 VP-144 History
Circa Unknown
Can you identify the Month and or Year?
A BIT OF HISTORY: "...ARM2 Maurice Prange Vandever's Personal Collection. While serving with VB/VPB-144 (Crew-4), Dad participated in 65 combat, photographic and reconnaissace patrols and carried out 22 bombing and strafing attacks, dropping a total of 25 tons of bombs and firing 10,000 rounds of ammunition against enemy fortified bases and armed shipping. On one ocassion, his plane was hit and received 81 holes in it with one engine shot out. Only once member of the crew was wounded and the pilot skillfully flew the plan for 120 miles on one engine in order to get back to the base safely. Dad received the Distinguished Flying Cross in 1994 and three Gold Stars. Photograph Caption: Taken at Roi in Kwajalien June 4, 1944. Actors L-R: Bill Gayle, C. E. Foseman, Bill Hoban, M. P. Vandever, R. E. Yunk, T. J. Lamb (standing on barrel) - our Plane. T. J. Lam is from Crew-1..." Contributed by Scott Vandever svandever1950@gmail.com [26DEC2010]
LEFT to RIGHT - ROW 1: Billy Walters, Monk Schiever and me, M. P. Vandever on right, Ruth Lawless "Chig" Tollison, M. P. Vandever, M. P. Vandever on right, M. P. Vandever on right and L-R: R. E. Chapmann, LT Wood and me.
LEFT to RIGHT - ROW 2: L-R: Gilbert Tollison - Austin Pivett - Billie Todd and me.
A BIT OF HISTORY: "...Facts about VB-144..." Contributed by HOLCOMB, John FlyVB144@aol.com [01OCT2001]
In only two instances during the entire tour did the squadron fail to maintain its operating schedule? On both occasions the flights were canceled, due to weather. In view of these facts this record is all the more commendable.
The following statistics gleaned from the files of our Skipper, Lt. Commander C. L Tetley, will give the reader a better idea of the scope of operations conducted during the eight months we were in combat in the central Pacific.
Bombing Sorties: 338
Patrol Sorties: 682
Special Searches: 42
ASW Hunter Killer Operations: 20
Photo Reconnaissance Missions: 6
Propaganda Leaflet Missions: 10
Escort Missions: 158
Staging Flights: 234
Local and Test Flights: 865
Total Hours Flown: 6,903
Average Hours/Crew: 369
Average number Bombing Sorties/Crew : 18
Average number Patrol Sorties/Crew: 38
Total bomb-tonnage dropped on enemy: 95
Average Percentage of Hits: 82
Total.30- and 50-caliber ammo rounds: 170,000
Forty-three (43) bombing missions, Twenty seven (27) of the patrols, and special searches and, six of the hunter killer flights, were made at night.
"VP-144 History Summary Page"
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