...On Dec. 23, 1942, John W. Chew Jr. flew over Rehoboth Beach (DE) with Howard Carter aboard as an observer. On this particular flight, they were testing signal flares. As the CAP plane flew along the coast, Chew and Carter methodically dropped the flares and watched as the fiery signals descended to the water.
Without warning, their plane also began to drop, and a few moments later, it crashed into the chilly water 100 yards from the beach. Chew and Carter were alive in the aircraft, but the men were stunned, injured and swamped by the icy water.
On the beach, four Sea Scouts, Will