Post by warrior1972 on Jan 24, 2015 6:09:14 GMT -8
Remember the old movie "Tora, Tora, Tora"?
Remember the two guys who got airborne in a couple of P-40s and shot down a few of the 360 Japanese planes during the attack? I've always thought that was in the movie just to make us feel better.
They were REAL.
And they weren't the only ones:
"Ah, yes! We had some fighters in the air...a rare few:
Taylor got two VALs on his first flight (of which he shared one VAL with Welch); then two more VALs on his second but got credit for only two.
Welch claimed two VALs on his first flight, but one returned to its CV and the other was a share with Taylor, and two planes (one was a VAL) on his second mission and got credit for four.
John Dains got in the air next and about ten years ago we learned he shot down a VAL. He was killed on his third flight by Schofield Barracks fire (ala the scene in FROM HERE TO ETERNITY) as he was trying to land at nearby Wheeler Field.
Harry Brown and Bob Rogers attacked a VAL, both put in claims but the plane went down.
Brown joined up with Mike Moore to attack two planes, years later we find they were Zeros. Both Zeros never returned to their carriers.
George Whiteman got his wheels off the ground just as Zeros hit the airfield. He crashed at the end of the runway. Whiteman AFB, MO is in his memory.
Sam Bishop was able to get in the air immediately after Whiteman, with the attacking Zeros diverted by Whiteman. However, he did not make it far as the Zeros caught up with him. Wounded he crashed off shore and waded ashore.
Four P-36s [Lew Sanders, John Thacker, Gordon Sterling, Phil Rasmussen] got in the air from Wheeler and were vectored to Kaneohe, where they bounced SIX Zeros! Two MORE Zeros joined the fray! Gordon Sterling was lost and is STILL MIA.
John Webster attacked a pair of fighters with his P-40, but was wounded for the effort.
Fred Shifflet made a circle of Pearl Harbor to seek out enemy aircraft, flew over Hickam Field and was filled with AA fire. He deadsticked the P-40 back to Wheeler Field to land on flat tires.
William Haney got hit by Pearl Harbor fire on BOTH of his sorties and had to return to Wheeler each time with a dead engine.
Woodrow Willmot, Aaron Tyer, Francis Gabreski, and Henry Lawrence avoided Pearl Harbor fire, but never saw the enemy. Gabreski ended WWII as the highest European Theater of Operations ace.
A sortie of 25 fighter pilots got airborne at 0930 just after Wheeler was strafed. Names are sought.
Now that we have THESE fighter pilots noted, how many OTHER American aircraft were airborne DURING the attack?"
Edited by David Aiken on Aug. 31 2010,10:14
--------------
Cheers,
David Aiken, a Director
Pearl Harbor History Associates, Inc.
www.pearlharborattacked.com/cgi-bin/IKONBOARDNEW312a/ikonboard.cgi?act=ST;f=14;t=44;&#top
Yeah, I know, it's another board, of all things.
But I think it's legit. Read the articles and note the credentials of the ABOVE poster.
Stay tuned. I'm going to try to find out more.
Remember the two guys who got airborne in a couple of P-40s and shot down a few of the 360 Japanese planes during the attack? I've always thought that was in the movie just to make us feel better.
They were REAL.
And they weren't the only ones:
"Ah, yes! We had some fighters in the air...a rare few:
Taylor got two VALs on his first flight (of which he shared one VAL with Welch); then two more VALs on his second but got credit for only two.
Welch claimed two VALs on his first flight, but one returned to its CV and the other was a share with Taylor, and two planes (one was a VAL) on his second mission and got credit for four.
John Dains got in the air next and about ten years ago we learned he shot down a VAL. He was killed on his third flight by Schofield Barracks fire (ala the scene in FROM HERE TO ETERNITY) as he was trying to land at nearby Wheeler Field.
Harry Brown and Bob Rogers attacked a VAL, both put in claims but the plane went down.
Brown joined up with Mike Moore to attack two planes, years later we find they were Zeros. Both Zeros never returned to their carriers.
George Whiteman got his wheels off the ground just as Zeros hit the airfield. He crashed at the end of the runway. Whiteman AFB, MO is in his memory.
Sam Bishop was able to get in the air immediately after Whiteman, with the attacking Zeros diverted by Whiteman. However, he did not make it far as the Zeros caught up with him. Wounded he crashed off shore and waded ashore.
Four P-36s [Lew Sanders, John Thacker, Gordon Sterling, Phil Rasmussen] got in the air from Wheeler and were vectored to Kaneohe, where they bounced SIX Zeros! Two MORE Zeros joined the fray! Gordon Sterling was lost and is STILL MIA.
John Webster attacked a pair of fighters with his P-40, but was wounded for the effort.
Fred Shifflet made a circle of Pearl Harbor to seek out enemy aircraft, flew over Hickam Field and was filled with AA fire. He deadsticked the P-40 back to Wheeler Field to land on flat tires.
William Haney got hit by Pearl Harbor fire on BOTH of his sorties and had to return to Wheeler each time with a dead engine.
Woodrow Willmot, Aaron Tyer, Francis Gabreski, and Henry Lawrence avoided Pearl Harbor fire, but never saw the enemy. Gabreski ended WWII as the highest European Theater of Operations ace.
A sortie of 25 fighter pilots got airborne at 0930 just after Wheeler was strafed. Names are sought.
Now that we have THESE fighter pilots noted, how many OTHER American aircraft were airborne DURING the attack?"
Edited by David Aiken on Aug. 31 2010,10:14
--------------
Cheers,
David Aiken, a Director
Pearl Harbor History Associates, Inc.
www.pearlharborattacked.com/cgi-bin/IKONBOARDNEW312a/ikonboard.cgi?act=ST;f=14;t=44;&#top
Yeah, I know, it's another board, of all things.
But I think it's legit. Read the articles and note the credentials of the ABOVE poster.
Stay tuned. I'm going to try to find out more.
