Figure 1
A very rare type of photograph showing downed American aviator Lt. George W. Polk, USNR,  with his Malaitan rescuer by the name of ‘Shemeul’. It is presumed the photograph was taken on Kwai Island off Malaita’s mid-East coast where Lt. Polk fetched up after becoming lost in evening darkness of December 15, 1942. He had been flying a Curtiss SOC-1 Seagull, BuNo. 9954, in attempt to rescue another downed pilot near Buraku Island off the South end of New Georgia when he himself became another downed aviator. He was picked up seven days later by fellow scouting pilot Lt. Bruce G. Bracket, USNR., from the VCS Detachment (Ringbolt). It is presumed the photograph was taken by Lt. Bracket. Shemeul wears the remnants of Polk’s parachute harness, his flying goggles and holds his Colt 45 Model 1911A1 automatic pistol. [U.S. Navy photo 80-G-44190, U.S. National Archives, as published p. 163, “Flying” Vol. 35, No. 4, October 1944].