Marine Fighting Squadron 122 (United States)

Marine Fighting Squadron 122 (Abbreviated as VMF-122) was a Marine Fighter Squadron in the United States Marine Corps during the Second World War

Formation and history

18 June 1945 - Adverse weather and new pilots

0600 to 1915 - Four planes on standby during bad weather

All scheduled flighters were cancelled due to continued adverse weather conditions reported. An alert standby of four aircraft and pilots was maintained between these times.

Additional 16 pilots

On 18 June 16 pilots joined VMF-122. The list was as follows:

Name	Rank	Serial #	Service
ESCOT, FELIX S.	CAPT.	011680	UMSCR
MC PHAIL, JOE	CAPT.	014435	UMSCR
ALLEY, STUART C., JR.	1ST LT.	031495	UMSCR
FELITON, JAMES A.	1ST LT.	029172	UMSC
RUHSAM, JOHN W	1ST LT.	038983	UMSCR
SHARP, JAMES, II	1ST LT.	031365	UMSCR
SHIRLEY, WALTER M.	1ST LT.	029434	UMSCR
THACKER, GLENN G.	1ST LT.	029654	UMSCR
BADE, ROBERT	1ST LT.	030908	UMSCR
WEITZEL, CHARLES W., JR.	1ST LT.	029059	UMSCR
BACON, CHARLES E., JR.	2ND LT.	034810	UMSCR
BARRETT, RAYMOND M.	2ND LT.	032037	UMSCR
KLINE, CHARLES L., JR.	2ND LT.	032553	UMSCR
KNUDSON, LAMAR A.	2ND LT.	037233	UMSCR
MC COLLOUGH, ORGAIN L.,JR	2ND LT.	032749	UMSCR
MILLER, NORMAN S.	2ND LT.	033931	UMSCR

The serial numbers would be referring to the Bureau numbers of their Corsairs. The USMCR would indicate that all but one (James A Feliton) is in the Marine Corps Reserve, unlike Felton who is in the USMC. The list includes Joe McPhail. Another was John Ruhsam.

3 July 1945 - Bombing west Ngatpang on Babelthuap

On 3 July 12 F4U-1D Corsairs were scheduled to take off on a mission of bombing West Ngatpang on Babelthuap. The pilots that would be participating were:

• Captain Scherer
• Lt. Dorrell
• Lt Bacon
• Lt. Barrett
• Lt. Bestwick
• Lt. Ruhsam
• Lt. Wade
• Lt. Feliton
• Lt Weitzel
• Lt. Thacker
• Lt. Miller
• Capt. McPhail

The pilots were briefed beforehand on the mission. They would have been told of the fact that by this time the installations and settlement that formed West Ngatpang had been reduced to rubble, however the area was still reported to contain a different variety of supplies. On either side of the road were concealed beneath the dense foliage, were the supplies, which, according to informations from POWs, were looked after and presumably cherished by many units around the area being well known locally.

The pilots were briefed to area bomb this district, located 2.5 miles inland from the West Coast. The target area was an area of 500 x 400 yds.

1000 - Takeoff

At 1000 all 12 planes, loaded with each 2 500 lbs G.P bombs with .1 Nose .025 Tail fuze settings, fueled on average with 230, took off from Peleliu for their mission.

1025 - Arrival over target

25 minutes after takeoff and flying for 60 miles, the group arrived at West Ngatpang. The had clear visibility of the target with 3/10 light cumulus clouds at 4500ft with visibility for 25 miles. The approach was made from the west and were planned to come out the same way to permit a water landing if they were hit. All planes dove at 50° without a bomb sight.

