Back To Normal At McMurdo Station

Press, Volume CIII, Issue 30481, 1 July 1964, Page 1

Back To Normal At McMurdo Station

Life and the weather at McMurdo Station have returned to normal after the air evacuation to Christchurch on Friday of the seriously ill serviceman, Bethel Lee McMullen.

Yesterday, after a few days of relatively warm weather, McMurdo Station was engulfed jn a severe “white-out” with winds gusting up to 69 knots.

Men at the station who received their first mail since March 5, carried south on the Hercules which made the mercy flight, will now have to wait until early October for the next delivery. Mr McMullen, who is undergoing treatment at Christchurch Hospital, is in a satisfactory condition. On Sunday his wife tried to telephone him from their home in California, but was unable to reach him. Hospital authorities have now installed a telephone in his room so that he may speak with his wife. Mr McMullen will probably return to the United States aboard a Navy Super Constellation about July 20. The aircraft will arrive at Christchurch on July 17 or 18 with about 40 servicemen. Their

job it will be to help get the Harewood base ready for the main group, which arrives in late September. Over the four-day period of the mercy mission the Navy base at Harewood received, a considerable number of telegrams, letters, and telephone calls extending good wishes, and later congratulations on the success of the flight.

Commander W. H. Witbrow, the commander of the base, said he wished to thank the many kind persons all over New Zealand for their thoughtful messages. They were, he said, an added source of encouragement and comfort to those involved in the historic mission.

It was unfortunate that because of the tempo of operations over the week-end the staff at the base was unable to maintain a record of rhe many callers so that acknowledgements could be made.. On behalf of the men on the mission and the United States Navy generally Commander Withrow sends his deep appreciation to all who showed such interest in the outcome of the mission.