Combat report for 1Lt. Edward Fitzgerald, VMF-223 24th December 1943

[phasselgren]

Hello,

On the 24th December 1943 1Lt. Edward Fitzgerald from VMF-223 sighted a PV-1 chased by four Zeros. He attacked and claimed one Zero as probably destroyed. Info from the South Pacific Air War: The Role of Airpower in the New Guinea and Solomon Island Campaigns, January 1943 to February 1944 by Richard Dunn.

This date is missing in the War Diary for VMF-223 at the US National Archives. Is there any Combat/Action Report from this combat? I am actually interested in what information it has about the combat between the PV-1 and the Zeros.

Thanks in advance,
Peter

[twocee]

The VMF223 Diary entry for that day states that Fitzgerald was returning from a Rabaul escort (12 A/C) when he spotted 4 Zekes attacking a PV-1 at 2,000'. He dove on the Zekes and hit one in the engine, causing it to smoke.

It says nothing more about the PV which presumably continued without further attention from the Zekes. It is likely to have been from VPB138 or 140, so possibly their Diaries may have further details.

[Jim MacDonald]

Could it possibly have been an Australian or New Zealand PV-1?


Mac

[phasselgren]

Thanks, I should have mentioned that it was one of two PV-1 from No.1 Sqn RNZAF. One of these crews claimed two destroyed Zeros and there were claims for damaged Zeros by both crews. In the official RNZAF history the claim for two destroyed was increased to three. It seems that it took some time before the third was added an my guess is that it was based on information from another unit (US) that took some time to reach RNZAF. Therefore was I interested to see if the Diary of VMF-223 had anything to add.

Peter

[Leendert]

Narrative as in #2 here: https://catalog.archives.gov/id/78302911?objectPage=12.
Combat reports in latter part of record unfortunately skip from 23rd to 25th December for full details...

Leendert

[phasselgren]

Thanks Leendert, I missed to check the beginning of the Diary.

Peter