The naked machine gunner hero, during the Second World War, an American pilot was shot down by Japanese anti-aircraft and ended up in the sea near the port of Rabaul


The naked machine gunner hero, during the Second World War, an American pilot was shot down by Japanese anti-aircraft and ended up in the sea near the port of Rabaul.

He did not die but was seriously injured. He managed to send out a distress call, which was heard by the US Navy's "Dumbo" rescue unit.

The rescue unit's machine gunner didn't think twice. He took off the clothes that would have prevented him from swimming, dived into the water and brought the pilot to safety. Immediately afterwards, still naked, he stood in his position to respond to the fire of the Japanese who were trying to prevent the seaplane from regaining altitude.

The photo was taken by Horace Bristol, an American war photographer.

His photos have appeared in Time, Fortune, Sunset, National Geographic and Life magazines.

The name of the hero machine gunner remains unknown to this day

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