USS Louisville SOC crews lost in 1942

[keith A]

One appears to have returned after being posted missing. On crew was lost on 1 February 1942, one or two more were lost in March 1942. Can anyone provide details?

regards

Keith

[RSwank]

The pilot lost on 1 February 1942 was Lt Edward Hicks Worthington along with his radio operator/observer Joseph Alonzo Barr, Jr.

This link has the story:
https://usnamemorialhall.org/index.p...NGTON,_LT,_USN



Mentioned also here (notes the possibility of the loss due to the weather) :
https://books.google.com/books?id=WF...%20USN&f=false

They were on an antisubmarine patrol, and were to stay within 5 miles of the task force. The weather turned bad, no one saw the Seagull go down.

[Leendert]

Keith,

For any March losses, one has to go thru the Deck Log on https://catalog.archives.gov/id/86685902.

Good part of March was sailing home to San Francisco.

Regards,
Leendert

[keith A]

Thanks man, I spent ages yesterday looking for this

[keith A]

Hawkins, Lape and Hahn serve with Lt GC Duncan in 1943. I think the info I had was dud. I could not find any combat losses for SOC flown from Louisville in 1942 other that Hetherington.

best regards

Keith

[Leendert]

Perhaps for future searches, use this easy link to find deck logs: https://www.archives.gov/research/mi...ks/navy-online

Regards,
Leendert

[RSwank]

The USS Louisville did have two other planes go "missing" in March. Plane 6 was piloted by Leland Lynwood Wilder with observer Marion Columbus Owens and plane 7 piloted by John Hagan Graves with observer Gordon Stanley Hulegaard. These planes were launched on March 12 at 14:00 and were to be picked up later at a rendezvous location. From 18:00 to 20:00 the Louisville is at the rendezvous location trying to find the planes. They don’t show up. The next day, the two crews are declared missing and lost. On March 18 the Louisville receives a message from the Commander Anzac Forces that the crews have been found in fit condition. Their story gets told in the newspapers in June. Unfortunately the article is somewhat confused it includes stories of several other aircrews from the battle of the Coral Sea (which occurred in May) that were also rescued about the same time.

https://www.newspapers.com/article/s...nal/127989515/

https://pacificwrecks.com/provinces/png_rossel.html

The newspaper story about the plane that drifted for a week may be this one:

https://www.usni.org/magazines/proce...y/saga-seagull

[keith A]

Superb! Many thanks. That matches the brief details I had. Both the pilots disappear from the ships log at this time and Ens Delos Hall Jones joins the ship on 28 March and Ltjg GC Duncan arrives on 6 April 1942 presumably to replace them?

best regards

Keith

[Leendert]

Keith,

Don't know to what month(s) you're looking for SOC accidents on the USS Louisville, but here's one on 15 June 1942: https://catalog.archives.gov/id/86686216?objectPage=60

Incident was noted on the USS Indianapolis as well: https://catalog.archives.gov/id/133932429?objectPage=10

Regards,
Leendert

[keith A]

Just a shout out for you, Leendert. Your direction to the deck logs has been a fantastic avenue for my research. It gave me lots of little details about George Duncan which add to my private project. I spent hours poring over them yesterday and loving every minute

best regards

Keith