Lt John William Magee USN

[keith A]

An Annapolis graduate he flew off the Hornet in 1942. Does anyone know which squadron he was with. He was apparently a hot-shot pilot so I would assume VF-72. He was KIFA in 1945.

K

[R Leonard]

John William Magee (082625)
2/19/1942 - ENS USN NAS Pensacola attach for HTA flight training
6/15/1942 - LT USN Date of rank from 1 Jul 1942 USN Register
6/15/1942 - LT USN Date of rank from 1 Jul 1943 USN Register
6/27/1942 - LT USN NAS Pensacola designated NA # 14613
10/24/1942 - LT USN ACTGPac NAS San Diego SNJ grnd loop
3/15/1944 - LCDR USN Date of rank from 1 Jul 1944 USN Register
3/15/1944 - LCDR USN Date of rank from 1 Jul 1945 USN Register
4/25/1944 - LCDR USN VC-55 (CO) USS Block Island (CVE-21)
6/1/1944 - LCDR USN VC-55 (CO) USS Block Island (CVE-21)
6/28/1944 - LCDR USN VC-55 (CO) as noted in 31 Dec 1944 AirLant CO listing
1/1/1945 - LCDR USN VC-55 (CO) as noted in 31 Dec 1945 AirLant CO listing
6/20/1945 - LCDR USN VC-55 detach as noted in 31 Dec 1945 AirLant CO listing
6/30/1945 - LCDR USN ASDevLant NAS Quonset Point RI (TacticalO)
7/17/45 - LCDR USN KIFA mid-air collision near Panama City FL

[keith A]

That's odd. I wonder where the News-Herald, Franklin, Pennsylvania, got it's information?

https://usnamemorialhall.org/index.p...GEE,_LCDR,_USN

best regards

Keith

[twocee]

I tried to find more information about Magee.

VC55 was aboard Block Island when it was sunk by a U-boat on 29 April 1944. At that time it was commanded by LtCdr B.A. Miles so Magee must have succeeded him after the sinking. Magee was in command of VC55 while it was aboard Croatan for a training cruise from October to December 1944. However, when the squadron went to sea aboard the same carrier in March 1945 the C.O. was LtCdr C.W. Johnson, so Magee must have been detached beforehand.

The 17 July mid-air collision is a real mystery.

[RSwank]

Newspaper Clippings on Magee

https://www.newspapers.com/article/t...sun/127665519/

https://www.newspapers.com/article/t...ess/127669324/

Note: There is an Army Air Force crash on July 17 in Florida of a P-63A. The pilot is listed as John W Magee.

https://aviationarchaeology.com/rptAF55.asp?RecID=25372

Would probably need to get the full report to see if this is some "other" John W Magee or not.

[keith A]

Thanks chum. It was revealing to find that instead of being on the Hornet in October 1942 he was in a training accident. It was very interesting to find he was another VC-squadron pilot in the Atlantic. As I trawl through the records (and most importantly receive brilliant input from you and others - not only details but informed opinions) I am getting a much better appreciation and knowledge of US Navy Aviation in WW2 and Korea, as well as the period 1935-60.