33 DAYS ON RUBBER RAFT

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume 80, 5 January 1945, Page 5

33 DAYS ON RUBBER RAFT

FOUR AIRMEN REACH BASE FISH AND BIRDS CAUGHT BY HAND (Rec. 11.10 a.m.) New York, Jan. 4. Four men who baled out of a flaming Liberator reached their base after spending 33 days on a rubber raft and 16 days with friendly natives, says the United Press of America correspondent in the Phillipines. Altogether 10 airmen baled out. Two were killed by Japanese airmen who strafed them as they struggled in the water, two others were rescued independently and two are still missing. A navy bomber dropped a raft, an emergency radio set, water and food on the first day after the airmen had floated for hours in Mae West jackets. The fresh water was soon exhausted and" salt water spoiled the rations except canned cheese which lasted 11 days. While the men were hiding beneath rubber sheets they caught birds which alighted on the raft and ate them while the flesh was still warm. The flyers also became expert n catching fish with their hands. One day they caught a 3001 b bluefish which they were unable to haul onto the raft. Their prayers for rain were answered by a tropical deluge which almost drowned them. On the 33rd day they sighted an island which was 400 miles from the position where they baled out. It took 10 hours to paddle to the shore and they lay all night too exhausted to knock down coconute hanging above them. Next momnig friendly natives gave them rice, and cooked bananas. All became ill and the natives transferred them to another island when Japanese approached. FORMER CHAMPION MISSING Washington, Jan. 3. Captain George Varoff of the Air Force, former world pole-vault champion, is officially reported missing in action over China since December 7. Captain Varoff won the American polevault title in 1936 with a leap of 174£ inches.