 VP-117 Crew
Crew 1
CREWs:   VP-117 Crew 1 "...Pop's Cannon Ball - My Dad, S1C Neil Bates, was the tail gunner on Torchy Tess VPB-117. This photograph is from his personal collection..." Contributed by Shana shanahenry13@gmail.com [26FEB2020]
CREWs:  VP-117 Crew 1 "...The original 18 VPB-117 and Ground Crew Photos. These pictures were taken in 1944 at Camp Kearney, California sometime between February 1, 1944, when the squadron was commissioned...Back Row: Taliafero, Voelzke, and Cox...Middle Row: Jamieson, Ens. Allsopp Skipper and Squadron Commander E. O. Rigsbee, Jr., Lt. Osborn and Chief Lassey...Front Row: Brewer, Riggs, Manners..." Contributed by Susan ShrtStff44@aol.com [09FEB99]
Crew 2
CREWs:  VP-117 Crew 2 "...Sol Solly - My Dad, S1C Neil Bates, was the tail gunner on Torchy Tess VPB-117. This photograph is from his personal collection..." Contributed by Shana shanahenry13@gmail.com [26FEB2020]
CREWs:  VP-117 Crew 2 "...The original 18 VPB-117 and Ground Crew Photos. These pictures were taken in 1944 at Camp Kearney, California sometime between February 1, 1944, when the squadron was commissioned...Back Row: Jones, Holzrichter, Yates, Ichie and William (Bill) Shacklett...Middle Row: Grant, Lybarger, Shelton, Bolton (TEX), Rodden and Blood...Front Row: Ens. Allen, Lt. Golden and Commander E. McDonald U.S.N. Exc. Officer..." Contributed by Susan ShrtStff44@aol.com [09FEB99]
 "...I just found the photos of VPB-117 crews. My husband was in Crew 2. I notice that his name is misspelled on all lists. He passed away in November of 1997. His name was William (Bill) Shacklett. Sincerely, Hattie Shacklett..." Contributed via by Susan ShrtStff44@aol.com[26JUL99]
CREWs:  VP-117 Crew 2 "...This photo was my dad's. (Clinton A. Yates). He is the one in the middle kneeling. I don't know who the other guys are, so if anyone knows let me know..." Contributed by Clint Yates cyates@cablelynx.com [02JUN99]
Crew 3
CREWs:  VP-117 Crew 3 "...Uncle Tom's Cabin - My Dad, S1C Neil Bates, was the tail gunner on Torchy Tess VPB-117. This photograph is from his personal collection..." Contributed by Shana shanahenry13@gmail.com [26FEB2020]
CREWs:  VP-117 Crew 3 "...The original 18 VPB-117 and Ground Crew Photos. These pictures were taken in 1944 at Camp Kearney, California sometime between February 1, 1944, when the squadron was commissioned...Back Row: Meany, Bandas, Cox, Wallace, Edwards, Heikkinen...Middle Row: Hess, Glunt, Hornick and Pfister...Front Row: Lt. Comdr. Mulvihill, Ens. Sullivan and Ens Parker..." Contributed by Susan ShrtStff44@aol.com [09FEB99]
Crew 4
CREWs:  VP-117 Crew 4 "...The Real McGoy - My Dad, S1C Neil Bates, was the tail gunner on Torchy Tess VPB-117. This photograph is from his personal collection..." Contributed by Shana shanahenry13@gmail.com [26FEB2020]
CREWs:  VP-117 Crew 4 "...The original 18 VPB-117 and Ground Crew Photos. These pictures were taken in 1944 at Camp Kearney, California sometime between February 1, 1944, when the squadron was commissioned...Back Row: Haroldson, Eldridge, Rudd, Beverage and Otto...Middle Row: Martin, Miller, Freethy, Womack, and Brown...Front Row: Ens. Bullock, Lt. Com, McGaughey and Ens. Loebel..." Contributed by Susan ShrtStff44@aol.com [09FEB99]
Crew 5
CREWs:  VP-117 Crew 5 "...Pink Lady - My Dad, S1C Neil Bates, was the tail gunner on Torchy Tess VPB-117. This photograph is from his personal collection..." Contributed by Shana shanahenry13@gmail.com [26FEB2020]
CREWs:  VP-117 Crew 5 "...The original 18 VPB-117 and Ground Crew Photos. These pictures were taken in 1944 at Camp Kearney, California sometime between February 1, 1944, when the squadron was commissioned...Back Row: Martin, Presley, Lamar, Kellogg and Sommers...Middle Row: Collins, Craig, Pierson, Bagwell, and Carlin...Front Row: Ens. Predetti, Lt Box and Ens. Henry..." Contributed by Susan ShrtStff44@aol.com [09FEB99]
Crew 6
CREWs:  VP-117 Crew 6 "...Seatin It Out - My Dad, S1C Neil Bates, was the tail gunner on Torchy Tess VPB-117. This photograph is from his personal collection..." Contributed by Shana shanahenry13@gmail.com [26FEB2020]
