On 11 November1942, VMD-154 flew on to Espiritu Santo Island. There, the men unloaded their gear and settled into Naval quarters; i.e. one big tent about 20 feet x 20 feet. When they arrived, Bomber 1 airstrip was nearly finished, and the construction of Bomber 2 underway. Tonkanese people helped build the airstrips. Workers were well fed and paid 6 cents a day. Not much by any means, but the workers were glad to get it. The senior plane took off and flew to Guadalcanal to get the feel of the territory. Every other day, one crew stayed back while the other one flew. On 7 Feb 1943, the day of the crash, witnesses say the plane did not appear to have the flaps in the proper position, and the plane went straight into the water shortly after takeoff. No trace of the crew was ever found. Captain Benjamin C.Y. Fuller, USMCR 1st Lieutenant Harry M. Roberts, USMCR Staff Sergeant Ernest Lee Bailey, USMCR Corporal Richard Paul Chenard, USMC Private James Kenneth Davis, USMC Corporal Henry Battling Nielsen, USMC Corporal Alvin Anthony Nowak, USMC Private First Class Lester Cyril Simkins, USMC Private First Class Robert Stephen Edwards, USMCR Sergeant Herbert Edward Knecht USMC Private Johnny Fred Tarzi, USMC AND 1st Lieutenant Harold Welch Ervin, Army Air Force