Warbird Information Exchange

Curtis,

Thanks for posting. Do either of you have any photos that have Lt(jg) Clinton E. Wear in it? He was with VBF-83, but I believe originally he was with VF-83. He was lost in this area & a group of us including his Daughter & Grand Daughter searched for him in '98. If you have any photos of him, chances are she's never seen them. She has very few photos of him in the Navy.

Thanks,

Mac

Hi Jim,
I don't have a thing but recall talking to his daughter a few years ago.

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Don't touch my junk!!

Jack,

Pam gave me some copies of the emails? (letters?) that you had sent her. This is long before I "met" you here. Small world.

Mac

I can find no identified photo of Lt. Wear, in my grandfathers CVG-83 cruise book. His name however is included in the list of those "who did not come back."

I do have a daily log from VF-83 that may make some mention of his loss. It hasn't stood up to the passage of time well. The paper is brittle and some of the print has lifted but, If you can give me a date I'll look.

Sorry I can't be more help.

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Curtis Block

I've seen too many airplanes destroyed by the term "Static Restoration."

Curtis,

He was lost on 10 Aug 45 in Mutsu Bay, Japan. He was in a flight escorting two Kingfishers off the North Carolina that were going to rescue Lt(jg) Coumbe, a VBF-83 pilot that had been hit by AA & ditched in the bay the day before. Coumbe had spent the night on shore & was swimming out into the bay to be picked up by the OS2Us, but was having a hard time of it. Wear was trying to drop him his own life raft, when his F4U crashed into the bay. He's listed as an operational loss, killed in a flying accident, it was felt that the life raft had jammed his stick forward causing him to crash. The only person from the operation that I could find, Al Oliver, one of the OS2U pilots, says that they were receiving some Japanese fire. So it is possible that he was hit by AA.

Thanks for your help,

Mac

Here's what I've got.

"10 August 1945: STRIKES, STRIKES & STRIKES

Another full day over N. Honshu with shipping and Hachinohe airfield the primary targets. Vern COUMBE was seen waving a scarf from the beach, having spent the night ashore on Honshu. He was subsequently picked up by an OS2U but Clem WEAR was killed when he crashed while attempting to throw Vern a raft.

That evening we learned of Japan's counter proposal to the peace ultimatum."

Sorry it isn't more helpful.

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Curtis Block

I've seen too many airplanes destroyed by the term "Static Restoration."

No problem, Curtis. Thanks for looking.

Mac

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Curtis Block

I've seen too many airplanes destroyed by the term "Static Restoration."

Anybody have any idea of who the pilot was of plane # 111?

Mac

I've been trying to figure out the answer to that.

My best guess is Lt. Thaddeus T. Coleman Jr. The top ace of VF-83 with 8 kills, and 2 kills in VF-6.

After looking him up in the cruise book, I recognised him as the one on the right, in this photo from my grandfathers collection.



If anyone can confirm this, or lend any other information, I would greatly appreciate any input.

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Curtis Block

I've seen too many airplanes destroyed by the term "Static Restoration."

I seen 5 pictures of my Dad, John C. Wighaman, hope the pics keep coming. Thanks Wig......

Very cool to get that message from Wig. Stuff like that really brings out the larger picture in a project like this.

Wig,

Like I wrote in the PM I sent, let me know which photos contain your dad, and I'll send you high quality scans.



O' Club Somewhere.










CL-104 USS Atlanta. Those aren't Kingfishers on the stern.







Blown tire?

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Curtis Block

I've seen too many airplanes destroyed by the term "Static Restoration."

Ens. William J. Kingston Jr. VF-83. Six Victories.






Avengers and Helldivers on a mission resulting in a radar bomb drop through the solid overcast on Aomori, Honshu.

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Curtis Block

I've seen too many airplanes destroyed by the term "Static Restoration."

Ok, now this is strange...
One of the guys in my bike club was a Sam Brocato, I think he was in his late 50's, maybe early 60's. He committed suicide just before christmas '06. He lived in SoCal & has a son living in Norcal.
I'm thinking the guy in the photo must have been his father... I'll make some inquiries next time I see the other guys who knew him.

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Those who possess real knowledge are rare.

Those who can set that knowledge into motion in the physical world are rarer still.

The few who possess real knowledge and can set it into motion of their own hands are the rarest of all.

The mighty Wisconsin.


Helldivers or VB-83. Any one know if there is any significance of the different color of the rudder on the lead plane?


ART1c John M. Pope, ART1c Jacob G. Haft Jr., ARM3c Carl L. Parker, ART1c Richard T. Posh, AMM1c Oscar B. Owings.


F6F-5N Hellcat Night fighter, "Blues in the Night," VF-83(N).

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Curtis Block

I've seen too many airplanes destroyed by the term "Static Restoration."