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Topic: Rescue of Eddie Rickenbacker and PT-26 |
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David Waples
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Posted on: Jul 6, 2016 - 8:55pm
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I'm listening to an audiobook called The Aviators by Winston Groom. Great way to pass the time in traffic to and from work. In the middle of this book I hear a story about PT boats that I've never heard before, or at least forgotten about. There's barely a mention of it on this site and just a few pages devoted to it in Bulkley's "At Close Quarters".
Anyway, I'm listening to the story of a B-17 crew flying over the Pacific to Hawaii when they discover that their navigation instruments are not functioning and they are forced to ditch. What's special about this particular B-17 is that it's carrying Capt. Eddie Rickenbacker on a military mission. Yes, that Eddie Rickenbacker the "Ace of Aces". The aircraft is lost and is forced to ditch in the open ocean. The entire crew gets out of the plane alive.
To cut to the chase the crew is adrift for 21 days before they are discovered by a Navy OS2U Kingfishers. Capt. Rickenbacker is discovered by Lt. William F. Eadie who lands his plane. Lt. Eadie notifies base that they have recovered one of the boats holding Capt. Rickenbacker. Capt. Eddie can't fly them out due to weight so he decided to take one on board and Capt. Rickenbacker and another crew member are strapped to the wings. Lt. Eadie proceeds to taxi the float plane back towards base 40 miles away. PT's 21, 23, 25, and 26 attached to the tender USS Hilo are dispatched immediately and involved in the rescue. PT-21locates and picks up Capt. Cherry who was the captain of the B-17 and PT-26 meets the Kingfisher and takes on Capt. Rickenbacker to be transported back to base and safety. Capt. Rickenbacker who has never seen a PT Boat before asks for tour of the boat.
Rickenbacker who flew in WWI and was America's leading Ace, survived an airliner crash, and then survives a B-17 crash in the open Pacific is saved by Kingfishers and PT Boats. Capt. Rickenbacker lived a long life. What a hell of a guy he was.
I'm so glad I came across this story. You can learn more by Google search, in part IV of "At Close Quarters" section 2 "The Cruise of the "Hilo", and in the book I'm listening to now, "The Aviators". Another incredible story involving PT Boats in WWII.
Have any of you come across more about this story? I would love to hear about it.
Dave
David Waples |
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TED WALTHER
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Posted on: Jul 7, 2016 - 8:38am
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Dave;
Somewhere I have a copy of a RON 1 letter from I believe, Clinton McKellar to the daughter of a crewmember, detailing Midway Ops and this rescue. I will email it when I find it. The plane they were in was B-17 D 40-3089, 13th Air Force, 5th Bombardment Group, 11th Bombardment Squadron, they were flying from Hickam to Kanton Airfield Kiribati
Until then, here are two good write ups of the rescue:
http://www.homeofheroes.com/wings/part1/8_newwar.html
http://fly.historicwings.com/2012/11/adrift-at-sea/
Take care,
TED
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Drew Cook
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Posted on: Jul 7, 2016 - 2:48pm
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Dave,
Years ago, I think when I was in grade school, I read an account of the ditching and survival saga of the Rickenbacker group.
I seem to remember that one or two of the younger guys in the crew died, while Rickenbacker, who was over 50 at the time, lost a lot of weight but survived.
Also in my dim memory I seem to remember the story being presented as an example of an older, more mature and life-experienced individual (Rickenbacker) being able to press on and survive while a younger, more callow and less experienced person (the guys that died) might tend to give up hope more quickly/sooner...
Also remember reading "The Raft," about three Navy aircrew that survived weeks at sea after a ditching during WWII...one of many Scholastic Book Service paperbacks I bought and read in grade school.
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TED WALTHER
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Posted on: Jul 7, 2016 - 4:00pm
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Drew;
You are correct.
Sergeant Alex T. Kaczmarczyk, USAAC/AF , year of birth 1920, Torrington Litchfield County Connecticut, USA. Death: Nov. 3, 1942.
He started in 1940 and was originally assigned to 74th Bombardment Squadron in Panama’s Canal Zone. He was the Flight Engineer. Then admin transferred to 19th BG. He was originally assigned to B-17F, 41-24448, ‘Taxpayer’s Pride’. Here is how he came to get on that plane, just bad luck.
http://www.kensmen.com/133January_2016.pdf (See page 9)
Take care,
TED
P.S. The B-24 quoted in the story was probably an LB 30 since it is stated as being assigned to ATC , either way the actual plane was B-17D 40-3089.
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David Waples
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Posted on: Jul 7, 2016 - 7:51pm
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Thanks guys. Rickenbacker was one serious bad ass! He survived the early days of car racing when many were seriously injured or killed. He survived an airline crash and was reported dead in the hospital while he listed on the radio. He threw something at the radio he was so pissed off. He removed himself from medication and recovered. Then the B-17 crash and stranded at sea for 21 days. Then he lives to be 83 years old.
There's a pretty good video of Arthur Godfrey on YouTube with an older Eddie Rickenbacker landing a Spad XIII. I believe it's a promotional film for Eastern Airlines and their Super Connies. It's worth the time to sit down and watch.
I didn't know too much about Rickenbacker outside his WWI experience. Just an amazing man.
Dave
David Waples |
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