At about 0300 local standard time, August 24, 1944, the staff duty 2 officer at Headquarters, Commander Seventh Fleet, then located in Brisbane, Australia, received from General Headquarters, Southwest Pacific Area, a despatch which had been routed through the Army- operated coast watcher communication system. This despatch had been originated by the noncommissioned officer in charge of the coast watcher party in the vicinity of Brooks Point (Sir J. Brooke Point) on the island of Palawan in the Philippines and was signed “Crowley.” It stated in substance that the submarine U.S.S. Flier had struck a mine in Balabac Strait and had sunk in thirty seconds in fifty fathoms; that there were only eight survivors, all of whom were then with the coast watcher part at Brooks Point. It further said that all survivors were in poor physical condition and in need of immediate evacuation.
It was additionally stated that reliable information had been obtained that the submarine U.S.S. Robalo several weeks previously had met the same fate in the same vicinity, and that there were only four known survivors, including Lieutenant Commander Kimmel, the vessel’s commander, all of whom had been subsequently turned over to the Japanese by unfriendly natives on Balabac Island.
The despatch recommended as suitable sites for evacuation of the Flier survivors either a point about ten miles offshore and due east of Brooks Point, or the vicinity of Bugsuk Island, off Balabac Strait. It was apparent from the composition of the despatch that it had been written by a naval officer. “Crowley” was identified as Commander John D. Crowley, commanding officer of the Flier.
Both Flier and Robalo were overdue on their current war patrols.
Captain (now Rear Admiral) Richard H. Cruzen, U.S.N., Operations Officer, Seventh Fleet, was called by the duty officer and authorized immediate action for evacuation of the Flier survivors.
An inspection of pertinent charts showed that the waters due east of Brooks Point, although hazardous, were nevertheless navigable for a rescue submarine. The vicinity of Bugsuk Island presented fewer difficulties from the standpoint of navigation, but evacuation at that point would entail a lengthy journey through enemy-occupied areas for the survivors, who were already in bad shape physically. Therefore, it was decided to designate the former location for evacuation.
A despatch was sent at once via Army Channels to Commander Crowley at the Brooks Point coast watcher station informing him that evacuation would be attempted in that vicinity and requesting him to designate the most suitable time and exact location, together with appropriate security signals. Another despatch was promptly sent to Commander Task Force 71 at Perth, Australia, transmitting the information obtained from Commander Crowley, with a general directive relative to evacuation operations. An immediate reply was received from CTF 71, stating that at least two submarines were then available in the Mindanao Sea and were standing by for instructions to carry out the mission.
Because of adverse atmospheric conditions there was some delay in radio communication with the coast watcher station. In this interim word was received that Sergeant Corpus, Filipino-born U. S. Army noncommissioned officer in charge of the coast watcher station at Brooks Point, had committed suicide.
However, a despatch was at last received from Commander Crowley at about 1900, August 28. This despatch stated that the Flier survivors would rendezvous in a small boat with the rescue submarine due east of Brooks Point at 2000, August 30; it further set up a system of security signals to be flashed first from the lighthouse at Brooks Point and then by the survivors as they approached the submarine. Permission was requested to include in the evacuation several British missionaries and their families, all of whom were fugitives from the Japanese.
The contents of Commander Crowley’s message were immediately relayed to CTF 71 and information requested as to the feasibility of the operation. About 0100, August 29, a reply was received stating that the submarine U.S.S. Redfin would carry out the evacuation as planned. A despatch was then sent to Commander Crowley via Army channels informing him that the rendezvous would be made and authorizing him to effect the evacuation of the British nationals with his party.
At this time some concern was felt over the suicide of Sergeant Corpus, together with the proposed use of the lighthouse at Brooks Point for the transmission of security signals. It was not known that the lighthouse was then in possession of friendly guerrillas. Consideration was given to the possibility that the messages from the coast watcher station had been sent under duress in an effort by the enemy to trap a United States submarine. It was eventually decided, however, that evidence of authenticity and good faith outweighed the elements of suspicion and no change was made in the evacuation plan.
On September 1 a despatch from the Redfin was relayed to Commander Seventh Fleet by CTF 71, the despatch stating that the evacuation had been successfully completed on schedule and that all hands were safe aboard. The Redfin then proceeded to Darwin, Australia, where the evacuees were landed. Commander Crowley arrived at Headquarters, Commander Seventh Fleet, on September 26 en route to the United States, and gave a first hand account of his evacuation, together with pertinent information relative to guerrilla and coast watcher operations on Palawan.