I rec'd this email today and decided to share it with this forum in hopes there are others out there who might be able to contribute.  I've transcribed the email as I received it:

"Thanks to John Hagan, I am sending you this message from Trish Kinney, Director of 'Crashboats, Air Force Sailors in WWII and Korea"
Please contact David Muller, (see below) if you have anything to offer the EXHIBIT....

Thanking you in advance for anything you cando to assist us.
Kathy Leek, Newport Beach, California, Producer of 'Crashboats...." (949) 718-0980


Dear Gentlemen,

I am the director of 'Crash Boats, Air Force Sailors in WWII and Korea'.  I had the great privilege of working with your organiation and many of its members during the production of this documentary about your service on the boats.  We shot over Veteran's Day weekend, 2000, in Newport Beach as well as in Alaska early the next year.  Our little firm won a major award at the Newport Beach Film Festival, appeared in other film festivals, and continues to be a tribute to your little known service.  We are thrilled to announce that the Newport Beach Nautical Museum will be hosting a special exhibit and many events during November featuring crash boats and those who served.  It will be our pleasure to forward more detailed information about the exhibit when it becomes available.  In the meantime, the museum is interested in the use of some of the beautiful photographs you provided to us for the film.  All the originals were returned to you after they were copied.  If you have photographs of the boats and/or the 'sailors' in your possession that could be considered for inclusion into the exhibit, we would love to offer their use to the museum.  Please do not send originals.  With today's technology, you can easily have them scanned and a digital file created from the scan which can either be e-mailed or preserved on a compact disc and mailed.

Newport Harbor Nautical Museum
% Mr. David Muller, Executive Director
600 East Bay Ave.
Newport Beach, CA 92661-1347
(949) 675-8864

The film could not have been made without the loving cooperation of your members and we will never forget you.

Trish Kinney

(Note:  I believe Ms. Kinney is referring to the 'AAF/USAF Crash Boat Association' and their participation in the creation of her documentary.)

So, if any of you gentlemen have photo's of the USAAF Crash Boats and/or their crews, I'm sure this project would be an excellent way to help keep the history of this critical element of the AAF alive.  I have some photo's of boats that I will be sharing with this worthy project.
 
Larry

Son of Cpl Charles Caldwell, Engineer Crewman, USAAF Crash Boat P-258, Rey Island, Panama (Pacific side)

   Having read your report about Crash Boats in WW11  I would ask if you would be interested in the RAF HSL 156 (crash boat)
   which rescued airmen who crashed in the English Channel in WW11? many from the 8th USAF)

   dakota

Hi again Dakota....only if an AAF Crash Boat were involved, whether rescuing allies or U.S. airman.

Larry

Son of Cpl Charles Caldwell, Engineer Crewman, USAAF Crash Boat P-258, Rey Island, Panama (Pacific side)

Sorry Larry,  but these boats were operated by the RAF (British Power Boats) used for picking up downed aircrews.
not operated by the USAF.

dakota

Here's an update to the Newport Nautical Museum plan to display USAAF Crash Boat material.

The exhibit has been cancelled....they've apparently opted to display a boat belonging to Roy Disney instead.  No idea at this time if the crash boat exhibit will be rescheduled.  Bummer!

Larry

Son of Cpl Charles Caldwell, Engineer Crewman, USAAF Crash Boat P-258, Rey Island, Panama (Pacific side)

I like you seem to be researching Crash Boats for a father.  I am interested in anything from photographs etc on the 104 foot category.  He served as a gunner and engine mech from Sydney to the Manilla PI to include the Battle of the Coral Sea as his one mentioned major engagement as did my uncle.  He is 86 + now and I am trying to put together a package to include a wall montage.
He unfortunately has no recollection of his hull number only that his skipper was a bourbon drinking cowboy from Austin Texas and they survived the typhoon of 44.  Detailed memory of engines, weapons, and mission detail.  He did indicate theirs was the one with the higher powered engines and very much high speed and poor reliability of the V-12s.  He attributed this to his skipper who seemed to only know one throttle setting.
I am still in the defense industry (aviation) and spent most of my life hearing about this unit which seemed to have disappeared from history.

Any info would be very much appreciated.

Bob

Bob....based on a reference I have that lists all the Crash Boats, there were no 104' boats.  There were 105' ones however.
I've posted a couple 105' crash boats on www.aafcollection.info, along with a few other photos I've managed to acquire.  Click on 'View Items' and search for 'Crash Boat Photographs' I believe it is.
You might also google 'AAF/USAF Crash Boat Association'.  They've been somewhat unresponsive, but maybe you'll get lucky.  If your dad isn't a member you might consider signing him up...they do publish a quarterly newsletter and in June or July they include a listing of all known Crash Boat survivors.  Ck their store, I believe the sell some paintings of a couple boats.
Feel free to contact me on my private email so we can discuss this topic...I might have a few more things to share relative to a DVD, etc. 
There are a few other people over time on this site who have expressed some Crash Boat interest, but you'll just have to wait for them to surface.  Post some Crash Boat items or questions and maybe we can get them to show up.

Larry

Son of Cpl Charles Caldwell, Engineer Crewman, USAAF Crash Boat P-258, Rey Island, Panama (Pacific side)