Hi Jim,
Glad to hear that some of the guys from 208 are still alive----haven't
been able to get in touch with anyone from my crew.. I never got around to
getting the book that Walter Schuman put out- but I have a copy of the
squadron book Peter Bogie Mike, it has a picture of each of the squadrons
crews and their address as on 1945. ( I have no idea if there is any more
copies available yet) Did Walt tell you about VPNavy site, it has all the
seaplane squadrons in it----the site address is < www.vpnavy.com> just in
case you don't have it. I go back to it every once in a while---in hopes of
finding one of my crewmen.
I don't recall all the fellows in the squadron , but we did see a lot of
action, the ship we were billeted on was the USS Hamlin AV-15, I recall that
the friggen ship's skipper, Capt G. A. Mc Lean, had that ship painted and
repainted the whole time time we were aboard. Chip and paint-chip and paint,
someone said that Nimitz wanted to know who was using all that damn paint.
Did your Dad ever send a letter home
from Japan that we were there a few days before the surrender? I'll ktry and
attacht it to this note. Just off hand I can't think of too much else to
tell you lbut will keep in touch. Give you Dad my best regards
Andy Knef
file name:HUTHM
January 1, 2000
Sun City, California
Dear Mary
It is with heavy heart that I write this, not only for Jim's
passing but also that not more was done to keep the group together
after the war was over and everyone was back home.
The first squadron reunion was in St. Louis in 1948 or 49, I
believe and even though that was Virginia's home town I could not
afford to attend the reunion. After that I totally lost contact
with the group until years later when I decided to find the
Squadron and then later to find you and Jim. I met our Skipper Cmdr
Sintic at several of the reunions but our plane commander,
McKneely, was never at any of the reunions that I attended but I
understand he was at several of the earlier reunions. He does not
respond to any correspondence from me. If you would like to contact
him I could send you his address.
I have mailed copies of your letter to me and of the news
paper clipping to:Capt. Lester Slate who we both knew, Albert Hager
who was a member of our crew and to Lew Whitehead who now publishes
a Squadron News Letter.
I remember well our times together at Pensacola when you and
Jim used to take us places in your Studebaker automobile. Our
daughter was just a baby then and I believe you had your first
child then also.
With sincere love and memories of the old days I remain
Sincerely yours
Robert E. Dunavan
filename:hrdldngb
ONE HARD LANDING
On Sunday afternoon December 7, 1941 I decided to go downtown
and take in a movie. I left my rented room in a private home on
South Pattie Ave, Wichita, Kansas and boarded a bus for downtown.
On the bus another passenger had a newspaper and I read the
headlines and first learned the Japanese had attacked Pearl Harbor
Hawaii. It was then that I first realized that for sure I was going
to be physically and intimately involved in a war where things
would be broken and people would die. I already knew enough about
the military to know that the officers earned more pay, lived
better and got to tell others what to do. I then resolved to be an
officer.
********************* *******************************
In keeping with the above it was on 14 Sept 1943 Bronson Field
Pensacola Florida, we three cadets, Dunavan, Desmond, and Frazer
were on our final flight with our PBY instructor, Ens. Mossman. We
had had our final checkride the day before and all passed of course
and as a result of our performance we three had the highest marks
of the entire group and were therefore entitled to make the
overnight navigation flight to Miami,Florida. We thought we were
pretty hot stuff. Just the Sunday before on a solo training flight
we had put on a mini airshow for the Sunday afternoon bathers at
a beach near the practice area. As usual on such training flights
each student had an hour in the righthand seat thus making it a
three hour flight. I had had my turn and the last student was in
the righthand seat getting his very last instructions from Ens.
