Tag Archives: F4U

April Fools, South-pacific edition, 75 years ago

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Signed by the artist: Jack Fellows. Via NNAM.2004.100.001

On 1 April 1943, during a big fight over the Russells Group in the Central Solomons, a Japanese Navy pilot plays the fool as he loops his “Hamp” in front of the F4F-4 flown by VMF-221 2nd Lt. Warner O. Chapman, USMC, who promptly shot him down. Chapman was also awarded a “probable” on the mission. Chapman went on to become Commanding Officer of VMF-221 in 1959, as the squadron entered the USMC Reserve program.

VMF-221 was formed five months before Pearl Harbor flying the forgettable Brewster F2A-3 Buffalo– using them to down a Japanese Kawanishi H8K “Emily” flying boat in March 1942. Augmented by a handful of badly worn Wildcats, they fought at Midway before eventually switching out to the F4U Corsair, which they flew until the end of the war.

Navy gets Intrepid Corsair back after 71 years

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Director of Naval History and Heritage Command (NHHC) Sam Cox (right), Kate Morrand (middle), Senior Conservator & Laboratory Manager of NHHC's Underwater Archaeology Branch, and Yoshiro Kishida (left), a representative from Saiki, Japan, pose in front of the remains of a World War II F4U Corsair fighter-bomber during a presentation in which NHHC accepted the artifact, March 22. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Eric Lockwood/Released)

Director of Naval History and Heritage Command (NHHC) Sam Cox (right), Kate Morrand (middle), Senior Conservator & Laboratory Manager of NHHC’s Underwater Archaeology Branch, and Yoshiro Kishida (left), a representative from Saiki, Japan, pose in front of the remains of a World War II F4U Corsair fighter-bomber during a presentation in which NHHC accepted the artifact, March 22. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Eric Lockwood/Released)

On March 18, 1945, 19 F4U Corsairs flew off the Essex-class fleet carrier USS Intrepid (CV-11) with orders to strike a naval air base on the northern end of Kyushu in the Japanese Home Islands. While their mission was successful, two aircraft did not return.

F4U-1 Corsair 82 of VF-10 on the flight deck of the aircraft carrier USS Enterprise CV-6 – March 20, 1943. VF-10 later switched to Intrepid in 1945

F4U-1 Corsair 82 of VF-10 on the flight deck of the aircraft carrier USS Enterprise CV-6 – March 20, 1943. VF-10 later switched to Intrepid in 1945

One gull-wing fighter a “Grim Reaper” from VF-10 surfaced 50 years later when a fisherman caught part of it in a net. This led to a salvage in 2007 of the plane’s engine, propeller and part of a wing which were put on display at Saiki’s Yawaragi Peace Memorial Hall.

Now, the relics have been brought back to the U.S. and turned over to the NHHC on March 22.

Archaeological conservator Shanna Daniel commented, “We are really looking forward to working on these pieces and cannot wait to begin documentation and starting the conservation process.”

The Reapers of VF-10 were deactivated in November 1945 and have remained that way ever since but their flattop, from which the Corsair sortied, is of course very much preserved in New York harbor.

Ace in a Day Death Rattler is one of the fewest of the few left

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1stLt-Jeremiah-Joseph-Jerry-O-KEEFE
One of the last remaining fighter aces from the “Greatest Generation” received the Congressional Gold Medal at age 91 Friday for his actions over Okinawa in World War II.

As a 21-year-old Marine lieutenant stationed on the recently captured Japanese island of Okinawa, Jeremiah “Jerry” Joseph O’Keefe started Easter Sunday, April 22, 1945, by volunteering to assist the Chaplin with the morning’s service. By the time the sun set that fateful day, the young aviator from Mississippi would come face to face with the enemy for the first time and shoot down five Japanese dive-bombers in a row to earn the title of ace.

There were only 118 Marine WWII fighter pilots. Further, of the 1,447 total U.S. aces since 1918, just 77 are still with us.

One of the last remaining fighter aces from the “Greatest Generation” received the Congressional Gold Medal at age 91 Friday for his actions over Okinawa in World War II.

1st Lt. Jerry O’Keefe, U.S. Marine Corps Reserve, late of VMF-323 (the Death Rattlers) received Congressional recognition Friday for his service in helping disrupt Japanese kamikazes. His military awards to include the Navy Cross, Distinguished Flying Cross and Air Medal are visible in the background. (Photo: Chris Eger/Guns.com)

I was on hand Friday covering the ceremony for Guns.com and 1LT O’Keefe was very gracious.

Corsairs of the mountain

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F4U-4 Corsair aircraft of VF-873 (NAS Oakland) are flying in formation near Mt. Rainer, WA 1953

A half-dozen F4U-4 Corsairs of VF-873 (from NAS Oakland) flying in formation near Mt. Rainer, WA 1953. VF-873 hung up their Corsairs soon after this picture was taken and was stood back up in the 1960s flying A-4 Skyhawks before its last inactivation in 1968. NAS Oakland similarly got out of the military business and is now Oakland International Airport