Christian Friis Lauesen

Lieutenant Lauesen and VMF-422 arrived in the South Pacific on 24 January 1944, catapulting from the USS Kalinin Bay and landing on the newly-christened Hawkins Field on the newly-won island of Betio, Tarawa atoll. The squadron was to fly long-distance from Tarawa to Nanumea in the Ellice Islands (Tuvalu). The invasion of the Marshall Islands was underway, and it was anticipated that VMF-422 would base out of an airfield soon to be captured.

The flight of 23 Corsairs departed on the morning of 25 January and proceeded without incident until about fifteen minutes flying time from Nanumea. There, they encountered a “violent tropical hurricane” with rain so thick they could not see straight ahead. The squadron headed down to the deck to fly through the weather; when they emerged, five planes were missing and only three pilots responded to radio calls.

A few minutes later, VMF-422 entered a second weather front presumed to be over Nanumea itself. The planes were again battered and separated; only fifteen managed to get through, and they were unsure of their exact position. At 1235, Lieutenant Lauesen radioed to report an engine malfunction and quickly ditched his aircraft. He was seen in the water wearing his “Mae West” vest, but without his life raft. First Lieutenant Robert Lehnert circled the downed pilot until his fuel ran out, then bailed out “intending to share his life raft with Lieutenant Lauesen.” In his descent, Lehnert lost sight of Lauesen and was unable to locate him after landing in the water.