VP-5 Squadron Shipmates
http://www.vpnavy.org
VPNAVY Address

ShipmateVP-100 ShipmatesShipmate

BREON, Wallace c/o His Grandson Shawn Breon JSWILDMAN@AOL.COM "...I would like to hear from anyone who knew my grandfather WALLACE BREON of VPB-208. Thanks...He was with OTU-4 July 1945 thru September. He was with VPB-99 October 1945. He was with VPB-100 November 1945 thru January 1946. He was with VPB-208. I would like to hear from anyone who flew with him. I would also like to know if there is a squadron patch for VPB-208. I would also like to thank Ken Maddock for his E-Mail. Thanks..." [BIO Updated 14JAN2000 | 01SEP99]

Memorial Picture "...BURKE, ADCS Donald K...My father, Donald K. Burke, passed away November 18, 2012. Dad served in the Navy for 28 years. He proudly served with VP-209, VPB-99, VPB-98, VPB-100, VPB-28, VW-4, VA-51, VA-44, VA-135, VA-15, HT-8, VP-44 and VP-8. I would love to hear from anyone that may have served with Dad..." Contributed by Donald Burke, Jr. donnieburke2@gmail.com [02JUN2017]

BUSKIRK, Carl "Buzz" Von Jr. [Deceased] c/o His Daughter Nancy Berg naner@silverlink.net or his Son Richard Von Buskirk RNelsonn@cs.com "...My father, Carl Nelson Von Buskirk, Jr., served in the USN during WWII with VP-83 and VH-4. My brother has his log book and we decided to do a little research. Dad never really spoke about his time in the Navy...My father, like most men of his generation, spoke little of his personal involvement in that tumultuous time. My three brothers, my sister and I have all, at one time or another, asked my father about those years that so shaped his the lives of his generation. Other than talking about some of the sights he had seen or places he had been, like Brazil and Hawaii, he had very little to say. He made it clear that it was a time of duty and once done, it was time to move on. I know, having my father live me for the last few years of his life, that he served with pride, with honor, and was moved by the various memories that the conflict branded on his heart and soul. He would never speak of battles fought or talk about the fear and horrors common to those men of that era. I don't know of personal loss or tragedy or other elements of the self sacrifice necessary in those days. It was personal to him; those were memories that belonged to him and his generation. My father passed away in 1994. Several years later I found some personal things of his, including a brown, cloth covered "Aviators Flight Log Book" with several notations inside and, scrawled in his hand on the front, the letters, in descending order, "VP-83, VPB-83, VB-107, VPB-107, VPB-2(?), VPB-98, VPB-100, and VH-4." I gather these are various squadrons that he belonged to. Over the years some of these letters have faded, as this book is approaching 60 years old. There are several entries in the book, beginning in March of 1942 and ending February 1946. Brevity best describes the remarks column, but the entries give the flavor of locations, duties, and even lengths of patrols, ranging from .2 hours on Jan 18, 1945 ( "Crashed in ocean off Okinawa, Picked up by Flag Plane) to rump numbing flights lasting 16.5 hours ( May 15-16, 1946, PBM-5 lt. Cmdr Sterling, Kaneohe to San Francisco). It is facinating reading. My father saw quite a bit of the world at war and it's aftermath, including flying over Hiroshima, (Nov 4, 1945 PBM-5) and Nagasaki (Nov 23, 1945 same plane)..." [BIO Updated 23JAN2001 | 21JAN2001]