Captain Scherer released his bomb at 3000ft both on TA 654 Roger. Lt. Dorrell released also at 3000 ft both hitting TA 654 Queer. Lt. Bacon released at 2500 ft both bombs hitting TA 654 Item. Lt Barrett released at 3000 ft both hitting TA 654 Love. Lt. Bestwick released 2500 ft with both hitting TA 654 Sugar. Ruhsam released at 1500 ft making a direct hit on AA position in TA 654 George. Wade released also at 1500 ft both hitting TA 654 Able. Feliton released at 2500 ft both hitting TA 654 Queen. Weitzel released at 2500 ft both hitting TA 636 Able. Thacker released at 3000 ft both hitting TA 654 Love. Miller released his bombs at 2500 ft in TA 654 (exact position not known). McPhail released his at 2500 ft both landing in TA 654 Mike.

All the ordonnances would have exploded with no duds. The pilots believed that they had done considerable damage but observed that the target area was still well covered. They also didn't observe any secondary explosions.

With the exception of the AA being hit, the other damage from the other bombs was undetermined.

On the mission the pilots only encountered moderate 20-50mm AA, and noted that the air was filled with about 25-30 black puffs of medium calibre AA which detonated from 10,000 to 4000 ft, none of which was sufficiently close to cause concern.

In total 800 rounds of .50 cal were expended.

1100 - Return

At 1100 local time the 12 Corsairs returned from their mission without any casualties or causes of concern. A report was conducted by Captain Fletcher and approved by Major Sapp.

8 July 1945 - Bombing Bivouac and supply area in Babelthuap

Page 203

10 August 1945

0900

At 0900 in the "-10" time zone on Peleliu island, 4 F4U-1D Corsairs were scheduled to bomb the gardens of Babelthuap.

The Corsairs were led by Captain McPhail, with his old wingman of Lt. Bestwick, along with Lt. Ruhsam and Lt. Wade. Each plane carried 1 Napalm Tank with Double Fused E4-R1 Igniters.

Before the mission the 4 pilots were briefed to release over the gardens that were growing on Babelthuap.

The map references that they were to use were from the Special Air and Gunnery Target Map, specifically the one for the Palaus, scale 1:20,000.

At this time the planes took off and headed towards Babelthuap.

0930 - Reaching the gardens

At 0930 the four planes reached the target point over Babelthuap. The weather was observed to be 3/10 cumulus at 5000ft.

None of the planes used a bomb-sight and started their attack run on a level attack. The first plane hit the gardens at TA 699 U releasing at 50 ft going 240 kts. The second hit the garden at TA 663 W at 50ft going 220 Kts. The third hit the garden at TA 698 K at 50ft going 200 kts. FInally the fourth Corsair hit the garden at TA 717 R at 50ft going 220 kts.

One of the planes with Lt. Ruhsam reported starting a "good sized fire" while strafing the town of Ngardmau. By someone or multiple of the members of the group Machine Gun fire was noted originating from TW(688-127). The shots were meager and inaccurate, with no other AA fire being observed.

1000

At 1000 all the planes came back unscathed with no casualties. A report was compiled of the mission by Captain J. R. Fletcher and approved by Major Sapp.

13 August 1945

On this monday at some unspecified time, the following officers on Special Temporary Aviation Duty with MAG 45 at Ulithi were interchanged on this day after having completed a months duty. The relief detail was made up of the below listed naval aviators:

Name	Rank	Serial #	Service
Blackmun, Arvid W.	Major	09419	USMC
Mc Phail, Joe	Capt.	014435	USMCR
Hackett, Howard W.	1stLt.	023757	USMCR
Pendleton, Charles F.	1stLt.	023771	USMCR
Ruhsam, John W.	1stLt.	038883	USMCR
Wade, Robert	1stLt.	030968	USMCR
Woodrow, John A.	1stLt.	028104	USMCR
Fisher, John E.	2ndLt.	037940	USMCR

This means that for some time those naval aviators went to Ulithi as the relief detail.

0600 - Beginning of Combat Air Patrols

Starting at 0600, Combat Air Patrols were sent up in the air.

0800 - End of CAP and beginning of constant reconnaissance flights begin

At 0800 the Combat Air Patrols that were started 2 hours earlier ceased, and 5 reconnaissance flights providing almost constant coverage of the Northern Palaus began.