Mossman. To pass away the time I was standing just back of the
cockpit hatch leaning against the navigators table, I later wished
I had been sitting somewhere. For some unknown reason Ens. Mossman
at this time decided to demonstrate just one more full stall
landing. Now we three cadets had full stall landings down to
perfection so it was really a waste of time. Anyway I was standing
there waiting, heard Ens. Mossman close the throttles, and start
his glide, couldn't see much, but glancing up it seemed to me the
nose was getting pretty high. Finally the wing went into full stall
and it got real quiet and then Whooosh!, CRASH!!. He must have
dropped that thing in from fifty feet. I stood there with my knees
locked as one tends to do when leaning against something. The force
of hitting the water caused both my knees to buckle. The left did
ok but when my right knee buckled it torn the muscles loose from
the ligaments in my right thigh. The pain was excruciating to say
the least. Luckily the aircraft survived with no damage that I ever
learned of. We had a little discussion before we tookoff and
terminated the training session. I didn't say much, just tried not
to reveal how much pain I was in. This put me in a real quandary,
my future wife was already in Pensacola and we planned to be
married the day I received my commission. I was certain that if I
went to sickbay I would be grounded and this would cause me to miss
the navigation flight to Miami, delay my commissioning and may be
even cause me to be discharged from the Navy or washed out of the
flight program at the least. Luckily I had no more flying to do, I
could never have pushed the rudder pedal with that injured leg,
except the navigation trip to Miami and I knew I wouldn't have to
make any takeoffs or landings, so I just decided to bear the pain
and reveal my condition no one other than those who already knew.
I don't believe Ens. Mossman ever learned of it. I'll tell you now
that first walk from the flight line to the barracks was an
agonizing trip. I had no idea what to do for it so consequently did
nothing, just took aspirin for the pain. The very next morning we
took off for Maimi, with depth bombs under each wing and plenty of
fifty calibre ammunition for the waist guns. At that time the
German submarines were operating in the Gulf of Mexico and the
disappearance of a PBY was attributed to them. It was the first
time I had ever tried to fly an airplane in a straight line for any
distance and got a good lecture from the full lieutenant in the
lefthand seat. It was a fun trip for all concerned though and I got
to plot the course home. The pain in my right leg continued
seemingly unabated but in reality it was slowly getting better. By
the time of the graduation ceremony I could stand for that length
of time without having to move around to get relief. Overtime it
continued to get better and never really caused me any serious
trouble except I never again had the strength in that leg as I did
in my left leg. Today after all those years there is a sunken spot
or recess in my leg where the muscles separated from the ligaments
and then grew back I suppose. I am also having an occasional pain
in my right knee which I attribute to that, "One Hard Landing in
Mobile Bay."
After the graduation ceremonies were over, cadet Frazer became
a Marine and I have never seen or heard from him since. Dennis
Desmond and his Virginia were married in the morning of Sept 21,
1943 and my Virginia and I were married at 4pm that afternoon in
the Presbyterian church of Pensacola . We became good friends with
Dennis Desmond and his Virginia and kept in touch for many years,
but after his Virginia became ill and died, we lost touch with
Dennis. He stayed in the Reserves and retired after twenty years.
@ Robert E. Dunavan Feb.2, 1995
copies:F. Frank VPB-208
K. Herbert
L. Slate VPB-208
Z. Driskill
Tig Krekel (his father was in VPB-208)
J. R. Glassco
James Huth VPB-208 (deceased)
Dick De La Mater MMA News Letter 7/12/00
ZIP DISC 1-26-00A
Dean Stites Aug.6.2001
file name:PLANE3
A DARING RESCUE AT SEA
This photograph was taken May 5, 1945 off the southern coast of
Korea, by the photographer of airplane crew "L"( the plane on which
I was copilot ), of squadron VPB-208. This, downed airplane,
piloted by Commander A.J. Sintic, commander of Navy squadron VPB-
208, was the leader of a two plane bombing mission, sent out to
attack Jap shipping off the southern coast of Korea. Cmdr. Sintic's
plane was shot down while making a bombing run on a Jap tanker.
Cmdr. Sintic was able to set the plane down in the sea about five
miles from the enemy tanker. After the damaged airplane was safely
on the water the crew immediately put out the life rafts, of which
we carried two, and climbed into them and started paddling away.
Meanwhile the enemy ship was approaching as rapidly as they could
shooting all the while. The airplane on which I was copilot, set
down on the water near the stricken airplane and the men in the
rafts paddled over to us and climbed aboard our plane. This created
a large group of about twenty or twenty two persons making an extra
heavy load, so we had to jettison some material to lighten the
load. After taking off we circled the abandoned airplane and sank
it with 50 calibre gun fire from our nose turret and waist guns.
