Marine Fighting Squadron 122 (United States)
From WWII Archives
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I wasn't able to find all of the people named and so cannot link to their future articles. Someone will have to add all of their names and all the other missions that were reported for this squadron in |
This article doesn't have enough information
The author(s) of this article created it without giving it any great amount of content, nor an abundant amount of sources to work with. |
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[1].
Additional 16 pilots
On 18 June 16 pilots joined VMF-122. The list was as follows[1]:
This article has multiple issues. Please help improve it or discuss these issues on the talk page. (Learn how and when to remove these template messages)
I can't find the full names of the most of the people involved. Therefore more research will be needed to find out more about who is who. Use the Joe McPhail article for more information |
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 Felton) 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
- Le. Bestwick
- Lt. Ruhsan
- 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[2].
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[2].
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[2].
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[2].
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[3].
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[3].
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[3].
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[4].
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[5].
Citations
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 "VMF-122 - War Diary, 6/1-30/45". National Archives and Records Administration. p. 13. Retrieved 28 February 2024.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 "IIc(20), VMF-122, Peleliu Island THRU IIc(23), VMF-212, Guluan, Samar, Awase, Kadena; Okinawa". National Archives and Records Administration. 3 July 1945. pp. 179–183. Retrieved 1 March 2024.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 "IIc(20), VMF-122, Peleliu Island THRU IIc(23), VMF-212, Guluan, Samar, Awase, Kadena; Okinawa". National Archives and Records Administration. 10 August 1945. pp. 297–298. Retrieved 1 March 2024.
- ↑ "Joe McPhail - 2 September 1945 - Surrender of Japan". WWII Archives. Retrieved 1 March 2024.
- ↑ "VMF-122 - War Diary, 9/1-30/45". National Archives and Records Administration. September 1945. p. 7. Retrieved 1 March 2024.
Bibliography
- "VMF-122 - War Diary, 6/1-30/45". National Archives and Records Administration. Retrieved 29 February 2024.
Contributors: Paul Sidle