New content: Dooley crew photo and other images

I just finished uploading the crew photo and other images to the Dooley crew page. Thanks much to Joe Moore of the Dooley crew for providing this invaluable content!

Veterans Day 2014

Another reason to remember our veterans: by seeing our veterans in our mind's eye, and remembering their values, goals, and desires, we can see a little bit better our own path to the future. Thanks to all those folks who wanted to serve our country.

McCutcheon Crew Listing

When my brother and I were very young, our father kept us up late one evening telling us about his time with VPB-118. He never told us the whole story again; in fact I have no recollection of him talking about his military service again except to other veterans on Ham Radio. One of the things he talked about was when the McCutcheon crew got shot down. The wingman, Horse Thompson, then fought off the Japanese boat that shot them down, and which then tried to come in to capture or kill the survivors.

Darrel White, son of Glen White, provided us with a scan of the original McCutcheon crew photo and yesterday he provided me with the identification of the airmen in the photo. I just modified the page with this new information.

http://www.vpb-118.com/McCutcheon.php

I got word that Jack Leonard of crew 8 (Serrill) left us yesterday (June 30, 2014). To meet Jack Leonard was to like him. We who have known him will miss him.

Celebrating the life of Jack Leonard on July 6th Sunday evening (5-8 pm Wake) and Monday morning July 7th (10 pm Memorial services) at the Peabody Funeral Home on Mammoth Rd. in Londonderry, NH.

http://www.peabodyfuneralhome.com/DirectionsLondonderry.htm

Memorial Day, 2014

There are new crew photos for the Shortlidge crew and the King crew, along with new crew info. 

VPB-118 lost 31 members in action.

Lasater Crew (missing in action 6 May, 1945):
Lt. J.A. Lasater
Ens. M.L. Gibson
Ens. C.J. Milner
AMM2c E.W. Smith
ARM3c W.J. Hawkins
AMM3c C.W. Jacobs
AOM2c R.E. Miller
AMM2c S.C. Bryant
ARM3c D. McAllsiter
ARM3c H.F. Brockhorst
AOM3c W.L. Thornton
AMM3c R.A. Carr

McCutcheon Crew (killed in action 21 July, 1945):
Lt. L.P. McCutcheon
Lt.(jg) F. Reeve
Ens. W.E. Bucklew
AFC1c O.A. Bunkers
AMM2c A.D. Nelson
AMM3c J.N. Welch

Park Crew (killed in action 8 August, 1945):
Lt.(jg) J.R. Park
Ens. G.W. Lewton
Ens. H.L. Lowe
ARM3c E.K. Hall
S1c M.E. Hedrick
AMM3c J.M. James
AOM3c R.A. Koontz
S1c C.A. McKinney, Jr.
ACOM(AA)(T) M.M. Marice
AMM2c J.E. Piquette
S1c P. Prietz
ARM3c R.R. Reinhart
ARM3c H.J. Wartzack

Veterans Day 2013

I marvel often at how the guys of VPB-118 could fly thousands of miles over open ocean, with the possibility of combat always an element. So I hold those guys, as well as all of the members of the United States armed forces, past and present, in highest regard.

Memorial Day 2013

Thirty-one young guys from VPB-118 made the ultimate sacrifice for their country. Many more thousands did the same since the beginnings of this nation. In my opinion each one lost and each one that made it home are best honored by remembering their contribution to history, and by learning from that history.

Techincal Difficulties

My hosting service erroneously deleted the hypercontiuum.com account, even though it had a lot of time left on it. I am working on restoring everything; updates to follow. [2013-01-26,8-47] Site has been back up for a while now. I'm still seeing some problems of another sort off and on, however. Anyway, things are mostly back to normal. [2013-02-20,15-44]

Copy of the VPB-118 book on eBay

This is rather rare: a copy of the VPB-118 book is for sale on eBay. Auction ends January 23. VPB-118 book auction.

Veterans' Day 2012

Thanks to all of America's veterans who sacrificed so that we could live in a nation such as America. May their efforts always be remembered. May there be less wars in the future, also.

Memorial Day 2012

So, another Memorial Day rolls around. I won't post the names of the missing and killed in action from VPB-118; you can see that list by scrolling down a little bit and looking at last year's post. One of the names on that list is Otto Bunkers, of Crew 11, McCutcheon's crew. That was the only VPB-118 plane lost from which survivors were recovered, about half the crew. Otto didn't make it, which makes this photo all the more poignant. Let's not forget those that came before us.

Pearl Harbor Anniversary

I'm writing this on the seventieth anniversary of the attack on Pearl Harbor, and America's sudden entry into the bloodiest and most widespread conflict the world has ever known. I hope that humanity never forgets the harm that evil intentions can precipitate. I was told that co-pilot of my father's crew, Lt.(jg) Robert J. Berens was on the Iowa that morning. Several other airmen of VPB-118 were there, as well. By contributing to a secure and just America and a secure and just world we honor their memory, and we honor all veterans.

Veterans Day 2011

Thanks to all those past and present of the U.S. military who have fought for our freedom, most of all to the great guys of VPB-118. May you always be remembered.

100 Years of Naval Station Great Lakes

Here’s a nice story on the Chicago Tribune site about today’s 100th anniversary of NSGL. Congratulations!

Follow-up: in the NSGL tradition, the base personnel made a “living 100”. You can see it here: Sun-Times.

Remembering the Fallen Airmen of VPB-118

Lasater Crew (missing in action 6 May, 1945):
Lt. J.A. Lasater
Ens. M.L. Gibson
Ens. C.J. Milner
AMM2c E.W. Smith
ARM3c W.J. Hawkins
AMM3c C.W. Jacobs
AOM2c R.E. Miller
AMM2c S.C. Bryant
ARM3c D. McAllsiter
ARM3c H.F. Brockhorst
AOM3c W.L. Thornton
AMM3c R.A. Carr

McCutcheon Crew (killed in action 21 July, 1945):
Lt. L.P. McCutcheon
Lt.(jg) F. Reeve
Ens. W.E. Bucklew
AFC1c O.A. Bunkers
AMM2c A.D. Nelson
AMM3c J.N. Welch

Park Crew (killed in action 8 August, 1945):
Lt.(jg) J.R. Park
Ens. G.W. Lewton
Ens. H.L. Lowe
ARM3c E.K. Hall
S1c M.E. Hedrick
AMM3c J.M. James
AOM3c R.A. Koontz
S1c C.A. McKinney, Jr.
ACOM(AA)(T) M.M. Marice
AMM2c J.E. Piquette
S1c P. Prietz
ARM3c R.R. Reinhart
ARM3c H.J. Wartzack

Frank Van Dyke

I received the following message from Peter Van Dyke this morning:

"It's with a mix of joy and great sadness that I have to inform you that my Dad died on Wed 3/23.

"We loved him and we will miss him greatly, but his life had become a continual struggle. He was a man of great faith and the thing he wanted most was to be with my Mom again.

"I have every belief that they are together, happy and pain free.

"He was very proud of his service to his country with VPB118."

Frank was co-pilot of Crew 13/7, piloted by PPC Lt. Cmdr. Edward G. "Doc" Binning. Frank's genial personality was a great aspect of the reunions. I am glad to have known him briefly through the reunions and to have heard him talk about his experiences as a lieutenant (jg) in WWII. A comment about the photo: I suggested this rather goofy pose, which Frank undertook in good humor.

"China Ghost"

I just opened the box that came in the mail and took out my copy of China Ghost by Robert L. Perrenot, purchased on eBay last week. I haven't read this book yet, obviously, but it looks like a serious attempt to write a historical novel about what it was like to be an airman in a VPB squadron in WWII. I'll read it and give my opinion after I finish. It looks promising.

This book is copyright 2008, the year of Mr. Perrenot's death. On the last page, it says "LaVerne, TN USA 15 March 2011". I have a paperback version; it seems like maybe the hardback version came out in 2008.

[Update on 11/11/2011:]
I finished reading this a while ago. I liked the first part of the book quite a lot because it seemed like a pretty good tale of life in the U.S. Navy circa 1940's. It featured one fictitious guy's experiences getting into a patrol bomber squadron and flying off with his squadron into the theater of combat. This story squares pretty well with what I've read and stories that guys from VPB-118 have told. Without giving away the plot of the book, the second half (in my opinion) diverges from the typical experience of most PB4Y-2 crews and becomes a different kind of adventure yarn, as if flying missions in a PB4Y-2 was not interesting or exciting enough. So I have to say the last part of the book was a disappointment. That said, it WAS written by a PB4Y-2 veteran and is of interest as such. I guess if I was to rate it purely on literary/entertainment value, I would give it a two out of a scale of four while wishing it rated more.

Centennial of Naval Aviation

I just became aware of the Centennial of Naval Aviation celebrations scheduled for this year. There is a killer website devoted to it. Very cool!

Does anyone have spare copies of the book?

Happy new year, folks.

Periodically I get inquiries from family members regarding the question of availability of the VPB-118 book. For the last several years my answer has always been the same: the book is out of print and sold out. If there are any VPB-118 people out there with extra copies of the book that would like to get them in the hands of descendants of VPB-118 members, please contact me and we can go about setting up a process to take care of this need. Any help that can be given would be appreciated.

– Richard

How the Pearl Harbor Veterans Are Coping

Here's an article about a much bigger reunion group. They are contemplating disbanding also, but since 1973 they've had a "sons and daughters" organization that will continue on.