Need Help Finding Navy Aircraft For August 10,1945 Death

[P.J.]

Hi,
All of you seem to know so much about WW11 so wanted to ask for help.

I am looking for a U.S. Naval Reserve Fireman 1st Class that died on Aug. 10, 1945 and was listed as missing in action or buried at sea.
We were told he died in an airplane. How do I find what type of aircraft he was in?

He is Memorialized in Honolulu, Hawaii and at the WW11 Memorial Washington D.C. - Name Earnest T. Flanders

I would also like to have a picture of the airplane he was in when he was killed, so where would I find that?

I don't know much about the Navy but would a Fireman be in an airplane instead of a ship?

In doing genealogy, I had read lots on the Civil War, but not much on WW11 so found this site very, very interesting. You guys are very detailed in your comments!

I did have to skip some of the pages with the racy pictures, as they made me blush!
Thanks for your kind help,
P.J.[/b]

 

[Chad2000k]

Hi,
All of you seem to know so much about WW11 so wanted to ask for help.

I am looking for a U.S. Naval Reserve Fireman 1st Class that died on Aug. 10, 1945 and was listed as missing in action or buried at sea.
We were told he died in an airplane. How do I find what type of aircraft he was in?

He is Memorialized in Honolulu, Hawaii and at the WW11 Memorial Washington D.C. - Name Earnest T. Flanders

I would also like to have a picture of the airplane he was in when he was killed, so where would I find that?

I don't know much about the Navy but would a Fireman be in an airplane instead of a ship?

In doing genealogy, I had read lots on the Civil War, but not much on WW11 so found this site very, very interesting. You guys are very detailed in your comments!

I did have to skip some of the pages with the racy pictures, as they made me blush!
Thanks for your kind help,
P.J.[/b]

Hey ummm i can't help you a lot but I'm doing the same sort of thing. I came across a name and my dad wants to find who he was in the Air Force and the Army and maybe get a picture of him for our genealogy thing. A fireman in a plane? I've never heard of that maybe in transport between ships he could have been on a plane but mostly they would be on the ship or in the base itself. I'll let you know if i find a good site to look at that might help you with your research. Thanks

 

[Chad2000k]

Another thought is that its hard to tell exactly what plane he was in. Hmmm i f you knew the group or the battle group that might help narrow it down. Try searchin just the planes that were involved in the crash and then narrow it down.

 

[Chad2000k]

I just found some info this might help
The only enemy forces encountered were one small freighter and a single plane. The destroyer screen sank the surface ship with gunfire, while the plane was driven off by AA fire. No damage was inflicted on any ship in the task force, which rejoined the THIRD Fleet in the operating area on the morning of 10 August.

Carrier Strikes of 10 August - On 10 August, the fast carrier forces continued their strikes against northern Honshu, two airfields previously untouched by our attacks and discovered only that morning serving as the chief targets. A total of 150 planes was destroyed on the ground, and 105 more were damaged. Considerable merchant shipping was also hit in the ports of the area, and railroads provided important secondary targets. No enemy opposition was encountered, and only moderate AA fire. Our combat losses totalled 13 planes. British aircraft destroyed 25 planes during the day (all on the ground), while their losses were six planes.

So far it still doesnt give the exact plane but this is a possibility on that date. heres the web:
http://www.ibiblio.org/hyperwar/USN/rep/CINCPAC/CINCPAC-45Aug.html#partii

 

[R Leonard]

It would be extremely unusual for a non-aviation rating to be flying in combat in a USN strike aircraft. On August 10, 1945 there were only two aircrewmen from a single TBF lost from the TF-38 strikes, the pilot of this aircraft was also killed. Also lost that day were seven fighter pilots, all officers.
You wouldn't happen to know what ship he was on do you?

 

[pbfoot]

on a long shot is it possible the guy met his demise while working as a firefighter on a carrier that had a plane crash on deck as mentioned earlier there were losses on that day and I'm guessing that damaged a/c crashed while recovering

 

[R Leonard]

Reason I ask about which ship, I wonder if he might have been aboard USS Borie (DD-704) which was hit by a Kamikaze on 9 August 1945 with 48 killed or missing. A fireman rating was/is in the Engineering Department, working in the engine room . . . not a firefighter like the guys in the abestos suits on carriers. Borie took a serious hit to her engineering spaces, amongst others.

 

[tpikdave]

PJ...

The Navy Fireman's (FN) rate may have been anything from seaman apprentice to First class Petty Officer. But his job description was as follows. Fireman training includes propulsion and electrical generation gas turbines, and diesel engines; electronic machinery plant control systems and networks; and intricate electrical wiring and distribution systems.

Its plausible he may have been in a plane working on an aircraft auto-fire retardation/suppression/extinguishing system maybe...?

 

[timshatz]

TP, that might be a later definition. Don't think Gas Turbines were in existence in 1945. Back then, he would've been in the engine rooms. Most likely.

PJ, it sounds like the individual involved was a direct family member. If that is the case, you can get a copy of his service record from the Govt Archives. There are forms online that you can fill out and send in. They will send you a copy of his complete service record including some details of his death (when, where, what unit he was attached to when it happened). You will need to find out details about him such as his full name, SS#, Service Number, ect. The more info you have, the better your search results will be.

Hope it helps.