Navy Patrol Bombing Squadrons 102/14 Association

New email addresses:
A.M. Granat - amgranat@earthlink.net
Eugene Meeker - ewmeeker@gbronline.com

Sid Edelman and Howard Gray have requested removal from our roster.

Walter Tracey has suffered several strokes over the past few years.  We have not heard from him in some time.  Hope all is OK....

Chuck Haddenham - moved to 3020 Austin Dr. - Apt C204, Bremerton, WA 98312-5847.

Jerry Aylward died suddenly of a massive stroke September 12, 2003.  Ginny will be moving to Fresno, CA in April to be near her son.  Our sympathies to Ginny and the family.  Jerry and Ginny attended 12 out of 14 reunions.

Bruce Pall writes that he is undergoing treatment for liver cancer and will be forced to miss the Peoria Reunion.  He has attended 10 of the 15 reunions and regrets having to miss this one.  Says he has enjoyed them all........ New address: 260 Glenridge Rd, Key Biscayne, FL 33149-1312 

John Ramsay is legally blind and has a heart condition that prevents him from traveling.  He has requested removal from the roster and we will reluctantly do so.

Monte Stone suffered a major stroke in April of 2003 and is now recuperating.  He is undergoing therapy to learn to walk again.  He made a special request to remain on the roster and receive our mailings.  Good luck Monte.

Joyce Miller, one of our Auxiliary members, spent 3 days in the hospital during the 1st week of February.  A pacemaker was installed.  We hope all is well again.......

44% of our members now have email addresses.  Who says you can’t teach old dogs new tricks!!!   (To quote Bob Kirk) 

From Wendell Gudka:
Helene and I, after considerable thought, will not be able to attend the Peoria meeting.  We have only attended three and let me say that they have been very enjoyable and memorable.  We know how much work and planning was necessary to make them a success.  We have appreciated the opportunity to get together with everyone.

“One can search for appropriate words to describe our group.  Unfortunately, at my years I reach out for a word and it has disappeared in the mist.  There is one word, though, that tells me we have something in common.  We are SURVIVORS!” 

The following 2 reports are from information which is now a part of our official records.  This information and much more will be available to everyone attending PEORIA. Please take the time to study these records for your own history.

October 6, 1943 (Lt Albrecht)  Research by Minoru Kamada, Tokyo, Japan

Mr. KOBAYASHI, Toshiharu, former Jake pilot, 936Ku, asks me about his friend PO2c HORI, Isamu, who was a crewmember (radioman) for 751 Ku (Betty/PPC: PO2c SHINODA, Hajime).  The plane was reported missing on October 6, 1943.  I suspect that Mr. Albrecht shot it down.

From the official AAR (VB-102): “BETTY gave first evidence of seeing 9V29 when the latter had started a power glide and was closing rapidly only 8900 yards distant.  BETTY stepped up and made shallow turns as 9V29s guns opened fire at 500 yards.  The initial speed advantage of the PB4Y closed the range to less than 200 yards and by using full power, Lt Albrecht maintained sufficient speed to keep right on the BETTY’s tail, knocking out her top guns, riddling her fuselage and setting fire to her starboard engine.  Almost immediately, but with the tail gun still firing spasmodically, BETTY went into a long glide, hitting the water and disintegrating upon impact.  One of the BETTY’s final shots hit and knocked out 9V29s #4 engine.  There were no PB4Y casualties.

November 4, 1943   (Lt (jg) Herbert Thompson) Research by Minoru Kamada

The RUFE pilots in this attack were: Lt YAMAZAKI, Keizo; PO1cHAYASE, Satoyuki; PO1c SOEJIMA, Ryozo; Lt (jg) SHIMAMOTO, Shigeji; CPO SUNAMI, Keiji; CPO SUZUKI, Yoshio; PO1c NARITA, Hachiro.

These 7 RUFES moved to Greenwich (Kapingamarangi) from Truk on 11/3/43.  It was only a 3 ˝ hr flight. 

When VPB-104 attacked the island at 0410 (I) all seven RUFEs flew up for an interception.  When Mr. Thompson attacked in the same morning, after VPB 104's attack, all 7 flew up but one of them was damaged severely by the counterattack of the Liberator (Thompson).  The Japanese AAR for 902 Ku does not mention whose RUFE was damaged by the B24.  It is obvious that the pilot returned safely, but, his RUFE was beyond repair.  We do not know who the pilot was, however, the 3rd air raid alert was issued at 1030 (I) (2 hrs after Mr Thompson’s attack and 6 RUFES FLEW UP.  PO1c SOEJIMA’s name is not found among the 6 interceptors.  I think SOEJIMA’s RUFE was probably the one that was severely damaged by Mr. Thompson’s crew.

REMEMBER - PEORIA - MAKE RESERVATIONS - 1-800-447-1676   JOIN US!

Until next time..... Friendship - what would life be without it.........

Louise Thoman, Editor