A RADIO DRAMA

Evening Post, Volume CXV, Issue 33, 9 February 1933, Page 19

A RADIO DRAMA

RESCUE IN ALASKA

NEW ZEALANDER'S PART

The dramatic rescue by au amateur radio operator iv New Zealand of an unconscious man iv a gas-filled shack at Teller*, Alaska, ninety miles north of -Tome, by electrical whispers from his radio key, has been revealed. Colonel Claire Foster, of Carrnol, who acted as one intermediary in. the rescue, to! 4 the amazing tale to the "San Francisco Chronicle." Tho rescued man proved to be a former war "buddy" of Foster. The principals in tho thrilling rescue across 10,000 miles of land and water were Clyde Devinua, outstanding movie cameraman of the film world and chief cameraman for a large film company ; Colonel Poster, a millionaire amateur radio operator; the Now Zealand operator, and an Alaska operator at Teller. The time was 2 a.m. on 10th January. Devinna carries a shortwave portable radio transceiver with him everywhere ho goes. When he was filming "White Shadows,-" "Pagan," and- "Trader Horn," he .took it with him, and between "shots" pounded the key and chatted with amateurs all over the world. f _ His contacts from the middle of Africa were famous in i-adio history. When, a few months ago, he established headquarters at Teller, Alaska, for certain movie" pictures there, his familiar call was heard again over the night lanes, as he chatted around the globe with his little radio set. One morning Davinna was chatting with the New Zealand amateur—the top of the world talking to tho bottom, 10,000 miles away. Suddenly Deviuna 's signals slackened, broke; then died away entirely. The New Zealand operator sensed at once that something was wrong. When Devinna did not come back on tho air, tho New Zealandcr began calling Pacific Coast stations. CALLS TOR HELP. "Come iv," ho called. "Any W6 station please answer—emergency. " Colonel Foster, listening to this and that in the night lanes, heard tho insistent soprano of the New Zealand transmitter. He was a W6 station and answered the call. Tho New Zoalander explained what had happened. Why, Devinna is a buddy of mine," Ml4?_ *_ " "I>JI see what X ««n do'" With his powerful set, 8000 miles closer to the North Pole than the New Zealander, he began calling Teller Alaska. Luck functioned again. There was one other amateur operator on duty at Teller beside Devinna He S» . 1 F°St. 's call antl '^Plied. ir i. „*?.,. cx Plain«d the situation ™ . -A t]*e °Perator to investigate. The Teller operator donned snowshoes and skm coat .and dashed off across the now _ Devinna . cabin. There was no answer to his knock and he smashed in the door. There lay the cameraman unconscious on the floor from carbon monoxide fumes of a sn_l dragged him into the open air and ran for a doctor An hour later Devinna was out of danger. cfrrtT 1 P. t?r' gnawing his nails' in «,„_■' t l 7aitl,lg for a "sponse from Finally his call—"W6HM"— came down from the North-fronx Teller" r_n_ m ' _,mau -™ found him— he s oke now-that was pretty-close." *>_*£*Je3£S SnaP^ a «* toS_rs sfpss he saia—a H. «,'__ f.* vF*, 11* o *' came a message of thanks to Colonel Foster and the Whole "ham" fraternity of amateur wh„« . ? ra + -rB from De™. «>" __ whose life they had saved.