CREWs:  VP-117 Crew 6 "...The original 18 VPB-117 and Ground Crew Photos. These pictures were taken in 1944 at Camp Kearney, California sometime between February 1, 1944, when the squadron was commissioned...Back Row: Trotter, Chatman, Nelson, Tedrowe, and Allen...Middle Row: Sullivan, Hooper, Taylor, Thompson, and Long...Front Row: Lt. Brooke, Ens. Robertson..." Contributed by Susan ShrtStff44@aol.com [09FEB99]
Crew 7
CREWs:  VP-117 Crew 7 "...Nerptune's Virgin - My Dad, S1C Neil Bates, was the tail gunner on Torchy Tess VPB-117. This photograph is from his personal collection..." Contributed by Shana shanahenry13@gmail.com [26FEB2020]
CREWs:  VP-117 Crew 7 "...Crew photograph (Circa 1944) from my Uncles (KIA - CROFFORD, S1C A. B. Jr.) personal collection..." Contributed by A. B. Crofford croffordab@comcast.net [09DEC2015]
CREWs:  VP-117 Crew 7 "...The original 18 VPB-117 and Ground Crew Photos. These pictures were taken in 1944 at Camp Kearney, California sometime between February 1, 1944, when the squadron was commissioned...Back Row: Doan, Goodman, Wydeen, Lane and Ragland...Middle Row: Price, Deeter, Crawford, Brown and Kelly...Front Row: Lt. Castleton, Ens. williams and Ens. Gubbin..." Contributed by Susan ShrtStff44@aol.com [09FEB99]
Crew 8
CREWs:  VP-117 Crew 8 "...The original 18 VPB-117 and Ground Crew Photos. These pictures were taken in 1944 at Camp Kearney, California sometime between February 1, 1944, when the squadron was commissioned...Back Row: Cotcher, Keith, Grace, McCarthy, Peruso and Fliezar...Middle Row: Wade, Siders, Anderson, and Allienell...Front Row: Ens. Slye, Lt. Conners, and Ens. Bull..." Contributed by Susan ShrtStff44@aol.com [09FEB99]
Crew 9
CREWs:  VP-117 Crew 9 "...The original 18 VPB-117 and Ground Crew Photos. These pictures were taken in 1944 at Camp Kearney, California sometime between February 1, 1944, when the squadron was commissioned...Back Row: Toncick, Davis, Thompson, Bellaifore and Blanchard...Middle Row: Diller, Baker, Smaluk, Thomas and Dobbins...Front Row: Lt. Squires, Ens. Wise, and Ens. Endahl..." Contributed by Susan ShrtStff44@aol.com [09FEB99]
Crew 10
CREWs:  VP-117 Crew 10 "...The original 18 VPB-117 and Ground Crew Photos. These pictures were taken in 1944 at Camp Kearney, California sometime between February 1, 1944, when the squadron was commissioned...Back Row: Ticen, Zander, Davis, Wilson and Ennis...Middle Row: Wharton, Coleman, Mullen, Thomas, Kern and Williams...Front Row: Ens. Johnson, EDS Barefoot, Lt. Moore..." Contributed by Susan ShrtStff44@aol.com [09FEB99]
Crew 11
CREWs:  VP-117 Crew 11 "...The original 18 VPB-117 and Ground Crew Photos. These pictures were taken in 1944 at Camp Kearney, California sometime between February 1, 1944, when the squadron was commissioned...Back Row: O'Shannessy, Turnbaugh, O'Brien, McGrillis and Hall...Middle Row: Epler, Swink, Talbot, and Peterson...Front Row: Ens. Massey, Lt. Garlick and Ens. Boss..." Contributed by Susan ShrtStff44@aol.com [09FEB99]
Crew 12
CREWs:  VP-117 Crew 12 "...Attached is the photograph of my Father's crew. As you may be able to see at the bottom border of the photo, my Father (KILGORE, ENS J.C.) wrote the names of Lt. Walker, Ens. Nagel and himself. Unfortunately, he did not record the names of the rest of the crew that is standing behind the officers. During the time that my Father (KILGORE, ENS J.C.) was assigned to VPB-117 he was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross (which may, in fact, have been a unit award) and of course the Squadron was awarded the Presidential Unit citation amongst other decorations. My Father passed away on August 9, 2001..." Contributed by Jeffrey A. Kilgore jakilgore@bellsouth.net [13MAR2006]
Crew 13