BUTTS, LT Joseph W. "...MILITARY RECORD OF LIEUTENANT JOSEPH W. BUTTS, A-V(N), USNR (RETIRED) - June 17, 1941, Enlisted in US Naval Air Corp. as a Seaman 1st Class in Pueblo, CO. Sent to U.S. Naval Reserve Aviation Base, Oakland Airport, Oakland CA. Soloed in N3N Aircraft. Remained on base till July 23, 1941. Sent to U.S. Naval Air Training Base, Corpus Christi, TX. Appointed Seaman Second Class V-5 on September 23, 1941. Named an Aviation Cadet on October 11, 1941. Appointed Ensign June 12, 1942. With designation Naval Aviator A-V(N). Operational training was in OS2U type seaplanes. Ordered to report to scouting squadron VS-1-D7, NAS Banana River, Florida. On June 27, 1942. We did antisubmarine and ship identification patrols off the coast of Florida. On January 5, 1943 I was ordered to the U.S.S. Iowa Aviation Unit, NAS Floyd Bennett Field, New York. We were to outfit the unit with OS2U-3 aircraft, which we ferried from Norfolk, VA. We trained personnel for the U.S.S. Iowa, which was being built in the New York shipyards. On February 19, 1943, I was ordered to the U.S.S South Dakota Aviation Unit, and remained aboard ship until September 10, 1944, A total of nineteen months. I went from Ensign to full Lieutenant, and Senior Aviator aboard. During this period we were attached to the British Fleet in Scapa Flow, Orkney Islands, Scotland, with code name "H.M.S. Black Prince" to disguise our identity. We operated out of Iceland attempting to lure the Von Terpitz (German Pocket Battleship), out of its Norway fjord. In this endeavor we crossed the Artic Circle shadowing a convoy of ships to Spitzbergen, Norway. No luck! We then went to the Pacific, and were involved in the bombardments of Nauru Island, (Gilbert Islands), Ponape (Caroline Islands), Roi-Namur (Marshall Islands), and Saipan (Mariana Islands). We were also involved in the Mariana Turkey Shoot, where we took a 500-pound armor-piercing bomb dropped by a Japanese "Judy dive bomber", which we shot down. Detached from the U.S.S. South Dakota on September 10, 1944, and spent 15 days with a Utility Squadron on NAS Ford Island, Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, flying B-26 tow planes, towing targets for the 5 inch guns on the destroyers for target practice. Assigned to Naval Air Operational Training at NAS Jacksonville, Florida for temporary duty in multi engine aircraft on September 26, 1944. Assigned to Naval Air Operational Training at NAS Pensacola, Florida flying PBY aircraft, November 23, 1944. Assigned to NAS Banana River, Florida for flight training in PBM aircraft, on February 26, 1945. Designated Patrol Plane Commander, May 23, 1945. Assigned to VPB-99 squadron for training my crew. Attached to VPB-100 MCAS/NAS Kaneohe Bay, Hawaii as a Mariner combat replacement crew, on August 14, 1945. On August 30, 1945, assigned VPB-17 in (NS Sangley Point, Philippines) Cavite, Philippines. We then were ordered to Shanghai, China, and operated from a seaplane tender on the Whangpoo River. We made daily flights on a squadron schedule to Hong Kong south, and to Singtao, China, over to Jinsen, Korea north. We flew cargo, military personnel, and what have you on a daily basis. On January 30, 1946 I was assigned to VPB-212, at Oak Harbor, WA, as flight officer. On May 17, 1946 the squadron was deactivated, and I was released from active duty, and placed on reserve status..." Contributed by EASTMAN, Jack G. vsnavy.org@westnet.com.au WebSite: VSNAVY http://www.vsnavy.org/ [19MAR2006]


CLARK, William Arthur Retired http://www.usna.com/history/classof1940/C.htm "...Upon graduation, Bill was assigned to USS T.LOUIS (CL-49), reporting aboard in July, 1940. After serving for two years, he reported to NAS Lakehurst, N.J., where he underwent lighter-than-air flight training. Upon completion of this training, Bill served in various Airship Patrol Squadrons until May of 1944, when he reported to NAS Dallas, Texas for heavier-than-air flight training. Bill completed HTA training and was attached to Patrol Bombing Squadron One Hundred at NAS Kaneohe Bay, Hawaii, when the war ended. In September, 1945, Bill assumed command of Patrol Bombing Squadron Twenty-Eight, based in the Philippine Islands. In July, 1947, he reported to Commander, Naval Air Materiel Center, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, as Aide to Com NAMC. Commencing in January, 1949, Bill served as the Commanding Officer, Naval Air Station, Santa Ana, California, until the base was disestablished in July of that year. His next tour of duty was as Operations Officer of USS CURTIS (AV-4). In July, 1951, Bill was transferred to the Office of Naval Intelligence, where he served until June, 1953. His next tour of duty was on the staff of Commander Task Group 7.3, engaged in atomic testing at Eniwetok and Bikini in the Pacific test areas. From 1954 to 1956, Bill served in USS BENNINGTON (CVA-20), as navigator. In June, 1956, he was assigned as Commanding Officer of Airship Patrol Squadron One. From August, 1957 to June, 1958, Bill was the Executive Officer of NAAS Cabaniss Field, Corpus Christi, Texas. This was followed by three years on duty with the Office of the Chief of Naval Operations in the Aviation Plans Division. In August, 1961, Bill reported to Com Nav Marianas as Commanding Officer of the NAS Agana, Guam. After two wonderful years in Guam, he returned to Washington, D.C. for duty on the Joint Staff, Office of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, for three years. Then, after a two-year stint as Naval Plant Representative, Sikorsky Aircraft, Stratford, Connecticut, Bill retired on 1 November 1968. Bill was married to Eleanor Stone in 1942, and they had four wonderful children. Upon retirement, they settled on the mid-coast of Maine in the small town of Newcastle. For the next few years, Bill tried his hand at several small commercial enterprises, none of which were very successful. When he finally decided, in 1975, to settle down and enjoy retirement, Bill's wife was stricken with cancer. She died in April of 1977..." [21FEB2002]


