[Back][Next]
 23 NOVEMBER
1944 - Captain
Gerard
F. Wientjes, pilot of "Playmate Two One", departed Pitoe Strip, Morotai at 0620 to
cover B-25 strikes on an airstrip near Cebu City, Cebu Island, arriving at his rendezvous
point at 1200. He circled for 50 minutes with fighter cover when he sighted a B-25 in
distress. A part of one wing had been shot away and the ship crashed into the sea, hitting
the water at 235 MPH. Captain Wientjes landed at 1300 and effected the rescue of
Lieutenant John
Butler, Lieutenant C. B. Keermilly, Staff
Sergeant J. Foties, and Sergeant J. K. Spenser. All survivors were
members of the 71st Bomb Squadron, 38th Bomb Group. Three members of of the crew, two of
whom were wounded, went down with the ship. The survivors were clinging to an un-inflated
life raft. All crew members were in good shape with the exception on Staff
Sergeant Foties, who had been
wounded in the hip by shrapnel. Captain Wientjes took off from the point at 1304 and
landed in Murcielages Bay at 1400 to investigate the presence of
additional survivors. However, none
were found. The rescue plane took off at 1450 and 1500 received a message that a raft had
been sighted at 07°18'N, 119°50'E. Captain Wientjes arrived at the coordinates at 1740,
searched 100 Sq. miles, but no sighting was made. At 1810, he departed for his base
arriving at 0010. Total time in the air on this mission was 18 hours and 50 minutes.
RESCUED B-25
CREWMEMBERS:
Lieutenant John Butler,
Lieutenant B. Keermilly, Staff
Sergeant Jim Foties,
and Sergeant
J. K. Spenser,
71st Bomb Squadron, 38th
Bomb Group
AIRCRAFT
TYPE:
OA-10A
USAAF SERNO:
44-33874
CALLSIGN:
"Playmate
Two One"
CREW:
(Pilot)
Captain Gerard F. Wientjes
[Back][Next]
1 |
