a HEAD.UARTERS SAR ELEMENT (PROV) APO 187, c/o Postmaster San Francisco, California (RCS: ARS-F2) 2 March 195%): 2° MISSION NUMBER: (Uncl) SAR Element (Prov)<4-23 March 1954. TYPE OF MISSION: Interception. DATE OF CLOSING: 23 March 1954. SOURCE AND TIME OF INITIAL ALERT: troller at 1O2O0L 23 March 195he Air Operations Center (AOC) Senior Con DATE AND TIME OF INTTIAL DISPATCH OF ARS FACILITIES: airborne at 23/1026L. SA-16, AF 1021, was SYNOPSISt! The Senior Controller advised that a Navy F4U had called on VHF "Dt to report N6538 had feathered a propeller approximately sixty (60) mjples from Eniwetok and was having difficulty holding his altitude. The FAU re- portedJN6538 was making a track of 234 degrees, destination Eniwetok, ani was requesting intercept. AF 1021 departed on a heading of 54 degressz>Anv AF 1021 tc the intercept. The iN/AR‘-8 was used by the SéA~16 at 1035L, anc established direct communications with N6538 on VHF "Dat 1032L. A check on track, position and ground speed by AF 1021 revealed that N6538 was on a bearing of 238 degrees from Eniwetok, The S4-16 reversed course. At 103.7. the srea Controller in the AOC picked up N6538 on his APS-23, and vectored indicated the distressed aircraft at 12 o'clock, Visual interception was accomplished at 1041L and the P2V was escorted to Eniwetok where it landed at 1050L. The S416 landed at 1100L. LOCATION OF OBJECTIVE: 16207E. REMARKS: a be -Ce dad. Interception was accomplished at 231041L at l112N~ The target aircraft was dangerously impaired in that his al- titude was only 500 ft, and he had difficulty maintaing it. No apprehension was evident in the crew of N6538. The distressed aircraft could have made destination without ARS assistance. Intercept was requested as a precautionary measure, There were three (3) people aboard N6538. RUd COPY: 5 Captain, USAF Historical Officer /sf Villard D, Welch /t/ WILLARD D. WELCH Captain, USAF Mission Commander To