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01 DECEMBER 1944 - First Lieutenant
Larry E. Bormann, pilot of
"Playmate 21", a Navy PBY-5A, [BuNo 48393]
loaned to us while our ships were being repaired
following damage during an enemy bombing raid in November,
departed Morotai at 0550 with orders to cover bomber strikes on Negros. He arrived
at his rendezvous point, with fighter escort, at 1100 and departed at 1240 to search for a
Snafu reported to have gone down at 08�55'N, 123�20'E, North of Tagola Point, Mindanao.
Lieutenant Bormann arrived at the designated coordinates, landed in a very rough sea and picked up
seven survivors. Since the sea was rising rapidly and his fuel was running low he elected
to discontinue the search and at 1450 took off for his base. He dropped. He dropped a
message to a Guerilla Lieutenant at Baliango Point requesting that they continue searching
for three missing flyers. He arrived at Morotai at 1930. The survivors,
Second Lieutenant Pete Potterpin,
Second Lieutenant Gene J. Kurkowski, Technical Sergeant James D. Owenby,
Staff Sergeant John W. Pangburn, S/Sgt Sherrod W. Gillis, and T/Sgt
Edgar D. Parris. The three missing men are F/O Eugene H. Brush, S/Sgt William
R. Armstrong, and T/Sgt Charles B. Gabour. All
survivors were in good physical condition and reported that their B-24 had been severely
damaged and set fire over the target and they were forced to bail out about ten miles from
the target. Nine chutes were seen to open. All survivors were members of the 394th Bomb
Squadron, 5th Bomb Group.
RESCUED B-24J
44-40964 CREWMEMBERS:
[Photo]
2Lt Pete Potterpin, 2Lt Gene J.
Kurkowski, T/Sgt James D. Owenby,
S/Sgt John W. Pangburn, S/Sgt Sharrod W. Gillis, and T/Sgt Edgar D. Parris
AIRCRAFT
TYPE:
PBY- 5A*
NAVY BUREAU
NO:
BuNo 48393 (NOa(s)-464)**
CALLSIGN:
"Playmate
Two One"
CREW:
(Pilot) 1Lt Larry
E. Bormann,
(Co-Pilot) Ens Orris, (Navigator) 1Lt Peter Y. "PBY" Naylor, (Engineer) AMM 1st Class
Eaddy, (Radio) ARM 1st Class Sererin, (V) SSG Zewart, (Surgical
Tech) SGT Renner
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*
Aircraft produced at Consolidated Aircraft, San Diego, California
** Consolidated contract number that was
given to Bureau numbers Bu48252 to Bu484511
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