Pogo wrote:
I was gonna post that second one before I noticed that you did. It has to be one of my favorite WWII photos. I hadn't ever seen the first one before, thanks for posting it.
IIRC a PBY involved in either the USS Juneau or Indianapolis rescue had to be sunk because they tied survivors to the wings.
Just one sec...
...and I'm back. USS Indianapolis it was. I used
Professor Wikipedia instead though.
Arriving hours ahead of Doyle, Marks' crew began dropping rubber rafts and supplies. Having seen men being attacked by sharks, Marks disobeyed standing orders and landed on the open sea. He began taxiing to pick up the stragglers and lone swimmers who were at the greatest risk of shark attack. Learning the men were the crew of Indianapolis, he radioed the news, requesting immediate assistance. Doyle responded while en route. When Marks' plane was full, survivors were tied to the wings with parachute cord, damaging the wings so that the plane would never fly again and had to be sunk. Marks and his crew rescued 56 men that day.
The whole Indianapolis story is one of the great sagas of WWII. Every time you look at it you find new and interesting little side stories like this. Well worth an investigation into it.