ON THE ARCHIVES SHELF
CHICAGO PROVINCE
ROBERT M. MYERS ARCHIVES &
SVD RESOURCE CENTER
First Mission Pilot, Willy Schafhausen,
and First Mission Plane, a Klemm L.25
Vol. 14 No. 01
March 2015
Table of Contents
Articles
Page
On the Archives Shelf
1.
Society of the Divine Word Related Mission Air Services 1935-1990
1.
Archives Disaster Recovery Plan
4.
Disaster Preparedness and Salvage
5.
New Titles
6.
On the Cover:
The first SVD related mission air service in New Guinea took to the air at Alexishafen in the first
days of July, 1935. This photo shows Willy Schafhausen, our first mission pilot, and three New
Guinean men who worked with him in the Alexishafen air service. They are standing in front of
the St Paulus, our first airplane. It was a Klemm L.25, a two-cockpit monoplane, a gift from the
Missionary International Vehicle Association (MIVA) in Germany. Willy, a layman from
Germany, also came through the sponsorship of MIVA. (Information and photograph from Fr.
Pat Fincutter)
On the Archives Shelf the newsletter for the Robert M. Myers Archives of the Chicago Province
is published quarterly in March, June, September, and December. It is distributed electronically,
but a paper copy will be mailed to anyone who prefers this method of communication.
If you have questions or comments please contact either:
Marcia Stein, Archivist at (847) 753-7431 or [email protected]
or
Peter Gunther, Archives Specialist at (847) 753-7450 or [email protected]
ON THE ARCHIVES SHELF
VOL. 14, NO. 01
MARCH 2015
On the Archives Shelf
The title of the archives’ newsletter has changed! It was time to connect the electronic version of
the newsletter more closely to the archives of the Chicago Province. I feel the newsletter, which
is distributed along with several other attachments on a Province Center email, needs quicker
recognition. Hence, the new title, On the Archives Shelf.
You may wonder why in the name, Robert M. Myers Archives, the word archives ends with the
letter “s.” The reason is that archivists of the United States and Canada established the word
archives with “s” as correct usage.* The sentence in which the word is used determines its sense,
number, or if it is possessive. In our newsletter title, archives, is a descriptive word.
*[p. 29 Glossary of Archival & Records Terminology by Richard Pearce-Moses, the Society of American
Archivists, 2005. Pp. 29-32 contain further discussion about the word “archives” and how it is used.]
By Marcia Stein
[Editor’s note: Does the photograph on the cover arouse your curiosity? Have you heard about
the Flying Bishop or the missionary air services in Papua New Guinea, but wished that you knew
more? The archives now has on its shelves the first four of a projected seven volumes by Fr. Pat
Fincutter that reveal the facts, fiction and heart of those who were part of the SVD Missionary air
services in Papua new Guinea. ]
Society of the Divine Word Related Mission Air Services 1935 –
1990 in what Is Today Papua New Guinea
Volume One – Corrections to Errors about SVD
Related Mission Aviation Writing
Volume Two – Essential Information
Volume Three – A Narrative History: Interim Version
Volume Four – The Use of Dornier Do 27 Aircraft by
Catholic and Lutheran Missions
L to R: SVDs Fr. Joe McDermott, Bro. Larry Camilleri, & Fr. Pat Fincutter
meeting to discuss Divine Word Airways’ History Photo: Fr. Pat Fincutter
Fr. Pat Fincutter’s introduction:
From the beginning of 1961 to the end of 1969, I was a pilot and aircraft mechanic with Wirui
Air Services at Wewak in New Guinea. I still have considerable interest in WAS and our other
mission air services. So, I have often been disappointed, even quite upset, to come across
inaccurate or false information about our air services, about what they did, the whys and
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wherefores of their operations, and so on. Sadly, much of what has been written about our air
services contains many errors. Most of the authors evidently felt they were more knowledgeable
on this topic than they really were.
So, when I returned to the USA in late 2001, I decided that during my retirement I would do
what I could to correct those errors; set the record straight. Initially, it was to be just a book, but
over the years it has evolved into several volumes, from rather brief to longish. I have been
devoting a lot of time to this project but certainly not full time, and now and then I have felt the
need to get away from it for a while. It is a sort of easygoing, ongoing project. Progress has been
slow, but I am gradually getting there.
