Warbird Information Exchange

Upon coming across two photos posted by Mark Allen M on http://www.warbirdinformationexchange.org, I ordered up high resolution copies from the National Archives. By cross-referencing declassified Mission Reports/Intelligence Reports of the subject squadrons, I was able to decipher the Plane Numbers with the Bureau Numbers of the following planes in these two photographs. I was also able to list the names of the pilots who flew them.

Photo #1: (right to left)

http://i1375.photobucket.com/albums/ag4 ... 1398805067

Squadron Plane # / Bureau Plane # / Pilot/ Date/ Squadron

#129 UNKNOWN
#101 06190 Leidecker 11/10/43 VMTB-143, Daugherty 10/26/43 VMTB-232
#104 47504 Metzelaars 10/30/43 VMTB-232, Gammage 10/31/43 VC38, Harris 11/10/43 VMTB -143
#115 47501 White 10/26/43 VMTB-232, Glenn 11/20/43 VMTB-143, Bauder 9/15/43 VMTB-233
#05 24182 Leake 9/14/43 VC38, Regan 10/26/43 VC38, Draughon 11/14 & 24/43 VC38,
Giblin 11/10/43 VC38, Boyden 11/20/43 VMTB-233, Larson 10/2,8,9,&10/43 VC38

Photo #2 (Left to Right)


http://i1375.photobucket.com/albums/ag4 ... 1398805027

(Left to Right) Squadron Plane # / Bureau Plane # / Pilot/ Date/ Squadron


#118 24482 Yeast 11/20/43 unknown and Ranson 11/24/43 unknown
#131 47506 Morrison 10/31/43 VC38 and Leake 11/10/43 VC38
#108 06472 Bartholf 9/15/43 VMTB233, Larson 10/28/43 VC38, Webb 11/10 & 20/43 VMTB-143,
Dahiani 11/24/43 unknown
#130 06341 Burris 10/26/43 VMTB-232, Collura 10/31/43 VC40, Phillippi 11/10/43 VC38,
Ranson 11/20/43 unknown, McDonald 11/24/43 VC38
#106 06420 Harris 9/15/43 VMTB-233, Carey 10/26/43 VMTB-232, Tunnel 10/31/43 VMTB-143,
Stalnaker 11/20/43 VMTB-143, Cornelius 11/10/43 VMTB-233

Plane #108 was flown by my uncle, Lt. William R. Larson of Hanks, North Dakota on October 28, 1943 while VC38, VC40, and VMTB-143 bombed and strafed Kara Airfield. These TBFs were a mix of TBF, TBF-1, and TBF-1c planes. The planes were all interchangeable between Naval and Marine squadrons based on William’s Aviators Flight Log Book and the available Mission Reports.

http://i1375.photobucket.com/albums/ag4 ... 0f2fda.jpg

http://i1375.photobucket.com/albums/ag4 ... 1aeb1a.jpg

Photo location: Munda Airfield, New Georgia Island, Solomons in October to November 1943


http://i1375.photobucket.com/albums/ag4 ... 1396a4.jpg

http://i1375.photobucket.com/albums/ag4 ... e331b7.jpg

http://i1375.photobucket.com/albums/ag4 ... 83348f.jpg

Amazing to find this out after 70 years! This is a great forum.

http://i1375.photobucket.com/albums/ag4 ... 4ffb0c.jpg

Does anyone know how to research these Bureau numbers and see if any of these planes survived?


Regards,
Don of Portland Oregon

Spectacular work Don and welcome. Very nice work. As far as BuNo's? Have you checked Baugher's lists? I'll take a look as well to see what I can find.

http://www.joebaugher.com/navy_serials/navyserials.html

Great stuff and thanks again Don

M

_________________
“Knowing what’s right, doesn’t mean much unless you do what’s right.”

Photos Don is referring to ...


Photo #1


Photo #2

_________________
“Knowing what’s right, doesn’t mean much unless you do what’s right.”

Thanks Mark for the link. I will review the list and see if any of the planes are listed.

BTW - I couldn't figure out how to embed a photo into the Post. What's the secret? And/or could you post the rest of the photos possibly?

Best Regards and again thanks for your help and information. I am finishing writing a family history book on my uncle and VC38 - it is turning out to be quite the adventure...

Regards,

I'd be happy to post the rest and walk you through it as well. Once I get back to the home office. Great job so far on your book. I have no doubt it will turn out nicely.

