Flying Beer Trucks

In October 1944, I was with Marine Scout Bomber Squadron (VMSB) 142 stationed on Emirau Island, 1 degree south of the equator, in the northern Solomons. We were part of the force keeping the Japanese bases of Kavieng and Rabaul isolated. Training flights in our Douglas SBD Dauntlesses plus an occasional strike was the order of the day, as we waited for the Philippine liberation campaign to begin.

I had noticed a small growth on the sole of my left foot that made it painful to walk on, and also painful to put pressure on the rudder pedal of the plane. After a couple of weeks, I went to see Bernie Coan, USNR, our squadron doctor. He was just out of medical school, and after examining my foot declared that I should go to a naval hospital and have the growth removed. He found that the nearest hospital was on Manus. That was the beginning of a saga.