Belleau Wood (CVL 24) - Naval Cruise Book

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1 1 . 3 !................M.. get YZ' ' Pl 215 ' z g 3 r Qs Ev Ht . 'li 13 :ll .iq i, 4 -e 1 'E .I if fs? S211 .ru ,,' 335 Efie E tif 1 l D: 1 ,. i l I 1 1 I Fighting Squadron 30 TOP ROW: O. J. Merz. K. W. Curry, H. A. Lee, D. J. Smith, R. L. Rhodes, D. L. Kirby, C. Duggins, B. R. Kyler, T. J. Ryzin, J. Welle, A. I. Lunder, ' ' ' A. L. Ol n. VV H Smith, R. B. Carlson, W. Gundaker, R. H. Baldwin, L. M. Cobb, W. R. McAllister, D. E. Reynei, W. H. ogers, se FOURTH ROW: K. B. Rowley, R. P. Tunstill, R. O. Burns, J. W. Ward, R. E. Parker, E. J. McNulty, M. A. Mazzocco, J. E. Pixbon. THIRD ROW: F. L. Peterson, R. S. Bennett, J. W. Pooley, W. J. Cummings, W. N. Thomas, A. S. Yesensky, G. J. Tracy, J. V. Reber, L. J. Behrend, D. P. Philips, A. G. Bittner. O. J. Fronek. J. F. Gerkin, E. J .Easter, R. P. Buis. SECOND ROW:R. C. Anderson, R. G. Doherty, J. J. Noel, W. S. Huckins, C. H. Carey, C. C. Foster, R. L. Reins, J G. Miller, K. J. Dahms, F. R. Gil christ, J. L. Watson, C. C. Spataro. BOTTOM ROVV: H. V. Haney, C. C. Tovar, P. P. Korkey, Harrison, L. G. Rygh, F. E. Green, H. W. Sturdevant, R. H. Lindner, D. A. Clark, R. F. Gil- lespie, E. A. Evenson, J. R. Blanton, J. Q. Ward. NO PICTURES OF THE FOLLOWING OFFICERS: R. G. Berenson, C. D. Mclver, R. L. Mosher, H. J. Wescott, R. L. Young. lil GROUP 30 Air Group 30 was commissioned April 1, 1943 at Rio Grande, New Jersey. On August 1 they reported aboard the U. S. S. MONTEREY, CVLf26. Their first action against the enemy came on November 19 with strikes against Makin Island. May 11, 1944 terminated this iirst tour of duty when the group was detached from the MONTEREY at Pearl Harbor. The second edition of Air Group 30 was organized under Lt. Cdr. Robert Lindner in June, 1944 at N.A.S. Seattle. Lt. Frederick C. Tothill skippered the torpedo squadron. The air group was then transferred to N.A.S., Pasco, Washington for training in gunnery, straff ing, bombing, and combat hops. From Pasco the air group flew to San Diego and boarded the CVE, U. S. S. TAKANIS BAY for carrier qualification. After a few weeks of held carrier landings at Brown Field, San Diego, Air Group 30 reported to the BELLEAU WOOD in Alameda on january 18, 1945 shortly before her departure for the combat area. Initial contact with the enemy came on February 16 -the first Tokyo strikes. Lt. fjgj Eric Candy Even' son shot down two Jap planes while on a CAP tO break the ice . 184

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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.

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vi ff' fwf' Torpedo Squadron 30 TOP ROW: J. M. Tuttle, E. L. Howe, R. N. Lahann, A. E. Louis, R. E. Regan, L. L. Hailey, YV. J. Duffy, B. D. Kent, F. R. Foster, O. I. Ford, W. C. Mosley, E. C. Kress, T. A. Turgeon, R. W. Richardson, G. Fabyanic, J. J. Carroll, NV. E. Flenniken, C. E. Brandt, H. Hardee, J. W. Grie- ner, C. A. Conner, F. J. Kendlehart. THIRD ROW: J. Zalewski, R. E. Dodson, R. B. Smith, D. E. Guhse, P. W. Lycan, NV. E. Delaney, YV. H. Mosey, F. C. Tothill, J. M. Reisert, B. Bailey, L. W. Tedesco, W. R. Willert, R. O. Ytzen, J. J, O'Neill, R. C. Atwood. SECOND ROW: Hetrick, E.. J. Bury, E. L. Hubbs, B. A. Woolever, G. C. Spear. H. F. Cornelius, D. H. Klunk, NV. M. Parker, C. R. McCall, H. N. Haney, L. H. Girompmy, J. E. Simmons, A. C. McCarty, H. B. Jacques, N. J. Cooney, T. S. Hinshaw, W. Tilley, L. C. Bailey. BOTTOM ROW: R. L. Eychaner, D. D. Yoho, J. N. Sherbon, Menco, J. A. Fahey, E. J. Mawhinney, A. Dadamo, E. C. Ness, C. H. Jones, C. R. Callo- way, J. S. Bunor, C. R. Gammon, R. L. Sweeney, W. P. O'Shea. H. G. LeBlanc. NO PICTURES OF THE FOLLOVVING OFFICERS: F. E. Hedges. C. D. Relyea. MEN: L. L. Burton, J. Cherry, E. A. Gruett, T. F. McDavid. Shortly after the first Tokyo operation, Lt. Cdr. On April 6 fourteen Hellcats of VFf30 ran into a Lindner was shot down over OhifOhi Jima and declared large mass of Jap aircraft over Okinawa. They shot missing in action. Another black day came a few down 26 Vals, 14 Zekes, 5 Tojos, and 2 Oscars-a to' tal of 47 Nip planes. Ens. Carl Foster took scoring honors this time with six planes to his credit. The group left the ship in Leyte Gulf in June, 1945. In their four months of combat they had capitalized on golden opportunities to destroy 110 Jap planes in the air-a record for BELLEAU WOOD air groups. days later when, on March 1, seven pilots and air crew' men were lost on a strike in the Nansei Shoto. On March 21 the combat air patrol engaged an ex' tremely large group of Jap bombers QBettysj and fighters headed toward the Task Force on what was evidently a suicide mission. Ens. Jim Ward was the first to dis' cover the Baka bomb, attached to the underside of each Betty. In the ensuing engagement 47 laps were splashed, Air Group 30 fighters accounting for 11 Bettys, 12 Zekes, and 1 Tony. Ens. Johnny Miller personally destroyed five. Ens. Jim Reber got four. Two weeks later a striking force of fighters and torf pedo planes from the air group played a prominent part in the sinking of the super battleship, the YAMATO, along with most of its supporting ships. Torpedo pilot Lt. Ernie Delaney had a memorable experience in this operation when he was shot down in flames in the mid' dle of the Jap task force and rescued a few hours later by a PBM. His crewmen, Edward Mawhinney and Wil' liam Tilley were never found. 185 X X X