A U.S. Navy Lockheed P2V-5 Neptune aircraft, assigned to Patrol Squadron VP-22, based at Okinawa, was struck by ground fire while engaged in a mission to photograph communist anti-aircraft artillery on China?s southeastern coast. The aircraft suffered a fire in the no.1 engine and left-hand wing, which could not be contained, and was ditched approximately 15 minutes later in the Formosa Strait. All 13 crewmen were able to evacuate, and a U.S. Coast Guard Mariner PBM-5G Mariner aircraft was dispatched and landed at sea. Eleven crewmen were rescued, but two remained missing. The Mariner pilot ultimately departed, resulting in a crash during takeoff. Five of the eight Mariner crewmen were killed, and four of the eleven Neptune crewmen were also killed. The Navy destroyer USS Halsey Powell rescued the survivors.A U.S. Navy Lockheed P2V-5 Neptune aircraft, assigned to Patrol Squadron VP-22, based at Okinawa, was struck by ground fire while engaged in a mission to photograph communist anti-aircraft artillery on China?s southeastern coast. The aircraft suffered a fire in the no.1 engine and left-hand wing, which could not be contained, and was ditched approximately 15 minutes later in the Formosa Strait. All 13 crewmen were able to evacuate, and a U.S. Coast Guard Mariner PBM-5G Mariner aircraft was dispatched and landed at sea. Eleven crewmen were rescued, but two remained missing. The Mariner pilot ultimately departed, resulting in a crash during takeoff. Five of the eight Mariner crewmen were killed, and four of the eleven Neptune crewmen were also killed. The Navy destroyer USS Halsey Powell rescued the survivors.