| CONFIDENTIAL
MARINE
FIGHTING SQUADRON 222, MARINE AIRCRAFT GROUP 24
FIRST MARINE AIRCRAFT WING, FLEET MARINE FORCE,
C/O FLEET POST OFFICE, SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA
WAR
DIARY
from
From:
1 April, 1944, to 30 April, 1944 |
|
|
Distributions: |
Commandant,
Headquarters, U. S. Marine Corps
Commander in Chief, U. S. Fleet
Commander in Chief, Pacific Fleet,
Commanding General, Aircraft, F. M F. Pacific
Commanding General, First Marine Aircraft Wing
File
|
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| Geographical
Location of Unit: |
|
Quoin Hill, Efate |
|
| Name
of Commanding Officer: |
|
Major
Alfred N. GORDON, USMC |
| Name
of next higher echelon:
|
|
Marine
Aircraft Group Twelve |
|
| Roster
of Flight Echelon: |
|
|
|
| GORDON,
Alfred N. |
Major |
|
Commanding
Officer |
|
| SAPP,
Donald H. |
Major |
|
Executive
Office |
| SCHAEFER,
George C. |
WO |
|
Intelligence
& Photo Officer |
| BRITTINGHAM,
John T. |
Lt. |
|
Flight
Surgeon |
|
| BOWLING,
Maurice |
StfSgt |
|
Flight
Clerk |
|
| |
|
|
|
|
| NEWLANDS,
John P. |
Major |
|
KOETSCH,
Julius F. |
1st.
Lt. |
| HOBBS,
Richard L. |
Captain |
|
LEVINE,
James H. |
1st.
Lt. |
| McLEAN,
Carl T. |
Captain |
|
MACK,
Melvin M. |
1st. Lt. |
| MORRIS,
John P. |
Captain |
|
MOORE,
Irwin E. |
1st.
Lt. |
| PANKHURST,
Paul L. |
Captain |
|
NUGENT,
John T. |
1st.
Lt. |
| REID,
Winfred O. |
Captain |
|
PERINO,
August J. |
1st.
Lt. |
| TURNER,
Henry M. |
Captain |
|
TEETER,
Virgil L., Jr. |
1st.
Lt. |
| WILLIAMS,
James B. III |
Captain |
|
WALLEY,
James M. |
1st.
Lt. |
| WILSON,
Robert W. |
Captain |
|
WITT,
John. W. |
1st. Lt. |
| YEAGER,
Stephen J. |
Captain |
|
YORK,
Warren M., Jr. |
1st.
Lt. |
| BEKINS,
Robert, Jr. |
1st.
Lt. |
|
CARRELL,
William B. |
2nd. Lt. |
| FOSTER,
John M. |
1st.
Lt. |
|
DINGFELTER,
Clyde A. |
2nd.
Lt. |
| GHER,
Wayne C. |
1st.
Lt. |
|
JONES,
Charles. D. |
2nd.
Lt. |
| HAZLETT,
Wesley M. |
1st.
Lt. |
|
LANGLEY,
Ralph R., Jr. |
2nd.
Lt. |
| HUGHES,
Fredrick E. |
1st.
Lt. |
|
|
|
| JOHNSTON,
Vesta |
1st.
Lt. |
|
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| |
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|
| Roster
of Ground Echelon Officers: |
| HAND,
Ralph. G. |
Captain |
|
Commanding
Officer |
|
| LAWLER,
Robert. P. |
2d
Lt |
|
Materiel
Office |
|
| SCHALLER,
L. W. |
CWO |
|
Engineering
Officer |
|
| SAINT,
J. L. |
WO
|
|
Adjutant |
|
|
| Apr.1 |
|
|
BEKINS.
DINGFELTER, JOHNSTON, LANGLEY, LEVINE, MACK, PERINO, TEETER,
YORK, and BRITTINGHAM are spending their health and recreation
period in Sydney, Australia.
The remaining pilots are standing by at Quoin Hill, Efate,
waiting for air transportation to the United States. |
Apr.2 |
|
| |
No
activity. |
Apr.3 |
|
|
No activity. |
Apr.4 |
|
|
No activity. |
Apr.5 |
|
|
Major
Roy T. SPURLOCK, USMCR, and Captain Robert K. JOHNSON, USMCR,
reported for duty with orders dated 4 April 1944.
Orders
wore also received for the detachment to the United States
for NEWLANDS, SAPP, McLEAN, REID, and SCHAEFFER. |
Apr.