CREWs:  VP-117 Crew 13 "...The original 18 VPB-117 and Ground Crew Photos. These pictures were taken in 1944 at Camp Kearney, California sometime between February 1, 1944, when the squadron was commissioned...Back Row: Palmer, Mallett, Stephenson, Donnelly, Evonevich...Middle Row: Chesson, Gleason, Zaluga and Kelly...Front Row: Ens. Fishman, LT(jg) Quinn, Ens. Beaudoin..." Contributed by Susan ShrtStff44@aol.com [09FEB99]
Crew 14
CREWs:  VP-117 Crew 14 "...The original 18 VPB-117 and Ground Crew Photos. These pictures were taken in 1944 at Camp Kearney, California sometime between February 1, 1944, when the squadron was commissioned...Back Row: Tomasselli, Mahron, Martinez, Conroe and Sanders...Middle Row: Woods, Brown, Boettger, and Evancik...Front Row: LT(jg) Stang, Ens. Benn, and Ens. Studerbaker..." Contributed by Susan ShrtStff44@aol.com [09FEB99]
Crew 15
CREWs:  VP-117 Crew 15 "...The original 18 VPB-117 and Ground Crew Photos. These pictures were taken in 1944 at Camp Kearney, California sometime between February 1, 1944, when the squadron was commissioned...Back Row: Bates, Holt, Mical, and Stallings...Middle Row: Ferrell, Turner, Carter, Schaut, and Smith...Front Row: LT(jg) Rhodes, LT(jg) Canny, Ens. Long..." Contributed by Susan ShrtStff44@aol.com [09FEB99]
Crew 16
CREWs:  VP-117 Crew 16 "...The original 18 VPB-117 and Ground Crew Photos. These pictures were taken in 1944 at Camp Kearney, California sometime between February 1, 1944, when the squadron was commissioned...Back Row: Wardlow, Lawrence, Magoon, Burgen, and Plunkett...Middle Row: Shaulis, Eichenberg, Papp, and Cormier...Front Row: Ens. Crawford, LT(jg) Carter and Ens. Pistonich (Chuck), Blakely of the crew was not shown..." Contributed by Susan ShrtStff44@aol.com [09FEB99]
"...My father is R. C. Strickland of Crew 17. Lt(jg) Carter of Crew 16 passed away in 1998. He was a very good friend of my father's. In fact, my father came back to the states with Lt(jg) Carter when his Crew 16 came back in early 1945..." Contributed by Shirley J. Strickland Shirley.J.Strickland@swf.usace.army.mil [19MAY99]
Crew 17
CREWs:  VP-117 Crew 17 "...Photograph from the scrapbook owned by AOM3 (Gunner) Cecil H. Fondren of VPB-117 Circa 1944 - believe he (Cecil wearing white hat - flew with Crew-17. Based on two Action Reports: LT(jg) Edward F. Kittrell (PPC), ENSIGN Lloyd T. Bloomquist (PP1P), ENSIGN Mike Simonich (NAV), ACMM R. C. Strickland (1st MECH), AMM2 Edgar L. Latham (2nd MECH), ARM2 Phillmore E. Anderson (1st Radio), ARM2 Kenneth E. Larson (2nd Radio), AOM2 Frederick W. Handsfield (Ordnanceman), AOMB1 BIlly Self (Air Bomber), S1c Cecil H. Fondren (Gunner) and AOM3 Robert E. Forkner (Gunner)..." Contributed by John Bur jburbear@earthlink.net [08MAR2017]
CREWs:  VP-117 Crew 17 "Top Row L-R: Wordlaw, Lawrence, Magoon, Burgar, and Plunkett...Middle Row L-R: Shalis?, Eichenerg, Papp, and Cormier...Front Row L-R: Unknown, Carter, and Unknown...I am not quite sure where the picture came from, it looks like it may have been a reproduction. I have some more pictures of what I think is a base in the Philipines but I'm not sure..." Contributed by Larry Eichenberg B572673@aol.com [30OCT97]
"...The first man from the left in the middle row is not Shalis, it is my grandfather, Kenneth Larson. He passed away in October of 2001 and I found the exact same picture amongst his WWII letters, photos and information..." Contributed by Michael Johnson Jester313@neb.rr.com [09MAR2002]
Crew 18
CREWs:  VP-117 Crew 18 "G. L. Sutton, G. W. Clark, C. V. Schmitt, R. R> Boris, L. J. Holbert, G. J. Major, D. M. Judson, C. W. Bolich, J. H. Cox, D. L. Burdick, H. J. Jones, and L. J. Wilson..." Contributed by Susan ShrtStff44@aol.com [09MAR99]
"...My father is R. C. Strickland of Crew 17. According to the crew pictures my father has, the correct names of Crew 18 are as follows: Back Row: Judson, Cox, Boleck, Jones & Boris Middle Row: Davis, Burdick, Major and Hobert, and Front Row: Lt(jg) Sutton, Ens. Smith & Ens. Clark..." Contributed by Shirley J. Strickland Shirley.J.Strickland@swf.usace.army.mil [19MAY99]
"VP-117 Summary Page"
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