As WWII started in the Pacific, Patrol Wing TEN comprised two squadrons of PBY-4 Catalina flying boats, VP 101 and VP 102, each with 14 planes. Published references to the Wing's operations are fragmented and incomplete. I'm trying to fill in the blanks, and seek any stray materials, veterans accounts, letters and log books, etc. The Wing had four seaplane tenders: LANGLEY, CHILDS, WILLIAM B. PRESTON and HERON. The squadrons moved south from the NAS Sangley Point in mid-December to base at Ambon, NEI, then at MVK Morokrembangan, the Dutch Navy's seaplane station at Soerabaja, Java, and then to Fremantle, Australia in early March 1942. VP 22 flew out from Pearl in support, adding twelve PBY-5s. Five former Dutch Model 28-5MN Catalinas were aquired from the Dutch, but in 90 days the Wing lost 43 of 45 aircraft. Known resources: Messimer, Hands of Fate; Morison, Rising Sun; Winslow, Fleet that God Forgot & Ghost; Womack, Dutch Naval Air Force; Dorny, The Jolo Raid, USNIP 19?? Dorny, Pacific Neutrality Patrol, USNI Naval History Sep 1991 Dorny, USN PBYs in the Pacific, Osprey, 2007 Shores, et al, Bloody Shambles; USN History Command, Air Squadrons histories VP; and DANFS. There are also scattered references to PBY patrols in November and early December 1941 which evidently penetrated Japanese air space over Formosa to scout Japanese forces there. Does anyone have any clues / references / thoughts here? Lou
I was 'surfing' the net and found a site that might give you a few leads. VPNAVY - United States Navy Patrol Squadrons History Links Main Summary Page - VP Patrol Squadron
Yes, Biak, and thanks. I've used and contributed to VPNavy's data. Good site. For others who see this, a significant portion of the reconnaissance work in the ABDA theater was done by the Royal Netherlands Naval Air Service / Marineluchvaartdeinst. They used Dornier Do 24K flying boats and Consolidated Model 28-5 Catalinas ( USN PBY-5s with instrimentation in Dutch.) Any bits and pieces here from or about Dutch efforts would also help.
Lou, I know it's been over a year since your post but I have access to war diaries for VP-101, VP-102, and PATWING 10. If you're interested, I can burn them to a disc for you and mail it. If interested, please send me an email with a mailing address. BTW, I noticed from your profile you live in Western Washington. Although the Air Force took me away from there in '82, I still call the Seattle area home. Lived in Lynnwood for 7 years before I enlisted and was born in Granite Falls. Still have family in the area and don't get to visit nearly as much as I would like. Cheers John Wolfe