Seagull mistaken for Pete

[rldunn]

There was an SOC amicide incident in the Guadalcanal/Tulagi area but on 7 Apr 43 not 5 Jan. A USMC 2nd Lt flew an SOC that was shot down by cruisers of Task Force 18. The SOC probably approached the ships in a non-standard manner due to evading numersous Zeros in the vicinity. This was the first of Yamamoto's A-Go (I Operation) attacks. Several ships were sunk, others damaged, and TF 18 aborted its planned nocturnal bombardment mission of the central Solomons.

RLD

[Brian]

Thanks Richard

I have a note that Kingfisher 01492 was shot down, but on 15 April? It was flown apparently by Ensign McGeorge. I wonder if this was one and the same? Perhaps my date is incorrect? Hopefully someone will know.

Cheers
Brian

[Frank Olynyk]

Brian,
The USN loss list shows OS2N-1 (a Naval Aircraft Factory built OS2U-3 Kingfisher) of VS-64 as lost on April 15, 1943, pilot Ens. McGeorge, who survived. It is classed as a combat mission; operational aircraft accident; Crash, due to Pilot Failure.

The loss list does not show an SOC on April 7, 1943; there was an SO3C-1 lost at Pearl Harbor in an accident, cause unknown. If there was such an incident, the aircraft was not destroyed, or listed under another date. The next SOC-1 listed as lost was on April 14.

Frank.

[rldunn]

The SOC shot down on 7 Apr 43 was taken under fire by DD Fletcher. It crashed into the sea. The body of the pilot 2nd Lt J.A. Webber, USMCR, was recovered and buried at sea the following day. Interesting that Frank's review of records fails to disclose this. The incident is not mentioned in published sources concerning this attack. The action reports that mention the incident contain only cryptic descriptions of the incident. Perhaps it was something everyone wanted to forget. It might deserve additional investigation.

RLD

[JoeB]

This loss list shows an SBD-4 of VMSB-233 piloted by Lt Weber (one b) lost April 7, 1943, and a chronology of USS Fletcher also says the ship shot down an SBD.
http://www.aviationarchaeology.com/src/USN/LLApr43.htm
http://ussfletcher.org/1943.html

Joe

[Frank Olynyk]

There are three "Weber"s lost on April 7, 1943. Lt(jg) Weber of VC-26 in TBF-1 00527, noted as Missing; Combat Mission; Operational Aircraft Accidents; Crash, due to Mechanical Failure. Lt Weber of VMSB-233 in SBD-4 06754, noted as Deceased; Combat Mission; Enemy Action, Direct or Indirect; Gunfire, Land. And Lt Weber of VMSB-142 in SBD-4 06926, noted as Deceased; Search or Reconnaissance Mission (War Areas); Missing, Believed Enemy Action; Gunfire, Aircraft. I would have to believe it is the second Weber of VMSB-233 despite the apparently incorrect loss description. On my next visit to NARA II I will have to see what they have on VMSB-233, which may not be much, since NARA II holds material accessioned from USN Operational Archives, and the actual USMC Archives I believe are still at Suitland.

Frank.