Lt. Col. Donald K. Yost (VMF-351)
 

Lt. Col. Donald K.Yost scored two victories in the F4U Corsair while flying with VMF-351 from the USS Cape Gloucester. He claimed a D4Y "Judy" on 23 July 1945 and a P1Y "Frances" on 5 August.

Can anybody confirm if he was flying his personal mount "FF-59" on these occasions?

Also would FF-59 have had the bright white and yellow markings on the tail by then (like this picture) or was it without (like this picture)?

Any additional details about the aerial combat itself and the victims would be very much appreciated.

Re: Lt. Col. Donald K. Yost (VMF-351)
 

Anybody?

Re: Lt. Col. Donald K. Yost (VMF-351)
 

Here's Lt jg Ed Schies of VBF-83 after landing on the Essex CV-9.
Lt Jg Beads Popp VF-84 landing on the Bunker Hill.
I have a shot of Yost's Corsair I'll dig it out.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v7...V-9-solo-1.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v7...erHill1945.jpg

Re: Lt. Col. Donald K. Yost (VMF-351)
 

Has promised...................
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v7...-3215JUL45.jpg

Re: Lt. Col. Donald K. Yost (VMF-351)
 

Thanks for the pictures, Jack!

The last one is very interesting. I assume this is the end of "FF57"? On land this amount of damage would be repairable, but I can imagine on a carrier it would probably have been pushed overboard. Do you know the story behind the pic (date and pilot)?

By the way, an interesting detail is the colour of the tail wheel assembly. I would have guessed they were all glossy sea blue by then, but clearly this one isn't.

Do you have any clue as to when exactly the yellow tail markings where applied?

Re: Lt. Col. Donald K. Yost (VMF-351)
 

From his son I learnt that the pilot of the FF-57 landing mishap is 1st Lt Joseph Irick.


Also he told me about the kills of VMF-351 and apparently on 23 July 1945 a 1st Lt. "Moose" Vogelaar scored a kill over a twin-engine recon. This exploded so close to Vogelaar's aircraft, he got showered with debris.

Since Vogelaar is a very Dutch name, I wondered if anybody knows more about his background. Shortly after the war he lived in Wilmington, CA. Was he Dutch or an American with Dutch roots?

Any info about Vogelaar and his aerial kill would be most appreciated.

Re: Lt. Col. Donald K. Yost (VMF-351)
 

1st Lt Carroll R Vogelaar claimed a Dinah at 0625 hours on July 23, 1945, at 26-20N, 124-40E. The ACA report states he was flying an FG-1D.

There is no Carroll Vogelaar listed in the Lycos online People Finder, nor is he listed in the VA's cemetery index. There is a Carroll Vegelaar listed in the Social Security Death Index, born 8 April 1920, died December 1967; residence at time of death not stated. SSN obtained in California before 1951; which would suggest checking the CA death index.

Frank.

Re: Lt. Col. Donald K. Yost (VMF-351)
 

Thanks Frank!

Judging from his first name he wasn't Dutch anymore :)