On January 16, 1942, Chief Aviation Machinist's Mate and enlisted Naval Aviation Pilot Harold Dixon (aged 42, from La Mesa, California), radioman Gene Aldrich (aged 22 from Sikeston, Missouri) and bombardier Anthony Pastula (aged 24 of Youngstown, Ohio) took off from the aircraft carrier USS Enterprise in a Douglas TBD Devastator torpedo bomber Bureau Number 0335. As part of Torpedo Squadron SIX (VT-6), they were to undertake an anti-submarine sweep over the Pacific Ocean. Once airborne they were to maintain radio silence to safeguard the carrier being detected by the Japanese.