Axis History Forum

by **R Leonard** on 25 Nov 2004 02:44

Well, no US pilots attempted to land on either of the two remaining Japanese carriers, Zuikaku or Shokaku. There were no Japanese airfields within the range of the US carrier pilots involved in the Coral Sea action. There were some Japanese planes that apparently entered the landing pattern for USS Yorktown late in the evening of May 7, intermixing with Yorktown’s aircraft. They were driven off by AA fire and Yorktown planes still in the air. So, no, he didn’t land on either a Japanese carrier or airfield.

by **Peter H** on 28 Nov 2004 09:03

You might have to provide the answer.

Then feel free to post another Quiz question.

Regards,
Peter

by **Goldfish** on 28 Nov 2004 13:39

Two final guesses:

Was he shot down by friendly fire twice?

Was he rescued by a submarine twice?

by **R Leonard** on 29 Nov 2004 15:08

Okay, here's the scoop. As I said Peter was close, very close.

While there's the dubious distiction of being shot down in the Mediterranean Theater and the Pacific Theater, I can think of more than one pilot who was shot down more than once. What I was looking for was the result of being shot down.

On 8 November 1942, over Cazes, Lieut. August was credited with downing three Vichy Curtiss 75A's. August, however, ended up on the ground, the victim of anti-aircraft fire and was taken prisoner. “Chuck” August was the only US naval aviator who was twice a POW in the same war. He was held by the French until the armistice of 11 November and then, on 4 January 1945 while in VF-44 off USS Langley, was shot down over Formosa and captured by the Japanese. He spent the balance of the war in Omori POW camp at Tokyo.

Next question:

Okay, an easy one . . .

First USN fighter pilot to be credited with shooting down a Japanese A6M2 Zero.

Name:
Rank at time:
His Aircraft:
Squadron:
Ship:
Date:
Action:

Rich

by **R Leonard** on 01 Dec 2004 22:22

It's not that tough ... a hint ... it's the gent sitting in the cockpit. And don't get confused, this shot was taken at Pensacola some time after the event. He's showing a cockpit check to students, here in an F2A. That's not what he was flying when he first scored.

by **Jack Nisley** on 02 Dec 2004 06:43

Walter A. Haas
Ensign
Grumman F4F-3 Wildcat
VF-42
USS Yorktown (CV-5)
7 May 1942
Battle of the Coral Sea - Attack on the Shoho

From "The First Team" by John Lundstrom (One of my favorite books)

Jack Nisley

by **R Leonard** on 02 Dec 2004 15:08

Whew!

Correct, Jack.

Oh yeah, John's First Team duo are slam dunks.

My father worked with him a lot on the first one; we even have some of the rough drafts around here somewhere.

Walt Haas was another one of "the good guys." Took his final flight four or five years ago.

Your turn.

Regards,

Rich Leonard

by **Jack Nisley** on 04 Dec 2004 16:06

On 7 Aug 1942 over Guadalcanal, Sakai Saburo, one of the most famous and successful IJN fighter pilots, shot down a Grumman Wildcat. He vividly described this incident in his book "Samurai". Who was the USN pilot of the Wildcat?

Rich, you know the answer to this. Let's see if anyone else has the "First Team" books.

Jack Nisley

by **Aufklarung** on 04 Dec 2004 17:21

Pug Southerland.

regards
A

by **Jack Nisley** on 05 Dec 2004 17:15

To be exact, Lt. James J. Southerland II, USN, VF-5 from USS Saratoga (CV-3), flying Grumman F4F-4 Wildcat side number F-12.

The "First Team" books which I have mentioned are a reconstruction from combat reports and participant interviews of naval fighter combat from Pearl Harbor to the end of the Guadalcanal Campaign. The author has been able to reduce this information down to the level of who actually shot down who (in many cases). It is extremely informative on the problem of overclaiming and the rapid flow of aerial combat.

Auf, you are correct. Your question?

Jack Nisley

by **Aufklarung** on 05 Dec 2004 19:15

Thank you, Jack.