DALAMBAKIS, Angelo adalambakis@yahoo.com "...Served from 1943 to 1946 with VPB-71, VPB-1, VPB-2, VPB-100, and VPB-91. Served in the Phillipines, MCAS/NAS Kaneohe Bay, Hawaii, and NAS Whidbey Island, Washington. Retired Dentist living in Dayton, Ohio and Pompano Beach FL. Love to hear from old squadron buddies! I can be reached at Deerfield Beach (Ft Lauderdale) on (954)425-8411..." [BIO Updated 03NOV2002 | 03NOV98]

DUKE, Clarence Willis c/o His Son Clarence Alan Duke cduke46956@aol.com "...Trying to get information on Shipmates that were attached to VPB-100 or VPB-101 with my father, Clarence Willis Duke. My father served from April 1942 to April 1946. He was an aviation machinist mate. His plane was the "Willie 13". Pilot was a LCDR Southerland. One of his friends, who recently passed away, was a radioman named Dale Kuhns [23APR98]


FRIEDMAN, ARM3 Irv Telleyfoto@webtv.net "...I was an ARM/3c that started training in PBM3s in 1944 at NAS Banana River, Florida. Went on to VPB-98 San Diego, VPB-100 MCAS/NAS Kaneohe Bay, Hawaii, and VPB-25 in the Philippines. We flew in BUNO: 59213. We were attached to the followingtenders: San Carlos, USS Currituck (AV-7), USS San Pablo (AVP-30), USS Half Moon (AVP-26), and USS Pocomoke
(AV-9)
. This was a very interesting site to find. It brought back many memories..." [20MAR2001]

FURR, AMM3 Franklin E. fef228@comporium.net "...I served with VPB-4, VP-98, VP-99 and VP-100. I was FE on a PBM at Tokyo Bay (1944-1946) operating off the USS Pine Island (AV-12) and USS Norton Sound (AV-11). Crashed our PBM J11 on takeoff from the river in Shanghai..." [16NOV2013]


Memorial Picture "...My grandfather, Robert E. Hoefler (deceased), was with the VPB-15 (12-1-44), VPB-4 (12-18-44), VPB-100 (2-26-45) and VE-1 (2-26-45). I would like to hear from any of his Shipmates regarding tours of duty......" Contributed by Robert French french4722@yahoo.com [20JUN2011]

Memorial Picture "...HOLLIDAY, John R. "Doc"...FASRON-118/VP-4 1958-1960. Sad to report that 27 year US Navy veteran John R "Doc" Holliday, MRC USN (Retired) passed away 9/26/2002...Steve/Andy Andruszkewicz sgpa2zfmly@aol.com..." [18OCT2002]


IBERGER, Jacob c/o His Son Greg Iberger giberger@mindspring.com "...My father (Jacob Iberger) flew on a PBM during WWII with VPB-98, VPB-100, and VPB-28. He was in the asiatic pacific theater. His position was as an Aviation Radioman out of or near Guam. I would be interested if any of his old Shipmates..." [26NOV2000]

Memorial Picture "...IRWIN, Floyd "Don"...My grandfather, Floyd "Don" Irwin, was an aircrewman on PBM-5s. In a journal that I found, he said that his plane was called the Georgia Peach. He flew out of San Diego on 8 Oct 1945 and was in MCBH Kaneohe Bay, Hawaii until 8 Nov 1945. He served with VPB-100, VPB-205 and VPB-25. He also mentioned the names Cokus and Zimker in his journal. I've also been told that he had a monkey as a pet, and the monkey was sort of the mascot. If anyone has information, I'd love to know it. I've not had much luck finding information..." Contributed by Chris Offield chrisoffield@sbcglobal.net [20FEB2012]


