▁ 8 ▁March ▁ 1 9 4 4 . ▁ 2 3 ▁October ▁ 1 9 4 3 : ▁Lieutenant ▁( j g ) ▁By ron ▁C . ▁K ern ▁and ▁crew ▁experienced ▁instrument ▁failure ▁during ▁a ▁night ▁mission ▁and ▁fle w ▁into ▁the ▁sea . ▁One ▁crew man ▁was ▁lost ▁when ▁the ▁aircraft ▁s ank , ▁but ▁the ▁rest ▁were ▁able ▁to ▁get ▁into ▁a ▁life ▁ra ft ▁and ▁were ▁res cu ed ▁the ▁next ▁day . ▁ 9 ▁November ▁ 1 9 4 3 : ▁Lieutenant ▁John ▁W . ▁Pow ers ▁returned ▁from ▁investig ating ▁a ▁possible ▁sub marine ▁contact ▁at ▁night ▁to ▁find ▁At kin son ▁Field ▁closed ▁with ▁rain ▁and ▁fog . ▁L ack ing ▁sufficient ▁fuel ▁to ▁proceed ▁to ▁another ▁a irst rip , ▁Pow ers ▁d itch ed ▁the ▁aircraft ▁in ▁a ▁river ▁near ▁Par amar ib o . ▁While ▁waiting ▁in ▁the ▁water ▁for ▁event ual ▁rescue , ▁the ▁crew ▁observed ▁one ▁of ▁the ▁search ▁plan es ▁flow n ▁by ▁Lieutenant ▁( j g ) ▁Robert ▁G . ▁Win thers ▁crash ▁pract ically ▁on ▁top ▁of ▁the ▁site ▁where ▁they ▁had ▁just ▁d itch ed ▁their ▁own ▁aircraft . ▁Win thers ▁and ▁his ▁crew ▁of ▁five ▁were ▁killed ▁in ▁the ▁crash . ▁Lieutenant ▁Pow ers ▁and ▁his ▁crew ▁were ▁res cu ed ▁the ▁following ▁day . ▁ 5 ▁January ▁ 1 9 4 4 : ▁Lieutenant ▁( j g ) ▁By ron ▁C . ▁K ern ▁and ▁his ▁crew ▁of ▁five ▁crash ed ▁on ▁take off