January 1938... For two years, Pan American's magnificent Martin M130 flying boats have been safely and routinely carrying passengers from San Francisco to Hong Kong. It's a trip considered by many to be a fairy tale ride through deserted Pacific islands, equipped with luxury hotels and dining facilities. But the corporate expansion continues. New Zealand will be the stepping stone to Australia and Singapore. The Martins can't be spared. The shorter range Sikorsky aircraft will have to be used. As with Hong Kong, this route will be blazed by Pan American’s Chief Pilot, Edwin C. Musick. So perilous is this operation that one fueling stop is made on a tiny atoll, approximately one hundred yards in length. It's barely able to hold the five men shown below. Flight crews will be there overnight, on an ocean-going freighter. On one of these flights, Musick has an engine problem and is faced with a choice. Does he dump fuel to comply with John Leslie's always accurate performance numbers, knowing that could lead to a catastrophic fire? Or does he, this time, just this one time in his life, break with procedure?