The gunners got a vicarous pleasure from shooting at our own
airplane. It didn't require many bullets to set it on fire and it
soon sank beneath the sea. We then headed for our home base at
Kerama Retta, just west of the island of Okinawa. The trip was
uneventful except that we did see some enemy planes in the
distance but they never attempted to attack us. Cmdr Sintic
received the Silver Star for bravely attacking the Japanese ship,
the commander of the plane I was on, Lieut. McNeely, received the
DFC, for performing the daring rescue of the downed crew and I
received this photograph.
On October 7, 1994 I once again met Cmdr. Sintic and some
members of his crew at a Squadron reunion in Dayton, Ohio. They
were very glad to see me, but not nearly so glad to see me as they
were some fifty years before, when the airplane I was copiloting,
landed on the water beside their stricken aircraft and saved them
from certain capture and possibly death at the hands at the rapidly
approaching enemy.
Robert E. Dunavan
copies to:Joe Krantz 9/22/97
Ralph Augur 6/3/98
file note book 9/22/97
Dean Stites 10/23/97
David E. Rinehart, Editor 3/26/98
Martin Mariner/Marlin News Letter
Zelma Driskill 3/30/98
Opal Varner Aug. 12, 1998
About June 25, 1998, my family and I are to meet with Joe
Kranz and his wife in Las Vegas, NV. Joe is one of the crew members
I helped rescue from the down plane in the Yellow Sea May 1945.
This meeting never happened as we were not able to go and I
haven't heard from Joe since. I tried to call him but the number I
had was no longer in service.
Robert E. Dunavan Aug. 12, 1998
*****************************************************
April 13,1999
The above never happened but we are trying again this year.
The whole family is going, they all like Las Vegas but me, I'm just
going to see Joe and look at the sights. Ginny likes the nickel
slots. We will be there April 27 thru 29. Renting a car and driving
and will stay at the New York-New York hotel.
*****************************************************************
On July 15, 1998 I received a phone call from Albert L. Hager. He
is the crewman that got moved to the tail gun turret that I wrote
about in the article, "How I Met The Killer Porpoise". He remembers
the event a little different than I do but after all these years it
doesn't really matter exactly how it was. Anyway I had a good
conversation with him. Albert was a Radioman on our crew and his
station was immediately behind the co-pilots seat where I usually
sat. After visiting with Albert awhile I was able to recall him but
not what he looked like.
Robert E. Dunavan Aug. 12, 1998
copies to:Joe Krantz Aug 12, 1998
file note book Aug 12, 1998
James Huth 12/09/98
Joyce and Larry Hattem 4/13/99
back up disc 0826-1EE7 text format 4/13/99
printed April 13, 1999
ZIP DISC 1-26-00A
file name:POEM
OKINAWA 1945
Slowly, with thundering noise, we climb into the darkening sky
Far below where night has fallen, and mysterious shadows lie,
Flickering blinking lights show from the muzzles of the old Battle
Ships' guns
On the land midst the filth and gore brave men, both yellow and
white, are doomed to die.
7/14/94 original verse by Navanud Trebor(Robert Dunavan)
Kansas 1935
In a Kansas field the cockle burs grow
Between the corn stalks, row on row
Slowly, Oh! so slowly the plowing goes
To what end, only God knows.
7/20/94 original verse by Navanud Trebor(Robert Dunavan)
copies:F. Frank
L. Slate
B. Tuttle 1/1/96
J. Krantz
file note book
Opal Varner Aug 12, 1998
Charles Craig's s-i-law 10/10/98
William R. Auld Dec 20,1998
Larry Hattem 2/8/1999
backup disc 0826-1EE7
Tracy Ewbank 2/10/99
Dean Stites 5/20/00
Zelma Driskill 5/20/00
Barbara Bergman 1/11/01
Marvin Oerke 02/01/01
Virginia Fyock Mar 14, 2002
file name:POEMFF
WALKING THE STREET
by Fred Frank WWII PBM pilot
WALKING THE STREET
Walking down the street
Children shyly look away
Gilrs return a look of recognition,
Young women speak
Middle age women stare vacantly to a point beyond
Old women pass silently by.