_________________
“Knowing what’s right, doesn’t mean much unless you do what’s right.”

Here's the rest Don

_________________
“Knowing what’s right, doesn’t mean much unless you do what’s right.”

Just wanted to express my admiration and appreciation for the level of detail work you're doing here, Don... it can be an absolute nightmare to try and correlate BuNos to aircraft side numbers in USN/USMC squadrons during the war. Your efforts are commendable and I look forward to seeing your book- even though I'm not much of a Pacific Theater "fan", I make it a point to pick up just about any book which has that level of operational detail in it, and I'll definitely be looking for yours.

Best regards, and keep up the great work! (And thanks to you as well once again Mark for all your photo logging efforts!)

Lynn

Thanks Mark for the link:
http://www.joebaugher.com/navy_serials/navyserials.html

Unfortunately every BU# was not listed - perhaps these planes never made it back from the Pacific?

Thanks Lynn for the kind words. Book is finished, I thought, but keep coming across spectacular information courtesy of the web and folks on web pages like this one. "Lucky's Life - Letters Home from Lt. William R. Larson, USNR Beloved Son, Brother, and Torpedo Bomber Fighter Pilot in WWII - VC38" is available via PDF version and has been submitted to publisher for review. Perhaps I will self publish someday when I have more time, but would love to share the story with anyone who would be interested. William also flew SOC planes off the back of the USS Nashville during the Doolittle Raid prior to his exploits over the Solomon Islands.

Best Regards and thanks again.
Don

A couple of updates and corrections to the list of pilots:

2nd Lt. James L. Yeast and 2nd Lt. Louis T. Ranson were both pilots with VMTB-143

Damiani was a pilot with VMTB-232

Cheers,
Don

I am extremely happy to announce the publishing of Lucky's Life! It is available now in ebook version on Amazon - Lucky's Life by Donald Larson.

The color paperback version (630 pages - Retail $45) can be viewed/ordered athttps://www.facebook.com/luckyslifevc38/ Please visit the facebook page and hit LIKE!

Description:

The story of my uncle, William Rudolf Larson- nicknamed "Lucky" by his fellow pilots, is the account and authentic voice of a WWII TBF pilot told in his own words from more than 60 family letters and postcards to his proud parents and his kid-brother - my father. Lucky served on the USS Nashville before WWII, participated on the Doolittle Raid as a SOC pilot, and then trained in the new Avenger plane before shipping out to the Solomon Islands and bombing Japanese positions during the Bougainville Campaign of 1943. Several of his aviation exploits were chronicled in the Chicago Daily News, the Oakland Tribune, the Divide County Journal, and the Williston Herald. Lucky's letters to his home were saved in a pinewood Naval trunk for 70 years within the family. Upon researching his life, the War Diary of his radioman was discovered and filled in the rich WWII history of Lucky and his fellow VC 38 squadron. Recent declassified mission reports of VC 38's heroic actions during the Bougainville Campaign also provide an insight into Lucky's war experience and air battles. Sadly, Lucky never returned to the family farm in rural Divide County, North Dakota. Lucky was posthumously awarded the Air Medal. This book includes condolence letters from family members and VC 38 pilots, along with their individual stories and photographs. 43 TBF mission reports and over 150 unpublished WWII-era photographs and maps are included.

Contents
Preface v
Acknowledgments xi
Guide to Abbreviations and Acronyms xiii
INTRODUCTION
The Early Years & Family Background xvii
CHAPTER 1
Time at US NAS Pensacola Florida 1
CHAPTER 2
Days Aboard the USS Nashville (1940 to 1942) 15
CHAPTER 3
VGS-21 Days — West Coast 58
CHAPTER 4
VC 38 Days — California, At Sea, Guadalcanal, & Munda Point 80
CHAPTER 5
The Aftermath 141
Epilogue 197
Contributors: 208
APPENDIX A
Study Myself 211
APPENDIX B
William Rudolf Larson Background Items 249
APPENDIX C
USS Nashville War Diary April 18 1942 Doolittle Raid 297
APPENDIX D
Lucky’s Flight to Tanaga 315
APPENDIX E
Intelligence Reports & War Diaries 325
APPENDIX F
Tribute to VC38 471
APPENDIX G
The Making of Lucky’s Life 587


Please share with family and friends.

Here's the book cover:

Don, this is very exciting news- you must be absolutely over the moon with pride in your accomplishment. 45.00 seems a very fair price to pay for this amount of info (630 pages?! Holy smokes!!!) and for the quality of the information contained therein. I will put some money aside to pick up a copy of the book.

Congratulations, and best wishes for the success of your book- I will gladly help spread the news!

Best regards,

Lynn

Lynn,

sincerely appreciate your interest in the story and spreading the news. thanks!