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 01 JANUARY 1945 -
Captain Gerard F. Wientjes, pilot of "Playmate
Four Two", departed Morotai
for Tarakan, Borneo at 0255. He arrived at Boengai Island at 0923 and they proceeded to
their destination. As they approached, they sighted numerous mirror flashes and ten men on
the shore, waving frantically. Captain Wientjes circled the area several times to assure
himself that no Japs were in the vicinity. He landed his ship in the sheltered waters of
of the bay at 0955 and taxied inshore. As soon as his plane hit the water, the survivors
started swimming and wading toward the rescue craft. Six men were swimming and pushing
their life raft which contained the two injured men toward the rescue ship. When they
reached the plane, 300 yards off shore, the injured were taken aboard followed by the
others. Two members of the Catalina crew then boarded the raft and rowed ashore to pick up
the remaining four men who were quickly transported to the rescue ship. The raft was then
destroyed.
The engines were started up and the
ship became airborne at 1023; the actual rescue requiring about 30 minutes. During the
taxi run, a Jap patrol boat was observed proceeding along the shore toward the survivors
point of departure. However, they were too far away to exchange fire.
The injured men, each with a
fractured arm were given first aid and made comfortable. The remaining survivors, some of
whom had received minor injuries, were treated disrobed, and clothed in dry blankets. All
survivors were given food, water, and stimulants as they were ravenously hungry and
thirsty. The survivors were in pitiful state, both mentally and physically. They were wet,
covered with mud, and mosquito bites and all of them bordering on acute hysteria. During
the long ride home, the apprehensiveness of the survivors increased to such a degree that
it was necessary to administer sedatives, particularly when Captain Wientjes was ordered
to divert his course to search for another Snafu. This search was negative and the rescue
ship landed at Morotai at 1525.
Read
the story as told by one of the rescued men, 2Lt David J. Gunn.
Rescued B-25 crews:
Plane 1
- P, Lt. Bill Smith; CP, Lt. James Wallace, E, Sgt. Rupert Blackwood; R,
Sgt. Jim Ingram; TG, Sgt. Reginal (Pops) Lansdowne;
Plane 2
- P,
2LT David
Gunn; CP, 2LT Walter Buswell; E, Sgt Chris Strain; R, Sgt Kenneth Allison; TG, Sgt.
Pat Welch; Observer, Capt Mike Murphy; Photographer. Capt. Robert Cohn.
[see a photo of the crew]
AIRCRAFT
TYPE:
OA-10A*
USAAF SERNO:
44-33???
CALLSIGN:
"Playmate
Four Two"
CREW:
(Pilot) Captain Gerard F. Wientjes,
(Co-Pilot)
1Lt William L. Helmantoler
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*
Aircraft produced at Canadian Vickers Ldt, Cartierville, Quebec, Canada
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