MARINE FIGHTING SQUADRON 222, MARINE AIRCRAFT GROUP 11
FIRST MARINE AIRCRAFT WING, FLEET MARINE FORCE,
C/O FLEET POST OFFICE, SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA

WAR DIARY

From

Twenty-three pilots, the Intelligence Officer, and the Flight Surgeon are in Sidney, Australia for a period of health and recreation. Sixteen pilots, having completed their tour of overseas duty, are awaiting detachment orders. The ten newly assigned replacement pilots are standing by, awaiting return of the flight echelon from Sydney.

The ground echelon are putting their twenty aircraft in commission in readiness for the training program of the flight echelon, scheduled to get underway upon the return of the flight echelon from Sydney.

DOWNS, HUNTER, MATTINGLY, FITZGERALD, and J0HST0N, having completed their tour of overseas duty, were detached and ordered to Marine Fleet Air, West Coast.

Captain SAULIERE, (013777), Frank R., USMCR, joined Ground Echelon this date and assumed the duties of Transportation, Mess, and Communication Officer.

2ndLt. OSTER, (022848), Ralph J., Jr., USMCR, also joined the Ground Echelon this date as Ordnance Officer.

Training operations commenced today. Twenty nice sorties of the following deposition were flown: Twenty-eight section tactics flights and one test flight. They totaled 46.6 hours.

1stLt. BLAIN today filed acceptance of his promotion to the temporary rank of Captain, to rank from 31 May 1944, and 2ndLt DUGAN, VAUGHN, and ZANGER of their promotion to the temporary rank of 1stLt, to run from 31 May, 1944.

Forty four sorties totaling 59.9 hours ware flown today. Their disposition was as follows: Thirty five gunnery flights, seven tow sleeve flights, one oxygen flight, and one familiarization flight.

2ndLts., BROWN, BROOKS, FLICKINGER, GRIFFITH, and MARSHALL today filed acceptance of their promotion to the temporary rank of 1stLt., to rank from 31 May, 1944.

thirty-two sorties totaling 49.7 hours were flown this date. They were of the following disposition: Twenty gunnery flights, four tow sleeve flights, five combat tactics flights, two strafing flights, and one search flight.

Lieutenant CHARLTON, D. W., (025598), was killed today in a mid-air collision with another member of his flight. The accident occurred while they were making simulated attacks on a bomber formation, and its cause was undetermined, CHARLTON's aircraft was last seen by one of the bomber pilots to start down in a spin. The wreckage was found on the beach of Maifia Island, just off the northwest coast of Espiritu Santo; and his body was recovered. The other plane was successfully landed with four feet of the port wing missing.

No operations this date.

The ground crew today embarked for Bougainville, as per instructions in Wing Special Order 101-44. This order provides for immediate transfer of this squadron to Marine Aircraft Group TWENTY-FOUR. [7 officers and 226 enlisted men departed at dawn the next day aboard the USS Alkaid (AK 114). Two days later the ship anchored for 24 hours off of Guadalcanal, arriving at Torokina, Empress Augusta Bay, Bougainville on 3 August, an 1174 mile voyage.]

GILLISPIE and BROWN departed via ATC today for Bougainville.