WWII Marine Enlisted Pilot

[JITB]

WW2 Corsair fighter pilots Marines Art Miller and Nick Mainero, both holders of the Distinguished Flying Cross, will be at an open house this weekend in Stratford CT. The Connecticut Air & Space Center (CASC) is hosting a free, all access Open House “Celebrating Connecticut’s Aviation History” on Saturday, July 9th and Sunday July 10th, 2011 (9am -4pm both days), where for the first time in 5 years that the entire collection will be accessible to the general public. The event will be held in the large, open parking lot next to Museum, at the intersection of Main Street & Sniffens Lane, opposite the Atlantic Aviation Hangers at Sikorsky Memorial Airport. Parking is Free.

[PAO]

Good morning ladies and gentlemen,

I'm an active duty Marine working for the Public Affairs Office aboard MCAS Cherry Point. Being the history buff of the office, I've been given charge of writing monthly articles for this year's Centennial of Marine Aviation. I was hoping someone could point me in the right direction to find some enlisted pilots I could interview for a historical piece with the base newspaper, The Windsock.

Thanks for all your help.

LCpl. T.

[jearold]

My husband enlisted int the Marines in WWII. After basic training, he was transferred to the Miami Air Station as a guard. From there, he was transferred to Fort Lauderdale Naval Air Station. His mother knew of his love of planes and had told him to keep his feet on the ground. In spite of this, he talked himself into the Marine Air Force. First he learned how to fly the TBF Torpedo Bomber. He did not like this plane because it was too big a plane for someone of his short stature. He could not see forward and had to look out the left or right window to make a landing. He trained on fighter planes and graduated as a Marine Flying Sergeant. While waiting for his transfer to the West Coast to go overseas, he flew Corsairs up and down the Florida East Coast on the lookout for submarines. Soon a notice came through that the Flying Sergeants were being disbanded. Those that had a college education could go on to Officers Training School in California. If you did not have a college education, you went back to line duty. John was sent to Camp Lejeune Marine Base in North Carolina for more training in all kinds of weapons. Eventually sent with 2nd Div. to the Asiatic Pacific theater for the invasion of Tarawa. He was wounded there and wound up in a hospital in Hawaii for several months. By the time he was released, the 2nd Div. had left Hawaii and he was attached to the 5th Div. and sent to Leyte and later to Guam. If anyone remembers John Jacob Arold (JJ) at any of these places, I would like to hear from you. (jearold@yahoo.com) His military records are all mixed up and I would like to get them straightened out.
Eleanor Arold (jearold)

[PaMarine]

I was fortunate to have served with two enlisted Marine pilots, MGySgt's Joseph A. Conroy and SgtMajor Roy Knapp. I currently have group (Old Bold Pilots) that meets once a week for breakfast and I enjoy the company of Ray Delacqua an enlisted pilot served in WWII, Korea and Vietnam. I crewed for awhile with Joe Conroy in 62 and I hitched a ride with him from ChuLai to Danang in 68 to catch the "freedom bird" home. I had the privilige of serving with SgtMajor Knapp at the Marine Detachment, S. Weymouth, Mass. 60-61. All these guys were great, I wish I had served with more of them.

[PaMarine]

Are you still in need of contacting an enlisted pilot? I currently have group (Old Bold Pilots) that meets once a week for breakfast and I enjoy the company of Ray Delacqua an enlisted pilot served in WWII, Korea and Vietnam. I could ask him if he would share his time with you. You can contact me back faster at Bronco-Rep@sbcglobal.net

[lovemyUSMCdad]

My father was an enlisted pilot in the USMC and flew the Corsair F4U. He was Master Sargent William S Canty.

[Ken Hendry]

My uncle enlisted on 8 July 1939. Was with Co "E" Marines Raider Bn. FMF Discharge 6 Oct. 1945 and went to flight school was called back in and was with VMGR-352, MWSG-37, 3dMAW,MCAS, El Toro assigned crew member flying out of, within and over Laos, Vietnam, and Thailand and part of U.S. Retired April 64 E7. Could not go to OCS because he only had a 8th grade ed. Passed on Sept. 2003

Semper Fi
Ken Hendry

[JML]

VMF 213 Working Roster, February 1, 1943 (Officers and Enlisted) at https://docs.google.com/a/nmb.gov/fi...khjS1E/preview
additional info at http://www.vmf-213.com
One of the NAPs Coffeen was MIA but returned: SSgt. William I. Coffeen's ordeal began with engine trouble during a mission on April 13, 1943, and ended with his return noted in the Flight Surgeon's log as being June 27.

[spoondad4]

this may be a little late, but. I was stationed in iwakuni japan with VMCJ-1. in 1975 we had 2 enlisted pilots. when the squadron was deactivated in 1975, the a/c and pilots rotated back to the states. both enlisted pilots flew second seat. i'm not sure if they flew in our rf4b's or the ea6a model. at this time I was told they were the last enlisted pilots in the marine corp. most of my stuff is packed away so i'm not sure if I still have pic's from those days. good luck and semper fi