I usually watch documentaries about WW II, even though I've seen many in my years. I learned something that I didn't know, and only from an interview from Thomas Cato Tiller Sr. Even though I knew of the event, I didn't know of a certain part of the event. Quote from Wikipedia...... "Just before dawn on September 12, 1944, he climbed into his F6F Hellcat and took off from the USS Hornet (CV-12). Air Group 2 was bombing an island of Cebu in the Philippines.[1] Ensign Tillar became embroiled in a dogfight among three Japanese fighters, downing one of their planes before his plane was shot down.[1] Tillar ditched the damaged aircraft and clamored aboard his life raft.[1] He found himself about 600 yards from the small island of Apit, which was about 4 miles west of Leyte.[1] Friendly Filipinos in outriggers retrieved him from the water..... The local chief and his wife were most hospitable, offering a meal of fish, rice, and a dozen raw eggs. About 3 pm, aircraft engines were heard overhead.[1] Tillar signaled with his mirror but the planes did not acknowledge him. A short time later, F6Fs flew over low and slow. At the same time, an outrigger came ashore carrying a lieutenant in the Filipino guerillas.[1] He told Tillar that he welcomed the presence of the American carriers in the area and asked for supplies.[1] Tillar asked the officer about the number of Japanese soldiers on the large neighboring islands. He reported 15,000 on Cebu and none on Leyte. Almost immediately after securing this information, a seaplane touched down. Tillar rafted out to the rescue seaplane and was picked up by pilot Mike Spinelli." Now you wonder about the blades. When Tiller was spotted by the natives, he thought they might've been Japanese, and the natives thought that also about him. When the natives got closer, Tiller pulled out a tuck of Gillette Red & Black blades and was instantly recognized as being American, then picked up. And if it wasn't for Tiller being shot down and getting info about no Japanese being on Leyte, the Philippines would've been liberated much later, possibly by six months or more, and saving many lives in the process.
