June 14th
June 14th
Daily Flight Information:
The World Flight will be delayed for up to a week while a spare engine is installed in "Chicago" and the airplane flown from Hue to Tourane to join up with "Boston" & "New Orleans" before continuing on to Saigon, the next scheduled stop.
"Chicago" Gets New Engine
Daily Report
by Lt. L. P. Arnold "Chicago", Mechanic
About 3 o'clock, I was awakened by Erik [Nelson - Engineering Officer and "New Orleans" pilot] who came in to say that he had just arrived with the new motor, Harding & Ogden [Mechanics on "New Orleans" and "Boston"], 4 sailors from the US Destroyer Hart, and an interpreter. Quite a troupe he caries with him. About 7:30 we started to work and by making use of a bridge across the river to suspend a sling we towed the plane under the bridge where we raised and lowered the motors easily -- and by 3:15 the new motor was running. If that wasn't quick work for a field change nothing ever was.
Of course there was a huge crowd of natives & others around all day to watch us -- they probably didn't know what it was all about, but they were certainly treated to a sight of American ingenuity & progressiveness.
We could have left at once for Tourane but all hands were tired and dirty so we stayed over & had a good dinner that night & retired early.
About five o'clock, Lowell [Smith - commander] & I decided to go for a rickshaw ride & to see the town. We went through the grounds of the Annamite King's palace & then visited an old Buddha Temple -- the scenery hereabouts is beautiful in tropical foliage.