ANOTHER RESCUE

Dominion, Volume 37, Issue 123, 19 February 1944, Page 7

ANOTHER RESCUE

• (R.N.Z.A.F. Official News Service.) GUADALCANAL, February 16. Solomons-based Catalinas have carried out a second gallant sea rescue, th.s time under exceptionally difficult sea conditions. Five members of a United States Liberator crew were rescued. Inc Liberator got into difficulties when returning from a raid on the and wgs lost while making a forced landing in the sea. . , The survivors were adrift six days before being located by a New Zealan’ Catalina, whose rescue effort brougnt the New Zealanders’ “score’ of Amen can flyers rescued to 16 in two days. The Catalina had just turned for home after a routine patrol, when smoke wa. noticed from the Americans’ flare signals from four rafts lashed together. Alter circling while making an unsuccessiul attempt to contact the Catalina s base to advise of the proposed sea landing, the crew made preparations for landing on the open sea. Bombs were jettisoned, and the usual procedure for forced landing carried out. The Catatlina was still carrying a large supply of petrol, and had a full crew of nine. A heavy white-capped sea was running, whipped along by a fresh wind,, and the Catalina came down fairly heavily. rivets were shorn off, and the hull began to make water, but the electric bilge pumps kept it under control. Inc Cat tlina taxied to windward, so that t.ie rafts drifted alongside, and the Americans were helped aboard. Facing a rough-water take-off, the Catalina was headed into the swell ano wind, but could not be held in that position, and eventually had to take oft we 1 across wind. The flying boat landed at its base five hours later. . . The Americans were in fair physical condition despite their six days’ exposure. They had a terrifying experience when making the sea landing in the Liberator, as the big craft dived into the sea an I broke in two. Two of the crew were not seen again after the crash, and three others disappeared when struggling to gain the life rafts, despite the desperate efforts of their comrades. Though curing the six days adrift sharks attacked the Americans’ rafts, sea-markers thrown into the water succeeded in driving them away.