KRIM, AMMF2 Marvin marvo1@worldnet.att.net "...As a flight engineer on PB2Y's we were designated on Oct. 1945 as VP-100 out of NAS Kaneohe Bay, Hawaii. We were only there one month and the squadron was disbanded and returned to the states...I served in VP-1, VP-4, VP-100 and VR-2." [Updated 17FEB98]


MASZTAK, "Ziggie" c/o His Son Don Masztak marine@buckeye-express.com "...I am a former U. S. Marine. I just came across some of my Father's paperwork. I'm wondering if anyone who reads this, might have been in contact with him? I know it will be tough, as he would have been 86 this year. He was with VH-2 Saipan and Tinian in 1945. He was a Waist Gunner/nose gunner. Seaman 1 C: Zykfryt "Ziggie" Masztak. There is a Certificate from the NAS Banana River, Florida Combat Air Crew. VPB-2-OTU#3. Combat Air Crew-56-B. 27 day of March 1945. There is a list of Crew Members, 13 in all, headed by First Pilot Lt. B. Barrett. Anyone having any info, input, whatever - please contact me at the e-mail address given. Thanks for your time. God Bless! Semper Fi! An Ole Marine Flame Tanker...Also served with VPB-100..." [BIO Updated 29AUG2001 | 23AUG2001]

Memorial Picture Shipmate PixCirca 1945 "...MIKITA, ARM2 Ted E. "Theo"...My father, ARM2 Theo E. Mikita, passed away May 26th, 2004. Dad served with VPB-2 OTU 3 as a radio operator aboard the PBM-3 out of in out of NAS Banana River, Florida until reassigned to VPB-2 OTU 4 prior to shipping out (August 1944) to train on new PBM-5 at the Radar School in NAS Corpus Christi, Texas. Attached to crew 72C, PPC LT(jg) Harold J. McKibben. After NAS Corpus Christi, Texas flew to NAF Salton Sea, then to NAS Alameda, California VPB-99 for crew ASW and Navigation training. Next the crew traveled to MCBH Kaneohe Bay, Hawaii and attached to VPB-100 for advanced training covering sleeve gunnery, ASW sonobuoy, and radar bombing. They were finishing this up when the atomic bombs were dropped in Japan. They made preparations for shipping out to the war zone, and reached Kerama Retto, Okinawa to join VPB-208 and the USS Hamlin (AV-15) on August 21. Crewmates were copilot Ensign Koch, S2 Lawrence "Smokey'' J. Verstraete, AOM3 Douglas H Watts, Sidney Lee Hawkins, AOM3 Donald Roy Battenschlag, Joseph L Mugnolo, and Arthur B Street. By then offensive operations had ceased for the most part while negotiations for the surrender of Japan were being carried out. On August 24, 1945 they tracked and bombed a Japanese trawler in the Chusan Archipelego. Flew in squadron formation over Tokyo bay as part of surrender ceremonies on September 2, then participated in occupation duties in Tokyo. The crew spent the squadron’s final days in theatre providing VIP, courier and passenger service between major water accessible cities in Japan including Tokyo, Nagoya, Hiroshima, and Sasebo. When the squadron transferred out in November Ted was reassigned to a new crew in VPB-26. VPB-26 was based initially out of Tokyo, and was serviced by the USS Hamlin (AV-15) (Yokosuka) and USS Bering Strait (AVP-34) (Sasebo) until the end of January when it relieved VPB-25 in Shanghai for service between Shanghai (USS Duxbury Bay (AVP-38)) and Tsing Tao. He flew with PPC’s LT(jg) Eymann, LT(jg) Roussey, LT Bedford and LCDR Demarest. Anyone with interest in or ties to VPB-208 and VPB-26 during this period are invited to email me..." Contributed by MIKITA, Ted E. ted@lwranch.com [17NOV2012]


Memorial Picture "...NICHOLSON, John Howell...Shipmate Pix...My Dad, John Howell Nicholson, is deceased. He took Basic at NAS Great Lakes, Illinois, Communications Training at NAS Seattle, Washington, reaching MCBH Kaneohe Bay, Hawaii in February, 1942. He joined Patrol Wing 1/FAW-1 and flew missions with them from NOB Espiritu Santo, New Hebrides Islands and NAB Henderson/Carney Field, Guadalcanal. Afterward, he went to HedRon FAW-8 at NAS Alameda, California, and later flew with VPB-98, VPB-99 and VPB-100. He was in combat with VPB-18 from March to August, 1945, and received the Air Medal and Distinguished Flying Cross. He retired from active duty in December, 1960...Jon Nicholson nicholson_jon@yahoo.com..." [29MAY2009]


