A BIT OF HISTORY: "...My dad (Bruce Vernon Rogers) flew as a tail gunner and radio operator in PB4Y-1s and 2s. I have seen the PB4Y-2 on display at Pensacola Naval Air Museum. There is one being refurbished at Galveston Island, TX Air Museum...Entered service 3/28/44, Gunnery School at Percell, OK (4 weeks), Radio School at Memphis, TN (18 weeks), Radar School at Memphis, TN (2 weeks), NAS, Miami, FL (5 weeks). He served with VPB-197, VPB-200, and VPB-111. He was a tail gunner and radio operator on PB4Y-1s and PB4Y-2s. Highest rank: ARM3c(T) Awards: Philippine Liberation Ribbon (1 star), Asiatic-Pacific Area Ribbon, Combat Aircrew Insignia (3stars), and the Victory Ribbon American Area. Dad's Date of Separation 1/19/46. He passed away at the VA Medical Center, Feb. 25, 1986. Here are some of the things that he told me, which I will repeat to the best of my memory: 1) The crew generally stayed together, however, they flew in several aircraft, including both the PB4Y-1 and PB4Y-2. 2) At one Pacific base, a couple of airplanes exploded just after take-off. Subsequent investigation found that Japanese slipped into the area and rigged hand grenades to explode as the front wheel was retracted into the wheel-well. 3) On one mission, he was elated when the aircraft flew over a Japanese ship. He strafed it with his twin 50 caliber machine guns and it blew up. He reported his sinking of the ship to the rest of the crew via the inter-com. To which he was advised that a bomb from their aircraft had been dropped down the funnel of the ship. (Oh...) 4) There were two types of turrets used: Electric and hydraulic. He said that they had a quite different feel from one to the other. I believe one was an ERCO turret. 5) On one mission, the aircraft was attacked by Japanese aircraft. As an embarrassing result, he got wedged in the turret so that he could not move, nor could he activate the inter-com. After the "excitement was over", the pilot called for a check of all personnel. My dad could not communicate and was assumed dead in the rear turret. He said that he had to put up with inter-com conversation on the way back (he could hear, but not speak) regarding his "death". 6) On one mission, they were asked to find an island which had a fighter plane strip on it and land there, then take off again, which they did. Later, they found out that "the brass" wanted to know if the island strip could be used for emergency landings... The crew was not happy about being used as "guinea pigs" on a short field. 7) I asked him about the accuracy of shooting the twin 50's. He said that those student gunners that could shoot a shot-gun well, also generally did well in the airplanes. He said he thought that this is because of the lead required along with the reflex action. 8) He also said that he was on a mission the day that the 1st atom bomb was dropped and always wondered if the radiation that was in the air at the time would affect him. (Of course at the time that the bomb dropped, they had no idea of what affects or potential affects that it might have on an aircraft flying "down-wind"). Unfortunately, I do not recall any of the names of the various aircraft that he flew in, although he did give me the names of several of the aircraft. Because this is rather lengthy, you may edit or not use any part of it as you wish. There are a couple of things that may be "embarrassing" to have happen, such as being a captive in one's own turret. However, those things happen. We are all human beings, no matter what country we come from. I still remember qualifying with the M-1 rifle at Fort Ord, CA. In the Army's "wisdom" all rifle sights (at that time) had to be set at a Zero - Zero setting when in the rifle rack. When we went to the rifle range to qualify at shooting "pop-up" targets, I was not hitting anything - and I couldn't see where my bullets were going. Finally, some longer distance targets popped up and I saw my bullets hit - way low and far to the left. So far, that I at first thought that they were not mine. Well, I used "Kentucky windage" the rest of the morning. I was trying to figure out, between shots, what the heck was wrong. When we broke for some lunch, I looked down and saw that #$%& Zero - Zero setting. I clicked up 8 and 17 clicks to the right and ended up shooting Expert. But, I dropped some points that I should have had...And learned a lesson that I will never forget. (17 clicks is not a misprint. I have a bad habit of canting my rifle, which in turn distorts "normal view".)..." Contributed by Philip Rogers pbro@sprynet.com

A BIT OF HISTORY: "...LOCKHEED PV VENTURA and HARPOON - by Jack McKillop..." http://www.microworks.net/pacific/aviation/pv_ventura.htm [23JUN2002]

Waiting for permission to post entire article.

Circa 1943

A BIT OF HISTORY: "...Location of U. S. Naval Aircraft - Dated 16 Jan 1943..." WebSite: Naval Historical Center http://www.history.navy.mil/ [01OCT2006]

VP SQUADRONS MENTIONED

CASU and PATSU

VJ-1, VJ-2, VJ-3, VJ-4, VJ-5, VJ-6, VJ-7 and VJ-8

VP-6 Coast Guard

VP-3

VP-11 and VP-12

VP-23 and VP-24

VP-31, VP-32, VP-33 and VP-34

VP-41, VP-42, VP-43 and VP-44

VP-51, VP-52, VP-53 and VP-54

VP-61, VP-62 and VP-63

VP-71, VP-72, VP-73 and VP-74

VP-81, VP-82, VP-83 and VP-84

VP-91, VP-92VP-93, and VP-94

VP-101, VP-102, VP-103, VP-104, VP-105, VP-106, VP-107, VP-108 and VP-109

VP-110

VP-127, VP-128 and VP-129

VP-131, VP-132, VP-133 and VP-134

VP-200, VP-201, VP-202, VP-203, VP-204, VP-205, VP-206, VP-207, VP-208 and VP-209

VP-210, VP-211, VP-210, and VP-216

"VP-200 History Summary Page"

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