|
Japanese and Allied Air Forces in the Far East Please use this forum to discuss the Air War in the Far East. |
|
Thread Tools | Display Modes |
#1
|
|||
|
|||
Leroy Freeman Berkebile USN
According to his obituary he flew the SB2C Helldiver, the F4U Corsair and the F6F Hellcat off aircraft carriers in the Pacific. Does anyone know which squadrons he flew with. He later won the DFC in Korea as xo of VF-92, became a test pilot then an airline pilot.
regards Keith |
#2
|
|||
|
|||
Re: Leroy Freeman Berkebile USN
Ancestry.com has his application for Pennsylvania's Veteran's WWII Compensation.
Of interest are the dates when he was in the US and when he was overseas. He was in the US from when he enlisted, September 28, 1942 to the cut-off-date of March 2, 1946. He did not go overseas until April 17, 1946 and returned April 16, 1947. That is the date he left active service. All his overseas service was outside of the Pennsylvania Compensation limits. His overseas service was post WWII. |
#3
|
|||
|
|||
Re: Leroy Freeman Berkebile USN
Looks like a bit of hyperbole in the article. I wondered about the claim he'd flown so many different types. There is a photograph of him sitting in a cockpit of a Helldiver (It looks more like a Corsair) in 1945
|
#4
|
|||
|
|||
Re: Leroy Freeman Berkebile USN
Those overseas dates gave me a clue. In 1946/7, as a Lieutenant, he was a Helldiver pilot with VA-1A, based ashore in the Marianas and aboard USS Tarawa in the Western Pacific
__________________
George Kernahan |
#5
|
|||
|
|||
Re: Leroy Freeman Berkebile USN
I don't have any squadron/activity assignments. Wartime dates of rank were:
ENS USNR AV(S) 9/26/1942 LTJG USNR AV(T) 10/1/1943 |
#6
|
|||
|
|||
Re: Leroy Freeman Berkebile USN
Once again gentlemen you are unravelling my mystery. Grateful thanks. Based on this is it possible he was with VB-4?
"On December 28, 1944, Marine Squadrons VMF-124 and VMF-213 replaced VB-4 on the Essex (See War Diary of Two Marine Squadrons). Several of the VB-4 pilots were assigned to VF-4 as Hellcat pilots and the remainder of the squadron was sent to Orate Airfield on Guam." I think I shall try and track down VB-4 war diary and see if he appears there. best regards K |
#7
|
|||
|
|||
Re: Leroy Freeman Berkebile USN
Forgive my ignorance but what is the difference between AV(S) and AV(T)?
K |
#8
|
|||
|
|||
Re: Leroy Freeman Berkebile USN
Every officer has a designation. For the period in question, i.e., prior to September 1944, USNR aviation designations were:
A-V(G) = USNR aviation officers holding designation as Naval aviators, qualified for general detail afloat or ashore. This classification meant that the aviator was qualified to stand deck watches (yes, to stand a deck watch you had to be qualified to do so) besides has aviation duties. This classification was abolished in September 1944 and replaced by one of the following: A3, A3L, A4L, SA3, or SA4. A-V(N) = USNR aviation flight officers, detailed to active duty in the aeronautic organization of the Navy immediately following their completion of training and designation as Naval Aviators. This classification was abolished in September 1944 and replaced by one of the following: A1, A1-L, A2, A2L, SA1, or SA2. A-V(RS) = USNR aviation officers, commissioned and warrant, including radio electricians, qualified for specialist duties. This classification was abolished in September 1944 and replaced by the proper aviation or engineering classification with the suffix "T". These were not Naval Aviators. A-V(S) = USNR aviation officers, commissioned and warrant, including gunners, radio electricians, machinists, aerographers, and photographers, qualified for specialist duties. This classification was abolished in September 1944 and replaced by one of the following: A, AL, D, DL, AD, S, or SA. These were not Naval Aviators. A-V(T) = USNR aviation officers, former civil aviation pilots or aviators of the Army, Navy, Marine Corps or Coast Guard, qualified for specialist duties. This classification was abolished in September 1944 and replaced by one of the following: A5, A5L, A6, A6L, SA5, or SA6. In addition to the above there were distinctions in these categories between heavier-than-air and lighter than air. If one was a naval aviator qualified only for lighter-than-air duty, the suffix (01) would appear with the designation. In truth, heavier-than-air naval aviators had the suffix (09), but since the vast majority of naval aviators were heavier-than-air, the suffix was generally dropped as the lighter-than-air types had the (01) suffix which meant