Walking up the street
with the afternoon sun against the window
returning the furtive glances of the vain,
Reporting who is there and yet to come,
I see an old man who is not old,
Whos step is slowed yet quick
Old man in the window,
Bracing your shoulders, stroking your hair,
Who are you?
Old man stop mocking me,
Moving as I move, frowning as I frown.
Someday I'll be like you, but not now
Someday we'll be friends, but not now.
Walking up the street
Children shyly look away,
Girls stare vacantly to a point beyond,
Young women smile and nod,
Middle age women return a look of recognition,
Old women speak.
About the author:Fred Frank like myself was a co-pilot in PBM's
during WWII in the Pacific but unlike myself he pursued a literary
career after the war and retired as Dean of a prestigous eastern
school.
Robert E. Dunavan Dec 20,1998
copies to:William R. Auld Dec 20,1998
file note book Dec 20, 1998
Charles Craig Jan 25,1999
Larry Hattem 2/8/1999
backup disc 0826-1EE7
Dean Stites 5/20/00
Zelma Driskill 5/20/00
Richard Garbe June 21, 2000
ZIP DISC 1-26-00A
file name:TAKOFF45
TAKEOFF FROM ULITHI ATOL PART ONE
Squadron VPB-208 departed Ulithi Atol for Kerama Retta Okinawa
about midnight March 31, 1945. Our crew was among the last to start
our take-off run. The Sea surface was as smooth as glass with a
pretty good swell running. I was co-pilot that night(the other
Ensign on that flight was James Huth. He became deceased last year.
I had finally located him just a short while before he died) and
Lt. McKneely was the plane commander sitting in the left seat. We
were heavily loaded and the suction on the smooth surface didn't
want to let us go. We would go roaring along and when we hit a
swell the plane would bounce into the air and then settle back down
in time to get bounced up again on the next swell. After about
three of these,ever helpful co-pilot Dunavan reached up and
increased the throttle setting on both engines. Now Pratt&Whitney
were not just kidding when they said that absolute max throttle
setting on their engines was 54 inches of mercury, at sea level. At
this increased throttle setting the starboard(right) engine started
detonating and loosing power as a result. We were lucky we didn't
blow a couple of jugs (cylinders) as prolonged detonation can
destroy an engine. The reduction of power in the right engine
caused the airplane to veer to the right and consquently and
unbeknown to us on our final bounce before becoming air born we
either landed on or ran over the final marker bouy/light. I later
confirmed this by talking to other pilots who were already airbone
at the time and watching our takeoff run. That person had observed
that after we became airborne the last marker Bouy/light had
dissappeared.
(If land planes land why don't sea planes water?)
After all aircraft were airborne we kind of formed up into an Air
Force formation(more than one airplane going the same direction the
same day) and headed for Okinawa which I had never heard of until
that night. I don't recall much about the trip except wondering
what those little colored lights were for on the sides of each
airplane.
Part two to follow
August 9,2000
Always a copilot Dunavan
copies to:Lew Whitehead Sept. 2000
Marvin Oerke Oct.11,00
Capt. Lester Slate May 5, 2001
ZIP DISC 1-26-00A
file note book mar 10,2002
file name:MogMog
With all this
talk about Ulithi Atol, I'm surprised no one has mentioned the Island
of
MogMog. As I recall it was the REC Center for the entire fleet. I once
had the
dubious distiction of being Officer-in-Charge of Liberty party to
MogMog. The party
consisted of all our crew members who could getaway ,dozens of cases of
beer in
green cans. It was not a happy time for me, not being a consumer of
alcohol in
any form. On shore it was not a pleasant sight. Hundreds of sailors in
varying
state of drunkness, some playing games, some fighting and others just
sitting
and doing nothing. Fortunately nothing occurred causing me to have to
make a
command decision. The responsibility of being a Navy Officer was a
heavy burden
for me. Some how I managed to get them all back to our ship ok. I
believe a
movie was made after WWII using the islands of Ulithi Atol as the
location.
While
at Ulithi Atol I recall the night the Kamaziis attacked the carrier
Franklin/Randolp causing a lot of deaths. One of the Jap planes
apparently
mistook the landing strip on the island of Falalop for a flat-top and
crashed
on it. At the time we were there the island of Yap was being used as a
target
for bombing practice. Years later I learned that the Navy had
completely
isolated Yap,the few natives and occupying Japanese were literally
starving and
all the while being used for target practice.