1730 - End of the reconnaissance

At 1730 the constant reconnaissance provided by 5 reconnaissance flights ceased.

1800 - More CAP airborne

At 1800 more Combat Air Patrol were airborne.

2015 - Ceasing of last CAP

At 2015 hours the last CAP of the day ceased.

2 September 1945 - Japanese surrender

Morning

On the morning of 2 September on Sunday, Japan signed their surrender aboard the battleship USS Missouri in Tokyo Bay, shortly after which President Truman officially proclaimed the day as V-J Day.

That day General Rogers met Lieutenant General Inoue onboard the USS Amick off the coast of Babelthuap. It was agreed that the Japanese would immediately start evacuating all of their personnel from other islands in the group, starting with Malakal, to Babelthuap, Malakal becoming American occupation headquarters within ten days.

From hereon out the purpose of the squadron became the observation of activity and movement of the Japanese which will be taking place in conformity with the plan mentioned.

Inclement weather caused the cancelling of the afternoon reconnaissance flight and the dusk Combat Air Patrol.

A four-plane scramble alert was maintained throughout the day.

0620 - Dawn CAP of 3 planes

At dawn, or more specifically 0620, a Combat Air Patrol of 3 of the squadron's planes took off and flew a section tactics hop.

0750 - CAP returns

At 0750 the CAP of 3 planes ended.

0815 - First four-plane reconnaissance flight comes back

One four-plane morning reconnaissance flight, despite the weather, was airborne at this time.

0920 - First four-plane reconnaissance flight comes back

At 0920 the first four-plane reconnaissance flight came back.

0925 - Second four-plane reconnaissance flight comes back

At 0925 the second four-plane morning reconnaissance flight, despite the weather, was airborne at this time.

1030 - Second four-plane reconnaissance flight comes back

At 1030 the second four-plane reconnaissance flight came back. On one or both of these flights there was no note of change in the form of Japanese activity on the islands to the north.

Celebrations from the news of the war's end

After the surrender was announced, people on Peleliu reacted by celebrating. People drank and partied, with people drinking a beer or two. At least for people like Captain McPhail, it was a euphoric feeling, as the war was 4 long years old, a long way from home. Apparently there was someone on Okinawa where it was claimed that even some guys got injured from shooting guns and the shrapnel falling on them.

Once the war was over, Captain McPhail (and probably many others) were trying to find a way to get back home.

11 September 1945 - 8 of the squadron pilots on Ulithi come back

On this day 8 of the squadron pilots who were sent on Special Temporary Aviation Duty with MAG 45 on 13 August of this year returned. The remainder were scheduled to return the next day.

Also on this day 3 four-plane reconnaissance hops were flown. The Japanese were observed to be at work repairing the airstrip on Babelthuap for the first time since the cessation of hostilities.

Finally on the same day, 16 pilots flew division tactics hops, and 3 Corsairs were taken up for engine time. The all-day alert standby was maintained.

12 September 1945 - The last 4 pilots on Special Temporary Aviation Duty come back

On 12 September the remaining 4 pilots on Special Temporary Aviation Duty with MAG 45 returned on this day, securing that activity so far as VMF-122 is concerned.

Today 3 divisions flew reconnaissance flights, noting continuing work on repair of the Babelthuap airstrip.

20 pilots flew division tactics hops, and a two-plane radar calibration flight was airborne, as was one plane for engine time. Just like the previous day, the all-day alert standby was maintained.

15 September 1945 - 151 of the squadron personnel leave

On this Saturday poor weather again grounded all the scheduled flights with the exception of a four-plane reconnaissance hop airborne from 0800-0850. This four-plane alert remained from 0700 to 1900.

During this day 151 of the squadron's enlisted personnel who came ashore during the landing a year before (September 1944) left to go home in the States that day, transferring to Personnel Group, Marine Fleet Air, West Coast. These men were replaced by 100 men joining from MAG 11 Service Squadron.

Bibliography

• "VMF-122 - War Diary, 6/1-30/45". National Archives and Records Administration. Retrieved 29 February 2024.