Imphal, The Hump and Beyond
Imphal, The Hump and Beyond
U.S.A.A.F. Combat Cargo Groups of the Second World War
2nd Combat Cargo Group, 6th Combat Cargo Squadron
Rescue Mission of the C-46 Crew
2nd Lt. Robbie D. Langston
Compiled by Mrs. Robbie D. Langston
For many years we were only aware of the rescue mission from the four flyers viewpoint! On July 21 1966, Co-Pilot, Robbie D. Langston visited the Pilot Thomas G. Hollis and his family while on trip through the South, as Hollis had not made any of the 6th Combat Cargo Squadron Reunions held regularly over the years beginning in 1955. Thus far, the Langston's have attended all the 6th Combat Cargo Squadron Reunions through out the USA from the Northwest coast to the East coast. We had always felt the rescue was an answer to a prayers, but were not aware of just how many people were involved in the Prayers. Here is the rest of the Story! In 1983, the USS HOPE had their very first reunion; it was while they were together that the subject came up concerning the rescue mission of the four flyers on December 26, 1944. They quickly decided to see if the four airmen could be located! The spring of 1984, the following notice was placed in the Air Force Times Locator Service: LOCATOR SERVICE March 19, 1984 Air Force Times
Squadron Commander, Col. T. P. (Ted) Tatum saw the notice, and contacted Langston. The USS Hope mates were contacted, and as a result the Langston's accepted the invitation to attend the USS Hope Reunion at Kansas City in May of 1984. Langston received a very warm welcome and was asked to address the group. Stories concerning the rescue were shared by the shipmates. Nurses who helped care for the airmen were there to share their stories. The nurses told of being in prayer all night after the radio operator began receiving the first faint SOS messages. The Chaplain Comdr. Brian D. Mahedy was there to share his thoughts too... he indicated he had used this incident numerous times in sermons over the years. The consensus of the discussion concerning the rescue seemed to be thus... It was Christmas Day, the HOPE Mates, Chaplain Mahedy, Doctors, and nurses were not at home with their respective families back in the states. They were somewhat nostalgic as they were steaming along toward the Philippines. Suddenly when the SOS messages began coming in… it created a "unified bonding" among the HOPE's community of more than 600 people on board. They soon began to forget that they were not home for Christmas, and began a long 12-14 hour period of prayer time; as they were praying, anxious thoughts began to emerge… "Will we be able to locate the rafts? Will we get there in time? Consequently, as the years have passed since that Christmas of 1944, the event is remembered with JOY as one of the most memorable Christmas ever … that the HOPE was there to save the lives of those four flyers on Christmas night. Hospital Ship, the USS HOPE, with Comdr. A. E. Richards as Skipper had left Hollandia, New Guinea on Christmas morning bound for Leyte Gulf, Philippine Islands to pick up casualties. About noon that day, radio operator Joseph Takaes picked up a faint SOS. As the radio operator stayed at his post all night, the messages grew faint and died out. Later messages came again..
Langston attended another USS HOPE reunion in September 1991, at Colorado Springs, Colorado and obtained several written reports of the rescue mission. The following articles describes the rescue from various viewpoints. Special thanks to Robbie D. & Billie Langston for the Story, 'A Delayed Christmas Present' and for 'The Rest of the Story' - A Christmas Present from the USS Hope. |
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| I am looking for former members of
the 3rd Combat Cargo Group, 1st, Combat Cargo Group, 2nd Combat Cargo Group and the
4th Combat Cargo Group. In fact I would like to hear from anyone who flew over the
Hump during WW II, or flew any Combat Cargo Missions at any time (Berlin Air-Lift, Korea,
etc.) Please e-mail comment, suggestions, corrections,etc to: bill@comcar.org Imphal, the Hump and Beyond Copyright © 199-2000 Bill Bielauskas All rights reserved. Notice to all Viewers: All stories and images within "Imphal, The Hump and Beyond, U.S.A.A.F Combat Cargo Units of the Second World War", are Copyright ©1999-2000, to the Veteran who submitted the text and/or photographs and to Bill Bielauskas, Webmaster at "Imphal, the Hump and Beyond, U.S.A.A.F. Combat Cargo Units of the Second World War". All rights reserved. No part of this page, or those connected via links, either text, or images may be used for any purpose other than personal use. Storage, reproduction, modification on a retrieval system or transmission, in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying or otherwise, without prior written permission of the Copyright © holder(s) is prohibited. This includes storage on another Internet Website other than "Imphal, the Hump and Beyond, U.S.A.A.F. Combat Cargo Groups of the Second World War" Bill Bielauskas 10 Cayuga Trail, Wayne, NJ. 07470-4406 |
