03 DECEMBER 1944
First Lieutenant John M. Baum, pilot of "Playmate One Four", departed Middleburg Island at 0800 with orders to cover an A-20 strike in the Kaoe area of Helmaheras. While enroute to the target Lieutenant Baum received orders to proceed immediately to 01°N, 125°0'E, to rescue three men in a life raft, sighted by an RAAF Beaufighter pilot, who was circling the survivors. Lieutenant Baum sighted the raft at 1255, landed and took the survivors aboard. He returned to his base at 1830. The survivors, members of the 30th Squadron, RAAF Beaufighters, were Pilot F/L R. Barber, Navigator F/O E. Ryan and photographer Sgt A.C. Power. Pilot Barber received a deep laceration over the right temporal region in addition to several bruises and lacerations of his hands and body. His general condition was good. The Flight Surgeon administered first aid and made the injured feel comfortable. The others were unhurt. Pilot Barber states that while he was strafing a radar station in the Celebes, his port wing struck a tree, damaging it so extensively that he was forced to ditch his plane 20 minutes later, off Lambon Island in the Celebes. All crewmembers escaped.

SURVIVORS:   30 Squadron, RAAF, Beaufighter A19-195 - Pilot F/L R. Barber (35770), F/O E. Ryan (409612), Photographer Sgt A.C. Power

RAAF REPORT:
Whilst attacking radar instrallations on Lembeh Island Celebes Beaufighter aircraft A19-195 with F/L Barber (35770) as pilot and F/O Ryan (409612) as Navigator struck a tree damaging the aircraft to such an extent that the pilot was forced to ditch in the sea at 0950 hours - the pilot and navigator were uninjured and gained the wing dingy before the aircraft sank 15 seconds after ditching - the crew were picked up at 1230 by USN Catalina and landed at Morotai at 1500.

AIRCRAFT: OA-10A* 
USAAF SERNO: 44-33??? 
CALLSIGN:  "Playmate 14" 
CREW: (Pilot) 1st Lt. John M. Baum