Ensign Duncan transfers from USS West Virginia Sep.1941

[keith A]

"Along with two others from the West Virginia he applied for and undertook flight training at Pensacola Naval Air Station in Florida from September 1941 until 13 March 1942."

One of these was George Chamberlain Duncan, who were the other two and what were their WW2 careers?

regards

Keith

[R Leonard]

Bearing in mind, of course, that at the time regular officers of the Ensign variety were required to complete two years of sea duty before they could be sent to flight or submarine training

From Bureau of Navigation Bulletin # 293, 1 July 1941, starting on page 14:

OFFICERS FOR AVIATION TRAINING (HEAVIER-THAN-AIR)

In accordance with Bureau of Navigation Circular Letter 9-41 of January 21, 1941, the following officers have been selected and tentatively slated for aviation training (heavier-than-air) classes as indicated:

Class scheduled to convene September 4, 1941
Rank - - Name - - Class - - Ship
Ensign - - Border, Karl F. - - 1939 - - Tennessee
“ - - Childers, Kenan C. Jr. - - 1939 - - Salt Lake City
“ - - Douglas, Walter L. Jr. - - 1939 - - Pensacola
“ - - Duncan, George C. - - 1939 - - West Virginia
“ - - Fairfax, Eugene G. Jr. - - 1939 - - Mississippi
“ - - Gary, Tom J. - - 1939 - - Arizona
“ - - Gulick, Robert A. Jr. - - 1939 - - Minneapolis
“ - - Howland, John B. - - 1939 - - Chicago
“ - - Hughes, Joseph W. - - 1939 - - New Mexico
“ - - Miller, Walter B. - - 1939 - - San Francisco
“ - - Norton, Marvin B. Jr. - - 1939 - - Wichita
“ - - Rogers, Grant H. - - 1939 - - Enterprise
“ - - Seiler, Edward H. Jr. - - 1939 - - Lexington
“ - - Smith, Robert H. - - 1939 - - Colorado
“ - - Wallace, James B. - - 1939 - - Omaha

Class scheduled to convene September 18, 1941
Ensign - - Ballinger, Carl J. - - 1939 - - Honolulu
“ - - Davis, Warren J. Jr. - - 1939 - - Lexington
“ - - Garner, Andrew J. - - 1939 - - Yorktown
“ - - Harris, Leroy E. - - 1939 - - West Virginia
“ - - Kerkering, Stanley W. - - 1939 - - Ranger
“ - - Kirkpatrick, Macgregor. - - 1939 - - Milwaukee
“ - - Lowe, Marcus L. Jr. - - 1939 - - Colorado
“ - - McConnaughhay, James W. - - 1939 - - St. Louis
“ - - Moore, Walter C. Jr. - - 1939 - - Salt Lake City
“ - - Ness, Dwight O. - - 1939 - - Tennessee
“ - - Pope, David H. - - 1939 - - Helena
“ - - Remington, Herbert B. - - 1939 - - Cincinnati
“ - - Van Meter, Karl S. - - 1939 - - New Mexico
“ - - Wadsworth, Robert F. - - 1939 - - Arizona
“ - - Walker, Thomas J. III - - 1939 - - Minneapolis

Class scheduled to convene October 2, 1941
Ensign - - Leedy, William C. - - 1938 - - ComScoFor
“ - - Anderson, Fernald P. - - 1939 - - Arkansas
“ - - Cooke, Lemuel D. - - 1939 - - Ranger
“ - - David, Edmunds - - 1939 - - Omaha
“ - - Harkleroad, Neil E. - - 1939 - - Tuscaloosa
“ - - Kuntz, William E. - - 1939 - - Boise
“ - - Mahoney, Jack A. Jr. - - 1939 - - Honolulu
“ - - Neal, Albert G. - - 1939 - - Milwaukee
“ - - Ramage, James D. - - 1939 - - Enterprise
“ - - Stultz, Ronald F. - - 1939 - - Chester
“ - - Swenson, Richard M. - - 1939 - - Savannah
“ - - Trauger, Robert J. - - 1939 - - Nevada
“ - - Wall, Lester S. Jr. - - 1939 - - Wasp
“ - - West, Joseph M. - - 1939 - - Louisville
“ - - Young, Jack C. - - 1939 - - Phoenix


