Engineman  Third  Class  John  C. Stole,   21,   a   passenger,   suffered compound   fractures   and   internal injuries. He is the son of Mr. and Mrs. Alton H. Stole of 4109 American Ave., Long Beach, Calif. BODY The  body  of  an  accident  story  tells  the  complete story in detail. It maybe developed in either logical or chronological order, but it should be written in a manner appropriate to the subject matter. A straight fact story concerning a plane crash or an auto accident would ordinarily be developed in logical order after the casualties are listed. The most important facts   would   be   presented   first.   An   accident   story, however,   is   most   adaptable   to   chronological   order development.  In  a  heroic  rescue,  for  example,  where dramatic details play an important part, the story would be told in narrative form. STYLE The style for an accident story is the same as for all newswriting. Simplicity, clarity and brevity are essential elements. More than ever, the writer should tell the story and stick to the facts. Maudlin sentimentality or emotionalism — the old “hearts  and  flowers”  routine  —  must  be  avoided Phrases  such  as  “tragic  loss,”  “grief-striken  family” and  “went  to  his  final  reward”  are  the  marks  of  an amateur. They are banned inmost newsrooms. There  are  also  certain  errors  in  syntax  that  are peculiar  to  accident  stories.  Note  the  examples  that follow: Death   may   occur   following   an   operation   or during  an  operation,  but  not  as  a  result  of  an operation.  This implies negligence on the part of the persons performing it. Accidents  happen  and  explosions  occur,  but neither takes place. That would imply they had been  scheduled. Everybody  dies  ultimately  of  heart  failure,  not  of a heart ailment. A fire is not a conflagration until it sweeps a wide area. Conflagrations are rare. A fire approaches conflagration  proportions  only  when  three  or four city blocks are aflame. A fire may damage, destroy, gut or raze a house. It does not, however, partially destroy it or bum it to the ground. Although commonly used, planes do not collide in midair. They may collide on the ground or in the air. There is no way of determining midair. Weather  often  causes  accidents  and  disasters  that make news. In addition, gale warnings, storms at sea and hurricane evacuations play major roles in Navy stories. Simple  weather  terminology,  however,  is  frequently misused by the Navy journalist. To avoid such misuse, some of the more common terms  and  their  definitions  with  which  you  should become familiar are listed as follows: A gale is a strong wind with a velocity of 39 to 54 miles per hour. A storm manifests itself with winds of unusual force, ranging from 54 to 74 miles per hour. It is often accompanied by rain, snow, hail and violent outbursts of thunder and lightning. A hurricane  or typhoon  is a storm of intense severity and violence with winds exceeding 74 miles   per   hour.   The   difference   between   a hurricane  and  a  typhoon  is  mostly  a  matter  of geography.  Storms  west  of  the  international  date line are called typhoons; those east of the line are called hurricanes. Both are identified as cyclones in the Indian Ocean. Certain medical terms crop up in accident stories from  time to time. They should be simplified whenever possible as in the following examples: Abrasions  —  scratches Lacerations  —  cuts Contusions — bruises Trauma — shock Damage   figures   are   also   frequently   used.   You should  keep  in  mind  that  initial  figures  are  usually estimates and should be stated as such. If the figures are unusual   or   high,   they   should   be   attributed   to   the authority who made them. 3-20