Daily Event for September 16, 2012

The highest military award in the United States is the Medal of Honor, in all of World War II only two were awarded to men in the PT boat service. One to Lt. (later Vice Admiral) John D. Bulkeley, this was awarded for his overall service as commander of Motor Torpedo Boat Squadron 3. The other was awarded for an individual action on September 16, 1944.

On that date a little after 0500 seven FM-2 Wildcats of VF-26 took off from USS Santee CVE-29 to strafe the Oba airfield on Halmahera Island, Dutch East Indies (now Indonesia). The airfield was attacked, the pilots later reporting that there were no aircraft present and the airstrip was left in an unserviceable condition. As the planes were returning across Wasile Bay three barges were sighted. An attack was begun and while the aircraft were diving on the targets accurate AA fire was directed at the Americans. One aircraft was hit and exploded only 500 feet above the water, the plane broke into three pieces and crashed into the bay. The pilot, Ens. Harold A. Thompson, USNR, was blown out of the aircraft and managed to pull his ripcord in time to safely land in the water just 100 yards off shore.

The other pilots observed him land and reported his position to the carrier. Thompson's position was precarious to say the least, his left hand was badly injured, most of his medical supplies and survival gear had been lost, his life vest (Mae West) would only half inflate and the island was crawling with Japanese. In his weakened condition there was no possibility to swim out of the channel into the open water where he could be rescued. He tried to swim away from shore, but the wind and current made this impossible and he drifted closer to shore. He came quite close to a barge and a jetty, fortunately there were no enemy soldiers on board.

Fresh aircraft were brought in and the Japanese machine gun positions were under constant attack to keep them away from Thompson. It is unknown why the Japanese did not locate and kill Thompson, they must have seen him parachute into the water, it was daylight just before 0700, but for some reason they made no effort to either pick him up or even shoot him in the water.

About 0920 a Catalina PBY came in close and dropped a liferaft which landed only 50 yards away from Thompson, luck was with him as the wind and tide brought the raft toward him. A landing could not be made due to heavy anti-aircraft fire, but Thompson inflated the raft and got in. He rowed it toward the barge and tied up to the anchor chain, now all he could do was watch and wait.

A signal was sent to MTB Squadron 33 which was at Morotai Island, sixty miles from Wasile Bay and a rescue was ordered. The squadron had only arrived at 1000 hrs. and by 1350 two boats, USS PT-489 and USS PT-363 were underway to effect the rescue. At 1545 the boats were fired on from heavy guns positioned in Kaoe Bay and positions east of Wasile Bay. The boats were repelled, but regrouped and with the aid of aircraft at 1600 made a second run into the channel. Keeping to the west side of the channel the two boats avoided constant fire and mines and made their way toward the downed airman.

At 1700 a pair of TBF Avengers swooped down and laid a smokescreen between the barge where Thompson was waiting and the shore, the tactic worked flawlessly and PT-489 came alongside the the barge. Thompson, who had been in the water for ten hours could not untie his raft so two men, Lt. Donald F. Seaman, USNR and Motor Machinist's Mate 1st Class Charles D. Day, USNR, went over the side to pull him into the boat. By 1720 Thompson was safely on board PT-489, and the barge he had been tied to was set ablaze by the PTs, but he and the two boats were not out of danger. It was with the advantage of air cover that they got into the bay, but the aircraft had to withdraw due to shortage of fuel and ammunition, the trip out would be done on their own.

The twenty minute escape was made under continual fire from all shore batteries who were no longer distracted by the presence of aircraft and could focus all their attention on the destruction of the two PT boats. Under the direction of Lt. Arthur M. Preston, USNR (Commander MTB Squadron 33), who was the Officer in Tactical Command in PT-489, the boats made the dash under a hail of fire dodging mines and unknown obstacles. Running a high speed zigzag course both boats escaped with only superficial damage to the boats and no casualties to the men.

For this daring exploit Preston was awarded the Medal of Honor. The boat commanders, Lt. Wilfred B. Tatro, USNR of PT-489 and Lt (j.g.) Hershel F. Boyd, USNR of PT-363 along with Lt. Seaman and MoMM1 Day received the Navy Cross.

Ens. Thompson later said "I consider myself a very lucky guy. It was a wonderful show to see and should be plenty reassuring to others who might find themselves in the same circumstances."
© 2012 Michael W. Pocock
MaritimeQuest.com




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