The Catalina Chronicles : Volume 2
President's Message 2-24-95:
The greatest threat to achieving a goal is disharmony, disorder, and disunity. A lot of "dis" can make any task difficult if not impossible.
Unity and pride is what I found expressed in the monthly publication CONSOLIDATOR produced by Consolidated Aircraft Corporation for its employees. Their unity produced one of the world's finest aircraft; the PBY Catalina. One of Webster's definitions of unity is "the quality of being one in spirit, sentiment, purpose, etc.; harmony; agreement; concord; uniformity".
I ask the PBY Catalina global community: can we work as well as the jackasses and use the same unity to build a historical museum to honor the aircraft and those who flew her? If the answer is yes, then each organization must decide on how they can contribute to our goal and make our mission a reality. Our mission is "to remember the past and be a window to the future; a window looking into the PBY Catalina Historical Museum".
Red Star Cats continued:
World War II Encounters & Accomplishments by VP-23 December 7, 1941 through January 1943.
I have been a Pearl Harbor Survivor member for approximately ten years and have received numerous correspondence from you and the PBY Catalina Foundation. I feel the Foundation should be highly commended for bringing attention to great efforts and sacrifices made by our PBY crews throughout World War II. I have read a number of actions involving various PBY squadrons but never have I read any particular feats involving VP-23, from December 7, 1941 to January 1943, of which I was a member. It saddens me to think that so many good men from VP-23 gave the ultimate sacrifice, yet are not a part of the outstanding historical literature that you have collected. It is this motivating factor that encourages me to share with you, at this time, an outline of some of our action from June 1940 through January 1943.
THE PEARL HARBOR ATTACK
I was assigned from VP-25 to VP-23, based at Ford Island Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, in March 1941. My rate was AMM 2/C, Plane #2. My position was Plane Captain. Our Squadron Commander was LCDR Francis M. Hughes (deceased as RADM in 1960) and our Skipper was Lt. James R. Ogden (deceased as Captain in 1982).
In October 1941, we flew our old PBY-2's back to San Diego to exchange them for PBY-5's. They were a welcome change with their plastic blisters versus the flat hatches the PBY-2's had. We returned in November 1941.
The December 7th attack destroyed all the new PBY-5's but one or two. Our Skipper, then Commander Hughes was able to take off during the strike--the only PBY I know of that got airborne. The Skipper and crew received commendations. I was on a machine gun all day December 7th. At approximately 2000, I was told to report to one of the hangars near the Ford Island Strip to bunk out and be ready to take off in a JRS for patrol Monday morning, December 8, 1941. The pilots, myself and one other AMM took off at 0300 and patrolled approximately 12 hours looking for the Jap Fleet. Weather was one big squall after another, consequently we never saw anything.
GILBERT AND MARSHALS
January 1942, our squadron VP-23 left for an advance base on Canton Islands to patrol for enemy activity in order to prepare for the Gilbert and Marshal attack by our carriers. We patrolled each day from Canton Island to Suva, Capital of Fiji Island, then lay over in Fiji and return to Canton. This was continuous for two weeks until after the Gilbert and Marshals were bombed.
The night we left Canton for an overnight flight to Pearl we lost one of our planes. We never did find out what happened.
MAY 3, 1942, MIDWAY ISLAND
On May 3, 1942, the entire squadron left for Midway. Upon landing we were briefed that the Japanese were planning to attack Midway. Thirty days prior to the attack we patrolled every day approximately 12 hours, without a day off. On June 3, 1942, we were informed that the Japanese were to attack the following morning. We took off approximately 0300, the morning of the attack. While on patrol, we spotted one Jap carrier burning. We patrolled until dark at which time we had permission to land. The next day, about three hours out, I spotted an oil slick and we tracked it until we spotted what looked like two large enemy ships. We radio contacted the base and followed them for about three hours; then returned to Midway. We never found out what happened to the ships we had spotted.
The third day after the Midway strike, all PBY planes started a formation search and rescue to hunt for survivors of planes that had been shot down. About 3 hours out, we spotted a life raft with seven survivors in it. Our plane #2, piloted by Lt. Wm. O'Dowd was ordered to make the open sea landing. the sea was extremely rough but we successfully landed the plane and taxied to the raft and picked up the survivors of the PBY that had been shot down. I cannot recall what squadron they were from. Only seven out of the twelve men crew survived. After they were able to disembark their plane and enter the raft, the Japanese strafed the raft. We picked up the raft and the oars which had numerous bullet holes as evidence of their story. We made a rough take off but landed at Midway safe and sound. There were two survivors that were shot, an aviation machinist and an officer by the name of Camp. I understand Officer Camp died later but the other men survived. I noticed in the August 1994 Catalina Chronicle that Lee McCleary of VP 44 stated that he was the only survivor of a PBY to be shot down at Midway. He should be informed of this pickup. Our pilot Lt. Wm. O'Dowd received the Navy Cross for his fantastic landing and heroic takeoff in the open and rough sea. After the aforementioned rescue, we returned to Pearl harbor and kept patrolling each day until July 1942.
EARLY JULY 1942 GUADAL CANAL BATTLE
We left for Guadal Canal battle landing at Espiritu Santos. We boarded the USS Curtiss where we would stay until January 1943.
We patrolled every other day 12 to 14 hours for approximately 7 months. During that period, one of our PBY's shot down a twin engine Jap patrol plane. All the members received special commendations from ADM Nimitz and later all received promotions. One of the members was an aviation pilot (enlisted) ; two others were machinist mates, one named Cook and the other named Williams.
