Researching night fighter actions in and around Mindoro PI December 1944 and Okinawa June 1945

[Kyushuj7w]

While I have a few books on the Black Widow units and pilots like Bruce Porter can anyone direct me to resources?

 

[MIflyer]

Do you have "Queen of the Midnight Skies, The Story of America's Air Force Night Fighters"?

 

[Kyushuj7w]

NO, I DO NOT HAVE THIS BOOK . THANKS , I WILL LOOK ON LINE FOR IT . ARE THERE ANY UNIT HISTORIES THAT HAVE BEEN WRITTEN?

 

[fubar57]

Two books about the 421st Night Fighter Squadron; one by Kagero and one by Schiffer

 

[MIflyer]

There is also the Squadron book, Night Wings.

I read of one night intercept of a Japanese aircraft over Okinawa by a TBM. They were flying TBM's and radar directing them to salvo 5 inch HVARs into the Japanese held area of Okinawa. One night they got a radio call to clear the area, there was a bogie. A TBM pilot could see an aircraft by its exhaust and asked why he had to clear the area when someone else was in it. He was told, "You idiot! That's the bogie!" So he flew up behind it and salvoed his HVAR. That did the job! BOOM!

 

[Kyushuj7w]

Thanks for this link as well. I have some books to look for. I'm doing research on EA16 units. The 634th and its squadrons in particular. One crew who managed to survive the meat grinder in the Philippines then flew night missions off Okinawa till just before wars end. His diary was given to his family when he did not return. The pilots and navigators were well trained and some of the best the JNAF had They were used for night attacks on shipping, PT boats etc. These EA16 unit were not kamikazes though in late July they were being reassigned and held back for the Kyushu invasion.