In the first decades of naval aviation, when aircraft did not require lengthy runways on which to land, there was little sight more comforting for the pilot of malfunctioning aircraft than an open field. Such was the case for Marine Gunnery Sergeant John Carter, who on August 9, 1933, had to make a forced landing in this T4M-1 torpedo bomber of Utility Squadron (VJ) 6M based at Quantico, Virginia. Marines have gathered around the airplane, including mechanics in coveralls positioned around the engine. Carter was evidently fortunate to land close to base, but in some cases naval aviators had to put down far from assistance. This was particularly the case with seaplanes that flew over vast expanses of open water. Perhaps the most famous example of this was the PN-9 commanded by Commander John Rodgers, the U.S. Navy’s second aviator. Attempting to complete a long-distance flight between California and Hawaii in 1925, Rodgers and his crew had to make a forced landing short of their objective because of a shortage of fuel. Their flying boat being a capable seagoing craft, they used fabric from its wings to fashion sails, traveling 450 miles in ten days before being sighted by rescuers.