Also
while at Ulithi one of our VPB-208 pilots made the mistake of trying to
move
his PBM-5 to another buoy with the tunnel hatch open and caused it to
sink
right there in plain sight of everyone including the Skipper. I nearly
pulled
the same manuever while moving our plane to another buoy when the one
we were
anchored to started drifting in the high winds. I never sank the
airplane but I
tore off both sea-anchors and had a terrible time getting tied to
another buoy.
I also watched a PB2Y3 catch fire, burn and sink. Apparently they had a
gas
leak and somehow it got on fire. I was on watch on our airplane at the
time and
saw the fire start through the open hatch of their airplane and the
fellows
inside frantically trying to extinguish it but could not do so. Finally
they
had to deploy the life rafts and abandon ship. I felt sorry for them .
Sincerely
Always a Co-pilot Dunavan aka Navanud Trebor, RED,
hey-you
ET AL
copies to:Lew Whitehead 04/19/01
Don Ewbank
Tom Bush
file
note book , mar 10,02
Dean
Stites Friday, April 05, 2002
Herb
Lohrbach Tuesday, July 02, 2002
Thu, 23 Aug 2001 15:28:56
Hello
Was so surprised to hear from you,didn'tknow where you were.Had tried to
contact any and all from the old squadron and found a few, but most of all I
found Mckneely,Hager,Johnson of our crew. I also found others that reside in
Florida. In april Mckneely Hager and myself had a small two day reunion in
Mckneely"s home in Lakeland Fl. I live about 40 miles north from his house
in Webster Fl.Hager lives in Charleston W.V. but has relatives that live in
Fl. so when he visits them he calls us for a meet.We had a very good time in
those two days and swapped a lot of good and bad times of memories.Mckneely
does not travel much,he is now 83 yrs.old, says he don't like to go to unfamilar places.
I do a lot of traveling,because I am a young 77 yrs. old .just kidding.
None of our crew will be at the Reunion,I would have liked to attend but had other
prior plans. It would be nice to meet and see you again and I know Mac as we
call him would be overjoyed to see you and or hear from you.Maybe some time in
the near future all or some of us could have a get together somewhere.There
is a number of the old squadron that winter in Fl. also a few that reside
there full time.So again sure was nice to hear from you.Hope to keep in
contact.
Claude Redd
HI JIM
THANKS FOR THE E-MAIL
I SEE A STEPHENS, R. J., ARM/C, FROM MIAMI FLA. IN VPB-208 COMBAT AIRCREW
"BAKER" OR
STEPHENS, L. J. AMMF1/C FROM LOWNDES, MO. IN VPB-208 COMBAT AIRCREW "LOVE"
THIS INFO I GOT FROM A BOOK PETER BOGEY MIKE.
WITCH ONE IS YOUR FATHER?
MY GRANDFATHER WAS IN OTU-4 MARCH 1945 THRU JUNE 1945,
VPB-99 JULY 1945 THRU SEPT 1945, VPB-100 OCT 1945, VPB-208 NOV. 1945 THRU JAN
1946
MY GRANDFATHER IS NOT LISTED IN THIS BOOK SO I AM TRYING TO FIND AS MUCH INFO
ABOUT HIS NAVY CAREER AS I CAN. I AM ALSO A PILOT AND I LOVE AIRPLANE RELATED
STUFF.
THE PHOTOS I ATTACHED ARE OF THE PBM (THE ONLY KNOWN LEFT) AT THE PIMA AIR
MUSEUM I TOOK IN NOV.
THANKS
SHAWN BREON
ROCKFORD, IL
Thanks for your note. I was not aware of the DC event. Hope you had a
good time.
I look forward to the Milwaukee info/dates for next year. I'm sure
there are not many VPB-208 squadron members left. Do you remember if
you met anyone from Combat Aircrew D ("Dog") ? That was my dad's
outfit (F. David Daum, ACMMF, Aviation Chief Machinist's Mate, Flight
Engineer). Dad was a Chief Petty Officer.
Cheers,
Drake Daum
Dayton, Ohio