VF-74 Squadron Pilots

On September 15, 1944, the pilots of Fighter Squadron 74 on board the USS Kasaan Bay, were headed back to the United States. Behind them, they left Southern France free. They also left some of their comrades, sleeping in the soil, of this war-torn country, far from home and family. Their faces betray the sadness felt from the loss of friends.

This squadron went on to fight in the Pacific in 1945, losing more of their members.

Photos Left to Right

ROW 1
1. Lt. H.H. BASORE, Acting Commanding Officer after Bass, KIA, Aug. 20, 1944
2. Ensign W. J. LAHEY
3. Ensign J. E. ADAMS
4. Ensign W. A. SOMMERS
5. Lt. J. G. THOMAS
6. Ensign T. F. KENDRICK
7. Lt. jg J. H. DEVITO
8. Lt. jg J. H. STEWART
9. Ensign V. P. O'ROURKE
10. Ensign L. E. MOKRY
11. Ensign N. R. FOX
12. Lt. Cmdr. JOHN SANDOR, VOF-1, sent to VF-74 by Adm. C. T. Durgin, on way back

ROW 2
13. Ensign C. P. RATLIFF
14. Ensign R. F. KLINGERMAN, VF-74 Night Fighter Group
15. Lt. F. M. ROUNTREE
16. Ensign W. E. STAKLEY, VF-74 Night Fighter Group
17. Ensign C. D. GARRISON
18. Lt. H. A. BACH
19. Ensign G.E. COE
20. Ensign W.E. STRATTON, VF-74 Night Fighter Group
21. Ensign W.H. BETHA
22. Lt. J.G. BARTLEY
23. Lt. jg R. J. FINNIE

ROW 3
24. Ensign J.M. AIKEN
25. Lt. F.M. McLINN
26. Ensign M.L. DEWEESE
27. Ensign I.H. WIT
28. Lt. jg B.E. SMITH, VF-74 Night Fighter Group
29. Lt. E.W. CASTANEDO
30. Ensign P. PAVLOVICH
31. Lt. jg A. S. PAULSON
32. Ensign E. CLANCY
33. Lt. L. HORACEK
34. Ensign S. L. JAYNES, VF-74 Night Fighter Group

ROW 4
35. Ensign G. MINAR
36. Ensign S. E. COMELLA
37. Lt. J.C. FORNEY
38. Lt. H. E. BROWN, VF-74 Night Fighter Group
39. Lt. J. H. SHROFF
40. Lt. G. G. HOGAN
42. Ensign D. C. GLENDERS
43. Lt. C. R. CHRISTOPHERSON

Not Shown:
Ensign M B. HALES
Ensign A R. TIFFANY
Ensign M. F. DEMATER, Missing at sea, approach to Airbase Calvi Corse, night Mission August 20, 1944. Body and Plane not recovered.

Return To France Remembers

Copyright, 2003
Web Page January 26, 2003

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

NOTICE: Ethel Taylor grants that this information and data may be used by non-commercial entities, as long as this message remains on all copied material, for personal and genealogical research. These electronic pages CAN NOT be reproduced in any format for profit, CAN NOT be copied over to other sites. It may be linked to, or other presentation only with written permission of Ethel Taylor.