Lt. Roland H. Kenton USNR VBF-14
 

Hello
Looking for information on Lt. Roland H. Kenton of VBF-14 who on 28 March 1945 took off from NAAS Ream Fields (today Imperial Beach CA.)in a F4U Corsair and shot down a Japanese fire balloon over Laguna Salada, near Mexicali BC México. The Mexican air force museum at BAM#1 (right now close due to Covid-19 and airport construction) want to build a model diorama of the Corsair shooting down the balloon for the museum reopening in February 2021.

We need to know the type of F4U since the unit had diverse models of the Corsair based on the war diary: F4U-1, FG-1A,FG-1,FGA-1A, F4U-4.
We need to find photos of VBF-14 aircraft, this unit make it to Hawaii when the war ended.

Lt. Kenton had fought with VF-71 off the USS Wasp and later flew in Guadalcanal with VF-5 before going home,

I have copies of the VBF-14 war diary for 1945 and the book The first team the Guadalcanal campaign. Or if anybody has any contact with his family that would be helpful for the project

Thank you in advance
Santiago

Re: Lt. Roland H. Kenton USNR VBF-14
 

Santiago,

Here is the obit for Roland Kenton:

https://obits.lohud.com/obituaries/l...&pid=150015435

The daughter mentioned, Lynne Kenton Capacelatro is active on Facebook. You should be able to contact the family there. (They may have Roland's logbooks.)

https://www.facebook.com/lynne.capecelatro

Re: Lt. Roland H. Kenton USNR VBF-14
 

Gentlemen.

How many air to air kills did Roland H. Kenton had gotten during the Pacific war during WWII?

Edward L. Hsiao

Re: Lt. Roland H. Kenton USNR VBF-14
 

Roland Howard Kenton had one probable on October 23, 1942 while land-based at Guadalcanal; listed as a VB smoking.

Enjoy!

Frank.

Re: Lt. Roland H. Kenton USNR VBF-14
 

Might want to check with the National Museum of Naval Aviation in Pensacola, they may have some info on him.

Re: Lt. Roland H. Kenton USNR VBF-14
 

Santiago,

Perhaps this gives a first idea: https://www.worthpoint.com/worthoped...ombfightron-14

Regards,
Leendert

Re: Lt. Roland H. Kenton USNR VBF-14
 

Kenton's bio in the VBF14 records states that after flight training at Floyd Bennett, Jacksonville and Miami, he joined VF71 and participated in Wasp's Malta resupply operations and support of the Guadalcanal landings. After the carrier was sunk he was assigned to VF-5 at Henderson Field, winning the Navy Cross. Following his return to the US he spent two years at Jacksonville as an instructor in the Operational Training Command before being assigned to VBF14 in January 1945. On 2 May 1945 he was detached for assignment to an "amphibious staff".

In March 1945 VBF-14 was equipped with three Corsair models: F4U-1, -1D and F4U-4, so he could have been flying any one of these on the balloon flight.

Re: Lt. Roland H. Kenton USNR VBF-14
 

Hello to everybody
Thank you all for the information ,that will help to get this project going, where can I find a copy o xerox copy of VBF-14 cruise book? any leads.

thanks again in advance

Muchas gracias.

Re: Lt. Roland H. Kenton USNR VBF-14
 

Frank, you might want to check the date1941?

Re: Lt. Roland H. Kenton USNR VBF-14
 

Thanks John,

Fixed.

Enjoy!

Frank.