End of Tours SurvivorsPost Combat Tour Entries |
Front Row(left to right): George Defabio, John Luther Morgan, Ed Shaw, Leonard W. McCleary, Milton Vedder.
Back row (left to right): Stirling Harrison, Ray Boag, Wilbur Thomas, and Dr. William Livingood.
Back row (left to right): Stirling Harrison, Ray Boag, Wilbur Thomas, and Dr. William Livingood.
Of the original officers and pilots of the Hell Hawks, the seven pilots, the intelligence officer, and flight surgeon, were the survivors – those that were with the squadron at the beginning of the first combat tour and continued through the completion of the third combat tour. Of the nine squadron survivors of the three combat tours, five survived the war. George Defabio was killed in action over Okinawa on Friday, April 13, 1945. John Luther Morgan was killed in action over Okinawa on March 28, 1945. Ed Shaw was killed in a flying accident near Mohave, California on July 31, 1944. Milton Vedder died on February 11, 1944, in a New Zealand hospital from complications directly related to malaria.
Only, Leonard H. McCleary, Stirling Harrison, Ray Boag, Wilbur Thomas, and Doc Livingood survived the war. However, shortly after the war, Wilbur Thomas was killed in a flying accident in 1947.
Only, Leonard H. McCleary, Stirling Harrison, Ray Boag, Wilbur Thomas, and Doc Livingood survived the war. However, shortly after the war, Wilbur Thomas was killed in a flying accident in 1947.
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Post 3rd Combat Tour Entries
- Oct. 15.
- Consultation at Base 6 Hospital concerning Major Anderson
x-ray showed fractures of 10th and 11th thoracic vertebra. - Bowers – acute Cat. fever.
- Oct. 16.
- Major Anderson transferred to Base 6 Hospital.
Detached from Squadron. Will probably be evacuated to States. - Schneider performed on all pilots.
1st Malarial smears taken, (All negative) - Oct. 17. (Sunday)
- 2nd malarial smear taken.
- Oct. 18. (Monday)
- All smears negative
- Reports filed with Adjutant
- Oct. 23.
- 1st echelon left for Sydney at 0030
- Oct. 24.
- 2nd echelon left for Sydney at 0200
- Nov. 2.
- 1st echelon returned from Sydney
- Nov. 3.
- 2nd echelon “ “ “
- Nov. 5.
- Brubaker returned from Sidney
- Detached:
Dailey )
Foxworth ) to VMF-222
Huidekoper )
Walley ) - Examined for Regular USMC
McCleary Morgan
Boag Foxworth
Shaw
DeFabio
Thomas - Nov. 6.
- Joined: (From VMF 214) (in Sydney at present)
Bailey, Stanley Major
Begent, 1st Lt.
Bourgaise, “
Case “
McCartney “ - Nov. 14.
- Harrison ordered transferred. – Health record to him.
- Groom, Handschy, Stewart, Bowers, Topping, Toomey Detached to VMF 223
- Avey, Brubaker, Ffoulkes to VMF 214.
- Nov. 15. (Mon.)
- Orders to go aboard ship. 213
- 12 pilots, self, 4 corpsman, 199 men.
- Harrison left for MAG-12 Efate.
- Recommendations filed with MAG-11 in case of Ffoulkes.
- Nov. 16. (Tues.)
- Officers health records picked up.
- Nov. 17. (Wed.)
- Major Bailey transferred to Base 6 Hospital
D.V. [FN#1] (Intestinal obstruction, partial) - Nov. 19. (Fri.)
- Vedder turned in – complaint impending nervous breakdown. Has been having hallucinations, visions, - impression sl. Suicidal. Sudden onset. Has been overactive, overstudious in duties. Anxious, worried concerning home – life and obligations at home and in service. Has insight to some degree. In past few wks. has become gradually more emotional and over-religious. Severely agitated and afraid of suicide. Given morphine for rest. Tries to rationalize his ideas but as yet overimpressed by religious significance. Willing to remain behind until nerves are settled. [FN#2]
- Nov. 20. (Sat.)
- Embarked aboard USS Kitty Hawk at 1730.
- Officers. Capt. Wallace* 1st Lt. DeFabio 1st Lt. Bourgaise
Capt. McCleary “ Thomas “ Begent
1st Lt. Boag “ Shaw “ McCarthy
1st Lt. Morgan “ Case Mas. Gun. Mikesel*
Lt. Livingood (USN) (health records in possession = except *)
Lt. Vedder transferred to Base 6 Hospital D.V. (Psychoneurosis, Situational). Condition unimproved.[FN#2]
VMF-213 detached from MAG-11 at Espiritu Santos.
Nov. 21. Sun.0950
sailed
Nov. 23. Tues.
Crossed I. D. L. (2 Days)
Nov. 25 Thurs.
Thanksgiving.
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Footnotes to Post 3rd Combat Tour Entries
1. D.V. may mean Diagnosis Verified.
2. Doctor Livingood’s recollection was that Milton Vedder was ultimately determined to have suffered from complications of malaria. Milton Vedder died on Febuary 11, 1943, of encephalitis. Official records regarding his demise state that the "encephalitis that caused his death is considered to have resulted from malaria." His mental state described in the Flight Surgeon's Log were consistent with encephalitis.
Go to Milton Vedder for more details.
Lt. Vedder transferred to Base 6 Hospital D.V. (Psychoneurosis, Situational). Condition unimproved.[FN#2]
VMF-213 detached from MAG-11 at Espiritu Santos.
Nov. 21. Sun.0950
sailed
Nov. 23. Tues.
Crossed I. D. L. (2 Days)
Nov. 25 Thurs.
Thanksgiving.
__________________
Footnotes to Post 3rd Combat Tour Entries
1. D.V. may mean Diagnosis Verified.
2. Doctor Livingood’s recollection was that Milton Vedder was ultimately determined to have suffered from complications of malaria. Milton Vedder died on Febuary 11, 1943, of encephalitis. Official records regarding his demise state that the "encephalitis that caused his death is considered to have resulted from malaria." His mental state described in the Flight Surgeon's Log were consistent with encephalitis.
Go to Milton Vedder for more details.
Far left sitting, Dr. William C. Livingood, Flight Surgeon; in back standing from left to right, Capt. L. W. McCleary, Lt. Edward Shaw, Lt. John L. Morgan, and Wilbur J. Thomas, leading ace of the squadron. In front from left to right, Lt. George DeFabio, Lt. Col. Pierce, commander of the personnel group at Camp Miramar, Capt. Wallace, newly appointed squadron commander, and Lt. Arthur Boag. Milton Vedder remained in Australia due to complications of malaria and died shortly thereafter. Stirling Harrison was transferred November 14.