John L.Wirth (VF-31)

[focusfocus]

Hello

Found in Wikipedia
30/03/44=2 zeros+1 prob. unconfirmed

30/03/44=3 "Judys" vict.n°2,3,4

I have a source (French)
30/03/44=2 zeros vict.n°2,3

The correct version...which one?

Michel

[twocee]

Wirth's claims for the 30 March fighter sweep over the Palaus were 2 Zekes and 1 Hamp (probable) although there was no third-party or gun camera evidence to support them.

He did not participate in the later mission on which 9 Judys were shot down, nor in the earlier 29 January combat mentioned in the Wikipedia article.

[KM1957]

According to Frank Olynyk, Wirth made the above claims on March 31 between 0715 and 0830 hours.

Kent

[focusfocus]

Thanks
Well,this confirms that we must careful will wikipedia!!consequently,the count of his vict
is wrong.

Kent:le 30/03 or 31/03?

michel

[twocee]

March 30 is the correct date for both the 2 Zeke and 9 Judy claims. On March 31st Cabot aircraft had no contact with the enemy.

The confusion probably arises from the fact that the reports show the times as Greenwich Mean Time, whereas local time is 11 hours ahead of this.

[Stig Jarlevik]

This is interesting George

Hopefully Frank didn't get everything wrong in his Navy claims book!
Checking claims from the 30th and not the 31st) VF-31 does not seem to have been in combat
during the morning on the 30th but rather in the evening of that date.

If we put Wirth 11 hours backwards (to the 30th) he is pretty much in line with all the other claims
made by VF-31 that evening.

On the other hand, if you want to put Wirth's claims backward 24 hours, he is very much alone
from VF-31 to claim any victories at all during the morning of 30 March which is a bit rare
since USN claims usually came in clusters.

Did VF-31 make one morning and one afternoon mission on the 30th or was Wirth's claims made
during the evening together with the other VF-31 claims for the Judy's?

B Rgds
Stig

[twocee]

Well spotted, Stig.

On the morning of the 30th, about 06.45 local, Wirth was launched with other VF31 aircraft to conduct a defensive patrol over the task group. He claims to have become lost during the rendezvous and to have joined on some other fighters from another carrier which were headed for the Palaus on a fighter sweep. It was in the course of this sweep that he made his claims.

The evening combat air patrol, off about 17.10 local, intercepted the Judys.

[focusfocus]

True,the 2 zeros were claimed on the morning of 30/03,when 4 Hellcats of VF-31,initially attached to a CAP over the CABOT got mixed up in the confusion of a regrouping in view of the attack on the PALAUS.

The Judys (WITHOUT ESCORTS) were claimed in the evening.

Does anyone have a complete list of his victims?

Regards
michel

[Stig Jarlevik]

Thanks George

That explains it. I have now changed Frank's list!

Cheers
Stig

[Leendert]

Also check https://catalog.archives.gov/id/78411498?objectPage=12 for date 30 March 1944.

Regards, Leendert