Saving Lives by Air

Suddenly, flames erupted form the number one engine and left wing, while the verticle and horizontal stabilizers suffered additional damage. The crew lost control of the engine, and all emergency efforts to suppress the fire failed. As the blaze spread aft toward the rear fuselage, the situation grew critical. At 12:30 p.m. the crew transmitted an SOS and announced their intent to ditch the PV2V-5.

Darkness fell suddenly in the eye with the storm’s western wall shading the setting sun—time to leave. We could provide no further assistance. Dell G’s calm was ending, as was ours. Now came the most terrifying part of the day—flying back into the storm’s eyewall.

In the early 1930s, Coast Guard Commandant Frederick Billard decided to acquire state-of-the-art flying boats capable of performing rescues by landing on the open sea. The first aircraft designed from the start for Coast Guard use, these new amphibians became known as the Coast Guard’s “FLBs” (for Flying Lifeboats).

“SOS! SOS! This is the Prinsendam. We have fire in the engine room and we are dead in the water. SOS!” The order to “Abandon ship” came shortly after 5 a.m.. The ship was beginning to list, and the captain suspected that lower decks were taking on water. The almost 500 passengers and other crewmembers had to leave.

Charles William Sexton challenged danger every day in his duties. While rescuing four fishermen in peril, the seas tragically took him.

Just before the storm’s arrival there was a surround-all, eerie feeling, which seemed to permeate everything. No one was sure of what was approaching—the conversations were hushed and speculative about the silence and the threatening sky.

After hearing about a ship rescued by the United States Coast Guard, Melvin Williams, Jr. knew that would be his path in life and enlisted in the Coast Guard.