"Jolly Rogers"

 

 

Established:    1st Jan, 1943
   
Deployed from::   Solomons Oct '43 - March '44 (1st tour)
  USS Hornet (CV-12) Feb - June '45 (2nd tour)
     
Claims against aircraft in Air:   Destroyed   Probable   Damaged
(1st tour) 152   31   23
(2nd tour) 161   17   25
Totals   313   48   48
             
Action::        
         
     
       
         
         
         
         
         
         
         
         
         
         

Aces were:
(scores in this squadron only- some scored victories while flying in other groups or squadrons)

                    (tour 1)    (tour 2)
  Kepford, I. (16)   Beebe, M (10.5)
  Blackburn, J (11)   Harris, T (8)
  Hedrick, R (9)   Hardy, W (6.5)
  Gile, C (8)   Watts, C (6.5)
  May, E (8)   Coats, R (6.333)
  Burriss, H (7.5)   Cowger, R (6)
  Chenoweth, O (7.5)   Pool, T (6)
  Cunningham, D (7)   Winfield, M (6)
  Davenport, M (6.25)   Humphrey, R (5.333)
  Cordray, P (6)   Crosby, J (5)
  Mims, R (6)   Pearce, J (5)
  Streig, F (5)   Sistrunk, F (5)
  Smith, J (3)   Wooley, M (3)
  Freeman, D (2)   Langdon, N (2)
  March, H (2)    
       
Planes Flown: (tour 1)    (tour 2)
F4U-1   F6F-5
      F6F-5N
      F6F-5P
       

 

ace Willis 'Bill' Hardy, with Stanley 'Swede' Vejtasa. The third iteration of the Jolly Rogers when we "reformed" about VJ day, after our return from the combat tour in the Hornet with Hellcats. Interestingly the first tour was land based with Corsairs, the second carrier based with Hellcats and then the subject photo of the third tour back again in Corsairs.

photo courtesy of Bill Hardy

The original 'Jolly Roger' painting

photo courtesy of Bill Hardy

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