Contents:
"Photographers don't count."
by:
John R. Joseph
Subject: First W.W.II Landing on Japan
I guess there will always be somebody claiming they were the first in anything.
Did you ever hear of Charles J. Russhon, the official photographer of the
Third Air Commando Group (our group). Because I/We had an interest in him,
I kept the original page of his obit that was published
in the New York Daily News, NYC, Monday, June 28, 1982.
Interesting, it even mentions "an American DC-3,
at Atsugi Air Base, Japan.
"Army 452" and sister ships were stationed at Atsugi.
I also belong to the Fifth Air Force Memorial Foundation, and we get a
quarterly publication from them. There is a long descriptive letter in the
December '97 issue regarding the first plane to land in Japan.
2 C-47's from the 54th Troop Carrier Wing.
And then again, in the July 1998 newsletter, another person disputes the
lad who had written the letter in Dec. 97.
Chas Russhon's obit, states he was the first American in
postwar Japan by stepping off an American DC-3.
Well, if that would have been My C-47,
he would have been the 2nd one, because the Crew Chief (that's me),
is always the first one off. Arms laden, with airplane securing paraphernalia,
like 2 Landing Gear Pins, 4 wheel chocks, and 4 control locks.
My procedure (engines still running)
- proceed to the left landing gear,
install landing gear pin, drop 2 wheel chocks, and kick them into place,
further proceed to right landing gear,
again install the landing gear pin,
drop and kick both wheel chocks into place,
further proceed to right aileron, install lock,
proceed to rear, install rudder lock,
then elevator lock,
proceed to left aileron, install lock,
and THEN
back to the cargo door, and install ladder.
I remember reading an article where Russhon, and the General whose photo he
had taken, met in later years at an affair, and the subject of First
American to set foot on Jap soil came up. The General claimed this honor,
and Russhon countered with
"What about the photographer who was on the
ground taking your photo?"
The article stated the General came back with
"Photographers don't count."
===brojak===
>
"Keep 'Em Flying"
Contents:
Home Page
Feedback