I know this has been brought up before, maybe not in this exact context..but:
Why not have the ability to pick up a downed pilot with a PT boat and have him joined as a gunner? Can the code do that?
Say, something like, once PT boat is within a certain range, a panel pops up saying "Would you like to pick this poor sap up and use him as a gunner?" YES or NO?"
Then, the downed pilot now becomes part of the crew (Gunner) and avoids him being 'captured' status. (However, he may end up dying now that he's joined a very vulnerable Teak wood platform...
And Hey! How about that seaplane tender and some serious SAR A/C for perk points? Folks would fly them if you rewarded such feats of heroism with, say, 10 points a pilot!