VMF-121 victory claims

[focusfocus]

Hello all

J received Solomon's air war vol.4...interesting,but lacking in detail regarding the victory claimants.

15/01/43
Mornig:11 Zeros claimed by VMF-121 (and VMO-251?)....no names

According to the very old Squadron Signal concerning the VMF-121:

Francis Pierce=3 Zeros
Herbert Long=2 Zeros
Elton Mueller=2 Zeros
William Lundin=1 Zeros
Hunter Reinburg=1 Zero+3 prob.

just? and the others?

Afternoon

7 Zeros claimed

"jo" Foss=3
Marontate=1?
and?

One of you know more?

thanks in advance
michel

[Tom Semenza]

Back in 1982 the late, great Frank Olynyk self published a book of USMC WW2 claims. For VMF-121 and VMO-251 he gives the day's total claims as 20/2/1 as follows:

VMF-121 1/Lt. Oscar Mortimer Bate, Jr. - Zero dest. [off Vella Lavella Is.]
VMF-121 1/Lt. Elton Mueller - Zeke dam. [New Georgia Is.] + 2 Hamps dest. [between New Georgia and Santa Isabel Is.]
VMO-251 1/Lt. Walter Andrew Baran - Zero dest. + 2 Zeros prob. [Guadalcanal]
VMO-251 Maj. Joseph Niel Renner - Zero dest. [Guadalcanal]

no times noted for above claims

0735 VMO-251 Capt. Jack Raymond Moore - 2 Zeros dest. [Vella Lavella Is.]
0735 VMF-121 1/Lt. Herbert Harvey Long - 2 Zekes dest. [Vella Lavella Is.]
0735 VMF-121 Capt. Joseph Hunter Reinburg - Zero dest. [Vella Lavella Is.]
0735 VMF-121 1/Lt. William Martin Lundin - Zero dest. [N. Georgia Is. area]
0735 VMO-251 1/Lt. Glen Archibald Loban - 2 Zeros dest. [Vella Lavella Is.]
1820 VMF-121 Capt. Joseph Jacob Foss - 3 Zeros dest. [off Vella Lavella Is.]
1820 VMF-121 1/Lt. William Pratt Marontate - Zero dest. [off Vella Lavella Is.]
1820 VMF-121 Capt. Francis Edwin Pierce, Jr. - 3 Nagoya Type Zeros dest. [off Vella Lavella Is.]

Regards,
Tom

[focusfocus]

THANK YOU Tom!

J'am "furious" that J don't have his books!!!!

best regards
michel

[ANDREAS]

These are the claims, may I ak what the book says about the real Japanese losses on January 15 1943?

[R Leonard]

According to Dunn in South Pacific Air War (2024) there were two separate F4F v A6Mactions on 15 Jan 1943.
In the first, it looks like USMC losses were three with two pilots recovered.
Japanese losses were also three, all failed to return.
In the second, Japanese claims were four F4Fs, actual USMC losses were one. The Marines claimed seven, but Japanese losses were three, with two pilots recovered.

[twocee]

I think the best that can be said is that the true Japanese losses were somewhere between the US claims and what they themselves reported.

There appears to be no definitive means of checking the reported loss figures, e.g. by means of individual aircraft records, and so it is up to the individual to reach his own conclusions.