THE PLANES HE FLEW GRUMMAN F4F-3, F4F-4 WILDCATS
The Grumman Aircraft Co. began design of a new breed of fighter aircraft in 1937 when it realized that the bi-planes were a thing of the past. The Navy agreed and was ordering the Brewster F2a Buffalo but wanted Grumman to build them something better. In October, 1938, they placed an order for the first F4F-3. They liked the single 1056 hp. engined, square winged monoplane. Top speed was 335 mph, it maneuvered nicely, and could land on carriers. It had four 50 mm. guns (later six) in the wings, 200 lb. bomb capacity, an armored cockpit, and self-sealing fuel tanks. It had a range of 845 miles and could reach an altitude of 34,900 ft. By Dec. 1941, 1971 planes had been built. The F4F-4 was built with folding wings for carrier storage. In Jan. 1942, General Motors took over the building of the Wildcats under the name of Eastern Aircraft Corps., while Grumman went on to design and build the F6F Hellcat fighter. A total of 7898 Wildcats were built in the war effort, with the GM issues called the FM1 and the FM2 Wildcats.
Some good footage of the Wildcats can be seen in the 1976 movie "Midway" with Fonda, Heston, and Ford. Midway was the battle right before Guadalcanal and the movie seems historically and aviationally very accurate. SBD's and TBF's are also shown.
Although the F4F was our best plane in the early years of the war, it was inferior to the Japanese Zero. Our pilots successes stemmed from superior tactics and better back-up. The Wildcats were eventually replaced by the F4u and the F41a Corsairs seen in "Black Sheep Squadron." Pappy Boyington led this group, VMF 214, a sister squadron of Joe's VMF 212. PREVIOUS PLANES FLOWN While at Pensacola Naval Air Station Flight Training, Joe probably learned his skills in the following planes from 1934 to1936:
NY-2 Seaplane, 250 hp. Wright Whirlwind engine. Stearman NK O2U Vought Corsair--450 hp. Wasp engine. SU Vought Corsair--620 hp. Hornet engine. TM4-Hornet powered Martin Torpedo plane Twin engine Douglas and Martin Patrol bombers 03U's with hood for night flying
after training: Curtiss and Boeing Bi-planes Gruman F3F fighter (all the above were bi-planes) F2a Brewster Buffalo mono-wing fighter F4F-4 Grumman Wildcat The F4F-4 that Joe went down in was Serial # 03454 COURSES STUDIED WHILE AT THE NAVAL ACADEMY: Engineering and aeronautics years 1,2,3,4 Mathematics 1,2,3 Elec. Eng. & Physics 1,2,3,4 English 1,2, 4 Languages 1,2,3,4 Ordnance & Gunnery 3,4 Navigation 3,4 Hygiene 4 Seamanship and Flight Tactics 3,4
The students were also rated for Aptitude for Service every year.
During his first two summers, Joe spent much less time aboard training ships than did his classmates. I can only assume that his coaches in various sports (especially football) might have arranged this.
DATES AND POSTS IN SERVICE
The following addendum is from material received from the National Personnel Record Center (St. Louis). It is mostly detail, but I feel it adds a certain completeness to the story. Day by day, this is Indian Joe Bauer:
Jul 30-Jul 31--Marine Barracks, Navy Yard, Phila. Pa., Student Basic School.
Aug 31-Nov 31--Marine Barracks, Quantico, Va.--Company Officer, 74th Co., 1st. Btn, 6th Marines.
Dec 31-Jan 32--Quantico-Company Officer-Company " D", 1st Bttn., 1st Marines.
Jan 32-Jun 32--USS Reina Mercedes-Annapolis--Asst. Basketball and Lacrosse Coach-USNA.
Jun 32-Dec 32--Quantico-Post Service Bttn.-Asst. Post Athletic
Officer--(sick, Wash. Nav. Hosp.--11/25-12/21-- broken nose).
Jan 33-Jun 33--USS Reina Mercedes-Annapolis--Asst. Basketball and Lacrosse Coach-USNA.
