27 OCTOBER 1944
First Lieutenant Denzil L. Kathman, pilot of "Daylight Two One", departed Morotai Island at 0700 to cover a strike on Sindangan Point, Northwest tip of Mindanao. He was late in getting off and could not reach his rendezvous point in time. Therefore, when he reached the Southern tip of Mindanao, he turned West and proceeded to search for a PB4Y, which had gone down 26 October 1944. Lieutenant Kathman flew this course for 40 minutes when he sighted mirror flashes ahead. Upon approaching he spotted three rafts tied together containing ten men. Lieutenant Kathman landed, taxied to the survivors, and took them aboard at 1030. Three men had been injured during the ditching procedure and were given medical aid by the Surgical Technician. After all were aboard, Lieutenant Kathman lifted the heavily loaded ship from the sea and returned the Navy crew to their base at Morotai. The injured were taken to the 9th Portable Hospital. The story preceding the crash, as told by Lieutenant Seiber, is the most interesting. Lieutenant Seiber with a full bomb load had taken off from Morotai early in the morning of 26 October, and flown along the Southern coast of Mindanao through a dense overcast when he suddenly broke out into the sunlight and sighted a 5000 ton Jap oil tanker dead ahead. Lieutenant Seiber put his plane into a sharp dive, dropped some bombs and set the tanker afire on his first run. Enemy anti-aircraft fire was heavy. Lieutenant Seiber circled back into the clouds and came out on his second run, dropped the remainder of his bombs, obtaining a direct hit on the tanker which blew up. However, on the second run, his fuel transfer system was so damaged he was unable to transfer his fuel when the #4 engine was shot out and caught fire. The main tanks contained but 300 gallons which was insufficient for him to reach his base. As darkness was rapidly approaching, he elected to ditch his ship 75 miles off Mindanao. He sounded the alarm, the men took their stations and he successfully ditched the huge bomber. All crewmembers were removed from the ship, three being seriously injured in the crash. The ship remained afloat for 20 minutes giving them sufficient time to remove all emergency supplies. Lieutenant Seiber dressed the injured and made them as comfortable as possible. All three rafts were securely lashed together before dark. When picked up the injured men were in fair condition.

RESCUED MEMBERS OF THE PB4Y:  VPB 101, 7th Fleet
(Pilot) Lt A. R. Seiber, (Co-Pilot) Lt JG D. Neiman, (Navigator) Ens R. M. Shay, AMM 2C Sluyter, AMM 1C B. Johnson, AMM 2C K. Knowles, AOM 1C S. Ward, AOM 1C E. Barnes, S1C H. Lightfoot

AIRCRAFT TYPE: OA-10A*
USAAF SERNO: 44-33???
CALLSIGN: "Daylight Two One" 
CREW: (Pilot) 1Lt Denzil L. Kathman