Belleau Wood (CVL 24) - Naval Cruise Book

Page 188 text:

Fighting Squadron 21 F TOP ROW: M. J. Johnson, J. D. Santacroce, W. J. Steinmacher, W. R. Myers, C. VV. Cox, R. Beach, F. L. Clark, E. E. Pease, W. E. Schindler. FOURTH ROW: H. A. Massey, R. E. Wunner, E. L. Cox, G. F. Smith, R. W. Emerson, C. K. McChesney. THIRD ROW: H. H. Hassenfratz, J. R. Wilson, D. P. Hull, J. A. McConnell, C. O. Roberts, W. L. Keely, H. A. Perry, W. D. Biggers, T. S. Rice, G. B. Turner, R. P. Gotch, L. B. Dunham. SECOND ROW: M. U. Mead, R. D. Eadie, K. W. Lynn, C. M. Arnold, F. Lynch, E. M. Mahoney, J. J. F. Gale, G. F. Boyle, G. H. Durand, E. R. Boeck, J. H. Drake, M. P. Cleboski. BOTTOM ROW: H. P. Cottrell, A. W. Berberich, R. F. Thomas, R. E. White, P. Rippa, H. J. Tate, H. C. Dixon, J. R. Conner, J. D. Nellis, J. M. Mc- Fadden, R. O. Yancey, J. E. No-rthrup. NO PICTURES OF THE FOLLOWING OFFICERS: T. W. Attridge, J. E. Greenwood, A. J. Manger, N. E. Maxwell. l H G R Q U P Q 1 In June, 1944 Air Group 21, under the command of Commander Casey, relieved Air Group 24 while the ,, 2 ,,, , V' V ship was at Pearl Harbor. Lt. Cdr. R. A. Kennard was s.i. sBr I if VT skipper. A irisli ZII The first combat missions were air support sorties for our troops engaged in a moppingfup expedition on A A Guam. Next came the initial strikes at Palau and the Philippines. Fighter pilot Meade and torpedo pilot Ev' 2 ,....i , is erett with his crew Arrance and Davidson were lost ilk 1 ...sp. over Ivlindanao. Flights were flown to cover the land' ings at Morotai and Palau. ln October strikes were launched at Ckinawa, For' mosa, Luzon, and Leyte. Prior to the invasion of the Philippines at Leyte, the group hit Jap installations on the Islands. Early on the morning of October 25th the VF and VT took off on the first strike in the Second Battle Of the Philippine Sea and struck the northern Jap f0rC6 182

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Torpedo Squadron 24 TOP ROW: J.M.Barbour, J. G. Flohill, .D. r , . . , . . , . . . , ' , Massey, V. A. Nolte, F. Lambil E. V?l'EMllVlollJd,JRrllEiixlllItz?rIfke1l3 ?IElt5mfEh,MVlPvI5nOiiJ1iirkl3 Iiiirligge, GK.PO.BOi?cTt2er5 Ci-l1.aOBlg?ovIe.Agar' F' MIDDLE ROW: R. Murphy, J. Gotch, R. J. Dorr, J. F. Siwicki, R. E. Ranes, J. H. Teixeira., T. Hayatake, E. L. York, J. Broome, P. Delaney, M. D. Fuson, E. C. Babcock, A. Carter, F. L. Woolcott, P. E. Whiting, T. A. Connor, S. Sustarsic, R. Ernest. BOTTOM ROW: R. A. Reichart, A. Sistzcki, W. Pruitt, J. Rosic, J. E. Prince, F. A. Odom, G. H. Platz, C. L. Butler, R. Balfrey, J. Peters, R. M. Vance, R. Wagenknecht, V. W. Shields, R. V. Spicker, J. R. Dobbs, J. A. Brookbank, F. Laurenroth. drew its first blood, a Betty shot down by Bob Ross and Buck Rogers. The first serious deck crash occurred when the VF skipper, Lt. Cdr. Johnny Curtis, crashed through the barriers and went over the side. All efforts failed to find him. After the next fWake Islandj raid the 12 VF of Fighting 22 were exchanged for 12 from Air Group 6 which remained aboard for the occupation of the Gilbert Islands and the strike on the Marshalls. Returning to Pearl the group flew off to the island of Maui to refform and take on new pilots to make up a 24fplane fighting squadron. From here the group shot and bombed their way across the Pacific through the following operations: oc' cupation of the Marshall Islands, strike on Truk, strike on the Marianas, occupation of Emirau Island, strike on the Palau Islands, occupation of Hollandia on New Guinea, occupation of the Marianas including the First Battle of the Philippine Sea, and the Bonin strikes. Most outstanding was their part in the Philippine Sea Battle which started with the great Jap air attack on 181 June 19. Gn the morning patrol jack Thelen's fighter division knocked down 10 and 3 probables out of 20 Zekes that jumped them over Guam. The afternoon proved fairly dull-our group having the backfstop CAP, while the other groups held field day on the .lapaf nese naval air force. Late the next afternoon the order came to launch a strike against the ,lap Fleet. To the torpedo pilots went the greatest glory: Omark, Tate, Luton, and Brown went in to drop their fish at a Hayaf taka class carrier. Brown was hit badly by AA and caught fire, although he went on to score a hit. Gmark and Tate also scored hits on the crippled carrier, sending her to the bottom. Although Brown was severely inf jured and his bomb bay doors were jammed open, he joined up and tried to fly back. Repeatedly the others had to force him back on course, but in the growing darkness his plane fell off and he was never found. While the ship was in the yard at Pearl Harbor in July, Air Group 24 was relieved by Air Group 21. Aboard from May, 1943 to july, 1944, they established the longest tour of duty on record.

