MISSION REPORT - RESCUES - 07
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20 JUNE 1945
Second Lieutenant Warner A. Britton, pilot of "Playmate Four Six", departed Zamboanga at 0715, reaching the orbit point in Sarangani Bay at 0910. At 0930, he departed for urgent message stating that survivors had been sighted on the western shore of Sarangani Bay near the town of Supu. One hour later the survivors were sighted on shore (06°03'N 125°08'E)  by the rescue plane, which landed at 1158 and taxied toward the shore. Three of the survivors swam out to the plane. The remaining four survivors, having sustained severe burns, cuts and bruises were brought to the rescue plane in a dinghy to the Catalina. When all the survivors were aboard, the rescue plane took off and departed for immediately for Zamboanga arriving at 1415. The survivors were transferred to the Marine Hospital.

The survivors, members of VNB 611 were as follows: Major Richard Davis, Lieutenant John Coons, M/Sgt J.L. Fritz, S/Sgt Richard R. Carveth, Cpl Joseph Joyce, S/Sgt Paul T. Flynn, and Cpl Clifford A. Bombard. Major Davis stated that while skip bombing from a low altitude in the vicinity of Sarangani Bay, 19 June, a fragment from one of their bombs damaged one engine setting it on fire. Soon the whole ship was engulfed on flames and the pilot crash landed immediately about nine miles inland from Supu. The crew miraculously escaped from the burning ship. Friendly Filipinos assisted them to Supu where they were cared for until their rescue on 20 June. This plane was reported to have gone down in flames 19 June by survivors picked up by Lieutenant Hutchings.

AIRCRAFT: OA-10A*    
USAAF SERNO: 44-33933  (CV-438)**  
CALLSIGN
"Playmate 46"  

CREW
:
(Pilot) 2nd Lt. Warner A. Britton; (Co-Pilot) 2nd Lt. Joyce R. Aly; (Navigator) Captain R.D. Toms; (Engineer) Tech Sergeant L. Rose; (Radio) Pfc Robert W. Logan; (Radar) Staff Sergeant Walter J. Ortman; (Surgical Tech) Corporal W.J. Shorette


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The narrative of these rescues was compiled and published in April 1946 from logbooks of pilots, notes, letters, and other
information by secretary Marina G. de Guzman in Pampanga, Philippines.

  * Aircraft produced at Canadian Vickers Ldt, Cartierville, Quebec, Canada
** Canadian Vickers contract number that was unique to each aircraft produced by at the Cartierville, Quebec plan
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