1 & 7 April 43, USN, USMC & USAAF claims

[Adm. Ozawa]

Hello,

I have recently been interested in I-Go Operation and I would like to have a list of victories claimed by US pilots during early stage of this operation, i.e. 1 & 7 April 43. Do you have such info?
I also know that 12th FS lost 1 Lightning on 1 April and it's pilot was KIA. Is BuNo and pilot name known?

Regards,
Chris

[rldunn]

The P-38 pilot lost on 4/1 was Joseph O. Young.

The raid on 4/1 was not actually part of A-GO . Admiral Ozawa did not arrive in Rabaul until 4/2. The first raid ("X") was planned for 4/6 but weather delayed til 4/7.

Detailed U.S. claims are available from various sources. I have written a rather extensive monograph on the 4/7 raid. I think I gave away my last hard copy complete with photos, maps, and appendices.

Contact me off line if you are really interested and I'll see if I can assemble another copy.

Rick Dunn

[Adm. Ozawa]

The P-38 pilot lost on 4/1 was Joseph O. Young.

13th Fighter Command states that Young was lost on 4/7.
pacificwrecks.com states that on 4/1.

Regards,
Chris

[Adm. Ozawa]

Detailed U.S. claims are available from various sources.

Where? Mr Olynyk's publication is completely unavailable where I live. Other sources state different statisctics - as far I know only USAAF claims (from "13th Fighter Command"). Mr Gamble in "The Black Sheep" writes that on 4/1 VMF-221 claimed 7 (3 of them Lt. William Snider). Many sources say that Ken Walsh shot down 2 A6Ms and 1 D3A during this mission, but as Walsh said (he is quoted in Mr Styling's "Corsair Aces of World War 2") he only shot down one Zeke on this mission while his wingman Lt. Raymond shot down another one. To know which version is true, I have to have complete list of USN and USMC claims. And as I mentioned above, I'm not able to obtain Mr Olynyk's victory list.

Regards

[Laurent Rizzotti]

The best thing to do then is to contact Mr Olynyk himself. He is a user of this forum:

http://forum.12oclockhigh.net/member.php?u=125

[rldunn]

Young was lost 4/1.

Wolf's 13th Fighter Command book has many mistakes regarding the 7th April attack. He apparently did not understand that in its early days 13th FC had no operational control of its units and when those units operated under Commander, Aircraft Solomons they often did not operate as cohesive squadrons but as partial squadrons, flights, and mixed units. He has also garbled other data.

Adm Ozawa you sent a private msg but did not include your e-address.

RLD

[Adm. Ozawa]

rldunn, I sent you my e-mail.


Mr Olynyk ignored my request, so only you can support me with USN/USMC claims for 1st April.

Regards,
Chris