Later on, during that campaign, our plane was sent to an advance base in Santa Cruz island for a couple of weeks. while there, we worked off another seaplane tender until we spotted a Japanese task force. While tracking them, they spotted us. We could see large guns firing at us but all shells were dropping short. A few minutes later, we spotted 3 Jap planes beginning their runs at us. One burst shot part of the blister away as I was shooting at him. The blast missed me but killed one of our pilots--Lt. Robert R. Wilcox III from Albuquerque, New Mexico. After about 20 minutes, they saw we were flying away from their fleet, so they returned to their ship.
We were able to return to Santa Cruz Island with about 5 minutes of fuel left and all our floats shot up, but I was able to use the manual crank to bring the floats down. Our pilot at that time was Lt. Reiser, who I feel to this day, was the best navigator in the squadron. He was the reason we survived the return flight.
Some time in January of 1943, we were relieved off the USS Curtiss. I think we only had about four or five planes left out of the entire squadron at VP-23. The small group of us left from the original VP 23 boarded an English ship called the H.M.S. Pennant, a diesel, which took us back to Pearl Harbor.
I believe we must have lost four or five of our planes in that campaign. I'm sure the PBY found recently on Espiritus Santos was from our squadron of VP-23 between July 1942 and January 1943.
I thought I would try to relate some of the activity of VP-23 between the time of the December 7th Pearl Harbor attack and January 1943 in honor of everyone who served with the squadron. It is also my hope that if my account of the activities of VP-23 are printed in the Catalina Chronicle, that some of my old shipmates will try to contact me. IF ANYONE KNOWS JOHNNY SOSH FROM VP-23, PLEASE HAVE HIM CONTACT ME.
Sincerely,
Bill Forbes ACMM
P. O. Box 5049
Anaheim, CA 92804
Phone: (714) 520-3022 or (714) 520-0129
Australian Catalina Remains Found in Jakarta
According to a Reuters's report just out this past August from Jakarta, residents on Indonesia's rugged Buru island have found the remains of nine Australian airmen and their aircraft, 50 years after it crashed during a World War II bombing raid.
The airmen's remains will be buried in the Commonwealth War Graves Commission's cemetery on nearby Ambon island, said Brigadier Kerry Mellor, defense attaché at the Australian Embassy in Jakarta.
The airmen were on raid against Japanese shipping at Namlea, on Buru, when their Catalina crashed into the tropical forest July 20, 1944, he told Reuters.
"The remains were found by local residents who stumbled on them at the end of June or early in July. There were also six 250-lb bombs which have since been made safe," Mellor said.
The remains are now in Ambon, about 1500 miles east of Jakarta, after being retrieved by a joint Australian-Indonesian team.
The plane from the Royal Australian Air Force's 43rd Squadron had taken off from near the northern Australian city of Darwin, about 625 miles south of Buru.
U.S.-designed twin-engine Catalinas were maritime patrol aircraft equipped for long range bombing missions, especially in the Pacific, during World War II.
Philippines OKs WW II Medals
World War II veterans who served in the Philippines for not less than 30 days between October 17, 1944 and September 3, 1945 are now eligible to receive the Philippine Liberation Medal (PLM) from the government of the Philippines.
The award will be issued free to veterans who make an application, with appropriate verification of service, through the Defense and Armed Forces Affairs office (DAFAO) of the Philippine Embassy in Washington, D.C.
In addition, DAFAO will issue five other medals to World War II veterans of the Philippine campaigns:
A Few Gallons More
At the PBY Catalina Foundation's 1994 reunion, Santa Rosa, California, we had a real treat. Bob Swan, the pilot/navigator of the PBY that first sited the Japanese Invasion of Midway on June 3, 1942 shared a remarkable piece of information.
Per Bob, his PBY had been searching for the Japanese invasion fleet for several days. Each day they flew 650 miles on the outward leg, turned 90 degrees for about 100 miles and then returned to Midway.
On each patrol, as they reached the 650 mile turning point, a Japanese twin engine Nel 96 plane would put a few holes in their beloved PBY. Even though they fired their 50 caliber blister guns at the meat ball painted plane, no real kill was noted.
At Midway, the U. S. Army had sent some B-17s to bolster the defense of the island and they had a new type of 50 - caliber machine gun bullet. It had an exploding projectile that blew up on impact causing greater damage than that of the regular type projectiles. Swan and his crew were able to scrounge five rounds of the new bullet. They placed three rounds in one gun and two in the other. They were going to get the NIP aircraft that put holes in their PBY.
The best part of Swan's tale was about the plane's captain, R. J. DeRoin, who had a wife and two children. For some unknown reason, Chief DeRoin decided, on their behalf, to add 50 gallons of fuel for each member of his family, a total of 150 extra gallons! Off they flew. At the 650 mile point where they would have turned their 90 degrees - no Japanese aircraft - no bullet holes in their PBY!
Disappointed, Swan asked Jack Reid, the patrol plane commander, if they could continue on for a few minutes more with the hopes of trying out the new bullets. They really wanted to use the exploding rounds on the Jap plane.
With the extra fuel, Reid agreed, with the comment to Bob, "I don't care just so long as you get us back to Midway." On they went. Again, per Bob, they had not flown very long when suddenly below and on the near horizon, was the Japanese invasion fleet heading for Midway! The rest is a major part of our W.W.II history, the beginning of the defeat of the Japanese empire and the end of W.W.II.
Had it not been for a few gallons more of fuel, and the determination to get even with a Japanese plane, the United States Navy could have missed the Japanese invading fleet.
To the men listed below, MORE THAN WELL DONE, GENTLEMEN.
 |
Go Back to the Previous Page |
|---|---|
 |
Go Back to Main Menu |