Rescue by Water Dogs 4-21-68 from Charles Hobus on January 20, 2018 at 14:49:12

Email: Charles Hobus

I remember that day quite well. We were having a Ropeyarn Sunday and had crew members out fishing in a liberty launch. I came up on the flight deck and was cutting across to the other side of the Iwo Jima when I noticed something out of the corner of my eye. It was kind of like a falling star but in the late afternoon. It also appeared like there was a splash on the horizon to the north of us. I looked up straight overhead and noticed a tiny black speck, then I noticed another black speck. About that time I noticed plane up there also. As the two black specks were getting larger they brought the ships helicopter up to the flight deck so I went up to the Signal Bridge to continue watching. The plane was flying a wide circle as the pilots descended on their parachutes. One landed near the liberty launch and was picked up by the boat. The other landed about 100 yards on the other side of the USS Cleveland and was picked up by the helicopter.