Search found 13 matches

by Leatherneck MIA
Tue Aug 18, 2020 9:17 pm
Forum: Missing/Killed In Action (MIA/KIA)
Topic: VMB-612 Marine PBJ's off of Saipan
Replies: 15
Views: 51223

Re: VMB-612 Marine PBJ's off of Saipan

Thank you Hatsukaze-san--for keeping your eyes open if you visit the Bonin Islands and Chi Chi Jima ---
Hopefully you can find some new clues of the many planes that were lost near those islands.... including my relative (PBJ bomber) and also George W. Bush's plane 3 miles off shore.
by Leatherneck MIA
Sun May 17, 2015 5:27 pm
Forum: Missing/Killed In Action (MIA/KIA)
Topic: VMB-612
Replies: 1
Views: 11956

Re: VMB-612

Dan123-- About 30 posts back I posted information about this missing plane (35149) that "Tony Nedik" was on from Marine Squadron VMB612 -- aka, "Crams Ram's" or "Suicide Squadron". Send me a pm and I can forward about all the information about the lost planes from this squadron-- ideally I am trying...
by Leatherneck MIA
Sun Jul 13, 2014 5:24 pm
Forum: Wrecks & Losses
Topic: A GREAT F7F Mystery-- need your help
Replies: 3
Views: 6438

Re: A GREAT F7F Mystery-- need your help

Super-- thanks for the research and pictures. It appears that you solved the mystery-- those planes appear similar. Here are some snippets what was written up on page 211 of Cram's Ram's First Lt. Samuel C. Balthrop, pilot of a new PBJ-1 was returning from his anti-submarine patrol of sector 5. The ...
by Leatherneck MIA
Wed Jul 09, 2014 9:48 pm
Forum: Wrecks & Losses
Topic: A GREAT F7F Mystery-- need your help
Replies: 3
Views: 6438

A GREAT F7F Mystery-- need your help

While reading a history of Marine Bombing Squadron VBM-612 which flew PBJ's (Marine B-25's) off of Saipan and IwoJima (the book was called Cram's Ram's by Thomas Honeycutt), I came across a mystery regarding a new fighter in the Pacific, the F7F Tigercat. On April 20, 1945, in dense fog, three of th...
by Leatherneck MIA
Thu May 30, 2013 10:12 pm
Forum: Missing/Killed In Action (MIA/KIA)
Topic: Tarawa marines
Replies: 1
Views: 4967

Re: Tarawa marines

Great Report-- thanks for sharing. This has probably been stated elsewhere but there are still 3000 MIA Marines from the WWII Pacific Theater. Most are aviators but several are from this battle at Tarawa. The Marine corps sent my father a DNA kit in case the remains of his MIA first cousin were foun...
by Leatherneck MIA
Fri Mar 01, 2013 6:41 pm
Forum: Missing/Killed In Action (MIA/KIA)
Topic: VMB-612 Marine PBJ's off of Saipan
Replies: 15
Views: 51223

Re: VMB-612 Marine PBJ's off of Saipan

Can anyone discern what plane type this wing came from ?
http://www.pacificwrecks.com/provinces/ ... -beach.jpg

I am researching a missing PBJ1-D (B25 variant) that was lost on a bombing run to Chichi Jima.
by Leatherneck MIA
Tue Dec 04, 2012 10:32 am
Forum: Missing/Killed In Action (MIA/KIA)
Topic: VMB-612 Marine PBJ's off of Saipan
Replies: 15
Views: 51223

Re: VMB-612 Marine PBJ's off of Saipan

I am planning to submit the write-ups for all the planes lost from this squadron (there are about 10) Bureau # ModelLow MBHigh MB Date Lost Disposition 35148 D 40 20-Apr-45 Ditched off Iwo Jima - all crew saved 35149 D 10 31? 29-Nov-44 MIA between Saipan and Chichi 35150 D 15 41 Survived War 35154 D...
by Leatherneck MIA
Mon Sep 17, 2012 6:15 pm
Forum: Pacific Wrecks Updates & Information
Topic: 1948-49 Expedition to recover MIAs in S. Pacific
Replies: 3
Views: 17604

Re: 1948-49 Expedition to recover MIAs in S. Pacific

I would be glad to review/comment anything that you may want to share. I am ex-military, history degree, ok writer (although my six published works are all imaging industry related and not historical), and I have spent much time researching a MIA Marine relative lost between Saipan and Chichi Jima w...
by Leatherneck MIA
Sat Sep 08, 2012 4:58 pm
Forum: Missing/Killed In Action (MIA/KIA)
Topic: VMB-612 Marine PBJ's off of Saipan
Replies: 15
Views: 51223

Re: VMB-612 Marine PBJ's off of Saipan

I submitted write ups (in the same format as most of the others on the site) for both of these planes with some images. Included a little $$ to grease the wheel so we will see what happens. Wish that the Japanese were as anal as the Germans and kept better records. Trying to find out new information...
by Leatherneck MIA
Mon Sep 19, 2011 8:45 pm
Forum: Missing/Killed In Action (MIA/KIA)
Topic: VMB-612 Marine PBJ's off of Saipan
Replies: 15
Views: 51223

Re: VMB-612 Marine PBJ's off of Saipan

Please help. Can anyone help me understand how and when mission position reports were made? Were they made periodically enroute to the target or only after bombs were released to not give away their position? (Regarding these two Marine PBJ-1D bombers flying off Saipan Nov. 1944). The Falgout plane ...
by Leatherneck MIA
Sun Jul 24, 2011 8:09 pm
Forum: Missing/Killed In Action (MIA/KIA)
Topic: VMB-612 Marine PBJ's off of Saipan
Replies: 15
Views: 51223

Re: VMB-612 Marine PBJ's off of Saipan

Here is what I have found on PBJ1-D Buno 35149 : Nov. 29, 1944 PBJ1-D Buno# 35149 took off at 2210 from Saipan on a nite search firing mission (I believe target is Chichi Jima main harbor). First Lieutenant Cleo J. Falgout - Pilot First Lieutenant John R. Johnston - Co-pilot Staff Sergeant Thomas J....
by Leatherneck MIA
Sun Jul 24, 2011 7:59 pm
Forum: Missing/Killed In Action (MIA/KIA)
Topic: VMB-612 Marine PBJ's off of Saipan
Replies: 15
Views: 51223

Re: VMB-612 Marine PBJ's off of Saipan

The Marine MIA office says that there are still 3000 Marine MIA's from WWII in the Pacific. Each month, new wrecks and remains are found --like a mass grave at Tarawa-- and thanks to sites like this and we hope that eventually one of these planes will show up. Only @100 families of the 3000 Marine M...
by Leatherneck MIA
Mon Jul 18, 2011 7:16 pm
Forum: Missing/Killed In Action (MIA/KIA)
Topic: VMB-612 Marine PBJ's off of Saipan
Replies: 15
Views: 51223

VMB-612 Marine PBJ's off of Saipan

First post--love the site. Thanks Justin. I am researching the disappearance of two Marine PBJ (B25) Bombers that took off of Saipan Nov. 26 and Nov. 29, 1944 and were both lost. Buno 35156 (Pilot Madvay) and 35149 (Pilot Falgout) My dads cousin was the navigator, James Freeman on the Falgout plane....