So, the only other Ensign from West Virginia on the list published was Leroy Harris for whom I have:

Leroy Eugene Harris (082487) USN
ENS -- NAS Pensacola attach for HTA flight training -- 9/18/1941
LTJG -- NAS Pensacola designated NA # 10908 -- 2/13/1942
LT -- Date of rank from 1 Jul 1942 USN Register -- 6/15/1942
LT -- Date of rank from 1 Jul 1943 USN Register -- 6/15/1942
LT -- VF-10 NAS San Diego -- 8/1/1942
LT -- VF-10 MCAS Ewa Field Oahu -- 8/16/1942
LT -- VF-10 NAS Maui trnsf VF-3 on station TAD -- 8/31/1942
LT -- VF-3 NAS Maui TAD from VF-10 -- 8/31/1942
LT -- VF-10 NAS Ford Island (ret from TAD) -- 10/1/1942
LT -- VF-10 USS Enterprise (CV-6) -- 10/17/1942
LT -- VF-10 Tontouta Field New Caledonia -- 11/1/1942
LT -- VF-10 USS Enterprise (CV-6) -- 11/12/1942
LT -- VF-10 Tontouta New Caledonia -- 11/22/1942
LT -- VF-10 USS Enterprise (CV-6) -- 12/4/1942
LT -- VF-10 ashore Espiritu Santo -- 12/23/1942
LT -- VF-2 NAS Kaneohe Bay -- 10/12/1943
LT -- VF-2 USS Enterprise (CV-6) -- 11/10/1943
LCDR -- Date of rank from 1 Jul 1944 USN Register -- 3/15/1944
LCDR -- Date of rank from 1 Jul 1945 USN Register -- 3/15/1944
LCDR -- VF-2 USS Hornet (CV-12) -- 6/11/1944
LCDR -- VBF-98 (CO) NAS Los Alamitos -- 2/1/1945

[keith A]

Superb. Cheers mate. Harris looks a match. Maybe the third one reconsidered.

[R Leonard]

Duncan was an interesting fellow. He survived a horrendous flight deck crash (seen towards the end of the movie "Midway") in 1951 and after rehab went on with his career. Met him once that I remember for sure. When my fathers tour as CO of USS Ranger was up in 1962, Duncan was his relief.

Duncan and my father had briefly served together at TacTest at NAS Patuxent in the late 40's before my father went to VF-17A, but that was before I was even a gleam in anyone's eye.

[keith A]

"Wee Geordie" Duncan is indeed an interesting chap. As the descendant of Scottish people we have a connection. I don't know where his grandparents were from but was intrigued when the U.S. Census showed his grandmothers native language as "Scottish". The difference between English and Scots(not Scottish or Scotch) is not much. Scots is a regional English used by the majority of people in Scotland. Not to be confused with Gaelic which is spoken among some Highlanders and such. Why they settled in Illinois is a question I would like answered but it may relate to mining.

K

[Leendert]

Keith,

Name of Ens. Leroy Harris appears with many more in newspaper Pensacola News Journal of 2 November 1941.

Can't read whole story, have no subscription with newspapers.com

Pensacola points to naval aviation...

Regards,

Leendert

[keith A]

Cheers Leendert.

[keith A]

How many aerial victories did Leroy Harris claim in WW2?

From his Silver Star citation he definitely was credited with one and a probable. "Flying escort for a bombing and strafing mission against enemy shipping, Lieutenant Commander Harris led a coordinated attack against intercepting enemy planes, personally shooting down one and probably a second while his flight accounted for a total of ten shot down and six more probably destroyed."

regards

Keith

[R Leonard]

Leroy Harris was credited

VF-10 - 1 B5N on 10/26/1942
VF-10 - 0.25 H6K on 11/13/1942
VF-2 - 1 E8N on 11/19/1943
VF-2 - 1 H8K on 6/11/1944
VF-2 - 2 A6M on 6/12/1944
VF-2 - 1 A6M on 6/19/1944
VF-2 - 2 B5N on 6/24/1944
VF-2 - 1 Ki-61 on 9/21/1944

VF-10 - 1 B5N probable on 10/26/1942
VF-2 - 1 Ki-61 probable on 9/21/1944

See F Olynyk Stars & Bars

[keith A]

thanks chum