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 28 NOVEMBER 1944 -
First Lieutenant John S. "Rusty" Denison, pilot of "Playmate 21", departed Morotai
at 0545 with orders to cover a strike on Cebu. He reached his rendezvous point at Baliango
Point at 1045, but no fighter escort appeared, so he landed and discharged his passenger,
a Filipino Lieutenant. At 1145, he took off, his fighter cover was in the area but he was
unable to contact them, so he proceeded to Dipolog, landing at 1245, where he rescued four
survivors who had been brought to the contact point by Filipino Guerillas. He took off at
1300, landing at Morotai at 1750. The survivors were 2Lt Arthur R. Schnell, and Captain
Richard A. West, 8th Fighter Group who had belly landed their P-38's in a rice paddy at
Dapatan 13 November and 15 November 1944 respectively. Second Lieutenant William H. Wise
and Sgt Robert N. Dresnell both of the 72nd Bomb Squadron who had parachuted from their
B-24 into the water off Salino Island on 7 November. Natives rescued them and took them to
Dipolog. All survivors were returned to Morotai, the rescue ship landing at 1750.
Rescued crewmembers: 2Lt Arthur R. Schnell, and Captain Richard A. West, 8th
Fighter Group, 2Lt William H. Wise and Sgt Robert N. Dresnell both of the 72nd Bomb
Squadron
AIRCRAFT: PBY- 5A BuNo 48393 CALLSIGN: "PLAYMATE
21" CREW: (P) 1Lt John S. Denison
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