To war in a Wildcat

Air Classics, Apr 2000 by Buchanan, John E

RECALLING SOME MEMORABLE EVENTS DURING THE BATTLE OF LEYTE GULF

Until October 1944, all of our previous experiences could be classified as very exciting while also sharpening up the effectiveness of our squadron - Composite Squadron Three (VC-3). In October, four events in as many days stand out as perhaps the unit's most significant.

D-Day for Leyte was scheduled on 17 October 1944, The first event of the day was the launching of eight General Motors FM-2 Wildcat fighters from USS Kallinin Bay to carry out a pre-dawn fighter sweep over Tacloben airfield.

In the ready room, we were receiving our last-minute briefings. The carrier was rolling and pitching to a greater degree than we had ever experienced. When ordered to man our aircraft, we found the flight deck wet with spray and very windy. My Wildcat was spotted on the catapult as the first to launch. With difficulty from the wind, I managed to get into the cockpit and prepare for launch.

On signal, we started engines and, from what I could make out in the darkness, we were in very heavy seas with green water coming up over the flight deck at the bow. I could not make out the horizon for reference - everything was black and windy. If the fighter had not been firmly tied down, 4 am sure the wind would have blown the plane over the side.

While waiting for the launch signal, I assessed my situation as being most likely my last hours. I figured they would fire me off into those very large waves, but I was ready to go.

In a few minutes I received a signal to shut down the Wright radial which I did at once and then climbed out of the cockpit and made my way back to the ready room. Upon arrival, I found we had arrived off Samar together with a typhoon. Operations were postponed for 24 hours, The next day, with the help of better weather, we opened the Battle for Leyte that led to the Battle of Leyte Gulf, Flight time for that event was 3.3 hours.

19 OCTOBER 1944 On the 19th, the squadron was assigned a strike mission to the west coast of the island of Negros. This was a one-squadron show so we were out in force and loaded for bear. The flight over was uneventful with the fighters doing our best to conserve fuel so we could get back to the carrier. We caught the target airfield unprepared. They attempted to launch their aircraft and we nailed them on the ground while the Japanese aircraft were taxiing. I managed to get five - and also set fires in a fuel storage and ammunition storage revetment. We all returned safely. I landed after 4.6 hours in the air and ran out of gas while taxiing out of the arresting gear. 24 OCTOBER For the previous two days, there was an increase in enemy air activity. My division was assigned to a morning combat air patrol over the objective area. Shortly after arriving on station, we sighted a Japanese bomber approaching from the west, slightly below our altitude. Hippe and I turned to attack. I dropped the external fuel tanks and went to full power.

Because of the turn and power change, I pulled ahead of Hippe and opened fire with the four .50caliber Browning machine guns. Within a second or two, the Jap started smoking at the same time I could see Hippe's tracers heading for the Jap. The Jap turned over and started down and I followed, firing additional bursts until he was engulfed in flames.

I pulled out and we joined up and continued our patrol. A short time later, we received a signal to proceed up the gut between Leyte and Samar as aircraft were reported coming from that direction.

We climbed

through 10,000 feet, passing through clouds. On coming out of a cloud formation, we found ourselves flying head-on into a formation of 21 Jap aircraft. They were ahead and below us, so all four of our aircraft immediately rolled into an attack. What followed was a free-for-all that lasted approximately five minutes.

I attacked one group of three enemy aircraft, the third went down with only two of my guns firing. The other two had jammed. I pulled aside to clear the weapons and, scanning the area, I could see at least six Japs falling in flames at the same time.

I located a single Jap and proceeded to attack. After a couple of bursts, he nosed over and I had to scramble to avoid colliding with the falling craft. On looking around, I could see Hippe and Volpi but not our number four man, McDaniels. We regrouped and returned to the carrier, having expended most of our fuel and ammunition. On returning aboard, Captain T.B. Williamson advised us we could sleep in the next morning and skip "battle stations" something I will never do again. 25 OCTOBER On this date, I was to learn how useless an aviator is on an aircraft carrier with no aircraft to fly and fight in the middle of a surface battle. I heard "00" sound through my sleep but, remembering the Captain's order of the previous day, I rolled over and went back to sleep. A short time later, I was rudely awakened by a large explosion.

I quickly dressed and, taking my Mae West with me, raced for the ready room thinking we had either been torpedoed or hit a mine. On reaching the catwalk, I was greeted by three large explosions in the water close along side, the spray of which showered the ship.