HISTORY

pass and disappeared. Both P-400s were

hit by 7.7mm bullets, but Brannon and

Fincher were undeterred. Unfortunately,

as Brannon later recalled, “When we got

up to Guadalcanal, one of the first things

that we found out was that the British had

put a high-pressure oxygen system in

our airplanes. The Marines had oxygen,

but it was low pressure. I remember we

managed to get all the way up to 16,000

feet on our first fight. We were really

woozy. And of course, the Zeros were way

up above us.”

Three Wildcats took on the retiring attack

Zeros at low altitude over Lengo Channel.

VMF-212’s 2nd Lieutenant Bob McLeod

got good hits on one that he claimed

destroyed. In fact, the pilot – Lieutenant

Nōtomi’s wingman – was able to nurse his

stricken fighter back over Guadalcanal,

where he crash-landed, was found by

Japanese troops, and was eventually

evacuated off the island. In return,

VMF-223’s 2nd Lieutenant Elwood Bailey

was shot down. Last seen in his parachute,

descending toward the water near Tulagi,

he never made it home.

Lieutenant Murakami’s Kates executed

a wide formation turn to the north after

they dropped their bombs, in an attempt to

retire from the area. At 1433 hours, Marion

Carl executed what observers called “the

most beautiful overhead pass,” downing

a Kate on the formation’s left side. Lindley

and Gutt also fired on the Kates. As they

did so, reinforcement began arriving.

Captain Morrell, flying what was probably

the best Wildcat on the island, was in the

lead followed by five second lieutenants.

All six attacked the five surviving Kates

and five escort Zeros from below. As they

did so, two attack Zeros arrived to help

ward off the attackers. 2nd Lieutenantt

Ken Frazier destroyed a Kate on the right

side of the formation on his first pass

while Carl shot a Zero off Lindley’s tail;

however, he did not destroy it, as credited.

Gutt was shot up and wounded in the left

arm and left leg by another Zero, but made

it back to Henderson Field. Lieutenants

Rex Jeans and Red Taylor teamed up to

disable a Kate, but Taylor - one of the six

VMF-212 reinforcements - was immediately

shot down and killed by a Zero. Last of all,

VMF-212’s 2nd Lieutenant John King

fired on a Kate that blew up. After

Photo: via autor

up with a Wildcat that had just lifted off

and shot it up. Wounded in the head and

shoulder, the pilot managed to keep the

airplane airborne long enough to ditch

reasonably well off Florida, where he

was rescued by islanders and returned to

Tulagi the next day.

67th Fighter Squadron skipper Captain

Dale Brannon and his wingman, 2nd

Lieutenant Deltis Fincher, dashed for their

Airacobras when they saw the Condition

One flag go up. Both remembered they

could hear the drone of the enemy

overhead by the time they were in their

cockpits and starting up. As they raced

in echelon along the runway, they could

hear the explosions of the bombs over the

roar of their engines. Just as they lifted off

and retracted their gear, a Zero swooped

in front of them. They turned into one

another and let fly with everything: eight

.30-caliber machine guns, four .50-caliber

machine guns, and two 20mm cannon,

disintegrating the Zero. They flew through

the debris as they clawed for altitude but

were attacked in turn by the shotai leader

and wingman of the fighter they had just

destroyed. The enemy fighters made one

Many Wildcats were destroyed not only in combat but also on the ground. Either as a result of enemy attacks or in crashes during take-off and landing. These aircraft

then became a source of spare parts.

22

INFO Eduard

April 2023