After dropped life rafts could not adequately reach the exhausted men, Marks consulted his crew and landed their PBY-5A Catalina in twelve-foot swells. They rescued 56 survivors, lashing some to the wings with parachute cord and rendering the aircraft unable to fly. The destroyer escort Cecil J. Doyle later took the men aboard and sank the damaged Catalina. The episode shows air-sea rescue improvisation becoming more important than preserving the aircraft once exhausted sailors had been located.
Notable Point · 52:56-54:49
A Catalina lands to save Indianapolis survivors
Lieutenant Commander Robert Adrian Marks landed his Catalina in heavy seas and crowded survivors aboard and onto its wings.