When Phil Deasy, pilot of the Daisy Mae, returns to Palmyra and discovers that the Green Hornet never came back, he says "Holy smoke!" (3.13.1) That's a direct quote, which means people outside of comic strips actually said that once upon a time.
A search party is sent out to find them.
The next day, Louie wakes up and discovers that Mac has eaten all the survival chocolate.
Louie is disappointed, but understands that Mac acted in panic.
A B-25 passes overhead. Louie shoots up a flare, but the bomber doesn't stop for them.
Later, the Daisy Mae also flies overhead, but does not see them; everyone starts to lose hope.
Meanwhile, the last letters of all the men are reaching their families and friends, who do not yet realize the men are missing.
After a week, the search is abandoned, and the men's things in the barracks are catalogued. Louie's liquor is gone, of course.
Louie is officially reported missing on May 27, 1943, but his family is "absolutely certain that [he is] still alive" (3.13.49).
Over on Samoa, Pillsbury and Douglas are still in the hospital—Douglas with a wounded shoulder and Pillsbury with his bleeding leg (and sore stomach from being poked over and over again)
When they find out that the crew of the Green Hornet is missing, they hang a flag in their memory.