A couple of Months ago, I ran into a little old guy from Massachusetts
. He was sitting in a mini-van with his daughter at our local airport, which is located near Callaway Gardens. I mentioned to him that it would be a great place to have some round motors, here, or a B-25
or B-26 Invader
, or anything with a Radial, even a Stearman
would be cool. He nodded. I could tell he was "Vintage", and asked he where he was between December 7, 1941, and August 1945.
He said he was in the Pacific, flew a PBJ
. I literally flew out of my car, shook his hand and told him thank you
. He appreciated it. During the course of our brief conversation, I learned that he was with the VMB Four Thirteen.
http://www.vmb413.com/summary.htmHe told me that he couldn't remember the model he flew. He said that he trained at Cherry Point, NC., and deployed to the South Pacific, to Munda to Emirau, and flew missions over New Britain and New Ireland.
I inquired if he had any old photos I could look at. He said that most of his stuff was lost in a house fire, his wings, medals, etc. (I immediately thought of our Jack Cook losing his stuff to fire). Our meeting was brief, as I had to return to work, and he had to get to Atlanta to return home.
I began a correspondence with his daughter who lives in Alabama, and not to far from me here.
From our messages, I have only begun to scratch the surface of the brief Combat Career of the little unassuming man I had met.
I have learned that he was warded the Distinguished Flying Cross, and a Gold Star in lieu of a Second DFC, for
"During operations against enemy Japanese forces in the Phillippine Islands Area, from May 28, to 5 July 1945. Completling his 40th Mission during this period."
He was awarded a the Air Medal with 5 Gold Stars, "in the name of the President of the United States for heroism, and extraordinary and meritorious achievements in aerial flights during operations against the Jaanese forces in the Bismarck Archipeloga and Phillippine Islands Areas, in 1945."
I wonder if I would be safe in assuming that he flew the J Model PBJ with a Wing mounted Pod, or would it have been in the top-side of the nose looking like a snoopy?
I had been Looking for some photos of a Marine PBJ in various configurations, run small prints by him to see which model he flew, then make an 8X10 or 11X14 matted and Framed for his birthday,
but my hopeful contact in obtaining photos was in Florida
This old warriors name is First Lieutenant Frank R. Conant, United States Marine Corps Reserve.
http://www.vmb413.com/personnel_roster1.htmHe turned 90 on this birthday on the 9th.
I would like to obtain some PBJ photos to fly by him, so hopefully, I can get it to him through his daughter and son. In the meantime however for his birthday, he received a replacement of his DFC/Air Medal, (other authorized ribbons as well), and a replacement set of Aviator Wings. He was most pleased with his wings.
Maybe after the Doolittle Gathering, we can sneak him aboard a B-25
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