6 |
|
|
The
five officers named in 5 April entry leave via this date,
the following officers detached to Marine Fleet Air, West
Coast, and receive orders for travel to Espiritu Santo for
transportation to the United States: GORDON, HOBBS, MORRIS,
PANKHURST, TURNER, WILLIAMS, WILSON, YEAGER, FOSTER, GHER,
HAZLETT, HUGHES, HUIDEKOPER, KOETSCH, MOORE, WALLEY, and
WITT, CARRELL, and JONES.
The
above officers leave for Espiritu Santo via SCAT at 1000
this date.
Major Roy T. SPURLOCK takes command of the squadron. Captain
Robert K. JOHNSON made Executive Officer. |
Apr.
7 |
|
|
Twenty-nine
pilots from Quoin Hill fighter "Pool” tentatively
assigned to the squadron this date and meet with Major SPURLOCK
to hear the training program outlined. |
Apr.
8 |
|
| |
No
activity. Much difficulty expected in work training syllabus
because of shortages here as result of Marine Aircraft Group
TWELVE moving its operations to Emirau Island, Bismark Archipelago.
The
original schedule, set for fifty hours, is reduced to thirty
hours, and is proposed as follows:
Even this reduced program will be hard to complete unless
new planes, more spare parts, and engineering supplies,
parachutes, better communications, and faster and more abundant
facilities of transportation are provided.
| Division
Tactics |
5
hours |
Squadron
Tactics |
3
hours |
Dummy
runs on sleeve |
2
hours |
Gunnery |
10
hours |
Dummy
runs on plane as high speed target |
1
hour |
Oxygen
flights |
2
hours |
High
altitude gunnery |
2
hours |
Strafing |
2
hours |
Night
flying |
2
hours |
Navigation
|
2
hours |
Cloud
flying |
2
hours |
Combat
Tactics |
2
hours |
Escort
Missions (problem) |
2
hours |
|
|
|
Apr.
9 |
|
|
Inclement
weather cancels flying today. |
Apr.
10 |
|
|
Seven,
four plane, division tactics and one, two plane section tactics
as well as four familiarization flights completed this date,
For the record: 34 Sorties, 47,8 hours. |
| Apr.11 |
|
|
The
nine pilots and flight surgeon return from Sydney this date.
Two, four plane, and one, three plane division tactics flights
plus five familiarization flights completed this date.
For the Record: 16 Sorties, 18.0 hours. |
Apr.
12. |
|
|
Bad
weather cancelled flying today. |
Apr.
13 |
|
|
Bad
weather cancelled flying today. |
Apr.
14 |
|
|
Ten,
four plane, division tactics and two familiarization flights
completed today.
For the Record: 48 sorties, 62.0 hours. |
Apr.
15 |
|
|
Twelve,
four plane division tactics and one, two plane section tactics
flights, as well as three familiarization flights completed
this day.
For the Record: 53 Sorties, 77.8 Hours. |
Apr.
16 |
|
|
No Activity
this date, pool pilots using the available planes. |
Apr.
17 |
|
|
Sixteen,
four plane and one, three plane division tactics flights plus
five familiarization and engine run-in flights completed this
date.
For the Record: 79 Sorties, 103.7 hours. |
Apr.
18 |
|
|
Five,
four plane, one, three plane, and one, two plane divisions
tactics, and twelve familiarization flights as well as sixteen
planes participating in a escort problem, completed this date.
For the Record: 54 Sorties, 79.9 hours. |
Apr.
19 |
|
|
Captain
John S. DOWNS is verbally detached to Marine Fighting Squadron
TWO Twenty-Two from Marine Aircraft Group TWENTY-ONE, with
request being sent to MarAirSoPac for written orders. Being
the third ranking officer in the squadron, he is made flight
officer. |
Apr.
20 |
|
|
Squadron
tactics practiced today as well as two familiarization flights.
For the Record: 63 Sorties, 78.5 hours. |
Apr.
21 |
|
| |
Seventeen
planes work out an escort problem, two, four plane and one,
three plane division tactics, seven plane practice squadron
tactics. Five familiarization flights are a11 completed this
date.
For the Record: 40 Sorties, 55.5 hours. |
Apr.
22 |
|
| |
Nineteen
squadron tactics, eighteen dummy gunnery, and seven familiarization
sorties completed this date for showing much progress in the
squadron training program.
For the Record: 44 Sorties, 59.8 hours. |
Apr.
23 |
|
|
No flying,
another squadron using the planes. |
Apr.24
|
|
|
No flying,
fighter “Pool" using the aircraft. |
Apr.25
|
|
|
Forty-five
strafing, one, two plane section tactics, and one-familiarization
flights completed this date.
For the Record: 48 Sorties, 62.33 hours. |
Apr.26 |
|
|
No flying. |
Apr.27 |
|
|
No flying. |
Apr.28 |
|
| |
Twenty-five,
fifteen dummy gunnery, twelve combat tactics and two tow
flights completed this date.
