[RSwank]

Keith, I looked through the War Diary for the Louisville for the rest of January, 1943. By January 12, Duncan was back on board and flying.

12 January 1943: (Anchored at Espiritu Santo, New Hebrides)
……..various activities described through the day………. Then:
16:20 Anchored as before. 16:07 Lowered plane #7 to starboard. Pilot: Lt(jg) E. L. Hawkins, USNR. Passenger: Watson, W.P., A.R.M. 2c, USN.
16:13 Lowered plane #6 to port. Pilot: Lt G. C. Duncan, USN. Passenger: Shannon, E. W., A.R.M.1c, USN. 16:46 Recovered pane #7 to starboard. 16:54 Launched plane #7 to starboard. Pilot: Lt(jg) E. L. Hawkins, USNR. Passenger: Watson, W.P., A.R.M.2c, USN. 16:58 recovered plane #6 to starboard. 17:02 Launched plane #6 to starboard. Pilot: Lt. G.C. Duncan USN. Passenger Shannon E.W., A.R.M. 1c, USN. 18:14 Recovered plane #6. 18:20 Recovered plane #7.


I think the way the Black Cat spotters operated was that they were flown to Guadalcanal a few days before the mission to team up with the Black Cats. After the bombardment they probably caught a ride back to where the ships anchored. They did not stay with the Black Cats on Guadalcanal. A few days before the next bombardment was to take place the spotters selected (not necessarily the same ones each time) were moved back to the Black Cat base on Guadalcanal.