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| USN VB-98 |
Pilot Ens Louis A. Shepard, USNR (rescued) Gunner AMM2c Charles D. Nesbitt, USNR (survived) Ditched January 2, 1944 Aircraft History Built by Douglas Aircraft Company in El Segundo. Constructors Number 4574. Delivered to the U.S. Navy (USN) as SBD-5 Dauntless bureau number 35935. Wartime History Assigned to Bombing Squadron 98 (VB-98). No known nickname or nose art. Squadron Number 122. This SBD was equipped with radar for use as A-V(N). Mission History On January 2, 1944 at 6:00am took off from Torokina Airfield on Bougainville piloted by Ens L. A. Shepard with gunner ARM1c C. D. Nesbitt armed with a single centerline 1,000 pound bomb plus two 100 pound bombs a dawn patrol mission. Their mission was to search the southwestern coast of coast of Bougainville from Kuraio Mission to the Jaba River. They planned to meet a SBD and TBF from Munda Airfield, but were instructed to proceed without them if they were unable to rendezvous. Unable to locate the other aircraft, this SBD performed the search alone until 7:30am then returned to the Empress Augusta Bay area and climbed to 7,500'. Since the Identification Friend or Foe (IFF) was not working, intercepted by four P-39 Airacobras and attacked, until they recognized the SBD and broke off their attack. Afterwards, climbed to 9,000' and loitered in the area until 8:30am and did not observe any planned strike. Alone, this SBD flew to the Puriata River and located a bridge roughly three miles inland and made a dive bombing attack, but the bombs failed to release and circled again to make a second glide bombing attack and released, impacting close to the bridge. After pulling out of the dive, the SBD was hit in the left wing causing vapor to stream out and a large hole roughly 4" near the reserve fuel tank. Gunner Nesbitt observed leaking fuel peeling off paint and and saw flames. Pilot Shepard applied full throttle and turned towards the coast until large flames appeared. Before ditching, Nesbitt managed to make a radio call "Nine Base - plane making water landing 15 miles south of Base." This radio message was heard by a USMC Major who believed it was a plane in his formation and dismissed it. Damaged, this SBD ditched with the flaps extended into the sea roughly a mile offshore from the mouth of the Puriata River and five miles off Motupena Point. During the ditching, this SBD hit twice, the first time at 90 knots and bounced hard causing the pilot's safety belt to open and on the second impact Shepard's face hit the bomb sight smashing his nose. On impact with the sea, the flames were extinguished and sank nose first with the tail lifting upward as it sank within 20 seconds of the second impact. Both crew managed to exit and deploy their life rafts. Fates of the Crew Both crew members survived and successfully deployed a single life raft. They both had their parachutes, one back pack, backpack and an extra small life raft. Both attempted to paddle away from the coast of Bougainville. By noon, they were roughly seven miles offshore and had been carried southwest by the currents and rested. Shepard had a fractured nose and cut lip and was bleeding profusely. Nesbitt sustained a head injury that caused a bump from the ditching. Together, the pair stowed all their equipment in the smaller life raft and towed it behind them. By 1:30pm, the currents began moving them northward parallel to the coast and they hoped would move them closer to Empress Augusta Bay. Together, the pair rowed for the remainder of the day and into the night and drank a can of water and chocolate bars. On January 3, 1944 after roughly 18 hours of rowing, they were further to the west but no further north and attempted to take advantage of the wind and currents by going to the southeast. By dusk off Aitara Mission and had another can of water an chocolate bars. They got rid of the parachutes because one had opened. That night, a storm arrived and rained all night. They deployed the sea anchor and deflated the smaller raft to avoid loosing it. On January 4, 1944 by 8:00am the rain ceased and and they saw the tops of trees in the distance to the south. By 1:30pm their raft landed at Antarara Island. In total, they had been in the life raft for forty-three hours and the pair collapsed on the beach then crawled into the brush to rest but were unsure if any Japanese were present. Together, they explored the small island roughly 300 yards in diameter with their pistols drawn and found coconuts, pandamus trees with fruit and the tracks of sea turles and nest. The only trace of the war was a bomb crater at the center of the island. Rescue On January 5, 1944 PBY Catalina "Dumbo" piloted by Lt R. E. McAllister landed off Antarara Island and rescued [Shepard] Shepherd and Nesbitt. Both were flown back to Empress Augusta Bay. Due to bad weather that prevented a landing near shore, the Catalina landed in the open sea and was damaged, but everyone aboard was safe. References USN Overseas Aircraft Loss List December 1943 - SBD-5 35935 USN Overseas Aircraft Loss List January 1944 - SBD 35935 pilot Ens L. A. Shepard NARA "Bombing Squadron Ninety-Eight War Diary January 1944 page 3, 4, 20 (Page 3) "2 January [1944]: Also at Torokina, Ensign Shepard and his gunner Nesbitt, went on a spotting mission along the coast from Kuraio Mission to the Jaba River, then made a bombing attack on a bridge over the Puriata River (three miles inland). On the pullout, the plane was hit in the port wing by enemy fire, and Ensign Shepard was forced to make a water landing about one mile offshore at the mouth of the Puriata River. (See attached Survival Report dated 12 January 1944)." (Page 4) "5 January [1944]: Ensign Shepard and his gunner Nesbitt were picked up by a Dumbo at Antarara Island (20 miles west northwest of the Shortlands), and were taken to Torokina. (See attached Survival Report dated 12 January 1944)." (Page 20) "Survival report on Ensign Louis A. Shepard, A-V(N), USNR and Nesbitt, Charles D. AMM2c, USNR, both of VB-98, for the period January 2, to January 5, 1944" NARA "War Diary Patrol Squadron Fourteen (From January 1 to 31, 1944) pages 2-3 (Page 1) "4. On 5 January [1944], Lieut. R. E. McAllister, in a PBY-5 of this command, while standing-by at Torokina, received instructions from the Fighter Command to proceed to the Shortland Islands and there search for two SBD pilots [sic, SBD-5 35935 pilot and gunner lost January 2, 1944] who had been sighted the previous afternoon [January 4, 1944]. Take-off was made at 0800 (L) and course set for the reported sighting. Four F4U's escorted the Dumbo plane at the start of the mission but, due to bad weather, two were compelled to return to base. At 0820 (L) on Antarara Island, just northwest of Shortland, the two downed fliers were located and, after dragging the area, the Dumbo plane landed. The sea was extremely rough with large swells and the rescue was further complicated by a tropical downpour. The two survivors, Ensign Shepherd [sic, Shepard] and Nesbitt, ARM1c, were taken aboard..." (Page 2) "... in good condition and the plane was airborne at 0835 (L) arriving at Torokina at 0900 (L). Further difficulty accompanied the landing at Torokina where a front had kept the area closed-in during the morning. Three LST's and numerous barges in the only protected landing area necessitated the Dumbo plane again making an open-sea landing outside the protected area under conditions similar to those at Antarara. The rescue plane suffered considerable structural damage although a safe landing was made. 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