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02 AUGUST 1945 - Lieutenant Frank P. Hayes, pilot of
"Playmate Six One", departed Morotai at 0455 in search of a missing B-24 crew that was reported down
in the vicinity of 00°30'N, 126°00'E. Lieutenant Hayes arrived at the search area at
0725. After searching for approximately two hours without success, Lieutenant Hayes
contacted "Playmate 62" and they started for home base together. At 1301 they
were contacted by "Varmint" who had located several rafts at 170° true bearing
from Cape Flesko. At 1515 Lt Hayes located the rafts 20 miles ESE of the location given.
The rafts' actual position was 00°04'S, 124°41'E. A single one man raft and five one man
rafts tied together. Lieutenant Hayes landed his rescue ship at 1540 in heavy swells and
effected the rescue of one man from his raft. He then taxied 2 miles NNE, through heavy
seas to the group of five one man rafts and picked up seven men. At 1630 he taxied North
to find smoother water for take-off. At 1800 Lieutenant Hayes made four unsuccessful
take-off attempts. His rescue ship was overloaded with water from taxiing, and the sea was
just too rough. His crew was frantically bailing water, but large waves crashing over the
ship made the effort futile. At 1850 he made one final attempt and finally the Catalina
became airborne, the navigator's window broken by waves during the run. The radar, radios,
and instruments were damaged by water and were of no use on the return to base. Lieutenant
Hayes landed at Morotai at 2145.
Rescued B-24
crew from the 307th Bomb Group, 372nd Bomb Squadron:
(P) 1Lt Eugene W. Traendly, 0-130716, (CP) 2Lt Erwin I.
Eckstein, 0-2027706, (B) 2Lt Frederick F. Taucher, 0-787360, (E) S/Sgt Harry J. Dugan,
33730231, (Asst. E) S/Sgt Dempsey D. Bankus, 37730231, (Photo) S/Sgt Chester M. Stanhope,
6936821, (Nose gunner) S/Sgt Warren D. Zimmerman, 33707929, (Tail gunner) S/Sgt Joe Daly,
39580975
AIRCRAFT:
OA-10A
USAAF SERNO:
44-34043
CALLSIGN:
"PLAYMATE
Six One"
CREW:
(Pilot) 2Lt Frank P. Hayes, (Co-Pilot) 2Lt Richard E. Costine, (Navigator)
2Lt Gregersen, (Engineer) Sgt Hubbard, (Radio
Operator) Sgt Miller, (Radar Operator) Sgt Hagen, (Surgical
Technician) Sgt Meek
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