USS Hornet Attack Carrier Air Group 11 .. January 1-23, 1945

[Mark Allen M]

Got what may be an interesting thread for some of ya.

Most of the images in this thread were sent to me by a very nice fellow from Las Vegas, NV who through WIX contacted me to ask questions of my father's career with the USS Hornet's Air Group 11. He is a researcher and historian who has a wealth of knowledge regarding Air Group 11. Very thankful for him to have sent me what you will see here.

Of the rare conversations I had with dad the one that stood out most was the fact that by 1945 there was very little bravado amongst his fellow pilots, most seemed to have a good idea by then that it was a matter of time before the war would be over and everyone’s thoughts were to simply survive the war and not do anything too brave or stupid. Just to do your job and get home alive. That was their attitude. I’m no historian and never would claim to be one so the true historians may have other thoughts about the bravery of those in harm’s way during a latter part of the war, but I can tell you dad just wanted to do what was ordered of him and get home as soon as possible. He was no coward but no hero either. He was just one of the many who answered the call to duty. IMHO it’s important this be said.

I hope some of you will enjoy these images. Amazing stuff really.

USS Hornet CV-12 - Air Group 11 - January 1945

Part 1 of 4


This is Air Group 11 consisting of pilots of VF-11 F6F's, VB-11 SB2C's and VT-11 TBF's taken at Ulithi in late December 1944 just before the start of their cruise to the South China Sea. Dad shown in red box. notable aces in the photo: Lt C R Stimpson 16 kills seventh ranked Navy ace, Lt Jim Swope 9.66 kills, Lt H B Moranville 6 kills who was shot down while strafing near Saigon on 12 Jan 1945, briefly held by Vichy French, he made his way to safety in Kunming, China after becoming one of only two Navy ace POW's.


Dad on the left






Dad's logbook entries

Last edited by Mark Allen M on Sun May 04, 2014 12:43 pm, edited 6 times in total.

[Mark Allen M]

Part 2 of 4


VF-11, VT-11 and VB-11


VT-11 TBF Avenger


VB-11 SB2C Helldiver


VT-11 and VB-11 returning from a strike

[Mark Allen M]

Part 3 of 4

CV 12 USS Hornet Air Group 11 Strike photos 9 thru 12 Jan 1945

[Mark Allen M]

Part 4 of 4

CV 12 USS Hornet Air Group 11 Strike photos 12 thru 21 Jan 1945

[Mark Allen M]

... And the USS Hornet Newspaper for Jan and Feb 1945 ...

[Richard W.]

Marvelous images, Mark.

Thank you for posting them.

[The Inspector]

Thanks so much for posting stuff I've never seen before from a part of the Pacific theatre that pretty much is ignored and overlooked in spite of what looks like pretty danged intense ship busting!

[Mark Allen M]

Thanks guys, it really is amazing stuff isn't it? I can only hope other WW2 veterans families have a similar interest in stuff like this. So much is lost to a lack of interest once a veteran passes. Very sad at times.

[muddyboots]

Mark those are just stunning! The ships burning in Can Ran Bay really shows the advantage air power has over shipping! This thread has so much in it, I think it's going to take me some time to digest it all. The newspaper alone is really interesting reading--love the cartoon about the Marines being on our side like the British and the Chinese..

[Jim MacDonald]

Thanks for taking the time to post those, Mark. Really great stuff.

Mac

[K5DH]

Great stuff, Mark, as always. Thanks for sharing it with us.

[Mark Allen M]

Thanks guys my pleasure. I will be scanning the action report for this particular series of missions and will post as well. Very interesting data to read as it lists Task Force information etc. Several ships involved and reason for these particular missions etc. It's really amazing (and sad) just how close dad may have came to "not making it back" ... There are at least two Hellcat BuNo#'s listed on dad's logbook entries of which he flew during the missions flown in January that fellow VF-11 pilots were KIA shortly after, very tragic to read.


SB2C-3 of Bombing Squadron Eleven VB-11 flies over a Japanese oiler smoking furiously a few moments after being hit


Air Group 11 possibly returning from a strike.


Air Group 11 SB2C's and F6F's, location unknown


VF-11 Hellcat "Ginger" 13


VF-11 Hellcat "Ginger" 29 with Lt Jim Swope at the stick


VF-11 Hellcat "Ginger" 52

[Mark Allen M]

[Mark Allen M]

[Noha307]

Part 3 of 4

CV 12 USS Hornet Air Group 11 Strike photos 9 thru 12 Jan 1945

All of the above photos appear to be of the same ship. The last photo is less clearly part of the same scene. However, the same islet in the center-left of the photo below the airplane wing appears in the previous photos to the right of the larger island. I have moved the third to last photo, the one with the staples, to its current position because it seems to fit there chronologically. Note that in the photo there appears to be no spray from an explosion, yet the stern of the ship appears low(er) in the water, therefore, the photo was likely taken after the torpedo impact, but before the ship sank. (Duh!) In addition, the disturbance in the water astern and starboard of the ship appears to match that of the previous photos. The after action report posted above (below the original post) lists a Katori class cruiser being sunk on this day; the ship in the photos above appears to be a Katori class as well. (Can't imagine why I became so good at VIDing that class of ship. ) A quick look at the Wikipedia article for that class tells me that a unit of that class, the Kashii, was sunk on 12 January 1945 by aircraft. Specifically, from the Kashii's article on Wikipedia:

The return voyage with convoy HI-86 consisted of ten ships (4 tankers and 6 cargo ships) and the 101st Escort Group's five frigate CD kaibokans, which departed Singapore on 30 December 1944. On 12 January 1945, shortly after departing Qui Nhon Bay, Indochina, bombers from the U.S Task Group 38.3 USS Essex (CV-9), USS Ticonderoga (CV-14), USS Langley (CVL-27) and the USS San Jacinto(CVL-30) attacked convoy HI-86, sinking most of the convoy's ships. Kashii was hit starboard amidships by a torpedo from a TBF Avenger, then a SB2C Helldiver struck with two bombs aft, setting off the depth charge magazine. The Kashii sank stern first at 13°50′N 109°20′E. Of the Kashii's crew, 621 men went down with the ship and only 19 were rescued.

Note that the ship in the above pictures: sinks stern first & was hit on the starboard side by a torpedo. This matches the description in the Wikipedia article. Q.E.D., the ship in the above series of photos is the Kashii. I would like to point out how quickly the ship in the photos appears to sink - this would coincide with the low percentage of survivors noted in the Wikipedia article.