USS Bennington

[kmetz]

Known circumstances and/or dates of USS Bennington World War II casualties~

8 Jan 45 Commander William Fisher Eadie, USN died at Pearl Harbor Naval
Hospital from multiple and extreme injuries received in a traffic
accident which occurred 7 Jan 45 near Honolulu.

12 Feb 45 Aircrewman Fred Donini flying in a VT-82 aircraft was killed
when the port wing of the plane disintegrated in mid-air during a
training flight.

12 Feb 45 Aircrewman Milo Edward Houck flying in a VT-82 aircraft was
killed when the port wing of the plane disintegrated in mid-air during a
training flight.

16 Feb 45 Ensign Harry Flickinger, Jr., USNR of VT-82 was hit by AA fire
at Hachijo Jima. The aircraft crashed into the sea. Neither the pilot
nor the two aircrewmen were seen to leave the aircraft before the crash.

Aircrewman James Lukins declared MIA.

Aircrewman Bernard Gallagher declared MIA.

16 Feb 45 2nd Lt. Wallace Heathcox, USMCR of VMF-123 ran out of gasoline
and made a water landing. He was drowned during rescue operations, and
was listed as KIA.

16 Feb 45 2nd Lt. Robert Cies, USMCR of VMF-123 was last seen engaged in
a dogfight off Hammamatsu Airfield. He was declared MIA.

16 Feb 45 Lt. James Carroll, USN of VF-82 was last seen parachuting from
his airplane over Stsugi Airfield. He was declared MIA.

16 Feb 45 Lt. Benjamin Inghram, USNR of VF-82 was hit by AA fire over
Atsugi Airfield. Pilot made a water landing in Sagami Bay, Honshu. He
managed to get into his life raft, but the rescue submarine was unable
to save him and he was declared MIA.

16 Feb 45 Ensign Paul Spradling, USNR of VF-82 was shot down by friendly
fire. He was listed KIA.

17 Feb 45 2nd Lt. Edward Rohright, USMCR of VMF-123 was last seen
parachuting from his airplane in Upper Tokyo Bay after engaging enemy
planes in a dogfight. He was declared MIA.

18 Feb 45 Ensign Robert Cosbie, USNR of VT-82 was struck by AA fire over
ChiChi Jima, and crashed into Futami Bay. Neither the pilot nor the two
aircrewmen were seen to leave the aircraft before the crash. Ensign
Cosbie was declared KIA.

Aircrewman Grady York, was declared KIA.

Aircrewman James Dye Jr., was declared KIA.

18 Feb 45 Lt. Arthur Lundblade, USNR of VB-82 was hit by AA fire over
Chichi Jima and crashed into Futami Bay. Neither the pilot nor the
aircrewman were seen to leave the plane before the crash. Lt. Lundblade
was declared MIA.

Aircrewman Edward Gerber was declared MIA.

*18 Feb 45 Aviation Mach Mate 3c Louis John Gerig

*18 Feb 45 Gilbert Aurelius Reynolds, Jr., ARM 2c, USNR

*23 Feb 45 2nd Lt. Warren E. Vaughn, USMCR of VMF-123 declared KIA
during the Chichi Jima invasion.

25 Feb 45 2nd Lt. V.A. Jacobs, USMCR of VMF-123 was damaged in a
dogfight. The pilot made a water landing and boarded his life raft, but
because of poor weather, rescue operation were impossible. 2nd Lt.
Jacobs was declared MIA.

25 Feb 45 Lt. (jg) Willis Mayer, USNR of VF-82 crashed into the sea on
takeoff. The pilot was not seen to surface. Lt. (jg) Mayer was
declared MIA.

25 Feb 45 Maj. Everett Vyron Alward, USMC of VMF-123 was killed in his
plane.

1 Mar 45 Lt. Benjamin Limehouse, Jr., USNR of VF-82 was hit by AA and
when last seen his airplane was rolling out of control with the entire
tail assembly missing. Lt. Limehouse was not seen to leave his plane
before it crashed in the sea. Lt. Limehouse was declared MIA.

18 Mar 45 Lt. (jg) John Chandler, USNR of VF-82 was last seen engaged in
a dogfight with an enemy Zeke. Lt. (jg) Chandler was declared MIA.