Some wonder why I am spending time and energy on this. Well, for one thing, it is a rather
unique part of our SVD history which should be correctly recorded and remembered. Also, I feel
I owe it to all those who served in our mission air services. For another, I have considerable
interest in this work and I enjoy it. In addition, Br Larry Camilleri and I are the last of the air
service SVDs, the last of the insiders, and time is running out. Though now and then this work is
difficult, I find it gratifying. And it is especially gratifying that others, in particular former New
Guinea mission personnel, have expressed their happiness and appreciation for this project and
what it is producing.
First, a Summary: From Vol. 2 – Essential Information
Most people are surprised, even amazed, at how extensive were our mission air services in New
Guinea. For 49 years, actually over a span of 55 years from 1935 to 1990, they served the
mission of the Church well. The six year gap was due to World War II. Our air services also
served the needs of the many local people in the areas entrusted to the SVD. They also promoted
the overall development of the people and the country generally. Because New Guinea lacks a
sufficient and dependable system of roads, transportation by air has long been, and still is, vital
to Papua New Guinea. It would hardly be the country it is today had aircraft not been employed
by the government, businesses, the missions, and other interests. And the same can be said of
the Catholic Church in PNG.
Our air services covered an area of New Guinea that includes the present-day Archdiocese of
Madang with the Dioceses of Wewak, Aitape, and Vanimo, plus the Archdiocese of Mt Hagen
with the Dioceses of Goroka, Kundiawa, Wabag, and Mendi. Those nine dioceses taken together
cover about 64,000 square miles. In that large area, our air services made use of 4 government
airports, 69 government airstrips, 73 Catholic Mission airstrips, and 6 that belonged to Protestant
missions.
The personnel of our air services included both non-salaried expatriate volunteers and employed,
i.e. salaried, local men and women. Those local employees served as unlicensed aircraft
mechanics, ground support staff, and office personnel. Because records on the hired personnel
are sadly scarce, their number can only be estimated now, perhaps a total of 90 or more. Of the
expatriate volunteers, there are 72 whose names are still on record and many, mostly office staff,
whose names have been lost. The majority of the expats were pilots, some were aircraft
mechanics, several were both, and some served in other positions, e.g. operations manager. Most
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of the air services’ personnel were lay men and women except for: 1 SVD bishop/archbishop, 5
SVD priests, 7 SVD Brothers, 3 diocesan priests, 1 Franciscan priest, and 1 Passionist Brother.
Over 49 years, our mission air services utilized a total of 42 aircraft. In the earlier years, three of
the airplanes were two-seat open cockpit types. In the very late years, there was one ten-seat
twin-engine plane plus one three-seat helicopter. In between, our aircraft were generally fourand six-seat, high wing, single-engine airplanes. On average, Divine Word Airways (DWA) at
Madang operated two or three aircraft at a time; Wirui Air Services (WAS) at Wewak three or
four.
Divine Word Airways’ flights were mostly to the Highlands and so of longer duration, averaging
about 43 minutes. They also encountered the more difficult flying conditions there. Most Wirui
Air Service flights were within the Diocese of Wewak and averaged about 24 minutes duration.
There are no hard statistics regarding the total number of flights our air services made during
their life of 49 years. Company flight log books and the like have sadly disappeared. Still, there
is enough information in a couple of aircraft log books, a number of pilot’s log books, and so
forth that have survived to give some basis for calculating a likely grand total for the very many
flights carried out, at least from 1946 to 1990. Though not an accurate figure, the grand total I
came up with is an actual estimate acquired through calculations based on mostly actual and
partly likely figures.
I found the grand total for our mission air service flights from 1935 to 1990 could have been as
much as 206,000 flights! That might sound enormous, but it is about 15 per workday -- shared
mainly between the Madang and Wewak air services. And all but about 28 of those very many
flights were carried out safely
Yes, there were mission aircraft accidents, and five of them involved fatalities. The lives of 5
pilots (3 SVDs) and 7 passengers (4 SVDs) were lost. Each of those deaths is very sad and
certainly regrettable. However, terrain and weather conditions in New Guinea can make flying
there hazardous. Sadly, aircraft accidents are a fact of life there; even today there is still a rather
high rate of such accidents in Papua New Guinea. Nevertheless, the safety record of our mission
air services was better than that of other air services similar to ours.
It should also be remembered that 3 SVDs died in commercial air service accidents, and road
accidents claimed the lives of 10 mission personnel (4 SVDs). Some mission personnel were
seriously injured in road accidents too. And even if our missions had no air services, at times
many of our personnel would still have had to fly on commercial air services now and then
whose safety records were not good as ours.
