The following historical narrative comes from Bob Pohlman who joined the 27th Air Depot at Mobile, Alabama in August 1942, when the newly-formed unit was gathering tradesmen, technicians and supplies in preparation for overseas assignment. Pohlman formed the Port Moresby ‘crash boat’ unit, but was transferred out after a bout of Malaria. He later spent a stint in the Ford factory in Geelong, Victoria, making P-47 fuel drop tanks. There he met an Australian girl, Pat, and they were married and returned to New York. In 1949 they returned to Australia where they have lived ever since.
Aerothentic is proud to present this esoteric piece of history about the Fifth Air Force, and thanks Bob Pohlman for his contribution.
The first contingent of the 27th Air Depot left San Francisco on 1st September 1942, and the unit was at that stage intending to set up in New Caledonia, however there were questions over the pro-Nazi sentiments of the Vichy regime there, so they ended up at RAAF Amberley air force base instead. They finally arrived in the combat theatre, Port Moresby, on 13 December 1942. That night they experienced their first air-raid.
Shortly afterwards Pohlman was placed in charge of a small group to operate three crash boats out of Port Moresby harbour. The 5th Air Force at this stage had no rescue vessels and relied on RAAF launches to pick up downed crews. Three pleasure craft were purchased in Australia, and they were sent up to New Guinea as deck cargo. The ‘Vera G’ was a 40 ft vessel with twin Chryslers and was top class. The ‘Craven A’ was 32 ft, and had a good hull however its engine and fittings were regarded as poor. A 21 ft half-cabin complemented the other two and was used primarily as a work boat. The ‘Vera G’ was mainly used to take officers out to witness the success or otherwise of the practice bombing runs on the S.S Pruth, the old English wreck just off Port Moresby.
Working with the unit was a New Guinea native by the name of Keni Heni, and his knowledge of the waters around Port Moresby was excellent. When the first B-25 was lost whilst strafing S.S Pruth, the ‘Craven A’ was dispatched to retrieve the bodies. Keni was able to get one out, but not the others, trapped in the fuselage. The unit remained active virtually until war’s end.