MISSION REPORT: 23 April 1945

MISSION REPORT - RESCUES - 05
[Back][Next]

23 APRIL 1945
First Lieutenant Robert T. Davis, pilot of "Playmate Three Six", departed Puerto Princessa (Palawan) for Eldad Reef, approximately 280 miles west of Puerto Princessa. Lieutenant Davis arrived at his destination at 1110 and searched the area with negative results. He then proceeded around the reef and sighted six men on the northwestern shore of the reef and Sand Bay, 114°25' E, 10°20' N. Lieutenant Davis landed off the reef and took the six survivors aboard at 1145. At 1212, he was airborne again and landed at Puerto Princessa at 1505. The survivors were obliged to ditch on Eldad Reef while returning from a bombing and strafing run over Indo-China.
[photo 1][photo 2][photo 3][photo 4][photo 5][photo 6]

MISSION: Rescue men B-25 crew on Eldad Reef - timeline documented by the crew and submitted with Squadron History:

0820:	Airborne, Puerta Princessa.
0832:	Table Point, set course for Eldad Reef.
1118:	Arrived Eldad Reef, no one sighted. Proceeded to comb adjacent reefs.
1128:	6 men sighted on sand cay.
1130:	Men rowing south from southern shore, 5 men in 2, 5 man life dighies. 1 man seriously injured, lying at bottom of raft. [Photo]
1145:	Landed, survivors brought aboard.
1218:	Airborn Sand Cay, set course for Puerto Princessa.
1505:	Landed, Puerto Princessa, rescued men were: Lt Henry S. Dutch; Lt. Stein; Lt. Tabock; Cpl Tripp; Cpl Lohmeier; Cpl Bender; all from the 70th Bomb Sq. (M) 42nd Bomb Grp.

	Download the actual mission report taken from the microfilm

AIRCRAFT TYPE : OA-10A*
USAAF SERNO: 44-33878 (CV-328)**
CALLSIGN: "Playmate 36"
CREW: (Pilot) 1st Lt. Robert T. Davis; (Co-pilot) Flight Officer Jack Leonard; (Navigator) 1st Lt. Laurence B. Craig; (Engineer) Sergeant Troyer; (Radio) Corporal Baumgartner; (Radar) Corporal Riggs

[Back][Next]
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
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
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

MORE RESCUES BY MONTH

JULY '44 - AUGUST '44 - SEPTEMBER '44 - OCTOBER '44 - NOVEMBER '44 - DECEMBER '44 - JANUARY '45
FEBRUARY '45 - MARCH '45 - APRIL '45 - MAY '45 - JUNE '45 - JULY '45 - AUGUST '45 - SEPTEMBER '45
OCTOBER '45 - NOVEMBER '45 - DECEMBER '45

1