The Indianapolis Star 
December 26, 1957

CRASH SURVIVORS SOUGHT ON OCEAN

Honolulu (UP)  A full scale air and sea search fanned out from Honolulu yesterday on the slim chance of sighting more survivors from a Navy radar plane that crashed into the ocean Monday night. Four survivors were picked  up Tuesday, the bodies of two other crewmen were reccovered and 17 of the 23 aboard the plane are still missing.

Two of the four survivors, Lt. (j.g.) Richard Rentschler, 22 years old, Lincoln, Neb., and Aviation Technician 3'c Franklin A. Henry, 22, kankee, Illll., said they doubted if any of the others were still alive. The other two rescued crewmen were Cmdr. Guy Howard, 41, Oakland, Cal., and Lt. (j.g.) Thomas Kline, 25, East Willston, N.D. All four were described as in good condition.

The plane was a WV-2 Superconstellation on a routine early warning mission when it crashed into the sea about 25 miles from Oahu. Rentschler and Henry described the crash for newsmen and said there was only the "barest possibility" that three other men who suvived the crash would still be alive. They identified the trio as Aviation Electronic Tehnician 3/c James C. Rush of Robinson, Ill.;  Air Controlman 3/c Charles D. Price of Seattle , and Air Controlman 3/c Robert O. Clark of Frankfort, Ind. "We saw them soon after the crash but we last saw them disappaaring into the distance," Rentschler and Henry said.

They said the crash occurred suddenly after the plane commander had ordered a fire drill. Henry remarked to Rentschler that the plane was fast losing altitude, more rapidly than a routine drill would call for. A few seconds later the plane smashed into the water.