VP-91 Alumni Association
"Up Floats" Contributed by George B. Winter pbycat@bellsouth.net
1997-2 9 Pages Full of Pictures! Contributed by George B. Winter pbycat@bellsouth.net
"War and Peace and Memory"
The Boston Sunday Globe November 13, 1994 Waiting for permission to post
10DEC42 Action With Enemy Report DATE: Dec. 10, 1942
LAT: 5 Degrees 15'S
LONG. 160 Degrees 50'E
TIME: 1035 L
WEATHER: Fair, with semi-occasional squalls
UNIT REPORTING: Ensign D. G. McLaran, PPC, and 2 members of crew of PBY-5 #72P5, of Squadron VP-72
NATURE OF OPERATION: Search Patrol
FORCES ENGAGED OWN: 1 PBY-5
FORCES ENGAGED ENEMY: 1 Mitsubishi 01 twin-engined land based bomber - color, a shiny silver blue - red suns
TYPE OF ATTACK: Passes from port side after quarter - see pp 16 for details
ENEMY TACTICS: See pp 16
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF ACTION: See pp 16
WEAPONS EMPLOYED OWN: .30 and .50 cal. machine guns
WEAPONS EMPLOYED ENEMY: 7.7 mm. machine guns
EVASIVE ACTION EMPLOYED: Zigzag course at low altitutde - swing tail to bring waist guns to bear - running for raincloud
AMMUNITION EXPENDED: No Estimate
RESULTS: None - probably some damage to bomber since port engine seemed to be smoking after last pass, and its port and bow gun stopped shooting after 2nd pass
DAMAGE TO OWN AIRCRAFT: About 20 small bullet holes in PBY - none crippling - I.F.F. antenna shot off
REMARKS (pp16): PBY was on NW course at 200 ft. alt. when VB approached form West (from direction of Ongtong Java) at about 700 ft. The Jap dove on PBY's tail, approaching from port side after quarter in blind spot of horizontal stabilizer, to within about 300 yards, shooting its nose gun (guns?), then banked toward plane and out behind tail. 4 precisely similar passes were made, except that on last pass Jap came clear in and over PBY at only about 100 yards before turning out. The PBY turned into the attacking Jap whenever possible - its nose gun is sure it hit many times - and tried to keep its waist guns bearing - those too claim many hits, saying the range was so close sight no good, so just aimed by tracers. After 15 minutes, PBY got to rain cloud, stayed in it another 15 minutes, during which VB departed. The Jap could easily out speed the PBY, which was indicating 135 knots.
REMARKS: It seems probable that the pilot is on the starboard side of the VB since all attacks were from PBY's portside aft.
SIGNED: Air Combat Intel. Officer - Gail J. Burck
TABLE OF CONTENTS Introduction 10DEC42 Action With Enemy Report VP-91 Squadron Roster A Sailors Prayer Pearl Harbor on 07DEC41 War and Peace and Memory Article A Letter Life's Long Road
"VP-91 Up-Float Newsletter SummaryPage"
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