RE: Appreciate Help/Photo request Tail 42-93885 The Shrimper ditched 1
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Hello,
I'm looking for anyone that has information about the crew or specific survivor story of the Shrimper. My uncle was on a plane other than his 'normal one' (Wheel N' Deal did not return with part of his normal crew and then other second crew in mid April - he was not on that flight and continued service - I never knew that his crash/ditch was NOT the Wheel N Deal until latey). But I'm trying to find out the plane he was on since he went down in a ditching on return from Tokyo when almost back to Saipain, most likely mid-May, and the story of the Shrimper's ditching is almost exactly as the story he told me, with the exception that I didn't find him listed on the survivors/rescued men on the MACR. (he was normally a radar operator, but trained to back up bombadier and radio as well).
He was badly injured from the water landing/crash and taken to Hawaii and his papers say he reentered the United States on May 16th. He said the plane he was on was damaged during the bomb run and they had fuel issues, the A/C ordered the regular crew to bail and the A/C and co pilot took the plane down and my uncle also was on the plane in the back (no headset on as he said he wasn't supposed to be on that flight - I have no idea what that meant though - was he along to 'fill in' or just to observe or not sure) so he also crashed with the plane... but the A/C and/or Co-pilot got him to a raft or assisted to get him a raft.. the plane he said broke in two shortly after 'landing it'. He was picked up later by a Navy ship. The only other thing I think I wrote down from years ago was that I thought he said one of the two - pilot and co-pilot, one wasn't hurt at all and the other just a leg injury.
Most of his things mentioned match the Shrimper event, but again he wasn't listed on the survivor list. The only other possible clue I saw on that report was that in one area they said the one rescue boat missed one guy, but later picked him up. So, if there are any of the crew yet surviving or that have written or told their specific story to someone I'd be very much interested in checking with them. He was on one of the 497th planes and he spent until fall 1945 in Hawaii and Utah hospitals recovering from his injuries from the crash/ditch but his name does not show up on any search on the MACRS that I can find. Any hints would be very welcome. I know he never returned to Saipan but was taken directly to Hawaii hosptial once picked up. Thank you!