F4U-4 in action in Okinawa, 1945
Hi!
Anyone know what squadrons of US Marines had used the F4U-4 in combat in Okinawa, in April-June of 1945? For that I read, only the VMF-222, VMF-223 and VMF-212. Somebody would have photos or indication of books where could find more information? Cheers, Franklin - from Brazil |
Re: F4U-4 in action in Okinawa, 1945
As far as I can tell, those are the only units to make claims:
VMF-212 2 VMF-222 3 VMF-224 4 All destroyed, no probables or damages. Robert Sherrod's History of US Marine Corps Aviation in World War 2 would probably be the best place to start looking. Frank. |
Re: F4U-4 in action in Okinawa, 1945
Hi, Frank
I don't have this book. Barrett Tillman's Vought F4U Corsair (Warbirdtech Series) list three squadrons: VMF-212 - 36 F4U-4 Awase, Okinawa VMF-222 - 32 F4U-4 Anase, Okinawa VMF-223 - 31 F4U-4 Awase, Okinawa I'm searching especially photos of F4U-4 Corsairs used of marines, in Okinawa, june 1945. I found only two photos of F4U-4 of VMF-212 and VMF-223, in the book F4U Corsair in Color - Fighting Colors (Squadron/Signal Publications), p. 25, by Jim Sullivan. Cheers, Franklin |
Re: F4U-4 in action in Okinawa, 1945
Could not begin to tell you which squadron was flying what aircraft without dragging out a bunch of books and such, but a list, distilled from data in Sherrod, of VMF and VMF(N) squadrons operating out of Okinawa and Ie Shima in the period April though June 1945 looks like:
VMF-113 VMF-212 VMF-222 VMF-223 VMF-224 VMF-311 VMF-312 VMF-314 VMF-322 VMF-323 VMF-422 VMF-422 VMF-441 VMF(N)-533 VMF(N)-542 and VMF(N)-543 Rich |
Re: F4U-4 in action in Okinawa, 1945
Hello Names Ray Ledesma.
Writing book on Corsairs and to answer your question, there was VMF124 flying from the deck of the carrier Essex in 1945 and they participated in the bombing of Naha AB on Oki. the sqdn leader was Col millington. VMF124 was the first group to receive F4U's and the first to be assigned to a carrier. If you need more info let me know |
Re: F4U-4 in action in Okinawa, 1945
I've got some good VMF-222 photos and can post a few after work and also some F4U-4 Bu/No's if you want.
|
Re: F4U-4 in action in Okinawa, 1945
Has promised.....................
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v7...-2221945-1.jpg F4U-4s VMF-222 Okinawa 1945 http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v7...MF-2221945.jpg 2Lt Whisenhant taxies his F4U-4 VMF-222 Okinawa 1945 |
Re: F4U-4 in action in Okinawa, 1945
VERY interesting photos, Jack! Yes I for one would be interested in BuNo information as well. Is "318" BuNo 81318 by any chance?
PS. Jack, over the past months I've sent you a number of e-mails/PMs regarding Mr Schiess. Did you receive them? I haven't had an answer. |
Re: F4U-4 in action in Okinawa, 1945
Here are the losses for F4U-4s during WW2. Hope they're of interest.
HTML Code:
Date BuNo Squadron Origination Destination Hemisphere Pilot Full loss list at: http://www.warbirdinformationexchang...-outsideUS.xls |
Re: F4U-4 in action in Okinawa, 1945
And F4U-4s as they were deployed in various units, from USN Aircraft Location Reports. Available reports are, generally, 6 to 8 days apart, but some there are some gaps. First -4's appear in the 10 March 1945 returns; first USMC -4s appear in the 16 June 1945. Remember, also, that it took generally about 5-6 days to compile the world-wide reports in to the dated consolidated report. Also in more than just a few cases, the presence of -4's in a unit's complement, especially in obviously less than full strength numbers, is not necessarily indicative that these were the only aircraft in a given unit's inventory; earlier makes of F4Us, FGs and even F3As could be part of a squadrons mix. Many of these reports show squadrons in states of transitions as they increased their numbers or even gave up their -4s as part of a movement to another operating area, such as east coast squadrons moving to the west coast and on to Pacific deployments. On this list, if a unit no longer reports the presence of -4s it is so noted. If a squadron drops off the list it is because a report definitively shows it as no longer having -4s in inventory. Makes following their progress a little interesting. CASU and ServRon inventories were somewhat transitory, servicing line squadrons and serving as a source to turn in earlier types and draw new.
From 10 March 1945 Aircraft Location returns:
Oh, and my father's log shows he first flew the F4U-4 on 5 March 1945, b/n 80825 out of North Island NAS, during a period from 8 Feb 1945 to 2 April 1945 when the TF-38 staff (he was assistant ops officer) was in between deployments. He flew that same F4U-4 on two other occasions during that period, 17 March and 26 March. Other flights of interest around then were 2 February, 19 March, and 20 March in an A6M5 (b/n 5357) with the 19 and 20 March flights in practice interceptions against PB4Y-2's; a 16 March flight in a Ryan FR-1 (b/n 39647) and another FR-1 flight on 31 March (b/n 39653), though not his first in that hybrid dual engined type, that was back on 23 August 1944 in bn 48232, the XFR-1; and his first flight in an F7F, a -2N (b/n 80336) on 30 March. Regards, Rich |
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