everyone else was heavier-than-air qualified. Occasionally one finds an individual naval aviator who was qualified for both and you see both suffixes appended to his designation. These were termed “Specialty Designations” and for just the aviation end of the business these were: 01 Designated naval aviator lighter-than-air 02 Designated naval observer heavier-than-air 03 Designated naval observer lighter-than-air 09 Designated naval aviator heavier-than-air And Specialty Designations from completion of training schools/courses 10 Aerial Free Gunnery Instructor 11 Aerial Photography 12 Aviation Instrument 13 Aeronautical Engineering 15 Air Navigation 16 Air Operations 17 Aircraft Gunnery 18 Aircraft Ordnance 21 Aviation Equipment Officer 24 Aviation Engines 25 Aviation Radio Material 42 Instrument Flight Instructor 69 Aircraft Engine Inspection 73 Aviation Supply Officer And, still more, there are Specialty Designations from completion post graduate education J1 Aerological Engineering J2 Aeronautical Engineering J7 Aviation Medicine and designated flight surgery N2 Ordnance—Aeronautical S0 Ordnance—Aviation (USNR) And just to keep it confusing, the USMC had an entirely different system for designation of naval aviators, sometimes with letter, e.g., NA or NACV plus there was a plethora of four digit numbers in use . . . all of which I am still trying to decipher. And there is a whole another set of designations for USN naval aviators and aviation administrative/support folks. Bottom line . . . An AV(S) is an aviation administrative officer, NOT a rated aviator; with the caveat that there were occasionally there were those who were rated aviators but for some reason, usually physical, and usually involving eye sight, were no longer qualified to fly but continued service. They were usually redesignated as AV(S). An AV(T) is a naval aviator who had flight training or flight service as a pilot somewhere else and could demonstrate his proficiency. Examples: Even if qualifying as an AV(N) before the US entered the war, men who resigned or released and went off to China with the AVG or off to Europe with, say, the RAF, RCAF, or FAA, if returned to USN service their designation was AV(T). Some of the pilots in the Naval Air Transport Service were from the airlines industry, so they were quickly qualified and they, too, were designated as AV(T). Oh, and your man does not appear in any of the CVG-4 rosters I have. Rich |
#9
|
|||
|
|||
Re: Leroy Freeman Berkebile USN
From this website: https://www.ibiblio.org/hyperwar/USN...29-P1000A.html
A-V(S) -- USNR aviation officers, commissioned and warrant, including gunners, radio electricians, machinists, aerographers, and photographers, qualified for specialist duties. This classification was abolished in September 1944 and replaced by one of the following: (A), (A)L, (D), (D)L, (AD), (S), or S(A). A-V(T) -- USNR aviation officers, former civil aviation pilots or aviators of the Army, Navy, Marine Corps or Coast Guard, qualified for specialist duties. This classification was abolished in September 1944 and replaced by one of the following: (A5), (A5)L, (A6), (A6)L, S(A5), or S(A6). Leendert |
#10
|
|||
|
|||
Re: Leroy Freeman Berkebile USN
I just had to include this story as it relates to Berkebile (when he was a pilot for American Airlines) and a skyjacker, Martin McNally . If the clippings are too large to view let me know and I will try something different. You may need to click on the image to be able to move it around or change the size.
Part 1 https://www.newspapers.com/article/c...une/128106311/ Part 2 https://www.newspapers.com/article/c...une/128106554/ Follow up on story: https://www.newspapers.com/article/c...une/128106681/ Here is the story told from the skyjacker, Martin McNally's viewpoint: https://www.riverfronttimes.com/news...wFullText=true Or here in 5 parts: https://www.riverfronttimes.com/news...cnally-3137418 Last edited by RSwank; 13th July 2023 at 14:04. |
|
|
Similar Threads | ||||
Thread | Thread Starter | Forum | Replies | Last Post |
Lt John William Magee USN | keith A | Japanese and Allied Air Forces in the Far East | 5 | 8th July 2023 10:27 |
Lt Charles Ramsay Stapler USN | keith A | Allied and Soviet Air Forces | 7 | 5th July 2023 12:07 |
Middle names (USMC and USN) | Kocab Zdenek | Japanese and Allied Air Forces in the Far East | 2 | 11th March 2020 12:09 |
USN Aircraft 1922-1962 | Phil L. | Books and Magazines | 0 | 2nd April 2015 09:07 |
Pilots Missing Over Korea 1952/53 | Chris Goss | Post-WW2 Military and Naval Aviation | 19 | 10th August 2010 03:02 |