The OS2U-3 that rescued Rickenbacker was assigned to VS-1-D14 landbased on Funafuti in the Ellice Islands. When this a/c, nicknamed The Bug, first found the B-17's pilot, it was being flown Frederick E. Woodward and gunner Lester H. Boutte. The next day, when Rickenbacker was found, the same a/c was being flown by William F. Eadie and Boutte. There are no war diaries for VS-1-D14. The photos of The Bug we have are front views (see attached), so the BuNo isn't visible. I've read reams of accounts of these rescues, but still no BuNo! I need the BuNo! Please HELP!! Thank you in advance.
After reading reams and reams of accounts of this rescue, I figured out how to find the BuNo in the Aircraft History card microfilm reels - hoping, of course, I wouldn't have to look at 1600 OS2U-3 cards. The BuNo is 5308.