CDR Salamander: Fullbore Friday

Friday, November 19, 2010

Fullbore Friday

9 comments:

Dave Navarre said...: Terrific catch!; 09:58
ewok40k said...: good to hear whole B-29 crew was rescued :)
wasn't Bush the Older also rescued in a similar way?; 10:16
ShawnP said...: A couple of weeks ago my mouth was agape. I was reading the obituary of a World War II veteran in Louisville. He was a Army Air Corps member and his plane was on a bombing run over Yugoslavia and it went down. He was caught by the Gestapo and survived injuries and time in a POW camp. Maybe I am morbid but I enjoy reading the obits of our World War II hero's and saluting them in a way only fellow Servicemembers know how to.; 10:20
Grandpa Bluewater said...: EWOK:

Among many others. "Lifeguard Operations". Also shown in "Operation Pacific" starring (but, of course...John Wayne).

USS Barb (a Permit - i.e., Thresher - class SSN) rescued the crew of a B52, in a hurricane, in the early 70's. Readers' Digest had the article, but no movies were made. The story behind that story is another post. Don't know of any since then.

Fullbore Friday was a cheer up story this week, Thanks. I needed that.; 11:23
The Usual Suspect said...: SH & BZ; 11:29
Peterk said...: here's a link to more info about the Barb's rescue
http://ussbarb596alumni.org/25.html; 21:01
Peterk said...: here is the account of the rescue
http://ussbarb596alumni.org/22.html; 21:02
sea2river said...: President George H. W. Bush was in a Avenger torpebo bomber over Chichi Jima on 2 Sep 1944 when he was shot down. He floated in his life raft for a few hours before being rescued by the crew of USS Finback (SS-230) and commanded by LCDR Robert R. Williams, Jr, USNA '34 (1911-1993). His rescue was documented in the book titled Flight of the Avenger. About 40 minutes later, another pilot was in trouble: This was compiled from Finback's Deck Log: <span>At 1236, received word of a rubber raft spotted from the air. The position given by the aviator plotted in the hills of Haha Jima but Finback headed in that direction while asking for verification of the location. A plane was heard to be circling over the raft.<span> </span>An unknown plane mentioned a position west of Haha Jima, so Finback headed nine miles west of Haha. The cover aircraft then reported that the raft, about 1.5 miles from the beach, was being shelled; the spirits of all aboard Finback plummeted. At 1505, dived to 55 feet after sighting planes “zooming” a spot one mile west northwest of Megane Iwa. At 1530, sighted rubber boat and made a rapid approach. At 1550, roared by the boat while backing full but still making four knots. “We must have misjudged his masthead height a bit.” Finback twisted around and started stalking him. At 1620, “the pilot hooked on and we headed away from the beach. Tried to make two-thirds speed but the pilot had one arm around the periscope and the other around the life raft with a bailing bucket bringing up the rear. Stopped to see if he would get in the boat. This took about ten minutes, during which a discussion developed below concerning the precedence of simultaneous orders to blow, pump, or flood. Finally got ‘way on’, towing pilot in his boat. Two-thirds speed filled the boat, and there he was in the water again. Finally came up to 38 feet to keep him out of the water until at range five miles from beach, planed up, opened the hatch (and took him onboard). Got on four engines and cleared the area to westward.” Pilot was identified as Ensign James W. Beckman from Fighter Squadron 20 on USS Enterprise (CV-6).</span>; 23:15
Outlaw Mike said...: "I'm aware that there are a lot of wonderful people that didn't make it".

Quite moving. Thx for the story CDR.

Btw, RIGHT NOW I'm reading The Coldest Winter, by David Halberstam. I can recommend it to anyone.

And I have just come across the story of the Marines and the army division which extricated themselves from the Chosin reservoir. This is, well, amazing. I think every father should have his children make it read. As for someone who didn't make it, I think Lt Col Don Carlos Faith is just someone. What an example!; 09:01

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