USS Santee : aimen in November 1942

[Mark E Horan]

Pkilippe;

Damn lost this whole message once

I have done extensive research on the USN aircrew during Torch, but am far from done.

1. This may help some - it is a list of all the officer pilots (none were enlisted) in VGS-29 for the voyage to, and operations over, Morocco for Operation Torch.

Ens. John Holme Ballantine Jr. A-V(N), USNR SS VGS-29 SBD
Ens. John A. Connearney A-V(N), USNR VGS-29 SBD
Lt. Arthur Maunal Ershler USN NC VGS-29 SBD
Ens. Edwin Milan Koos A-V(N), USNR VGS-29 SBD
Ens. Earl Wesley Lock USN VGS-29 TBF
Ens. DeClinton Nichols A-V(N), USNR VGS-29 SBD
Ens. Johnathan Oster A-V(N), USNR AM VGS-29 SBD
Ens. John William Padberg A-V(N), USNR VGS-29 TBF
Lt.(jg) Donald Archie Pattie A-V(N), USNR SS VGS-29 SBD
Ens. Robert Fern Richmond A-V(N), USNR VGS-29 TBF
Lt.(jg) Donald Charles Rodeen A-V(N), USNR SS VGS-29 TBF
Lt.Cdr. Joseph Aloysius Ruddy Jr. USNA30 NC VGS-29 TBF
Lt.(jg) George Lange Schein Jr. A-V(N), USNR VGS-29 SBD
Lt. William Randolph Staggs A-V(N), USNR NC VGS-29 SBD
Ens. William R. Taylor A-V(N), USNR AM VGS-29 TBF
Ens. Elmer Madison Tower Jr. A-V(N), USNR VGS-29 SBD
Ens. Charles L. Warnstaff A-V(N), USNR VGS-29 TBF
Ens. William Edward White A-V(N), USNR VGS-29 TBF


2. This is a list of all VGS-29 aircraft loses over Morocco during Torch:

08.11.42 0631 USS Santee VGS-29 TBF-1 00611 29-GS-17 -- Ens. Earl Wesley Lock, USN -- Alfred Meridith Hann, ARM3c -- Harry Page Kimball, Sea1c == CTO, crew rescued [USS Rodman (DD-457) or USS Emmons (DD-457)]
08.11.42 0738 USS Santee VGS-29 TBF-1 00624 29-GS-16 -- Ens. Charles L. Warnstaff, A-V(N), USNR -- Herman Roy Ludwig, ARM3c -- Joel Edward Williams, AOM3c == CTO; crew rescued [USS Rodman (DD-457) or USS Emmons (DD-457)]
09.11.42 ???? USS Santee VGS-29 SBD-3 06563 29-GS-1 --- +Lt. William Randolph Staggs, A-V(N), USNR -- +Robert Weldon McConnell, ARM2c == A/C ok; crew WiA by AA shrapnel
10.11.41 0930 USS Santee VGS-29 TBF-1 01765 29-GS-14 -- %+Lt.(jg) Donald Charles Rodeen, A-V(N), USNR -- ???? -- %Enoch P. Tarsilla, AMM3c == FL 10 m SE Bou Guedra, AA damage; crew PoW; later to unknown USN ship
10.11.42 1200 USS Santee VGS-29 TBF-1 ???? 29-GS-10 --- Lt.Cdr. Joseph Aloysius Ruddy, USNA30 Harold Kiese Curtis, ARM1c +George Steward Hinckley, AOM2c == Landed at Safi and off loaded Hinkley for medical aid; unable to TO; struck SBD-3 06557 (Schein) attempting TO TO the next day

10.11.42 USS Santee VGS-29 SBD-3 06563 29-GS-1 ----- Lt. William Randolph Staggs, A-V(N), USNR -- ???? -- Landed at Safi, took off safely next day and returned to USS Santee (ACV-29)
10.11.42 USS Santee VGS-29 SBD-3 06557 29-GS-2 ----- Ens. De Clinton Nichols, A-V(N), USNR -- Daniel Joseph McCarty, ARM3c -- Landed at Safi; ground looped attempting TO next day
10.11.42 USS Santee VGS-29 SBD-3 06442 29-GS-3 ----- Lt.(jg) George Lange Schein, Jr., A-V(N), USNR -- Joseph Patrick Haggerty, ARM3c --Landed at Safi; struck by 29-GS-10 (Ruddy) attempting to TO the next day
10.11.42 USS Santee VGS-29 SBD-3 06562 29-GS-4 ----- Ens. Edwin Milan Koos, A-V(N), USNR -- Frederick Benjamin Johnson, ARM3c -- Overturned landing at Safi
10.11.42 USS Santee VGS-29 SBD-3 06555 29-GS-9 ----- Ens. Elmer Madison Tower, Jr., A-V(N), USNR -- Charles (n) Clucas, ARM3c -- FL at sea, OOF; crew into raft; rescued by ?
10.11.42 USS Santee VGS-29 SBD-3 ?unknown? --------- Lt.(jg) Donald Archie Pattie, A-V(N), USNR -- ???? -- Landed at Safi, took off safely next day and returned to USS Santee (ACV-29)
10.11.42 USS Santee VGS-29 TBF-1 00579 29-GS-12 ---- Ens. John William Padberg, A-V(N), USNR -- ???? -- Edward Claude Norris, AOM3c -- Nosed over landing at Safi
10.11.42 USS Santee VGS-29 TBF-1 00584 29-GS-13 ---- Ens. Robert Fern Richmond, A-V(N), USNR -- Francis John Storm, ARM3c -- Allan Wright, S2c, USNR -- Nosed over landing at Safi
10.11.42 USS Santee VGS-29 TBF-1 00568 29-GS-15 ---- Ens. William Edward White, A-V(N), USNR -- Charles Wesley Howse, ARM3c -- Gilbert Harvey Geer, AOM1c -- Abandoned over Safi area OOF, crew parachuted safely
12.11.42 USS Santee VGS-29 TBF-1 00585 29-GS-11 ---- Ens. William R. Taylor, A-V(N), USNR -- Owen Wells Gray, ARM3c -- Chester Ralph Lake, AOM3c -- CoL USS Santee (ACV-29)

Notes:
CoL == Crashed on Landing
CTO == Crashed on Takeoff
OOF == Out Of Fuel
TO == Take Off
WiA == Wounded in Action
FL == Force Landed
% == PoW == Prisoner of War
+ == Wounded in Action

Anyway, I hope this is of interest. If I can help more, just ask

Mark E. Horan