Jun 33-Dec 33--USMC Base, San Diego, Cal.--Rifle Range Detachment and Recruitment Detachment, then Instructor and Officer School, then Officer-in-charge, Recruiting and Receiving Barracks. (sick, Naval Hosp., San Diego. 12/11-1/3, broken nose).
Jan 34-Sep 34--Marine Detachment USS San Francisco (based San Diego)-Detachment Officer.
Sep 34-Nov 34--San Diego--Company Officer and Instructor.
Jan. 25, 1935--COMMISSIONED 1st LIEUTENANT.
Dec 34-Apr 36--Pensacola Naval Air Station (Fla.)-Student Naval Aviator, then Naval Aviator (Feb 36). Next detachment delayed from 4/13 to 5/11--BILLY BORN!
May 36-May 40--Quantico--Squad. Material Officer, Squad. Flight Off., Squad. Exec. Off., Inspector of Naval Material., with temporary duty at Edgemont Arsenal, Md., Parris Island, SC., San Diego, Cal., (fleet exercises USS Saratoga-carrier landing qualification), Miami, Fla., Culebra, PR., Cleveland, OH., (Air Races) San Juan, PR., and St. Thomas, VI.
Aug. 5, 1937--COMMISSIONED CAPTAIN
Jun 40-Dec 40--San Diego--Squad. Off., Engineering Officer-Fighting Squad. 2, 2nd MAG-exercises on the USS Saratoga and the USS Lexington.
Jan 41-Feb 41--2nd MAG-Navy Yard, Pearl Harbor--Squad Flt. Off.
Feb 41-Jul 41--2nd MAG-Ewa, Oahu-Squad. Flt. Off., group redesignated as Marine Fighting Squadron 2, then redesignated as MFS 221, MAG 21. 2nd MAW, 2nd Marine Division.
Jul 41-Dec 41--San Diego NAS-Flight Officer, then Exec. Off. of MFS 221, MAG 21, 2nd MAW, 2nd Marine Division.
Dec 41-Feb 42--Midway Island--Squadron Executive Officer.
Jan. 6, 1942--COMMISSIONED MAJOR
Feb 42 --Joined MFS 211, Ewa, as Squad. Commander.
Mar 42-Apr 42--Commanded MFS 212, MAG 24, 2nd MAW at Ewa--Squad redesignated as VMF 212, MAG 21, 2nd MAW.
May 42 --Joined Rear Echelon after sailing Pearl Harbor to New Caledonia on USS Enterprise.
Jun 42-Sep 42--Base Buttons--Commanding Officer--location: Beyond the seas. VMF 212 now in 1st MAW.
Aug. 11, 1942--COMMISSIONED LT. COLONEL.
Sep 42-Nov 42--Base Cactus--Special Aviation Temporary Duty--
Nov. 14, 1942 Missing in Action.
Dec. 14, 1942--Detached from VMF 212 rolls to Prisoner of War and Missing Persons, HQMC, Washington, DC.
Jan. 8, 1946--Status changed to Killed in Action by reason of findings of the Secretary of the Navy.
A recent pamphlet published by the Marine Corps Historical Assn. at the Washington DC Navy Yard finally exposes a fact that I had realized while doing this project but had decided not to expound upon. Careful reading of this story will account for only 10 official kills, this seems to be the truth. The count of 11 comes from the report to the Medal Selection Committee from Gen. Geiger when he contested the Navy Cross award (see pp. 38-9). He wrote the final Citation and in his recommendation he mentioned 11 kills. He, like most others, gave Joe credit for the fifth kill on Oct 3, 1942 (see p. 21). The Citation wording could also have Joe shooting down both Zeros on his final day--this was not the case.
"Time of the Aces: Marine Pilots in the Solomons, 1942-1944" Marines in World War II Commemorative Series by Commander Peter B. Mersky note: While this fact was true, he also reported that Joe was part Indian! Such is research--
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