HELP IDENTIFY P-38 F5 Recce SQuadron pacific from Log-book.

[Goofy]

Hi All,

Hope there are some P-38 Lightning wiz-kids around here who might be able to help me identify a P-38 F5 Lightning squadron. I have the logbook of 1st LT. Donald W. Chandler who flew F5 Lightnings in the Pacific in 1945. He earned the following Medal with Battle Stars:

Asia Pacific Theater Campaign with 6 Battle stars: New Guinea, China Offensive, Air Offensive Western Pacific, Borneo, Southern Philippines and Luzon.

Here are the four pages of his logbook with the dates, missions flown (mostly over Japanese airfields) and P-38 F5 serial numbers......could anyone identify the squadron. (I am suspecting the 82nd TRS.....).

Many Thanks!!!!

 

[Wildcat]

Possibly one of the F-5 Squadrons of the 6th Photographic Group? It's squadrons were the 8th, 25th, 26th and 36th plus one F-7 squadron the 20th.

 

[Goofy]

I think you might be right there as they did most work at Mindanao and the log is filled with that....but it should be possible to pinpoin the exact squadron with the serial-numbers in the Log......

 

[Goofy]

Apparently there is a book about the 8th Reconnaissance Squadron called the Eight Ballers, which has over 500 photos.....anyone in possession of this book able to see wheter any of the serial numbers in the Log-Book are in this book???

 

[mhuxt]

Hi Goofy,

You might try the forums over at ArmyAirForces.com

I'm afraid I can'tgive you a direct answer myself.

Any chance you could post a couple scans of the right-hand side pages, with the flight duration? I'd be fascinated to see them.

In any case, many thanks for posting the scans - it's an incredible document.

 

[vikingBerserker]

Apparently there is a book about the 8th Reconnaissance Squadron called the Eight Ballers, which has over 500 photos.....anyone in possession of this book able to see wheter any of the serial numbers in the Log-Book are in this book???

It's a great book. Just went through it and could not find any of the planes in it, nor could I find Lt Chandler mentioned at all.

 

[Goofy]

Hi All,

Got a reply from the armyairforces forum, Don Chandler flew with the 17th PRS, even mentioned in their Year Book. ALso got some nice pics of 4 of the F5's of the squadron he flew....great stuff. Will post some more pics of the Log-Book later.

Also have a 229 SQD Logbook from Malta if someone is interested in pics......quite some dog-fights in it.....

Cheerio,

Chris

 

[syscom3]

Keep us posted.

 

[mhuxt]

Glad you found some info, looking forward to more pics!

(And yes, very interested in the Malta stuff too!)

 

[vikingBerserker]

Very cool Chris, and a "hell yea" on the Malta one!