▁were ▁pressed ▁into ▁service ▁as ▁bom bers ; ▁and ▁it ▁was ▁on ▁such ▁a ▁mission ▁that ▁Wat erman ▁was ▁killed . ▁Before ▁mid night ▁on ▁ 2 6 ▁December ▁ 1 9 4 1 , ▁a ▁six - plane ▁attack ▁group ▁of ▁P BY ' s ▁from ▁V P - 1 0 1 ▁( the ▁red es ign ated ▁V P - 1 ) ▁depart ed ▁their ▁advance ▁base ▁at ▁Am bon , ▁Netherlands ▁East ▁Ind ies , ▁and ▁set ▁course ▁for ▁the ▁Philippines . ▁The ▁Catal ina ▁flying ▁boats ▁were ▁sl ated ▁to ▁hit ▁Japanese ▁sh ipping ▁reported ly ▁in ▁the ▁har bor ▁at ▁the ▁island ▁of ▁J olo , ▁in ▁the ▁Sul u ▁Arch ip el ago . ▁Wat erman — who ▁had ▁by ▁that ▁time ▁advanced ▁to ▁the ▁rate ▁of ▁av iation ▁mach in ist ' s ▁mate ▁ 1 st ▁class — was ▁flying ▁as ▁wa ist ▁gun ner ▁and ▁first ▁mechan ic ▁in ▁the ▁P BY - 4 ▁flow n ▁by ▁Ens . ▁El w yn ▁L . ▁Christ man , ▁US NR . ▁▁ ▁So on ▁after ▁the ▁P BY ' s ▁arrived ▁over ▁J olo ▁Har bor , ▁ant ia ircraft ▁fire ▁from ▁shore ▁emp lac ements ▁gre et ed ▁them ▁with ▁gun fire ▁ass essed ▁by ▁Ens . ▁Christ man ▁as ▁" very ▁accurate ." ▁Gun fire ▁from ▁the ▁enemy ▁ships ▁below ▁proved ▁less ▁troubles ome , ▁but ▁soon ▁the ▁guns ▁stopped ▁firing ▁when ▁attack ing ▁Japanese ▁f ighter ▁aircraft ▁h ove ▁into ▁view .