Pacific Wrecks

Missing In Action (MIA)

Prisoners Of War (POW)

Unexploded Ordnance (UXO)

Chronology

TBF-1 Avenger Bureau Number ?????

USN
USS Saratoga (CV-3)
VT-8

Pilot Lt(jg) Edward L. "Frencie" Fayle (rescued)
Radio ARM3c Edward "Eddy" Velazquez (rescued)
Gunner ? (rescued)
Ditched August 24, 1942

Aircraft History
Built by Grumman. Delivered to the U.S. Navy (USN) as TBF-1 Avenger bureau number unknown.

Wartime History
Assigned to the USS Saratoga (CV-3) to Torpedo Squadron 8 (VT-8). No known nose art, nickname or squadron number.

Mission History
On August 24, 1942 at 4:38pm during the Battle of the Eastern Solomons took off from from USS Saratoga (CV-3) piloted by Lt(jg) Edward L. "Frencie" Fayle as one of five Avengers led by Swede Larsen.

Approaching Japanese cruisers at 5:25pm, Zeros attempted to intercept but the formation managed to escape into clouds. Heading south alone, this Avenger was spotted and attacked by a pair of Zeros from Shokaku: A6M2 Zeros piloted by Yoshio Iwaki and PO2c Hiroshi Ohara, who mistakenly claimed this was a multi-engined land plane.

Attacking, the Zeros scored hits on the right wing, fuselage and shattered the plexiglass in the rear turret. Gunner Velazquez returned fire and managed to shoot down Iwaki. Although Ohara claimed the enemy plane as shot down, it continued southward bound for Guadalcanal but ran out of fuel and ditched to off Nura Island, between Guadalcanal and Malaita.

Fates of the Crew
The entire crew survived the ditching unhurt and swam ashore onto Nura Island. Their presence was reported by an Allied coastwatcher.

Rescue
On August 29, 1942 by USS Gamble (DD-123) and returned to USS Saratoga on August 30, 1942.

References
A Dawn Like Thunder pages 265, 267, 283
The First Team and the Guadalcanal Campaign (1994) pages 153-154, 608

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Last Updated
August 19, 2021

Avenger

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