Lt GC Duncan OS2U kill?

[keith A]

I assume that Duncan was a member of VCS-4 but according to this site

http://www.joebaugher.com/navy_seria...ndseries1.html

USS Louisville appears to have operated the Curtiss SOC Seagull 1942-44.

regards

Keith

[twocee]

I didn't think to check that but you are quite right. Cruiser Division 4, of which Louisville was part, operated the Curtiss SOC right through into 1945. The Cleaver story now seems to be even more suspect.

[twocee]

It was on August 7, 1943, during the Kiska bombardment, that CruDiv 4 SOCs tangled with "float Zeros". The following is an extract I found in an old book:

"He (Lt. J.R. Brown) saw his wingman, Lt. George C. Duncan, twist and turn to escape the stabbing arc of fire from the Zero. The radiomen in the two Louisville planes, E.W. Shannon and W.P. Watson, said later that one time they caught a Jap pilot in a cross fire from their two Seagull guns. Lt. Duncan survived 10 passes from the enemy plane.....The two planes were sieves when they were finally lifted back aboard the Louisville".

There is no actual claim to a "kill" in this account.

[keith A]

Superb George! The Cleaver boo does contradict the "kill" claim later by describing Duncan's claim for a kill on June15, 1944 as his first kill.

Reading further I find the book also contradicts the VF-15 war history about the types of Japanese aircraft claimed by Duncan. Several of his "Zeke" claims become "Oscars" ( a very plausible assumption) and another is a "Judy". His claim for "Betty" bombers are actually "Sally" bombers, again a plausible assumption given that in most of these actions VF-15 is attacking JAAF airbases.

[James A Pratt III]

I think this Kiska air combat was in 1942 not 1943

[twocee]

Yes indeed, should have been 7 August 1942.. Otherwise it would have been quite a rush for Duncan to have joined VF15 at Atlantic City in September 1943.