Evening star., 1942-06-20

were Just sitting down to "the first
square breakfast In II days" when
two seaplane scouts from the feet
arrived. The new scout pilots re-
ported the feet only 200 miles away.
Looked Like Beachcombers.
"Since the repairing and refueling
was finished, we took one radioman
and four mechanics as passengers
and new out to the fleet. Each one
of Us identified our own ships, came
low, signaled to be taken aboard,
and then alignted alongside. We
looked like beachcombers, but we
were in good health and ready for
action" Ensign MCGOWAN finished
his story.
never learned the identity Of the
pilot who drifted with his radio
man for seven days in the Gulf of
Papua after missing the feet while
on reconnaissance fight.
Anyway, this pilot few around
the general area where he had ex-
pected to find the fleet for some
time, and then, before his fuel was
entirely exhausted, alighted. For
one week the flyers spent the day
| light hours trying to escape from
the scorching tropical sun or from
wettings In the torrential squalls
| that blow across these waters.
The admiral, when the feet was
returning from the successful COM
pletion Of mission, remembered the
missing plane. He had his navi-
gators determine the approximate
distance the airplane should have
drifted before the winds in that
week. 1t was some 300 miles.
Lookouts Spot Plane.
The fleet then was brought back
over track that passed through
the ocean area where the drifting
plane should have been.
There's a seaplane silhouetted
against the horizon" the lookouts
reported one morning. AS the feet
turned In that direction, the pilot
and his radioman recognized the
warships as American. They started
their engine, took on, flew down over
the feet. and acknowledged the sig
mails Of their cruiser directing them
| to land and come aboard.
Reporting, sir, after reconnais-
sance duty" the pilot said, saluting
the cruisers executive officer as,
weak from thirst and exposure, he
slid out of his cockpit and drew him
self up to attention.
After the Lexington's air raids on
Tulagi Harbor on May 4, two fighter
pilots, one Of whom was Ensign FL
bert S. McCusky. and a torpedo
bomber pilot. It. Leonard E. Ewoldt,
from the Lexington's companion
carrier in that action, ran low on
fuel before finishing the return
fight.
All three made crash landings on
the island of Guadalcanal, the two
fighter pilots in one place and 1t.
Ewoldt at another point, well re-
moved. Ensign McCusky's report
said he and his wing mate chose the
south shore Of the island and re-
ported their landing to the ship by
radio. They dropped the planes into
a broad. boat-strewn section Of
beach then washed by surf. To
cushion the shock they put their
landing wheels halfway down,
tightened their belts and descended.
Encounter Savages.
1--WE were able to walk away"
Ensign McCusky related weeks later
when telling of the experience. "As
a matter of fact, neither of us was
hurt. We got out of the planes and
waded ashore, only to find ourselves
surrounded by natives wearing only
G-strings, with stone axes and
knives made of human thigh bones.
It looked like a tough spot.
But those boys were friendly.
1t was getting dark and we wanted
fire to signal to a destroyer that
might be sent for us. We couldn't
talk to the natives, but with signs
we made them understand we
wanted a fire"
Ensign McCusky said the war
riors used the oldest known method
for creating a blaze. With grunts
and groans attesting their efforts,
they whirled thick pointed stick
in a hole in another stick, creating
a spark from friction. A spark was
caught in half a coconut where
shredded, dried bark was placed.
A few puffs and blaze appeared
This was soon nursed into a roar
ing beach fire.
I'VE opened one of our parachutes