John Leppla

[knusel]

Good evening Gentlemen,

thanks for your posts. It's astonishing that the top-scoring Dauntless pilot and the top-scoring Dauntless gunner were a team, had very similar names and each scored his additional kill on the same date.
What was the highest award they were given ?

Best greetings from Switzerland,

Michael

[JACK COOK]

Liska lived in the LA area for many years. He helped the "Movieland of the Air" at Orange County airport repaint their SBD into his and Leppla's markings.

[knusel]

Good evening,

the SBD scored 138 kills, all in the PTO, none in the CBI, MTO or ETO.
Is the same true for the 6 kill that the SB2U scored ?

Cheers,

Michael

[R Leonard]

http://forum.12oclockhigh.net/showth...t=48434&page=2

[knusel]

Good evening Leonard,

the Robert Allen list compiles the kills of the American aircraft types separately for the ETO, MTO, PTO and CBI. I have added the USN/USMC types but I was still unsure if the 6 SB2U kills should be entered into PTO (0 for the other theatres). That's why I asked.

Best greetings from Switzerland, sincerely,

Michael

[R Leonard]

But according to the report only two claims of shoot downs were attributed to the VMSB-241 SB2U gunners. The other four claims credited to SBD rear gunners.

The VMSB-241 report for the Battle of Midway notes

->In describing the SBD attack led Major Henderson: “During this time, four (4) enemy fighters were observed to go down in flames, shot by the rear gunners and it is believed that two more were probably shot down.”
->In describing the SB2U attack led by Major Norris: “Two (2) enemy fighters were shot down in this action and two (2) more believed to have been shot down.”

Don't think you can attribute 6 shoot downs to SB2U gunners when the report clearly states otherwise.

And this the only combat action for SB2Us for the entire war.

I have no idea what is this Robert Allen list you mention, but if he lists 6 shoot downs for SB2Us, then he is wrong.

[knusel]

Hello Leonard,

your finding is interesting and your interpretation intrigueing.
But don't the two 6 kills mentioned in the squadron’s war diary for the period 1 June thru 30 June 1942 refer to 4Jun only ?
(Vindicators are reported to have attacked Mikuma the next day.)

Have a good Thursday,


Michael

[R Leonard]

Mikuma, yes, but . . .

- Post war evaluation showed that none of the Marine dive bombers, SBD or SB2U, not one, scored a single hit on Mikuma.

- We were talking about Japanese planes shot down by SB2U rear gunners; there were no Japanese planes in the air on 5 June for them to shoot down.

Generally, when one refers to combat action by SB2Us in US service this means the Battle of Midway, 4 June through 6 June inclusive.

Also, not my interpretation, merely a quoting of what is presented in the VMSB-241 report as written and submitted with regard to claims of Japanese planes shot down by rear gunners in either SBDs or SB2Us. Note paragraphs 13 and 27 in same, linked here: http://www.midway42.org/Midway_AAR/vmsb-241.pdf

[twocee]

Reliable sources that mention VMSB241's SB2U encounter with enemy aircraft on June 4th, such as the books by Sherrod and Cressman, say that one Zero was shot down. Cressman gives the name of the gunner as Sgt. F.E. Zelnis whose pilot was 2Lt S.H. Whitten.

They seem to follow on from the account in John DeChant's semi-official "Devilbirds", published in 1947, which states that the SB2Us "flamed one Zero". Presumably he had a source other than the War Diary.

[knusel]

Good afternoon dear Leonard,

I wrote a conclusion about the SB2U score:
http://forum.12oclockhigh.net/showth...355#post329355

Cheers,

Michael