18 Mar 45 Lt. Jack Sessons, USNR of VF-82 was hit by AA fire over Kanoya
East Airfield, Kyushu. Then the pilot attempted to make a water landing
in Ariake Bay, his airplane exploded on contact with the water. The
pilot was not seen to leave the aircraft. Lt. Sessons was declared MIA.

18 Mar 45 2nd Lt. Timothy Clark, USMCR of VMF-112 was hit by AA fire
while strafing a shipyard in Kagoshima Bay. Clark's aircraft began
leaking oil and he was forced to ditch. The cockpit canopy of his
aircraft became jammed three quarters of the way shut and the pilot was
not able to extricate himself. 2nd Lt. Clark was declared KIA.

19 Mar 45 1st Lt. Gordon Wooster, USMCR of VMF-123 was shot down in a
dogfight over Hiroshima Airfield. 1st Lt. Wooster was declared MIA.

19 Mar 45 2nd Lt. Ralph Russell, USMCR of VMF-123 was shot down over
Hirosima Airfield. Lt. Russell was declared MIA.

19 Mar 45 Lt. (jg) Earl McAllister, USNR of VF-82 was hit by AA fire
during a strafing attack on Kochi Airfield. The aircraft crashed into
the sea. Lt (jg) McAllister was not seen to leave his aircraft before
the cash. Lt. (jg) McAllister was declared MIA.

19 Mar 45 Lt. (jg) Richard Pfeifer, USNR of VF-82 was shot down during a
dogfight over Kanoya East Airfield. Lt. (jg) Pfeifer was declared MIA.

27 Mar 45 Lt. Elbert Heim, USNR of VF-82 was last seen pulling out from
a dive during a dive-bombing attack on Japanese shipping in Kakeroma
Shima. Lt. Heim was declared MIA.

27 Mar 45 2nd Lt. Norman Whittredge, USMCR of VMF-112 was last seen in a
dive-bombing attack on the shipping in Kakeroma Shima. Lt. Whittredge
was declared MIA.

1 Apr 45 Captain Harry Deal, USMCR of VMF-123 spun into the sea after
receiving a wave off on at attempted landing. Captain Deal was not seen
to survive the crash and was declared KIA.

1 Apr 45 Captain William Roques, USMCR of VMF-123 was hit by AA fire
over Ishigake airfield. Captain Roques attempted to make a water
landing but the aircraft spun in from about 100 feet and he did not
survive. Captain Roques was declared KIA.

**5 Apr 45 2nd Lt. Dean Edward Erickson, USMR of VMF112.

7 Apr 45 Ensign Jack Fuller, USNR of VB-82 was hit by AA fire from the
Battleship Yamato, and crashed into the sea. Neither the pilot nor his
aircrewman were seen to leave the plane before the crash. Ensign Fuller
was declared MIA.

Aircrewman Charles Williams Jr. was declared MIA.

12 Apr 45 Captain George DeFabio, USMCR of VMF-123 was hit by AA fire
during the attack on Wan Airfield. Captain DeFabio crashed into the sea
off Kikia Shima. Captain DeFabio was not see to survive the crash and
was declared KIA.

12 Apr 45 2nd Lt. Victor Rusling, USMCR of VMF-123 was hit by AA fire
during the attack on Wan Airfield. 2nd Lt. Rusling crashed into the sea
off Kikia Shima. 2nd Lt. Rusling was not seen to survive the crash. Lt
Rusling was declared KIA.

12 Apr 45 1st Lt. Franklin Kurchinski, USMCR of VMF-123 was hit by AA
fire during the attack on Wan Airfield. 1st Lt. Kurchinski crashed into
the sea off Kikia Shima. 1st Lt. Kurchinski was not seen to survive the
crash and was declared KIA.

20 Apr 45 Lt. (jg) H.A. McBride, USNR of VB-82 and aircrewman was struck
in mid-air by another SB2C-4E and crashed into the sea south of Yoro
Shima. Lt. (jg) McBride was not seen to leave the aircraft. Lt. (jg)
McBride was declared MIA.

Aircrewman Robert Bruce Hopkins, USNR was declared MIA.

26 Apr 45 Lt. (jg) Richard Hayes, USNR of VF-82 spun in on takeoff.
Although the pilot was able to leave his plane, he was seen to go down
by the crew of the DD, USS Stockham, when the ship was within 100 yards
of his position. Lt. (jg) Hayes was declared KIA.