PENSE, Lee c/o His Son Mike Pense nibor@iso.net "...If anyone would like a crew picture containing some of the men from VPB-200, VP-198, and VP-100. I have possibly the only aircraft art for VPB-200 (it was never allowed to be put on because the birds changed hands so often). Please contact me, this art was drawn by one of my dad's crewmates. If anyone recognizes any of the crewmen, I would like to hear from you. My Dad's name is Lee Pense (radio operator) ARM3c. He flew the PV-1 and PV-2 Ventura. Dad's crew captain was Robert A. Willise..." [29JAN98]


RAGSDALE, Homer C. c/o His Sons Harry Ragsdale DRags65860@aol.com or Randy Ragsdale rwragsdale@gmail.com "...My dad (Homer C. Ragsdale) was CO of VP-2 around 1966. We lived off the third tee of the naval golf course a NAS Whidbey Island, Washington. If any one remembers my dad, please email...also served with VPB-11 and 33 in the late 1940's amd 50's, VPB-100, VP-AM-4 and VP-741..." [E-Mail Updated 11JAN2011 | E-Mail Updated 07JUL2002 | E-Mail Updated 26MAY2001 | BIO Updated 11JUN2000 | 08JUN2000]

REZNER, George grezner1@centurylink.net "...I was in the USNR from 1940 to 1945 and served with Training Squadron 8-A at NAS Pensacola, Florida and VPB-100..." [11MAR2011]


SAUNDERS, David H. https://naval-air.org/flightlog/moreinfo.asp?UID=2473 "...David H. Saunders - NFL Number: 2473 - Date of Birth: 8/9/1925 - Date In: 1/1/1943 - Date Out: 1/1/1946 - City, State: Kenmore, NY - Aircraft Flown: SNB-1, PBM-3S, PBM-5, PBY-5 and Blimp - Ship or Unit: VPB-100 - Pilot Desg.: Combat Aircrew - Theaters, Campaigns, etc.: Pacific Associations/Service Organizations: VFW American Legion Esprit DeCorps Corps of Engineers - Highest personal decoration or award: Good Conduct Medal - Significant Achievements: Survived crash of PBM-3 off Necker Island in Hawaii. Received an Honorable Discharge Took equivalent Associate Degree - In Memoriam? No..." [10DEC2005]

Memorial Picture "...SMYTH, AD1 Roger W...Shipmate Pix...Aviation Machinist's Mate First Class (Flight Engineer) USNR. Dad enlisted September 1942 and was discharged February 1946. He completed USNTS (AM) NAS Norman, Oklahoma; NAGS Purcell, OK; OTU (PBY) NAS North Island, San Diego, California; and OTU (PBM) NAS Corpus Christi, Texas. He saw service VP-91, VPB-99, VPB-100 and VP-17. He earned the Victory Medal World War II, American Area Asiatic-Pacific Area (3 Stars) and the Good Conduct Medal. He identified traveling/patrolling Honolulu & Kanehoe, HI; Johnston, Suva Is; Fiji Is; New Caledonia (Ile Nou); Espiritu Santo; Guadalcanal; Tolagi; Soloman Is; Admiralty Is (Manua & Rabual); Cafiete (sp?) Philippines; China (Shanghai & Whangpo); Saipan Marianas; Eniwetok; New Zealand (Auckland & Wellington). ..." Contributed by Claudia Smyth Strock cjstrock@comcast.net [12NOV2013]

STEWART, ARM2 Richard Parker (Stew) c/o His Son Richard W. Stewart rws48910@yahoo.com "...I would very much like to find any surviving crew from VB-100, in the dates between 3 September 1943 through 22 March 1946. My father, Richard Parker Stewart, (Stew) ARM2/c served during this period, and I would like to aquire any available copies of photographs of him alone or with fellow crewmembers/Shipmates during his service. No photos remain of him with his family as all were destroyed in a fire. I would gladly pay any reimbursment for monies spent on the duplication of these documents. I would also be interested in talking to anyone who served with my dad. I have so many questions to ask. I even served with the Naval Air Wing myself as soon as I was old enough to get a "feel" for some of the experiences my dad would have had. Gentlemen, any feedback would be most greatly appreciated. Thank you for your time and consideration. Sincerely..." [13JAN2001]


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