VF-5, Guadalcanal and the tie to VF-17

[Arlo]

Tom Blackburn writes in his book "The Jolly Rogers":

   "By the end of January (1943), we had two combat veterans aboard, Lt(jg) Johnny Kleinman and Lt(jg) Sunny Jim Halford. Both had served with the carrier-based fighter squadrons early in the Pacific War and then, in September and October 1942, land-based at Guadalcanal's Henderson Field. Unfortunately, their squadron, Fighting-5, had been right at the forefront -- literally the first line of defense -- during the tour at Guadalcanal, and the experience had been brutal. Though Kleinman and Halford each had had ample home leave and time to recover, both proved to be a little shaky still when they reported aboard Fighting-17. In truth, neither were overjoyed with the prospect of going out again."

 And later in the book ....


   "Four of my lieutenants -- Sunny Jim Halford, Johnny Kleinman, Stinky Innis, And Dirty Eddie March -- had flown with the only Navy fighter squadron, Fighting-5, to be committed to the defense of Henderson Field during the 'dark days.' They had told us how it was because we would not let up on them until they did. Each of them had tasted Japanese blood with aerial victories."

 (Picture caption:VF-5 Rest area
In late September VF-5 pilots Cash Register, Junior Kleinemann, and George Morgan rest on downed palm trees near the VF-5 ready tent, while Marines emplace 75mm pack howitzers. VF-5 F4Fs are parked in the background at the east end of Henderson Field. This rest area was often used by pilots for singing sessions as well as "shooting the bull".)

[Arlo]

FIGHTING SQUADRON FIVE (VF-5)

Pilots (arrival date, remarks)

Lcdr LC Simpler (9/11, Evac 10/16)
Lt WE Clarke (9/11, Evac 10/15)
Lt HW Crews (9/11, Evac 10/5)
Lt HM Jensen (9/27, Evac 10/16)
Lt DC Richardson (9/ 1 1, WIA & evac 9/12. Returned 10/12, Evac 10/16)
Ltjg FO Green (9/11, Evac 10/15)
Ltjg HL Grimmell, Jr. (9/11, Evac 10/15)
Ltjg ET Stover (9/11, Evac 10/15)
Ens FJ Blair (9/27, Evac 10/16)
Ens MK Bright (9/11, Evac 10/6)
Ens BF Currie (9/11, Evac 10/5)
Ens CE Eichenberger (9/11, Killed in crash after combat 9/12)
Ens JA Halford (9/11, Evac 10/14)
Ens DA Innis (9/11, WIA & evac 9/13. Returned 10/11, evac 10/16)
Ens JM Kleinman (9/27, Evac 10/15)
Ens MV Kleinmann, Jr. (9/11, Evac 10/14)
Ens RL Loesch (9/11, WIA & evac 9/13)
Ens HA March (9/11, Evac 10/6)
Ens JB McDonald (9/27, Evac 10/14)
Ens GJ Morgan (9/11, MIA 10/2)
Ens FR Register (9/11, Evac 10/14)
Ens MC Roach (9/11, Evac 10/14)
Ens WM Rouse (9/11, WIA & Evac 10/15. Missing on ferry flight 10/21)
Ens JD Shoemaker (9/11, KIA 9/29)
Ens JM Wesolowaki (9/11, Evac 10/14)
Ens WW Wileman (9/11, KIA 9/13)
NAP RM Nesbitt (9/11, Evac 10/15)
NAP LP Mankin (9/11, Evac 10/14)

Pilots from other Squadrons who flew with VF-5

Lt CW Rooney (VF-71, 10/5) *
Ltjg RH Keaton (VF-71, 10/5) *
Ltjg RH Myers (UP-71, 10/5, Evac 10/16)
Ltjg CW Tucker (VF-71, 10/5, MIA 10/9)

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Ensign F.R. "Cash" Register, Wildcat pilot with VF-5
Ensign Register was one of about 14 airmen who personally received Distinguished Flying Crosses from Admiral Nimitz during Nimitz' visit to Guadalcanal on September 30. He is credited with eight kills during his time in the Solomons, but was shot down during the Aleutian campaign in the battle for Attu Island.

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MAG-23, augmented by Army and Navy land based air under the operational control of 1st MAW, furnished air support to the First Marine Division and Army ground forces in the epic struggle for Guadalcanal.  Although the Group itself was comprised of only four Marine squadrons,  personnel and aircraft of six Navy carrier squadrons, (VS-5, VB-6, VF-5, VS-71, VT-8 and VS-3) the 67th Army pursuit squadron, and detachments of Marine squadrons stationed at various South Pacific bases operated with MAG-23.  This heterogeneous group shot down 244 enemy planes in four weeks.  Navy pilots accounted 44, Army flyers, using p-400s shot down eight.  The remaining 192 were credited to Marines.  The price of that score was 22 Marine pilots killed in action...three by enemy naval gunfire.

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Fighter One airstrip, aka: "The Cow Pasture"
This rare color photo shows F4Fs at Fighter One's improvised repair area. (Note the left-most F4F is missing its prop.)  Pilot's tents are up on the hill, while the foreground shows the much-reviled oozing sea of mud that was a common feature of the island. Three-quarters of a mile from Henderson Field, the Fighter One strip handled the F4Fs for much of the campaign.

[Arlo]

US Naval aviators of VF-10, U.S.S. Enterprise
Men of VF-10, the "Grim Reapers", pose in front of the squadron scoreboard at the end of their first combat tour, in which they claimed 43 shootdowns. The pilots of the Enterprise were instrumental in the Battle of Santa Cruz and the later defense of Guadalcanal.