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 27 JULY 1944 -
On the first operational mission, First Lieutenant John S.
("Rusty") Denison and his crew took off
for Geelvink Bay, New Guinea in aircraft
44-33876, in search of a B-24 crew reported to have
gone down early on the morning of 26 July 1944. Lieutenant Denison searched the area for
seven hours, finally sighting a raft about two miles off the starboard wing. He circled
the raft and identified it as a US Air Force life raft. He landed downwind and taxied up
to the survivors and took them aboard at 1600. Rescue was effected at 01°30'S, 135°00'E.
Five men were in the raft, all uninjured. They reported that while on a mission over the Southern Celebes,
one engine was shot out by a projectile of large caliber which ripped through the hull,
seriously wounding the bombardier in the abdomen. As the disabled ship proceeded toward
its base, another engine which had also been damaged, cut out and they were forced to
ditch in the bay about ten miles off shore. Four crewmembers went down with the ship. The
wounded bombardier was recovered but died during the night. These men had been in the raft
30 hours and were in fairly good physical condition. After being taken aboard the rescue
ship the survivors were given hot drinks and food and returned to their base.
See the story
written by Andrew Hendrie in a book called "FLYING CATS."
Rescued men:
(Pilot) First Lieutenant William J. Amos (Co-Pilot), Second
Lieutenant W. A. Bush (Navigator), Second Lieutenant Louis Moore (Engineer),
Staff Sergeant H. W. Talley (Radio), Staff Sergeant B. M. Gonzales
AIRCRAFT
TYPE:
OA-10A*
USAAF
SERNO:
44-33876
(CV-326)**
CALLSIGN:
"Daylight
One Three"
CREW:
(Pilot) 1Lt John
S. Denison, (Co-Pilot) 2Lt Eric A. Lakes, (Navigator) 2Lt Peter Y. Naylor, (Radio)
Cpl Raymond B. Bean, (Radar) Sgt George
E. Bock, (Surgical Tech) Sgt
Franklin E. Besse
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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 the Cartierville, Quebec plant
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