CRASHED AMERICAN PLANE

Camp News, Volume 4, Issue 157, 15 January 1943, Page 3

CRASHED AMERICAN PLANE

N.Z. Pilot Picks Up Distress Signals How the detection by a New Zealand air pilot, on patrol in the islands of the South Pacific, of the faint signals from an emergency radio transmitter rigged by the passengers and crew of a United States aeroplane which made a forced landing on a coral reef led to the rescue of the party, which had been marooned for 11 days, is told by States Marines now recuperating in a naval hospital in New Zealand. The United States plane was on its way from an advanced area to a forward base when it met trouble and

was forced to make a crash landing on a coral atoll: It carried little food and water, and the crew and their passengers were soon in dire need. The emergency radio was rigged and SOS signals sent out repeatedly. On the eleventh day after the crash landing they were heard. A New Zealand pilot on patrol in the area picked up faint signals which ran as follows: — “SO'S . . . U.S. plane” (description given) “down on reef” J (giving position) .... “Help . . . We are starving. ...” The marine describes how the New Zealand plane flew over the atoll a little while after and dropped some supplies. Food, cigarettes and tobacco, with medical supplies and a bottle' -of whisky brought muchneeded relief to the distressed party, which was later picked up from the reef and taken to a South Pacific base. “I got drunk on one mouthful of the whisky,” fays the marine. “I blame that on my empty stomach,” he added.