So, over 49 years of service and through around 206,000 flights, there was a total of:
-- about 28 aircraft accidents, 5 of them with fatalities;
-- 12 deaths on mission aircraft, 7 of them SVDs;
-- 3 deaths on commercial flights, 3 of them SVDs;
-- 10 deaths on the roads, 4 of them SVDs.
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It must also be remembered -- and appreciated -- that our mission air services saved many more
lives than were lost. That was mainly through our evacuation by air of seriously sick or injured
persons from isolated bush areas to hospital care. At times, those evacuees were mission
personnel but more often they were ordinary local people, especially mothers, babies, and young
children. Wirui Air Services probably averaged about two or three such medical emergency
flights a week during its 37 years of operations. Each of those evacuations did not save a life,
but a good number did. I once flew three such emergency fights in one day, my personal record
for that. My first such flight that day most probably saved the life of a mother with a serious
problem following childbirth -- saved through an expeditious flight to the hospital care she
urgently needed.
Our air services were set up primarily to provide a transportation service for our missionaries in
areas where roads were almost nonexistent. The few simple roads available then did not go all
that far and were often in poor condition. Our air services were successful in helping to avoid
the stress and strain of long walks over mostly difficult terrain that would otherwise have been
necessary for our mission personnel. In lowland areas, there was also the often strength sapping
heat and humidity. There was a rule of thumb: the distance covered in eight hours of walking
could be completed by plane in eight minutes! That considerable saving of time and energy
contributed greatly to the general welfare, productivity, and longevity of our missionaries.
In addition, along with our missions’ two-way high frequency (HF) radio networks, our air
services contributed to the overall morale and wellbeing of the whole mission staff. It was
certainly reassuring to know that in a pinch, even in very isolated places in the bush, help could
be available rather quickly. Our mission air services were greatly appreciated by our very
numerous mission personnel, including in 1976 265 SVDs, and by a much larger number of the
local people as well.
Also, our air services contributed in a number of ways to the overall development of the Church
in our SVD areas and in other vicariates/dioceses where we also operated at times. The point the
Church had reached by 1990, when our last air service closed, was due to considerable extent to
the various services and benefits provided by our SVD related mission air services.
By Fr. Pat Fincutter, SVD
Archives Disaster Recovery Plan
The archives Disaster Recovery Plan is complete after many months of work, as well as some
time on the back burner. The plan follows best practices for developing a disaster recovery plan
for an archives. It contains emergency contacts and archival service provider contacts, risk
assessment information and a two stage recovery plan.
The archival contents salvage plan is a very important component of recovering from the results
of a catastrophe. Following is Peter Gunther’s article describing disaster planning including
records salvage and restoration methods. The plan is available in the SVD, Resources Center.
By Marcia Stein
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Disaster Preparedness and Salvage
Natural disasters and fires can devastate an organization’s records, and with them its capacity to
function. Disaster preparedness is necessary because preparation and planning are the best
defense against loss and interruption. Having a plan in place before a disaster is the key to fullest
recovery for records and a swift return to mission efforts.
Disaster planning includes a number of components:
 Identifying and codifying contact information for security, maintenance, physical plant
personnel and first responders, and keeping the info current.
 Reviewing risks, both natural and human-made, for local area, building and records
storage area.
 Reviewing facilities’ layout noting fire doors, fire suppression systems, evacuation
routes, locations of stairs, exit doors, fire hoses, fire extinguishers, emergency lights,
alarm pull boxes, sprinkler shut-off valves and first-aid kits.
 Listing priority collections, including vital records and their locations.
 Identifying resources for salvage efforts such as workspace, extra help and local expertise
which are already in place. Obtaining basic salvage equipment like absorbent paper,
plastic sheeting, ventilation fans, and gloves and folding tables.
 Having extra back-up copies of the disaster plan, inventories of financial records,
insurance policy and first responders contact info safely STORED OFF-SITE.
Deciding which collections of records take priority for salvage after a disaster is a must. For the
Robert M. Myers Archives the important consideration is the degree to which collections are
integral to the history, mission and lives of SVD confreres in North America. History is written
via evidence gleaned from primary sources, and these are the most important records in the
archives. The records of the North American provinces express the work and decision making of
the SVD. Province records, such as land and incorporation records, almost all completely unique,
describe the founding of Techny. Provincial records and publications detail the creation of other
houses in the province. The Archives also preserves important personal papers of confreres
describing mission activity in the U. S. and abroad.
