Keywords: Escaped crew members of USS Quail (AM-15) with US flag in Australia in June 194.jpg en Seven members of the crew of the scuttled U S Navy minesweeper USS Quail AM-15 at Darwin Northern Territory Australia in June 1942 The men made their flag from a mattress cover torn pieces of sheet dyed with Merthiolate and a crewman ™s shirt sleeves <br>With the outbreak of war with Japan Quail was in the Philippines During the defense of Corregidor she swept a channel providing access to South Harbor Corregidor Her crew then went ashore to aid in the defense of that island Damaged by enemy bombs and guns Quail was scuttled 5 May 1942 by U S forces to prevent her capture Part of her crew Lt Cmdr John H Morrill and 17 others escaped to Darwin Australia arriving on 7 June 1942 after covering 3540 km http //www navy mil/ah_online/department_arch html U S Navy All Hands magazine http //www navy mil/ah_online/archpdf/ah198601 pdf January 1986 p 9 U S Navy 1942-06 PD-USGov-Military-Navy USS Quail AM-15 Pacific War in June 1942 Darwin Northern Territory in World War II |