Rex Barber

[Jack Cook]

Aviation Cadet Rex Barber flying AT-6A T-55 May 1941

[Shay]

Very cool picture Jack.

Would be a good paint scheme for a T-6 today.

Shay
____________
Semper Fortis

[EDowning]

More interesting info:

Barber is credited with the sole kill of Yamamoto by military historians, but officially he and Captain Thomas George Lanphier, Jr. were credited with half a kill each when Yamamoto's bomber was shot down in April of 1943. In 2003, however, Barber was officially credited with the sole kill after an inspection analyzed the crash site and determined the path of the bullet impacts, thereby validating Barber's account and invalidating Lanphier's claim. Barber was awarded the Navy Cross, two Silver Stars, a Purple Heart and numerous other awards over his military career.

http://www.acepilots.com/pto/lanphier.html

[Jack Cook]

Rex also flew in China with the 449th FS and was shot down by Oscars and badly woulded but evaded capture. He also flew in Korea in 1952.
A very nice fellow with a matter of fact manner but not one for bragging or self promotion. 2 traits Tom Lanphier didn't posess.

[David_Aiken]

Aloha Jack,
In 1981, I began correspondence and phone calls with Rex Barber and Tom Lanphier about the loss of Ray Hines...which meant a discussion of the entire mission. This was printed in the first "Japanese Info Clearinghouse", a short lived publication. One of the results was the Japanese autopsy confirmation that Rex Barber's bullets struck and killed the Admiral before the BETTY crashed.

Later I met both Rex and Tom and came away from those occasions with the same thoughts as you about both men.
Cheers,
David Aiken

[Jack Cook]

I was at the Fighter Aces Reunion in Mesa a number of years ago
and was present when Tom Lanphier was informer that the AF had officially split credit
between him and Barber and forthermore because of that he had lost his ace status.
That was the worst, biggest, nastiest fit I've ever seen

Search Results for Aerial Victory Credits
Results: 3 Found
Total number of credits: 4.5
NAME RANK UNIT DATE ENEMY US WAR WEAPON CREDITS
LANPHIER THOMAS G JR Captain 70FTR 12-24-1942 Unknown Unknown WW2 Unknown 1
LANPHIER THOMAS G JR Captain 70FTR 04-07-1943 Unknown Unknown WW2 Unknown 3
LANPHIER THOMAS G JR Captain 70FTR 04-18-1943 Unknown Unknown WW2 Unknown 0.5



BARBER REX T 1st Lieutenant 339FTR 04-07-1943 Unknown Unknown WW2 Unknown 2
BARBER REX T 1st Lieutenant 339FTR 04-18-1943 Unknown Unknown WW2 Unknown 2
BARBER REX T 1st Lieutenant 70FTR 12-28-1942 Unknown Unknown WW2 Unknown 1

[fotobass]

Aloha Jack,
In 1981, I began correspondence and phone calls with Rex Barber and Tom Lanphier about the loss of Ray Hines...which meant a discussion of the entire mission. This was printed in the first "Japanese Info Clearinghouse", a short lived publication. One of the results was the Japanese autopsy confirmation that Rex Barber's bullets struck and killed the Admiral before the BETTY crashed.

Later I met both Rex and Tom and came away from those occasions with the same thoughts as you about both men.
Cheers,
David Aiken

Uhh, I have to ask here. How in the name of all that's holy could such a document (if it indeed was done, as Yamamoto was cremated before they sent him home) discern whose bullets from which P-38 killed the admiral?

[David_Aiken]

One of the results was the Japanese autopsy confirmation that Rex Barber's bullets struck and killed the Admiral before the BETTY crashed.

Uhh, I have to ask here. How in the name of all that's holy could such a document (if it indeed was done, as Yamamoto was cremated before they sent him home) discern whose bullets from which P-38 killed the admiral?

Aloha "fotobass",
The doctor on the scene at Rabaul made a copy of the report he forwarded to Tokyo. This is first cited in English in The Reluctant Admiral-Yamamoto And The Imperial Navy by Hiroyuki Agawa [Translated By John Bester] (Tokyo, Kodansha International Ltd. 1979). I have an earlier copy of Agawa's book in Japanese as well.

Two bullets entered the body...from the left exiting the right front....suggesting that Yamamoto had turned left in his seat to look aft towards Rex Barber flying in the six o'clock position.
Cheers,
David Aiken