Article October 14, 1972 Issue

God Answers a "Mayday" Call

MICHAEL ANTHONY WEST

I was calm as radioed from our aircraft, but my message was of intense urgency. The whole fleet was alerted. "Mayday!Mayday!...Flameout!"

It was dark and stormy. Our small naval aircraft was in a steep dive, many miles from land, falling with increasing speed toward the freezing Arctic waters. The engine had stopped because of a flameout.

We had been flying under atrocious weather conditions. Shortly after the launch from the carrier on a routine training mission, we had been ordered to climb very much higher than we were told when briefed. After we had been airborne for about an hour, the aircraft shuddered and the engine stopped. Now we dived toward the sea, and as Observer Officer, I quickly sent a Mayday message.

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I Believe in God
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