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 15 FEBRUARY 1945 - First Lieutenant
John R. Dickinson, pilot of "Playmate
Four Two", departed Morotai at 0500 arriving at Balison Island, 150 miles North of the
Celebes at 0910. He started a parallel search in the vicinity of 05°08'N, 124°00'E. At
1330, he received a message stating that a P-38 reconnaissance plane was in trouble North
of Talaud Island. Lieutenant Dickinson contacted the Snafu pilot by radio and advised him
to land his plane or bail out over the bay on the Eastern shore of Talaud where the water
would be smooth enough to land the rescue ship. The P-38 pilot was undecided whether to
bail out or ditch. At 1420, Lieutenant Dickinson sighted the P-38 circling. The pilot then
turned his ship over on its back and bailed out, landing in the sheltered water of the
bay. Lieutenant Dickinson landed his ship near by and effected the rescue of Lieutenant
Martin B. Knox, 17th Photo Squadron, 4th Photo Group, at 1430. The rescued pilot was
unhurt and was returned to Morotai at 1630.
Lieutenant Knox stated that he was
on a photographic mission and had taken 150 good pictures before the weather closed in. He
became lost and was running low on gas when he elected to leave the plane as he could not
make his base.
RESCUED P-38 PILOT:
Lt Martin B.
Knox, 17th Photo Squadron, 4th Photo Group
AIRCRAFT
TYPE:
OA-10A*
USAAF SERNO:
44-33???
CALLSIGN:
"Playmate Four
Two"
CREW:
(Pilot) 1Lt
John R.
Dickinson
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*
Aircraft produced at Canadian Vickers Ldt, Cartierville, Quebec, Canada
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