Super Dumbos & Navy rescues

[Buckeye30]

A good example of Army-Navy co-operation in the Pacific, these were B-29s stationed on a mission route (at least 2) to locate ditched aircraft and report positions to Navy vessels or planes to effect rescue; if no ditchings they would follow the mission home to watch stragglers. Super Dumbos had "Victor" calls assigned by XXI BC, "suffix voice call" numbers and prefix "victor call" numbers eg. 20V757 (313 Wing).


A typical major mission was no.40, 9/10 March with 73/313/314 Wings; ASR elements were 4 Super Dumbos, 4 subs, 2 Navy Dumbos (PBYs or PBMs), 3 Navy surface vessels and 4 "crash boats" (PTs) off the islands during take-offs and landings. 4 B-29s ditched, Victor numbers 7V759, 19V757, 44V759 (313 Wing) and 25V527 (314 Wing).............
Victors 7 and 19 all rescued by Seaplane Tender "Bering Strait" AVP34.
Victor 44 9 survivors by Seaplane Tender "Cook Inlet" AVP36.
Victor 25 all crew by minesweeper "Hamilton" DMS18.
Of the ones in the water, the 313 Wing ones became lost over Honshu and used up fuel, the other from 314th ditched on way home.
Another success for Navy*****

For the record, the 4 serials...........
25V527 (29BG) ... 42-65311 Tail Sq. O 25
19V757 (505BG) ... 42-63482 Tail K Tri. 19
7V759 (9BG).....42-24875 Tail X Tri. 7
44V759 (9BG)...42-65298 Tail X Tri. 44



Nick

[Leendert]

As for reports in USN records in relation to above post:

USS Hamilton (DMS-18): https://catalog.archives.gov/id/139954628?objectPage=5

USS Cook Inlet (AVP-36):https://catalog.archives.gov/id/139967377?objectPage=3

Likely related a VH-3 report: https://catalog.archives.gov/id/77664173?objectPage=34

Not related to above is a fine overview of ASR operations in the Ryukyus here:
https://catalog.archives.gov/id/77626243

Regards,
Leendert

[Buckeye30]

Many thanks for those, will enjoy checking them out.

Nick