Warbird Information Exchange

August is always a good time to remember the Guadalcanal Campaign and the Battle for Henderson field. Many of these photos came from friends who are CVG-11 historians and veterans who flew with Air Group 11 while serving at Guadalcanal. Bless them all.

Part 1




Henderson Field, the vital airstrip that became the focal point of the Guadalcanal Campaign, seen on August 22, 1942.


Parking Apron and Taxiway for Henderson Field, Guadalcanal


The main bomber taxiway at Henderson Field


Seabees making repairs and completing construction of the airstrip at Henderson Field in Guadalcanal in 1942
































G. Gay while serving with VT-11 on Guadalcanal


G. Gay while serving with VT-11 on Guadalcanal


Bob Maxwell


Bob Flath

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

Part 2

Air Group 11 conditions on Guadalcanal (George Retelas collection)

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

Last image was reversed - fixed it:

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All right, Mister Dorfmann, start pullin'!
Pilot: "Flap switch works hard in down position."
Mechanic: "Flap switch checked OK. Pilot needs more P.T." - Flight report, TB-17G 42-102875 (Hobbs AAF)

Great pics. Very sobering to realize how much both the United States and Japan sacrificed in terms of men and material over this patch of ground. Even though hostilities on the island ceased by February 1943, Henderson was still the front lines until the Munda campaign during the summer of '43.

Fantastic pics - thank you. I know I'm stating the obvious but lots of mud - wow. Must have been brutal sometimes getting those planes loaded and ready.

Pic # 11 is that Elmer Fudd?

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"I can't understand it, I cut it twice and it's still too short!" Robert F. Dupre' 1923-2010 Go With God.

Be vewy vewy quiet, I'm hunting Nipponese. huh uh uh uh

I'm more impressed by the tactical beard operator holding the hoist

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Lest Hero-worship raise it's head and cloud our vision, remember that World War II was fought and won by the same sort of twenty-something punks we wouldn't let our daughters date.

Did you know most of those SBD crews got killed? But no one talks about them!

The Pacific theater.....being shot down over water, in a rubber life raft in the middle of an ocean with 120 degree heat, no food or water and sharks and Japanese all over you. Makes the 25 missions of the 8th AF in Europe look easy!


I do wish other units would get more recognition and why don't they? I hear another 8th af movie or tv series might be made and we get nothing for the others. I will never forget those "other" guys.

Just saying............

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great photos! I have been going to Guadalcanal since 1995 and matching up THEN AND NOW photos..its a fascinating place!

Great pics!

Related thought.....I didn't see any posts on here (surprisingly) but the oldest WWII fighter ace passed last week. Fritz Payne at 104 years old, shot down 6 Japanese planes over Guadalcanal.

http://www.marinecorpstimes.com/story/v ... /31977045/

Great Pics! I wonder what it looks like today? overgrown jungle probably.

Tom P.

One on my high school class mates grandfather, Col John McEiniry, few SBD's off the canal. The Colonel came and spoke to one of my history classes and left quite an impression on this would be warbird pilot. He wrote a book about his war experiences called "A Marine Dive-bomber Pilot at Guadalcanal" I highly recommend it if you are interested in the subject. The SBD remains one of my favorite airplanes. It and its pilots were truly unsung contributors to winning the war.

Here is a link to Amazon

http://www.amazon.com/Marine-Dive-bombe ... 0817312838

I always liked seeing the pics from the 67th PS on the Canal and their P-400's

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Scott Dunkirk
AZGCLHU Inc.

http://arizonagroundcrew.org/

1940's Army Air Force ground crew living history
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"Yes sir, it's suppose to look like that"