23 NOVEMBER 1944
First Lieutenant John R. Dickinson, pilot of "Playmate One Three", took off from Middleburg Island at 0200 with 1750 gallons of gas with orders to search for a P-38 pilot reported shot down off Makassar Town, Southwest tip of the Celebes. On the trip down Lieutenant Dickinson sighted a cluster of lights in Waperan and Waeplace Villages, together with large numbers of lights at 3 degrees 05'S, 126 degrees 49'E. At 0700 ten single masted boats and three schooners were seen at Wantji, on Wantji Island, none of which were underway. At 0815 three 150 foot enemy vessels were seen underway in a bay at 5 degrees 41'S, 122 degrees 45'E. The rescue plane was joined by a fighter cover of P-38's at 0950 and then proceeded to their orbit point arriving at 1015. At 1115 a life raft was sighted by one of the escort planes about seven miles West of Makassar. The raft was showing sea marker and mirror flashes. The landing was made at 1145 and First Lieutenant Charles R. Strader Jr. was taken aboard. The landing gear was lowered to assist in taxiing. The motors were not cut due to the close proximity to enemy fighter strips. However, the hinge in the strut well door broke and 20 minutes were required to remove the door before the jammed gear could be raised. Take off was made at 1205. The escort, having been with the Cat for three hours were low on gas and were dispersed at 1245. The rescue plane landed at Middleburg at 1945 with but 40 gallons of fuel left in the tanks. Total time in the air for that Cat was 18 hours and 15 minutes. The P-38's remained in the air ten hours and 15 minutes. Lieutenant Strader was unhurt, but suffering from exposure and nervous shock. He related the following events: On 22 November 1944, his Squadron while on a mission over Makassar, strafing enemy airfields, and shipping, encountered heavy enemy fire which disabled two P-38's. Both ships crashed  just off the town. His companion, Colonel Westbrook, apparently went down with his ship. Lieutenant Strader had his oxygen mask on and estimated that he went down 40 feet before extracting himself. He came to the surface, partially inflated his life raft, turned the blue side up and hid under it. He inflated his life vest just enough to hold him up. Japanese surface craft searched for him for the remainder of the day and throughout the night. On numerous occasions he was almost run down by enemy surface craft, but he skillfully concealed himself and held on, in spite of increasing fatigue and exhaustion. About 1100, the day of the rescue, he heard planes approaching and after assuring himself that they were friendly, he flashed his mirror and turned his raft over, yellow side up. The coolness and courage displayed by Lieutenant Strader in escaping from his ship and then avoiding capture by the Japs is a tribute to American fortitude and desire to fight on.

MISSION: Search for P-38 pilot down off Makassar - timeline documented by the crew and submitted with Squadron History:

0200:	Took off from Middleburg Island with 1750 gallons of gas. It flew through thunderstorms for the first hour, then ran into good weather.
0510:	Ten miles north of Namlea clusters of lights were seen in Waperan and Waeplaeo villages, a fire was seen at 03 degrees 09'S, 126 degrees 53'E and large numbers of lights, some quite large, at 03 degrees 05'S, 126 degrees 53'E.
0700:	10 single masted boats and 3 schooners were seen at Wantji on Wantji Island. None were under way.
0815:	Three ships estimated 150 feet long were seen under way in a bay at 05�41'S, 122�45'E. Due to distance, an accurate estimate of size could not be made. These were not seen in the bay at 1400, on return.
0915:	Arrived at rendezvous point, due to tailwind.
0950:	Rainbow 7 arrived. The VHF set was turned on at intervals for communication.
1015:	Reached orbit point and orbited until 1115, when Ballot while relayed through Rainbow 7 a report that a life raft was seen at 56 Foxy. Cat proceeded to this position and sighted a P-38 circling the raft which was seven miles west of Makassar. Raft was showing sea marker and pilot was flashing a mirror.
1145:	Landed was made and Lt. Strader was taken aboard, apparently in good condition. Position was 05 degrees 07'S, 119 degrees18'E. Landing gear was lowered to assist in taxiing and the hinge on the strut well door broke, jamming the gear. The well door was removed.
1205:	Take off was made.
1245:	Escort was dispersed east of the orbit point after having been with the Cat almost three hours.
1445:	Auxilliary power unit was coaxed to run for a few minutes and a position report and ETA were sent in. From 1830 to 1900 unsuccessful attempts were made to charge the batteries with the APU.
1845:	Atlantic was called on voice and informed that the IFF was inoperative and the ETA was 1945. Orders were received to land at the Mar Strip.
1945:	Arrived at Middleburg Island at 9000 feet.
2005:	Landed at Mar. There were 40 gallons of gas left in the tanks. Lt Strader was placed in an ambulance for routine check at the hospital, and the Cat returned to Middleburg. Rescued pilot was; 1st Lt. Charles R. Strader, Jr., ASN 0758249, 339th Fighter Sqdn., 347th Fighter Group, APO 159.
	Download the actual mission report taken from the microfilm

See the painting of this rescue! Read the "Ode to the 2nd ERS" as written by Charles Strader! Read the newspaper article from 1988 where Charles Strader and Clarence Solander finally met!

See the certificate by 1st Lt George Dubis of the 67th Fighter Squadron. [see original certificate]
 
See the Letter of Commendation that Frank Rauschkolb received for this mission.

AIRCRAFT TYPE: OA-10A*   
USAAF SERNO: 44-33878  (CV-324)** 
CALLSIGN:  "Playmate 13"
 CREW: (Pilot) 1st Lt. John R. Dickinson; (Co-Pilot) 1st Lt. Frank Rauschkolb; (Navigator) 1st Lt. Frank W. Abele; (Engineer) Staff Sergeant Oral M. Lawson; (Radio) Sergeant W. D. Craighead; (Radar) Staff Sergeant Robert J. Jennings; (Surgical Tech) Sergeant Joseph W. Gutmann