MARINE FIGHTING SQUADRON TWO TWENTY TWO,
23rd MARINE AIRCRAFT GROUP, FORWARD ECHELON,
2nd MARINE AIRCRAFT WING, FLEET MARINE FORCE.

WAR DIARY

.....No flight operations.

.....Normal patrols and operations. Pilots worked to construct a ready room in their spare time.

.....No flight operations.

.....Normal flight operations and patrols.

.....No flights due to unfavorable weather.

.....Normal patrols. Training flight for new pilots were planned but cancelled for this date due to unfavorable weather. The newly arrived pilots had received a minimum of training in advanced phases and almost no training in fighter tactics and gunnery.

.....No flights.

.....Air raid alarm was sounded shortly after noon when a target was picked up by the radar bearing about 280 degrees 43 miles distant. One division lead by Capt. J. F. Dobbin was in the air on patrol at the time and was immediately sent out on 275 degrees 25 miles at 9,000 feet altitude and directed to circle. Two other divisions, lead by Capts. R. M. Haynes and J. L. Neefus, took the air and were directed to proceed out on 280 degrees 25 miles at 8,000 feet altitude. When they arrived on this station, Capt. Haynes, as squadron commander, was directed from the ground station to send one division to continue on 280 degrees to intercept. Capt. Neefus and his division were detached in accordance and they made contact within five minutes, sighting a Japanese four-engine patrol plane heading for Midway and about 1,000 feet above them, closed and destroyed it. Marine Gunner Dickey was wounded in the left arm in the engagement but returned to Midway and landed his plane safely. This was the first engagement with hostile aircraft in which this squadron participated although the personnel who made contact were attached to VMF-221.

[Fleet Admiral Chester Nimitz flew to Midway on 2 May to pin a Navy Cross on Neefus and a Distinguished Flying Cross on Somers and on McCartney. Ed.]

.....Patrol flights only.

.....No flights.

.....No flights. Unfavorable weather.

.....No flights.

.....Routine flights and patrols.

.....No flights.

.....Regular flights. New pilots practiced night landings.

.....No flights.

.....Regular scheduled flights.

.....Routine flights.

.....Routine flights.

.....No flights.

.....No flights. A new task organization was made up as follows utilizing pilots of both squadrons. The first three divisions were assigned planes to which they would normally fly, while the fourth division would act as a relief and rotate from one to the next from day to day, giving each pilot one day off in four.

.....Routine Patrols and in addition two fighters each flew in pairs to nearby reefs, Kure and Pearl & Hermes. This was the first of daily inspection flights to these reefs.

.....Routine flight operations. In addition, we furnished air patrol for USS Curtis into the harbor. The Curtis brought us eight F2A-3 planes and five additional pilots, 2nd Lieuts. Butler, Corry, Lindsey, Musselman, and Kunz. The first two (Butler and Corry) were assigned to VMF-222.

.....Routine flights. Shakedown for new pilots and planes.

.....Familiarization flight for newly arrived pilots. These men had arrived almost direct from training and had received no training in fighter tactics. With the addition, total pilots came to 23 for both squadrons (eleven for VMF-222) and airplanes totaled 21 (10 for VMF- 222) and of the pilots, Major McCaul was confined to the hospital and Lieuts. Humberd and Burns alternated weekly as Group Adjutant. The organization was made up as follows into five divisions:

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