WEWAK AREA, NORTH EAST NEW GUINEA. C. 1945-06. IN ONE OF THE MOST AUDACIOUS RESCUES EVER CARRIED ...

Places
Accession Number OG3082
Collection type Photograph
Object type Black & white - Film original negative 3x4" safety base
Maker Harrison, John Thomas
Conflict Second World War, 1939-1945
Copyright

Item copyright: Copyright expired - public domain

Public Domain Mark This item is in the Public Domain

Description

WEWAK AREA, NORTH EAST NEW GUINEA. C. 1945-06. IN ONE OF THE MOST AUDACIOUS RESCUES EVER CARRIED OUT BY THE RAAF, LIEUTENANT (LT) J. P. CARTER, A TEXAS MEMBER OF THE UNITED STATES ARMY AIR FORCE, WAS RESCUED AFTER HAVING SPENT THREE DAYS AND NIGHTS WITHIN TEN MILES OF THE ENEMY. IN THE RESCUE, A SUPERMARINE WALRUS AMPHIBIAN AIRCRAFT OF A RAAF AIR-SEA RESCUE FLIGHT CARRYING TWO NATIVE POLICE BOYS LANDED ON THE KERAWARI RIVER NEAR LT CARTER'S LOCATION. THE TWO NATIVE POLICE BOYS THEN PADDLED ASHORE IN A RUBBER DINGHY AND HACKED THEIR WAY THROUGH 250 YARDS OF KUNAI GRASS TO REACH LT CARTER AND BRING HIM BACK TO THE AIRCRAFT AND FLIGHT BACK TO BASE. AERIAL PHOTOGRAPH OF THE REMAINS OF LT CARTER'S AMERICAN LIGHTNING AIRCRAFT WHICH HAD DEVELOPED ENGINE TROUBLE OVER ENEMY-OCCUPIED TERRITORY AND CRASHED AFTER LT CARTER BALED OUT.