Grumman F4F-4 Wildcat "Junior" Bureau Number 5192 is a very important aircraft. "Pug", (later Commander and disappeared in October 1949) shot down the first Japanese plane over Guadalcanal and in turn became the first US plane shot down over Guadalcanal under the guns of Saburo Sakai. To think it's been found!!

No, I can't say I know the books of which you speak but they do sound good. When you're into restoration of Mil stuff, you pick up nuggets that help later...............like in an AHF quiz, for example!! :lol:

My question is in reference to the RCAF's only air-to-air victory over the Japanese. Another victory claimed in that mission that day was by the FG Commander and that was whom?

regards
A

by **Aufklarung** on 07 Dec 2004 01:01

Hint#1

Both Victories were against this type of plane:

regards
A

by **Juha Tompuri** on 07 Dec 2004 01:41

Major John S. Chennalut?

http://www.militaryartgallery.com/HTML/tigers_bite.htm

Regards, Juha

by **Aufklarung** on 07 Dec 2004 02:24

Juha!! What are you doing here??!!

Following me, eh!! :lol:

Shouldn't you be out celebrating? Happy 87th to all Finns everywhere.

Of course you are correct. Now I cannot use my "baby Tiger" photo as the next clue.

After some months of defensive patrolling at Elmendorf Field near Anchorage, 21 pilots and 60 ground crew from 111 Squadron were ordered to Fort Glenn, a US Army base on Umnak Island, to form "F" Flight of the 11th Pursuit Squadron, USAAF (Major John S. Chennault in command). Umnak is a naked volcanic island with no facilities and spectacularly vile weather, but it is a stop on the way to Kiska and Attu and, eventually, Japan. The Fort Glenn runway went operational in May and everyone there is still living under canvas, five to a tent with a sleeping bag and four blankets each.
Even with long-range tanks, the P-40 cannot fly from Umnak to Kiska, carry out an effective attack, and then fly back to Umnak. Therefore, as soon as the barest rudiments of an advanced base were in place on Adak, air attacks against Kiska began. The first raid was on September 4, and it took S/L Boomer two weeks to convince Maj Chennault to include at least some of the Canadian pilots in today’s raid.

Kodiak Island, winter 1942-43: 111 (F) Squadron's P-40s ready to fly at Kodiak Naval Air Base.

The Japanese do not have many aircraft in the Aleutians, as they could construct only the barest flying facilities in this rugged terrain. Kiska has a sketchy airstrip for "Zero" fighters, and a couple of "Rufe" seaplanes, which are Zeros with three floaters, one big one in the middle and a small one on each wing. The attacking force consists of bombers escorted by fighters, which will strafe ground targets when the bombers have finished their run.
At about 10 a.m., the four Canadian pilots are part of a low sweep that crosses Little Kiska Island towards the North Head of Kiska Harbour, where they hit gun positions and the main Japanese camp, concentrating on radar installations. On their second pass, they encounter the two Rufes, which had gamely risen to meet them. As the Japanese leader attacks a USAAF P-40, S/L Boomer comes to the rescue, pulling up right under the Rufe’s big ventral float and hosing the belly of the aircraft with gunfire. The Rufe flames up and begins to tumble, the pilot jumping free just before it hits the sea. The other Rufe falls victim to Maj Chennault, and the Canadians then join in an attack on a surfaced submarine.
When they run out of ammunition, the fighters rejoin the bombers and return to Adak, leaving both Kiska and Little Kiska cratered and burnt-over; as well as the two Rufes, five to eight float biplanes have been destroyed. For this action, all the participating P-40 pilots, Canadian and American alike, receive the US Air Medal. At the end of the war, S/L Boomer’s Rufe is the only Japanese aircraft to have been destroyed by an RCAF unit, and he remains the only RCAF pilot ever to have shot down an aircraft from each of the Axis nations: German, Italian and Japanese.

http://www.forces.gc.ca/site/fourth_dim ... 5_fd_e.htm

My Cdn questions aren't safe from you in any quiz!! :lol: