FM-2 Squadrons

[Keith1967]

Reading my Barratt Tillmans histories I would like to know more about the VC squadrons. Especially the construct of the 432 kills claimed. As it stands I have worked out around 274 of these claims from BTs books, Fold3 etc. However that leaves me with about 140+ not ascribed to the leading squadrons. Several hours later I have established claims by VCs 20, 33, 41, 87, 88, 94, 96, 97, 98, 99 but this quest may extend beyond my life on this planet. I do not have the late, great and very much missed Frank Olynyk's lists for the USN/USMC in WW2 and so must soldier on but it would be at the very least hopeful that member can identify which squadrons made claims.

With my very best regards, chums

K

 

[Snautzer01]

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[Barrett]

Frank's USN victory credits volume is the Bible on the subject with individual credits for pilots/gunners, units, and overall by date. The 420 figure for the FM-2 "Wilder Wildcat"mainly tracks with the postwar USN statistical summary (432) with credits by each naval aircraft type, but of course lacking Frank's details.

My Osprey volume Wildcat Aces of WW2 (as if there were other wars!) shows the top 12 FM-2 squadrons including
V-27 with 61.5
VF-26 with 32 (yes, VF v. VC gofigger)
VC-81 21
VOC-1 with 20

 

[Keith1967]

buy it must be out there

View attachment 726090

View attachment 726091

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Have been looking for it for YEARS! I have three of Franks books but that one has eluded me.

 

[Keith1967]

Frank's USN victory credits volume is the Bible on the subject with individual credits for pilots/gunners, units, and overall by date. The 420 figure for the FM-2 "Wilder Wildcat"mainly tracks with the postwar USN statistical summary (432) with credits by each naval aircraft type, but of course lacking Frank's details.

My Osprey volume Wildcat Aces of WW2 (as if there were other wars!) shows the top 12 FM-2 squadrons including
V-27 with 61.5
VF-26 with 32 (yes, VF v. VC gofigger)
VC-81 21
VOC-1 with 20

I haveBarrett's Osprey Titles (all of them) Also his Wildcat, Hellcat, Corsair and Dauntless books. Fold3 is giving up its details slowly.... I am at present working through the combat reports of VC-5.

 

[Keith1967]

I found (frustratingly) only 14 of VC-5s tally of victories (actually 14-3-5). The victories came on 13 June 1944, 18 June 1944 (7) and 24 October 1944 (6). I have worked my way through the War Diary of USS Kitkun Bay and still no sign. Were the three probables ( claimed on 17 June 1944 and 24 October 1944) later confirmed?

 

[Keith1967]

I should mention that the VC-5 WAR DIARY states that it's pilots claimed nine Zekes destroyed and another damaged on 18 June 1944. Officially this was reduced to seven destroyed and two damaged.

 

[R Leonard]

Frank Olynyk's compilation, I believe, gives a total of 428 credits to FM pilots, not counting probables and damaged, but including 1.5 credits where the squadron was not identified. The USN Combat Statistics tables give us a total of 422 FM credits, just VF and VTB types.

By squadrons, (and I have the list by names, but that might get a little long) from Olynyk:

VC-3 - 17.0
VC-4 - 12.0
VC-5 - 16.0
VC-10 - 16.0
VC-11 - 1.0
VC-13 - 8.0
VC-20 - 18.0
VC-21 - 17.0
VC-27 - 59.5
VC-33 - 11.0
VC-41 - 9.0
VC-63 - 1.0
VC-65 - 5.0
VC-66 - 1.0
VC-68 - 10.0
VC-75 - 18.0
VC-76 - 4.0
VC-78 - 4.0
VC-80 - 14.0
VC-81 - 20.0
VC-83 - 2.0
VC-84 - 19.0
VC-85 - 9.0
VC-86 - 1.0
VC-87 - 6.0
VC-88 - 14.0
VC-90 - 7.0
VC-91 - 6.0
VC-92 - 8.0
VC-93 - 17.0
VC-94 - 7.0
VC-96 - 6.0
VC-97 - 7.0
VF-26 - 31.0
VOC-1 - 20.0
VOC-2 - 5.0
VC-? - 1.5
Total - 428.0

 

[SaparotRob]

Which were assigned to Taffy 3?

 

[R Leonard]

Taffy-3 squadrons:

USS Fanshaw Bay - VC-66
USS Gambier Bay – VC-10
USS Kalinin Bay – VC-3
USS Kitkun Bay – VC-5
USS St Lo - VC-65
USS White Plains – VC-4

 

[Keith1967]

Frank Olynyk's compilation, I believe, gives a total of 428 credits to FM pilots, not counting probables and damaged, but including 1.5 credits where the squadron was not identified. The USN Combat Statistics tables give us a total of 422 FM credits, just VF and VTB types.

By squadrons, (and I have the list by names, but that might get a little long) from Olynyk:

VC-3 - 17.0
VC-4 - 12.0
VC-5 - 16.0
VC-10 - 16.0
VC-11 - 1.0
VC-13 - 8.0
VC-20 - 18.0
VC-21 - 17.0
VC-27 - 59.5
VC-33 - 11.0
VC-41 - 9.0
VC-63 - 1.0
VC-65 - 5.0
VC-66 - 1.0
VC-68 - 10.0
VC-75 - 18.0
VC-76 - 4.0
VC-78 - 4.0
VC-80 - 14.0
VC-81 - 20.0
VC-83 - 2.0
VC-84 - 19.0
VC-85 - 9.0
VC-86 - 1.0
VC-87 - 6.0
VC-88 - 14.0
VC-90 - 7.0
VC-91 - 6.0
VC-92 - 8.0
VC-93 - 17.0
VC-94 - 7.0
VC-96 - 6.0
VC-97 - 7.0
VF-26 - 31.0
VOC-1 - 20.0
VOC-2 - 5.0
VC-? - 1.5
Total - 428.0

Cheers, mate

 

[Keith1967]

Cheers, mate

This is brilliant. It gives me a project! I'm away on business until Sunday but when I get back I will be building a database of the claims of the Taffy-3 squadrons

 

[Keith1967]

This is brilliant. It gives me a project! I'm away on business until Sunday but when I get back I will be building a database of the claims of the Taffy-3 squadrons

Just found claims for VC-98 and VC-99 (2) in Eric Hammel's Air War Pacific Chronology. VC-99 claims are for two Oscars in June 1945 and VC-98 (Lt Eugene R Beckwith, a Frances on 5 August 1945.

 

[John D. Voss]

It's my understanding the the FM-2 was not introduced into the USMC inventory...true???

 

[Keith1967]

Back to my hobby! I have tallied up the victories for VC-10 (as per Fold3) and find I have nineteen confirmed (all by FM-2, one shared with a TBF-1c), together with three probables and three damaged. Eight confirmed and three probables were claimed on 24 October 1944. I have also located a possible twentieth and a couple of issues. According to records Ens JD McGraw claimed all his victories as a VC-10 pilot, although he was flying with VC-80 for the two claimed on 25 October 1944. If VC-80 gets credit and it probably should, then the tally of seventeen is spot on. VC-10 certainly claim them as theirs in the official report. Also his victory on 18 June 1944 was shared with at least five and probably six other pilots. The victim was largely the target of Lts EW Seitz and RL Phillips with everyone else piling in. Another issue is a claim for a Sally by Ens CA Dugan on 27 October 1944. My notes have it was claimed with VC-5 but he is a VC-10 pilot.

 

[Keith1967]

VC-3 apparently claim 14 victories on 24 October 1944. Twelve were Lily bombers engaged by a division led by Lt Kenneth G Hippe. He is credited with five bombers, Ens John Buchanan with three more. I have not been able to locate the two other victors who claimed two Lilys (the flight claimed twelve, split between four pilots). I have also not located the claimants or details of the claims for the two other victories on this date. I have found details of the the three other claims are identified in the days following 24 October, thereby establishing the seventeen credited.

 

[Keith1967]

Found my answer

 

[Keith1967]

Found my answer

Also found the War Diary of VC-65. Ten pilots are credited with victories, with the squadron claiming 16 Japanese aircraft in aerial combat. The highest scorer being Lt Joseph T Riley with 3-4. No details except 10 were claimed in June at Saipan (I have found four of these), one at Morotai in September and 5 at Leyte. Most of their records were lost when their carrier was lost.

 

[Keith1967]

Also found the War Diary of VC-65. Ten pilots are credited with victories, with the squadron claiming 16 Japanese aircraft in aerial combat. The highest scorer being Lt Joseph T Riley with 3-4. No details except 10 were claimed in June at Saipan (I have found four of these), one at Morotai in September and 5 at Leyte. Most of their records were lost when their carrier was lost.

Another update. VC-78 claim seven victories (one shared with a pilot of VC-80) Ensign OJ Miller claims 3 kills.

 

[Keith1967]

Another update. VC-78 claim seven victories (one shared with a pilot of VC-80) Ensign OJ Miller claims 3 kills.

I am going to stop posting updates to this until I complete the research (if I ever do). Have done a bit more research and there are quite a few major and minor errors to the FM-2 squadron tallies. Sometimes it's exaggeration but mostly it's undercounting because of shares with other squadrons but also I note that sometimes campaigns have been missed. All my stuff is from Fold3 but it's been an eye-opener. The errors are honest ones and stem from a time when searching combat reports without access to the internet was a vocation (a shout out to the late, very great Frank Olynyk). Happy to answer questions. Overall it seems the FM-2 squadrons made more claims than has been accepted until now.