Dear Sirs:
It is rather late to report this incident, but since it may interest your company I will take time to send it to you.
On the ninth day of August, 1944, after a bombing mission over Germany, our bomber crew was forced to bail out over the North Sea. The survivors were in the water for a period of three hours before being picked up by a rescue boat.
Four of us were wearing Army navigation watches. I wore a type A-11 Elgin “Hack” watch. After being rescued, we compared notes and found that the other three watches had leaked water and stopped shortly after hitting the water. In contrast, my Elgin watch kept running perfectly for the entire time. In fact, it was a constant companion by giving me something to occupy my mind as I swam and awaited a rescue boat.
The watch has kept perfect time ever since, losing only one third of a second per day on the average. It seems that your type of waterproof stem and crown is the only satisfactory type the Army Air Forces has. I hope this incident of actual combat may go in your files to prove the quality of your product.
Robert E. Pacquer
2nd Lt. A.C.
SEVENTH WAR LOAN NOTE
War Bond subscriptions by Elgin National Watch Company employees at all plants totalled $211,000 on May 20. This is 73% of the quota. The house to house campaign will no doubt promote more purchases, especially from the wage bonus to be paid on June 1.