Fire, the most common hazard, almost always results in water damage since there are few
sources of ignition in archives, and records are usually stored in rooms segregated from
spreading fires. Floods present the same challenges to paper records as water damage. The
shelves and cartons that house records usually protect them from intermingling or jumbling
during disasters.
After any disaster, staff performs salvage triage to assess damage and minimize loss. Triage
decisions are based on the sensitivity of damaged records according to the physical media
holding the information, and collection priorities.
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Human safety is paramount. After receiving word from first responders that it is safe to re-enter
the building, salvage triage begins. Records must be treated within a 24 to 48 hour window after
the disaster to prevent permanent loss, most often from mold. If the quantity of damaged books,
paper and other material is small, then it is possible for the archives staff to perform the salvage.
For example:
 Paper records should be separated into piles no taller than ¼ inch high, interleaved with
absorbent paper and air dried. Interleaving paper should be monitored frequently and
replaced when wet.
 Books which are damp or partially wet should be stood on their top or bottom edge, open
90o to air dry. Soaked books can be interleaved with absorbent paper (no more than 20%)
and air dried. Soaked books should be monitored frequently and absorbent paper replaced
when wet.
 Magnetic and digital media should be separated and set out to air dry.
A crucial part of salvage triage is determining if archives staff alone can safely and effectively
perform the salvage.
If the amount of damaged records is large, and it cannot be reasonably salvaged by the archives
staff in time then professional salvage is necessary. Established restoration companies have the
personnel and equipment to arrest the growth of mold on paper by freezing:
 Paper records should be wrapped in wax or freezer paper and packed supported and
standing on end, filling containers no more than 90% and frozen. These can be thawed
out at a later date and processed professionally
 Digital media can be left out to air dry
The Robert M. Myers Archives is responsible for the long term preservation and access to the
records of the province. Planning for disaster mitigation, salvage and contacting necessary
personnel beforehand, can make the difference between a successful recovery from a disaster and
a tragedy that permanently impairs the institution’s ability to carry out its mission.
By Peter Gunther
New Titles
God’s people on the Move: Biblical and Global Perspectives on Migration and Mission edited
by vanThanh Nguyen, SVD and John M. Prior, SVD, 2014.
“Global in scope and ecumenical in spirit, this biblical and theological study on migration
makes a genuine contribution to the church’s reflection on the meaning of migration. Drawing on
both biblical and missiological studies, the essays collected here demonstrate that the migration
of peoples is deeply embedded in our biblical history. The staggering plight of migrant peoples
today not only calls for a response of justice and compassion but invites us to probe into our
understanding of God and of human dignity.”
Donald Senior, President emeritus, Catholic
Theological Union, Chicago, IL.
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May the Holy Triune God Live in our Hearts: St. Arnold: Father, Leader, Founder by Fr.
Stanley Plutz, SVD, 2014
The Divine Word Missionaries Embrace the people of the Whole World. St. Joseph
Freinademetz, the Missionary by Stanley Plutz, SVD, 2014.
The above two articles are shelved together in a report binder in the SVD Resource
Center and are also available at the Divine Word website.
Saint John Paul the Great: His Five Loves by Jason Evert, 2014.
“Amid the great array of John Paul bios, this one stands out because of the evident love
the author has for his subject. In this telling, love draws out new riches and makes a familiar
story fresh and new.”
Fr. Michael Gaitley, MIC
Discontinued Journal: Asian Ethnology
As important as it is for the archives to acquire SVD publications, both new and old,
occasionally we have to evaluate the publications that we collect. This is especially true of
periodicals and journals. During the beginning of the archives when the Chicago Province moved
into the Province Center, Fr. John Donaghey was determined to provide a collection of
background information and worthwhile reading. We owe Fr. Donaghey a thank you for the
quality of our collection in books, periodicals and journals.
However, it eventually became necessary to evaluate how much the journal and periodical
collection was actually used by the Province Center staff and the SVDs who worked in the
center. The answer was almost never and so the first subscriptions to be eliminated were the
commercial periodicals. Our emphasis is on collecting SVD publications, from anywhere in the
world, especially when there is a mission connection to the SVDs who are retired and/or work at
Techny.
Overtime, electronic publication became more prevalent and we took a look at whether or not we
should pay for the paper version of publications that are seldom used. The most recent title to
receive this scrutiny is Asian Ethnology, which is produced by the Nanzan Institute for Religion
and Culture in cooperation with Boston University’s Department of Religion. Since it is an open
access journal available through its website and CTU, the archives will no longer receive copies
after Volume 73, 2014.
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