13 May 45 2nd Lt. R.B. Hamilton, USMCR of VMF-112 was hit by AA fire
over Kanoya Airfield. The aircraft was seen to crash in flames between
the airfield and Kagoshima Bay. 2nd Lt. Hamilton was not seen to leave
his aircraft prior to the crash. Lt. Hamilton was declared KIA.

22 May 45 Ensign Joel Dressel, USNR of VF-82 was destroyed when caught
in the explosion of an enemy escortcraft as he sought to recover at low
altitude from his dive. Ensign Dressel was declared MIA.

26 May 45 Captain Donald Owen, USMCR of VMF-112 spun into the sea from a
low altitude. He was not seen to leave the plane before the crash and
was declared "killed not due to enemy action."

Date unknown Ensign Charles Gilbert Oliver, USN hit by propeller on way
to his plane.

**6 Jun 45 Lt. Commander Edward Emmet DeGarmo, USN of VT82.

29 Jun 45 Aircrewman Frank Spence, USNR of VB-1 was the gunner on Ens.
Allen Davis' plane. Aircrewman Spence went down with the tail section
of his plane when it broke apart after a waveoff during an attempted
landing.

*29 Jun 45 Ensign Peter Parthemos, USNR.

**18 Jul 45 Ensign Robert Edward Christ, USNR of VB-1 was lost while
attacking an Ise BB.

**24 Jul 45 Ensign William Troyan, USNR of VB-1 was flying thorough
tough flak while attacking an Ise BB, his plane had a high speed breakup
and disappeared.

Aircrewman Robert William Richards, USNR of VB-1 was the gunner on
Ensign William Troyan's plane.

**10 Jul 45 Ensign Robert Haughton, USNR of VT-1.

*10 Jul 45 Aviation Mach Mate 1c Leon J. Gharst, USNR.

*10 Jul 45 Aviation Mach Mate 3c Joseph Charles Ciccarelli, USNR.

*11 Jul 45 George Albert Clegg, Jr., Petty Officer Third Class, USNR

**14 Jul 45 Ensign Stephen Komar, USNR of VBF-1.

**18 Jul 45 Lt. Richard Bouligny Eason, USNR of VBF-1.

**18 Jul 45 Ensign William Henry Carney, USNR of VBF-1.

**24 Jul 45 Lt. Rodney Charles Tabler, USNR of VBF-1 was declared MIA
Inland Sea of Japan.

**24 Jul 45 Lt. (jg) George Addison Gustin, USNR

**24 Jul 45 Ensign Robert Joseph Speckman, USNR of VBF-1.

28 Jul 45 Lt. Commander Andrew Brittle Hamm, USN of VB-1 was hit while
diving on an Unryu class carrier, his plane straightened out and then
was seen to dive into the water.

**28 Jul 45 Ensign Oren Floyd Fisher, USNR of VBF-1.

**9 Aug 45 Ensign Vincent Laird, USNR of VBF-1.

**9 Aug 45 Ensign Charles Jackson Stetler, USNR of VF-1.

**13 Aug 45 Lt. (jg) Charles Reid Moxley, Jr., USNR of VF-1.

Casualties with unknown dates or causes:

Calvin Merrill Barchus, Seaman Second Class, USNR (could this possibly
be the airdale noted in LeeRoy Golden?s book as being killed by plane
propeller on 29 Jun 45?)

Casualties not on USS Bennington list:

*24 Jul 45 Lt. (jg) Kenneth T. Neyer. In book, Pacific Air Combat WWII,
by H. Saikaida, ?Lt. (jg) Kenneth Neyer was hit and disappeared.?
Lt.(jg) Neyer is noted to have been VBF1 Lt. (jg) Robert M. Applegate?s
wing man on 24 Jul 45 against the Yokyosuka Kokutai and the 343rd
Kokutai. Lt. (jg) Applegate shot down and killed Japanese Ace Ens.
Kaneyoshi Mito of the 343rd Kokutai in combat of 24 Jul 45. Later in
the day of 24 Jul 45 Lt. (jg) Applegate was forced to ditch his plane
and was rescued by a submarine.

* denotes dates found at American Battle Monument Commission web page
http://www.abmc.gov/no.htm

** denotes dates found on, USN A/C losses 1/1/45 to End of War