Between April 26-27, 1944, USAAF pilot Second Lieutenant Carter Harman flew a YH-4A helicopter 500 miles from a base in Lalaghat India to rescue three wounded British Commandos and a USAAF L-1 pilot.  They were stranded behind enemy lines in near Aberdeen, Burma after being shot down by enemy gunfire.   Lt. Harmon removed the copilot’s seat and carried 21 gallons of fuel in 4 jerrycans and a foldable stretcher for the long trip.  Lt. Harman hopscotched from USAAF Air Commando base to base with extra stops enroute to refuel.  The limited capabilities of the YR-4 required Carter to take one person at a time to a sand bar where they were flown to a hospital in an L-5 fixed wing airplane. After the second rescue, the engine overheated requiring an overnight stay on the sand bar.  The next day, he rescued the third wounded British Commando and returned to pick up the pilot and return him to the USAAF Air Commando Forward Base at Aberdeen.

The following video is an introduction to the R-4 by George Scott and an interview with Lt. Harman.