[twocee]

Let me begin by saying that I have not studied the SOC in any detail and have no definitive answer to the question posed here.

Two SOCs, 0399 and 9861, were assigned to Chester in June and August 1942respectively, presumably when she was still on the West Coast. These are the two aircraft mentioned in the WD as having been jettisoned following the October torpedo hit. However, the two aircraft lost, as reported by Commander Aircraft Pacific Fleet, were 0399 and 9881.

Quite possibly the second of these was the result of a transcription error by someone in the reporting chain and 9861 was the true BuNo; what then of 9881? This aircraft was transferred to Alameda, probably for overhaul, in July 1942 and is then shown as being assigned to USS St Louis in October. After that, nothing. I have been unable to find any clues as to her subsequent history or fate.

Stig, you asked about the legibility of the accident reports. This varies from very good to unreadable, both as regards particular aircraft types and time periods. However, in the present case there are no accident reports---nor would one expect any---as the losses were as a result of combat, not accident.