SOC Seagull lost July 1942 USS WICHITA

[Brian]

Hi guys

During the early part of Convoy PQ17, the US cruiser WICHITA fomed part of the escort. Apparently she lost one of her Curtiss SOC Seagull observation aircraft and its crew, circa 4 July. Seeking details including identity of crew, please.

On 4 July, two of the Seagulls, complete with depth charges, were engaged by German seaplanes (?). The account I've seen says both returned but possibly one did not (see above).

Cheers
Brian

[Laurent Rizzotti]

There is no loss of SOC or any USN floatplane in North Atlantic listed between June and August 1942 by the site, that has lists of oversea USN losses:
http://www.aviationarchaeology.com/src/USN/losslist.htm

But the list is not complete, so you can keep searching...

Edit: the rather detailed Wichita story below indicated that two SOC Seagull took off on 4 July and both returned.
http://www.history.navy.mil/danfs/w7/wichita-i.htm

Edit2 (I'm typing faster than I am thinking today):
The War Diary of USS Wichita for July 1942 is available on the fold3 website:
http://www.fold3.com/browsemore/hsEU...QFQnTjteDV_-1/
You have to register to see it.

[Brian]

Hi Laurent

Thanks for that.

I am quoting from 'PQ17 Convoy to Hell' (Lund & Ludham) page 182 of paperback version. Lt Douglas Fairbanks was aboard Wichita as an official observer, and wrote (in his official report) regarding the order to return to Iceland (4 July):

"Two of our Wichita observation pilots had already died before we could fish them out of the drink ....."

Cheers
Brian

[dp_burke]

Ancestry.com have the muster rolls for USS Wichita and one document whcih is a nominall roll for the quarter ended 30 September 1942 records NO DEATHS from the aviation unit, and only five transfers of personel.

Unit is listed as VCS-7, aviation unit.

Also noting that I cannot see a 'Douglas Fairbanks' on the Wichita rosters, but if he was only an observer, might not show up.

That name appears no where in the 1942 rosters on any ship.

Closest I can see was a Douglas C Fahrenback at the end of August 1942, rank EM3c, Electrician's Mate, 3d Cl

[Col Bruggy]

Hello.

It was Douglas Fairbanks Jnr., the ACTOR !

On the morning of 25 June, two days out from Scapa Flow, Hamilton's flagship "London" anchored in Hvalfiord, Iceland, where the American battleship "Washington" and the American cruisers "Wichita" and "Tuscaloosa"already lay. Some hours later, Lieutenant Douglas Fairbanks Jr, USNR, Admiral Giffen's Flag Lieutenant, reported aboard the "Wichita" for temporary additional duty's during the operation that was to follow. Fairbank's wrote an hour-by-hour chronicle* of the events in the cruiser force for his Admiral's personal files.

See:
The Destruction of Convoy PQ.17
Irving,David.
New York:Simon & Schuster,1968.
pp.37-8

* Lieutenant Douglas E. Fairbanks, Jr., USNR.
"Cruiser Covering Force, June 25 to July 8, 1942. (94 pages)."

Col.

[dp_burke]

Good for him Col,

just saying he is not on any transcribed roster on that database the whole year of 1942.

if I get a chance I will check the VCS-7 roster names between June and September to see if there are unaccounted changed names.

[Leendert]

Not meant to drift away from the Seagulls, but a short bio on Cdr. Fairbanks here: http://www.history.navy.mil/bios/fairbanks_douge.htm

He did serve on the USS Wichita, but not as regular crew.

Regards,

Leendert

[Alex Smart]

Hello,
Perhaps it did happen,
In David Irving's "The Destruction of Convoy PQ17"
Fairbanks notes that a USS Wichita young Ensign in charge of 15 armed guards was aboard the "William Hooper", (perhaps they were "Wichita" men as well ?).

Also that there were NO reconnaissance flights for several days prior to the 4th as there had been an accident ( on shore ?).

Was this an RAF Squadron or RAF Catalina Flight accident or a Russian recon aircraft accident ?

Would USN airmen have been involved with either or were there US Navy Recon aircraft in Russia at this time ?

The Royal Navy did have the use of Catapult Flights and Cam-ship Hurricanes, Swordfish, Fulmars and Walrus aircraft, one of which had to be taken in tow at one stage. But again I do not think that any of these would have had USN airmen crew.
Maybe a Walrus as they began as the Seagull and there may have been some confusion ?

Alex

[Leendert]

Not sure how far back Fairbanks was referring to, but SOC-3 BuNo 1090 of VCS-7 (USS Wichita) was lost on 16 April 1942, according Joe Baugher's website. Reportedly flown by Ensign Francis M. Dillon, fate unknown.

With some other US warships, USS Wichita was at Scapa Flow at that time.

Regards,

Leendert

[dp_burke]

I can offcially say those muster rolls are hopeless!!!!

Can't see a Francis Dillon on them either. Thats pure annoying.

There is no one with the name Fran* Dillon on the various war dead lists on ancestry.com, I take it he survived.