ADRIFT ON RUBBER RAFT

Otago Daily Times, Issue 25736, 6 January 1945, Page 6

ADRIFT ON RUBBER RAFT

CREW OF LIBERATOR BOMBER HELPED BY FRIENDLY NATIVES NEW YORK, Jan. 4. Four men who baled out of a flaming Liberator reached their base after spending 33 days on a rubber raft and 16 days with friendly natives, says the United Press correspondent in the Philippines. Altogether 10 airmen baled out. Two were killed by Japanese airmen, who strafed them as they struggled in the water, two others were rescued independently, and two are still missing. A navy bomber dropped a raft and an emergency radio set, water, and food on the first day after the airmen had floated for hours in Mae West jackets. Their fresh water was soon exhausted, and salt water spoilt their rations, except for canned cheese, which lasted 11 days. While hiding beneath rubber sheets they caught birds which alighted on the raft, and ate them. With their hands one day they caught a 3001 b bluefish, which they were unable to haul on to their 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 the position where they baled out. It took 10 hours tc paddle to shore. They lay all night, too exhausted to knock down coconuts hanging above them. Next morning friendly natives gave them rice and cooked bananas) and all became ill. The natives transferred them to another island when the Japanese approached.