PILOTS' BRIEFING, USS KASAAN BAY


August 15, 1944 Night Briefing for assault, D-Day. VF-74 identifiable pilots at briefing in ready room
1. Lt. Cmdr. Harry Brinkley Bass - Squadron Leader, Beaumont TX, 6 missions, KIA, Aug. 20, 1944
2. Lt. John R. Shroff, South Bend IN, 10 missions
3. Lt. John G. Bartley, Portsmouth VA, 6 missions
4. Lt. Robert J. Johnson Jamestown ND, 3 missions, KIA, Aug. 17, 1944
5. Lt. jg John M. Thomas, Moline IL, 10 missions
6. Ensign W.A. Sommers , VF-74, night
7. Lt. Junior C. Forney
8. Lt. jg Edwin W. Castanedo, Shreveport, LA, 10 missions
9. Lt. Haaron A. Bach, Madison, WI, 11 missions
10 Lt. jg Raymond J. Devito, Santa Monica, CA 10 missions, Aug. 19, 1944, 2000th landing on board Kasaan Bay
11. Ensign Walter H. Lahey Chicago, IL 6 missions
12. Lt. Leo Horacek, Topeka KS, 8 missions
13. Lt. jg John Dismas Frank, Phillips, WI, 4 missions KIA Aug. 17, 1944
14. Ensign D. C. Glenders
15. Ensign v. P. O'Rourke
16. Ensign Edward Clancy, Arllington, Mass. 6 missions
17. Ensign george E. Coe, Westville, IL, 9 missions
18. Ensign Mason L. Deweese, Norfolk VA, 9 missions
19. Lt. jg Robert J. Finnie, Sacramento, CA 9 missions
20. Lt. jg William N. Arbuckle, Hobart, OK, 5 missions, KIA, Aug. 20, 1944
21. Ensign Charles W. S. Hulland, St. Louis MO, 6 missions, shot down Aug. 20, 1944, survived, KIA Pacific, 1945

Photos courtesy Captain Harry H. Basore Collection.

NOTICE: All research materials regarding VF-74 and VOF-1 Squadrons, including but not restricted to, documents, research, photos are the exclusive property of the French Military Historian and Researcher, Mr. Marcel Ertel, Les Villettes, Haute-Loire, France. The personal photos of various pilots provided by their families are the exclusive property of the pilot's families. Phots from the collection of Captain Harry Basore, USN, remain the exclusive property of Capt. Basore. Mr. Ertel, Captain Basore and the families have graciously permitted me to use the information for this Memory Album dedicated to those pilots. Thank you all.

This information compiled, prepared and submitted to this site by Ethel Taylorand remains the property of the submitter

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