Air Sea Rescue personnel had already dispatched a Superdumbo in our direction to assist in the operation. A Superdumbo is a B-17 with a large boat mounted under the fuselage in the location of the bomb bay. The boat was large enough to carry a B-29 crew and when jettisoned deployed two big parachutes.

As we continued to circle the area, possibly for an hour or so, time was our enemy as the sun was nearing the horizon. Our concern was when and if a rescue was to be made after sunset, how would anyone be able to see in the dark. We decided to fasten someone's web belt around our Gibson Girl, a low frequency SOS transmitter, which send out a signal when the antenna is up and the crank is turned. We also included a C-1 survival vest. Three military flashlights were belted tightly with the transmitter.

Dropping the transmitter as near as possible to the pilot without hitting him was our next challenge. We decided to have the radio operator, Dick Huston, hold it over the camera hatch and wait for a signal from the bombardier, James "Jake" Adams. As the guys up front lined up the aircraft, our radio man climbed through the rear bulkhead opening with the Gibson Girl, opened the hatch, hooked up his intercom, checked in with the bombardier, turned on the flashlights and waited for the signal.

While we were making our drop, the Superdumbo was attempting to drop the boat but we learned later was unable to because of a release mechanism. The Superdumbo finally gave up and made an emergency release. Neither parachute opened and the boat tumbled into the ocean. A second Superdumbo dispatched and it was successful in dropping its boat. This was fortunate as twilight was upon us and we were informed that a Navy cruiser was hours away.

As we left the pilot in his one-man lifeboat we dropped five or six wooden water lights. These lights were made in the shape of small bombs with fins and were made of wood for floatation. The light would ignite once in contact with salt water resulting in another emergency aid device should the Navy arrive in the area before dawn.

We left the area in a state of emotional apprehension, as we were so near the downed pilot and not able to assist in the rescue. An eight-hour mission had quickly turned into a 12 ½ hour flight as we touched down on the solid coral of Iwo.

Three days later it was the Fourth Of July, what more appropriate in history, our last navigational mission was to help escort the P-51D's to of all places, where else … TOKYO. I don't know what song was on the hearts of the other crew members as boarded P-9 that 4th of July - on mine was "Remember Pearl Harbor"

Submitted by Leonard Round, RG, Replacement P-9.