12 OCTOBER 1944
First Lieutenant Henry H. Pennington, pilot of "Daylight One Five", departed Middleburg Island at 1140 with orders to search the Southeast coast of Misool Island for a pilot reported to have gone down, 9 October 1944. He proceeded to that area and while flying along the coast picked up a signal mirror apparently coming from a native village two miles East Kafnikolep River on the Southern coast of Misool Island just West of Ceram. Lieutenant Pennington circled the area and spotted a white man among the natives. He landed at the mouth of the river and waited for the natives to bring the survivor to the rescue ship. The survivor, Flight Officer Donald Andrew, 75th Fighter Squadron, 735th Group, was taken aboard at 1420. Flight Officer Andrews had suffered a probable fracture of his left wrist, a deep laceration of his forehead and contusions of his left left leg. He stated that returning that while returning from a strafing mission over Ceram, 9 October 1944, he became lost in a storm. His fuel was about gone, so he decided to bail out. His parachute became entangled in a tree, causing him to fall several feet to the ground, at which time he sustained his injuries. He made his way to a native village where he was cared for until rescued. After being taken aboard, the Surgical Technician dressed his injuries and otherwise made him comfortable. He was returned to Middleburg Island and taken to the hospital at Sansapor for medical care.
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DIARY ENTRY - "Got up for breakfast this morning but shouldn't have! Found out I was on "alert" for the day. Around 1100 got a call to go out and search for a reported life-raft. Searched for it but didn't find it. Got word to go to Missool Island to search for an Aussie P-40 pilot. We caught his signal with a mirror from a native village and landed in a river & picked him up. His name F/O Donald Andrews - 75th Squadron, 735th Group, 23 Farmer St. Briddon, Canberra, Australia. He had a broken hand - crushed leg." Hugh Pennington
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AIRCRAFT TYPE: OA-10A  
USAAF SERNO: 44-33881 
CALLSIGN: "Daylight 15" 
CREW: (Pilot) 1st Lt. Henry H. "Hugh" Pennington
FLIGHT DURATION: 04h:20m from Missool to Middleburg & return