The Hellcat
World War II Marine flying ace Pappy Boyington, founding member of the famous "Black Sheep" Squadron, spent much of his wartime service in the Solomon Islands after a stint with the Flying Tigers in China. Overall, he's credited with shooting down 28 Japanese planes before being shot down himself in New Guinea and taken to a POW camp in Japan.
One plane he shot down (presumably not counted among the 28
enemy planes) was one of our own: an F6F-3 Hellcat named "Betsy II" piloted by LTjg Richard Moore. In September 1943 Lt Moore was flying in the area where we are now, near Gizo, with the majestic Kolombangara off our bow, on a mission to provide low cover for TBFs (a kind of torpedo plane). There were lots of planes on both sides and lots of action, including attacks from as many as 50 Japanese Zeros. The TBFs were beginning to attack when Lt Moore saw a plane coming at him. He thought it was one of the Zeros but then realized that it was one of the
good guys, flying alone. And then firing at him! At close range! Being the Ace he was, Boyington hit the Hellcat at least twice, causing engine failure and forcing Lt Moore to ditch.
Fortunately Boyington seems to have realized his mistake and didn't continue to pummel the failing plane. Moore was able to make a perfect water landing; he crawled out of the tiny cockpit, stood on the wing, and inflated his rubber raft. He had the good fortune to land in relatively shallow water (about 25 ft) and near a lovely reef. A canoe with native paddlers quickly came to his rescue and he was back at his base the next day.
We dove on the sunken plane a couple of days ago (with the expert dive team at Sanbis Resort). Jim was particularly interested in this dive because his Uncle Herb Latch flew Hellcats during the war and was shot down over Saipan (and also rescued!). While down there, Jim threw Herb a grateful salute:
WW II was a long time ago, but being here in the Solomons where it was such a world-altering event really crystallizes the stories, the heroics, the mind-boggling hardships, and the hard-fought successes.
Here are a couple more shots of the underwater plane, and there are even more in the photo gallery (in
The Hellcat).
The downed Hellcat in its resting place.
The wee cockpit. You can just make out the encrusted control stick on the right.
Jim looking into the tiny cockpit.
For more on the "Betsy II"
Click here