33 DAYS ON RAFT

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXXII, Issue 21604, 5 January 1945, Page 4

33 DAYS ON RAFT

U.S. AIRMEN’S ORDEAL BIRDS AND FISH CAUGHT DRIFTED OVER 400 MILES (10 a.m.) NEW YORK, Jan. 4. Four men who baled out of a naming Liberator reached their base alter spending 33 days on a rubber raft and Hi days with friendly natives, says the United Press correspondent in the Philippines. Altogether 10 airmen bailed out. Two were killed by Japanese airmen who strafed them as they struggled in the water, two others wore rescued independently and two are still missing. A Navy bomber dropped a raft, an emergency radio set. water and food on the first, day after the airmen had floated for hours in “May West” jackets. The fresh water was soon exhausted and salt, water spoiled the rations except the canned cheese which lasted for H davs. While the men were hiding beneath rubber sheets, they caught ■birds which alighted on the raft ancl ate them while the flesh was still warm. The fliers also became expert ot catching fish with their hands. One dav they caught a 3001 b. bluefish which they were unable to haul on to the raft. Their prayers for rain were answered by a tropical deluge which almost drowned them. . . . , On the thirty-third day they sighted an island which was 400 miles from fhe position where they bailed out. It took 10 hours to paddle to the shore. Thev lay all night too exhausted to knock down the coconuts hanging above them. Next morning friendly natives gave them vice and cooked bananas." All became ill and the •natives transferred them to another island when the Japanese approached.