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 16 SEPTEMBER
1944 - First Lieutenant Jarvis T.
"Yag" Yagla, pilot of "Daylight Special", was orbiting near
Morotai Island, standing by for distress calls in that area. At
1425, a radio message was received ordering him to proceed to Cape Lolabata, Northern
Halmaheras, and search for a Hellcat pilot who had ditched his plane in
Lolabata Bay. While
enroute to his coordinates, Lieutenant Yagla received another message that a second pilot
had ditched his damaged plane in the sea, one mile off Lolabata. Upon approaching the
first pilot, Lieutenant Yagla noted the survivor was being approached by Navy PT boats and
so proceeded to the second "Snafu" down in the sea, one mile off Lolabata. The
PBY was landed in a rough sea, taxied to the survivor, took him aboard and departed
hastily, since the surviving pilot and PBY were under fire from enemy shore batteries. As
the PBY approached, the Japs concentrated their fire on it, but fortunately no hits were
registered. A dual purpose gun opened up on them one shell exploding in the sea 100 feet
astern the taxiing rescue ship. The rescued pilot, who was unhurt, was disrobed, wrapped
in blankets, given hot drinks and returned to
Middleburg Island
.
Lieutenant Yagla attempted to
cover the PT boats in their rescue but was driven off by enemy fire. However, the rescue
was ultimately effected. Lieutenant Yagla and his co-pilot, First Lieutenant George A.
Barnes deserve the highest praise for their daring and dangerous rescue.
RESCUED MAN:
1 Navy "Hellcat" pilot
AIRCRAFT
TYPE:
OA-10A*
USAAF SERNO:
44-33882
(CV-336)**
CALLSIGN:
"Daylight
Special"
CREW:
(Pilot)
1Lt Jarvis T. Yagla, (Co-Pilot) 1Lt George A. Barnes, (Navigator) 2Lt Peter V.
"PBY" Taylor, (Engineer) T/Sgt Robert S. Jones, (Radio) Pfc Theodore Fialkowski,
(Radio) Sgt James B. Standridge, (Surgical Tech) Sgt Woodrow H. Hayes, (Ph) Sgt
Dirla
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*
Aircraft produced at Canadian Vickers Ldt, Cartierville, Quebec, Canada
** Canadian Vickers contract number that was unique to each
aircraft produced by at Cartierville
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