For the Record: 54 Sorties, 73.5 hours.
Eight
experienced pilots, four each from VMF-216 and VMF- 223,
are exchanged for eight of the "Pool" pilots training
with the squadron. That brings this squadron's strength
to twenty inexperienced combat pilots from the "Pool"
and twenty pilots that have had at least one tour in the
combat zone. Although no written orders have been received,
the following is a roster of the squadron as it appears
to be set for the forthcoming combat tour:
| SPURLOCK,
Roy T. |
Major |
|
Commanding
Officer |
|
| JOHNSTON,
Robert E. |
Major |
|
Executive
Office |
| |
|
|
| DOWNS,
John E. |
Captain |
|
BROOKS,
Wendell G. |
2nd. Lt. |
| HOBBS,
Richard L. |
1st.
Lt. |
|
BROWN,
Fred I. |
2nd.
Lt. |
| BEKINS,
Robert, Jr. |
1st.
Lt. |
|
CHARLTON,
Douglas W. |
2nd. Lt. |
| DINGFELTER,
Clyde A. |
1st.
Lt. |
|
DRIFTMIER,
John F. |
2nd.
Lt. |
| FARR,
Sheldon G. |
1st.
Lt. |
|
DUGAN,
Patrick |
2nd.
Lt. |
| FITZGERALD,
Edward A. |
1st.
Lt. |
|
FLICKINGER,
Judson |
2nd.
Lt. |
| FOOTE,
Robert E. |
1st.
Lt. |
|
GRIFFITH,
Donald C. |
2nd. Lt. |
| GILLESPIE,
Robert L. |
1st.
Lt. |
|
HANSEN,
Dale W. |
2nd.
Lt. |
| HARKINS,
Robert W. |
1st.
Lt. |
|
HEILMAN,
Roland B. |
2nd.
Lt. |
| JOHNSTON,
Vesta |
1st.
Lt. |
|
KRIEGER,
Fredrick W. |
2nd.
Lt. |
| LANGLEY,
Ralph R., Jr. |
1st.
Lt. |
|
LIND,
Fenwick W. |
2nd. Lt. |
| LEVINE,
James H. |
1st.
Lt. |
|
LYNCH,
James W. |
2nd.
Lt. |
| MACK,
Melvin M. |
1st.
Lt. |
|
MARSHALL,
Samuel P. |
2nd.
Lt. |
| MATTINGLY,
Francis E. |
1st.
Lt. |
|
McCALL,
Lewis B. |
2nd.
Lt. |
| PERINO,
August J. |
1st.
Lt. |
|
McIVER,
Richard W. |
2nd. Lt. |
| TEETER,
Virgil L., Jr. |
1st.
Lt. |
|
PERU,
Archie G. |
2nd.
Lt. |
| WALDEN,
Ennis E. |
1st.
Lt. |
|
VAUGHN,
Alfred B. |
2nd.
Lt. |
| YORK,
Warren M., Jr. |
1st.
Lt. |
|
GAGE,
John B. |
2nd.
Lt. |
|
Apr.29 |
|
|
No flying. |
Apr.30 |
|
|
No
flying.
NOTE:
The tour of duty of the Ground Echelon from 1 April to and
including 30 April, 1944, were spent at Green island. |
| |
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SUMMARY
|
| |
| A. |
Personnel |
|
|
|
|
(1) |
As
of 1 April, 1944: |
|
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35
Officers |
|
|
|
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230
Enlisted |
|
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|
(2) |
Lost:
None
|
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|
(3) |
No
personnel on M. I. A. |
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| B. |
Aircraft |
|
|
|
|
(1) |
As
of 30 April, 1944: |
|
|
|
|
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No
Corsairs assigned |
|
|
(2) |
No
planes lost - Operational
|
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| |
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(3) |
No
planes lost - Combat |
|
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| C. |
Operations |
|
|
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|
(1) |
Total
hours flown: |
|
|
|
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|
722.3 |
|
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| |
(2) |
Total
number of individual flights:
|
|
|
|
|
526 |
|
|
|
(3) |
Total
number of individual flights on Combat Missions |
|
|
|
0 |
|
|
| |
(4) |
Total number of individual flights where enemy opposition
was encountered: |
| |
|
|
0 |
|
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| D. |
Enemy
planes destroyed to date |
|
|
|
(1) |
Squadron
total: |
|
|
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50 |
|
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| |
(2) |
Total
for each pilot now in squadron:
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| E. |
Enemy
aircraft destroyed this month: |
|
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|
(1) |
1 None |
|
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| F.
|
Enemy
shipping: |
|
|
| |
(1) |
None
destroyed. |
|
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| |
(2)
|
None
Damaged. |
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