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. MA, 9 .nr X -.. '. ' 4' ' 1 if l'. ev . . ff aw Q J ' 8 s 1 A J. s.s. , , f,.,,.,.fy4 ., J, , Z ... .mzolfifv AL..xysydwfsc,-a'al1.4zesz.Z.fQ.-Q ..J..u f. Torpedo Squadron 21 TOP ROW: J. B. Stevens, L. B. Saunders, XV. H. Junk, B. L. Hotalingr. THIRD ROW: C. D. Smith, D. Cowan, B. H. Dye, C. A. Hooper. Jr., SECOND ROW: L. W. Posson, H. B. Davis, Jr., H. D. Crowley, E. R. Mason. BOTTOM ROW: A. F. Clapp, C. Zeimuntz, J. Everett, J. T. Hyland. NO PICTURES OF THE FOLLOVVING OFFICERS: R. L. Lucas. MEN: L. Arrance, R. J. Barlow, L. E. Christie, C. P. Crump, R. B. David, O. M. Davidson, XV. T. Eschuck, J. TOP RONV: G. L. Allen, E. L. Nawroelii, N. E. NVaters, J. E. Nvagxoner, NV. J. Zeitz, S. E. Castor. THIRD RONV: C. A. Gelvin, J. F. Uprichard, unidentified, D. A. Marsh, J. F. Tottinghum, E. A. Haufschild, J. J. Miller, F. J. Russell. SECOND RONV: B. M. Shelton, G. XV. Marsh. C. L. Pichard, G. G. Brown, D. E. Erwin, R. F. Drake, VV. NV. MacKay, W. H. Robinson, unidentified. BOTTOM ROXV: R. Soouist. J. M. Martin, J. P. XVall, unidentified, B. J. Nitzel, H. H. Logsdon. P. Gorman, C. R. Green, O. C. Lockett, G. C. McClease, F. F. Scirgova, N. J. Shellenberger, J. R. Te-are, R. E. Traynor. which consisted of four carriers and two battlewagons surrounded by screening cruisers and destroyers. VF21 pilots shot down two Zekes over the formation and made strafing and rocket attacks on two cruisers and a battleship. Two VT planes scored hits on one BB, while two other VT put fish in the starboard quarter of a Shokaku class carrier. The other torpedo planes struck two CVL's, putting two ish in a Zuiho class and ossible hit in a Chitose class. Out of eight torpedoes dropped, four were hits. All of our planes returned safely. After the first attack was over, Lt. Claude Roberts of VFf2l, remained over the Jap Fleet in direct communif cation with Admiral Halsey himself and did a good job of keeping the Admiral informed of the movements of 313 the enemy. On the 30th of October when the suicide plane hit, Lt. Keely was killed manning his plane at the spot where the Nip plunged into the deck. Twentyfthree 183 VTf2i crewmen in the after ready room were lost in this tragedy.