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18 APRIL 1945 - Second Lieutenant Earl Hutchings, pilot of "Playmate 46", departed Zamboanga (Mindanao) [map] at 0624, arriving at his orbit point off Cotabato at 0725. One hour later, he received a radio message to proceed to a point 15 miles Southwest of Bongo Island and standby for further instructions. He arrived at his destination at 0900 and was instructed to land along side the Destroyer, USS Robinson and prepare to take two airmen aboard. The airmen, S/Sgt D.W. Glove and Sgt Thomas N. McCoy, members of the Marine Air Group 32, were transferred to the Catalina without difficulty. Lt Hutchings then proceeded to his orbit point and landed on the water to conserve fuel. At 1620, he departed for his base. At 1645 he received a message to search for two P-38 pilots reported down in the vicinity of Bongo Island. He searched until 1745 when a destroyer radioed that they had rescued one of the pilots. Due to a diminished fuel supply, the search was abandoned and he returned to his base at Zamboanga, arriving at 1929. The two marine airmen were transferred to the Station Hospital.

Rescued men: S/Sgt D.W. Glove and Sgt Thomas N. McCoy

AIRCRAFT: OA-10A   44-33880  CALLSIGN:  "PLAYMATE 46" CREW: (P) 2Lt Earl Hutchings

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