PBYs on Guadalcanal 1943

[keith A]

Were VP-12 and VP-54 the only units operating this aircraft in the Solomons in early 1943? I know there was VCS Ringbolt flying SOCs from Tulagi and have seen film of "Black Cats" sharing an airfield with them. Lt George C Duncan claims to have flown PBYs from Guadalcanal on artillery spotting missions (therefore surely daylight?) during bombardment of Munda. He seems to have flown these missions sometime in the period March-April 1943 (Munda was not invaded until July 1943 but perhaps was under fire for weeks before?).

Duncan was hospitalised with malaria c.April 1943 and although he states he was separated from the USS Louisville in May 1943 he had been on detachment from March 1943.

K

[twocee]

Munda did not come under artillery bombardment until guns had been emplaced at Rendova in early July and it seems rather strange if spotting for the guns was then undertaken by PBYs flying from Guadalcanal.

Perhaps he was spotting for naval gunfire earlier in the year, possibly for the night bombardments of the Central Solomons. Presumably the cruisers' own floatplanes did not operate at night, as recoveries would have been very hazardous, and so Black Cats from Guadalcanal were used instead?

[keith A]

Cheers George. It seems unlikely doesn't it. Apparently USS Cleveland and USS Nashville were among the ships that were employed bombarding Munda in the early months of 1943 (March, April). Artillery spotting at night? How effective would that be? It's a bit of a mystery.

best regards

Keith

[RSwank]

A few clips re: Duncan. Note the dates

https://www.newspapers.com/article/t...une/127486148/

Rest of 2nd article:
https://www.newspapers.com/article/t...une/127486353/


3rd Article:
https://www.newspapers.com/article/t...une/127486526/

4th Article:
https://www.newspapers.com/article/s...cle/127486860/

5th Article:
https://www.newspapers.com/article/s...cle/127487087/

6th Article:
https://www.newspapers.com/article/t...une/127488259/

[RSwank]

The night attacks on Munda started in January, 1943. A decision was made to use Black Cat PBYs (out of Guadalcanal) as spotters.

https://warfarehistorynetwork.com/ar...ault-on-munda/

In planning the attacks:
"After polling his cruiser commanders, the admiral (Ainsworth) concluded the Curtiss SOC seaplanes carried aboard the warships were not well suited for night bombardments and thus would not play a major role in the mission. Therefore, a number of Black Cats––Catalina PBY seaplanes specially equipped with radar for night operations––were placed at his disposal."

Another paragraph in the above link mentions that Aviation Officer Crowley (from Ainsworth's staff) along with two well trained aviation spotters were sent to Guadalcanal to ride along on the Black Cat missions. I think Duncan was one of the "well trained spotters". That would match up with the newspaper articles in the post above, which mentions Crowley, Duncan and Barnett. They were all "pilots" but may not have been flying the Black Cats on the missions.

Here is a clip on Marvin Everett Barnett, from Florida. Note he was Senior Pilot on a cruiser (USS Honolulu?).
https://www.newspapers.com/article/t...mes/127500060/

Same story with Crowley "slant".
https://www.newspapers.com/article/t...ews/127530738/

A more detailed description:
https://www.history.navy.mil/researc...-stanmore.html

Five attacks on Munda area are discussed in the last link all used Black Cat spotters. You can download the 79 page text, or just scroll down the page to read it online. Attacks went from January to May.

[keith A]

Superb RSwank! Once again you lift the veil.

[keith A]

From this information my timeline for Duncan has changed. His period in hospital probably started in March 1943 when he disappears from the SOC flight log of USS Louisville, but now his period as a spotter is moved back to January 1943. It also places him with the only Black Cat squadron on Guadalcanal, VP-12. Marvin Barnett is a familiar name too. He is the commander of VF-172 in Korea when his xo is my other project, James B. Cain

[RSwank]

Keith, I looked through the War Diary for the Louisville for the rest of January, 1943. By January 12, Duncan was back on board and flying.

12 January 1943: (Anchored at Espiritu Santo, New Hebrides)
……..various activities described through the day………. Then:
16:20 Anchored as before. 16:07 Lowered plane #7 to starboard. Pilot: Lt(jg) E. L. Hawkins, USNR. Passenger: Watson, W.P., A.R.M. 2c, USN.
16:13 Lowered plane #6 to port. Pilot: Lt G. C. Duncan, USN. Passenger: Shannon, E. W., A.R.M.1c, USN. 16:46 Recovered pane #7 to starboard. 16:54 Launched plane #7 to starboard. Pilot: Lt(jg) E. L. Hawkins, USNR. Passenger: Watson, W.P., A.R.M.2c, USN. 16:58 recovered plane #6 to starboard. 17:02 Launched plane #6 to starboard. Pilot: Lt. G.C. Duncan USN. Passenger Shannon E.W., A.R.M. 1c, USN. 18:14 Recovered plane #6. 18:20 Recovered plane #7.


I think the way the Black Cat spotters operated was that they were flown to Guadalcanal a few days before the mission to team up with the Black Cats. After the bombardment they probably caught a ride back to where the ships anchored. They did not stay with the Black Cats on Guadalcanal. A few days before the next bombardment was to take place the spotters selected (not necessarily the same ones each time) were moved back to the Black Cat base on Guadalcanal.

[keith A]

Spot on my friend! I checked the deck log for January 1943 and found he was detached on the 2nd and returned on board on 9th January 1943.

K