NAVAL AVIATOR #11777
On the morning of February 17, 1944, planes from the USS Essex (CV-9) attacked ships and installations at the Japanese heavily fortified stronghold at Truk Atoll. When a report was broadcast that an attacking F6F Hellcat had been shot down while strafing Japanese warships and that the pilot, LTJG George M. Blair, survived the crash and was seen swimming in the lagoon, an OS2U-3 Kingfisher float plane from the heavy cruiser USS Baltimore (CA-68) was launched in response to the report. When the Kingfisher, piloted by LTJG Denver Forrest Baxter, arrived over the Truk Lagoon, LTJG Blair had been treading water for almost two hours but when he was spotted, LTJG Baxter landed in the lagoon although the plane was under attack by the Japanese destroyer IJN Fumizuki. Upon taxing up to LT Blair, the plane’s radioman/gunner, ARMC Reuben Frank Hickman, jumped out onto the main float, ditched his parachute, pulled the exhausted pilot from the water and got him into the rear seat with himself. With his two passengers safely aboard, LTJG Baxter gunned the engine and took off through the geysers of water caused by the exploding shells from Fumizuki.
LTJG Baxter safely returned to the Baltimore after husbanding his fuel carefully, since he planned only enough for the round trip to be light enough to take off with the extra passenger. It is reported that when the Kingfisher was hoisted aboard Baltimore, the plane had only about one pint of gas in the tank. A photograph taken upon the plane’s return to Baltimore shows LTJG Blair in the rear seat and ARMC Hickman standing on the plane’s wing preparing to reach for the hook from the ship to hoist the plane aboard. For Fumizuki, the loss of a potential prisoner was the start of a really bad day as she was sunk soon afterward by TBF Avengers of VT-9, also from Essex. A very happy Blair was returned to the Essex in two days time and all three men continued to fly against the Japanese until V-J Day. For their heroism, both LTJG Baxter and ARMC Hickman received the Distinguished Flying Cross.
DISTINGUISHED FLYING CROSS CITATION
“The President of the United States of America takes pleasure in presenting the Distinguished Flying Cross to Lieutenant Junior Grade Denver Forrest Baxter (NSN: 0-112674), United States Navy, for heroism and extraordinary achievement while participating in aerial flight against the enemy during a Carrier Task Force strike against Japanese-held Truk Atoll during World War II. As the pilot of an OS2U-3 aircraft he effected the rescue from certain capture or death of a carrier fighter pilot who had been shot down. With complete disregard for Japanese surface vessels in the vicinity, he flew low over Truk Lagoon until he located the downed pilot swimming in the water at a point about five miles south of Uman Island. With little regard for his own safety and despite hazardous seaplane operating conditions, he skillfully landed his plane, picked up the swimming pilot, and made a take-off with his overloaded plane. His actions on this occasion were in keeping with the highest traditions of the United States Naval Service.”
Submitted by CDR Roy A. Mosteller, USNR (Ret)
