July 4th / 1944

Posted Saturday, July 4, 2009, at 3:22 PM

0345 hours:

Aboard the American Carrier USS CABOT, pilots were up early. Nervously they ate breakfast. The task ahead of them was daunting. They were making the first attacks on the Bonin Islands, islands which included Iwo Jima, and nine other islands, only 500 miles from the Japan mainland.

Iwo Jima held two separate airfields holding 80 aircraft, equipped with the best Japanese pilots, and a large Japanese garrison. This would be the first real deep penetration into Japanese strongholds, and after a quick meal, the dozen men in Lt. Cmd. Daniel J. Wallace's' division received their briefing.

The men were told that under Japanese General Kuribayashi, the enemy had been fortifying for weeks of anticipation of the arrival of the Americans. The Japanese were ready for them.

0500 hours: The Hellcat fighters take off from the USS Cabot.

Here is Lt. (jg) Nooy's account of the engagement:

"It was a pre dawn fighter sweep up in the Bonin Islands on Iwo Jima. We ran into a real hot Jap outfit and had our hands full. Planes were being shot down all over the sky and I couldn't tell whether they were Japs or ours. I finally got separated and ended up fighting by myself on the deck. Finally I ran out of ammunition..."

Lt. Nooy shot down four Zeros that day.

Executive Officer Lt. Mencin remembered the battle this way:

"This was our toughest fight, we were outnumbered, and the Jap pilots and planes were the best we ever encountered. The Japs flew like something out of a circus, but the Hellcats were too much for them. While they were doing acrobatics, we were shooting. I set three afire and saw them crash, and probably got another while I saw it spinning down..."

Lt. Mencin got credit for three Zeros shot down that Independence Day, 65 years ago.

During the hours that followed that 4th of July, the Americans fought hard, and inflected heavy damage to the enemies of Freedom.

While destroying over thirty enemy aircraft that day, the American lost three of the Hellcat fighters, Lt. Elezian, Lt. Hancock, and Lt. Loomis.

Three men you probably never heard of before this moment. Three men who bravely gave the ultimate price, on our nation's birthday, so that Liberty would endure.

Comments
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Sam,

I'm in paradise today, and as I look at the Hawaiian sky burning with the day's last rays of sun, it's difficult to imagine the bombs that were dropped on Pearl Harbor, a surprisingly tiny spot but one that is so meaningful to us. It's hard not to cry. It gets dark here at 7ish, which relieves some of the humidity. There are birds everywhere, cheerfully singing in the breeze. This background forefronts the four very old men I saw on the beach just now and their families as they saluted the American flag one more time, and suddenly it's very quiet, the ocean water lapping at rocks and sand, while sharks quietly begin their night feeding. There is so much life on the particular island I'm visiting. This is an unbelievably peaceful part of the United States, and like your story of the three soldiers, it ought to be shared because it's endured so much. What a history. Res Just.

-- Posted by Resilient Justice on Sun, Jul 5, 2009, at 12:42 AM

Sam,

The Hellcat was a superior aircraft to the Zero. I think the Zeros were using acrobatics becuase they were out gunned. The Hellcat was faster, and had excellent armament, including fuels tanks that would seal if hit, and cockpit armour to help the pilot stay alive. I am reminded of a blog you wrote some time ago where you talked about the new fighter aircraft that Mr. Obama cut from the budget. 10,000 jobs lost in St Louis. If we need our military to save our lives, in would be nice to have the best equipment Mr. President, instead of sending millions to Iowa to study pigs farts.

-- Posted by RMontana on Sun, Jul 5, 2009, at 12:44 AM

Res - Thanks for your wonderful comments. My wife had the opportunity to attend high school in Hawaii, and often has talked about the memorial at Pearl Harbor and how moving it is.

Enjoy your visit.

Monte - thanks for the additional info on the Hellcat. Any fool knows, you must have the right tool for the right job. Cutting the new fighter aircraft and ten thousand jobs in St Louis was a mistake.

It is hard to even fathom the reckless and dangerous moves this President is making. However, I see good things on the horizon Monte. Let us strive to stay encouraged.

-- Posted by sameldridge on Sun, Jul 5, 2009, at 12:56 AM

Sam,

There's a fascinating education history in Hawaii. Many of the Christian missionaries who were sent to Hawaii in the middle of the 18th century refused to teach their own children alongside the native children, often sending their children back to the mainland for a "proper" education. This was problematic for many reasons, especially for the children of the missionaries whose bilingual and bi-cultural upbringing on the islands made them feel like outsiders in their own country (the mainland). The archives in Honolulu are a good testament to this. Interestingly enough, Hawaiian schools now offer a bilingual curriculum, and children are educated together, not matter what the background may be. We've come a long way....the 4th is still in full swing here...it's only 8:30p. Aloha.

-- Posted by Resilient Justice on Sun, Jul 5, 2009, at 1:37 AM

Sam,

As I've probably told you before, I was stationed at Hickam AFB in 1968. I took every opportunity to get to know the people there and visit the historic sites. I worked with a civilian there at the base who was of Japanese decent. During the war, her and her family were incarcerated in a concentration camp set up for people like her. It was a terrible injustice to them, since they were, in fact, American citizens. they didn't treat those of German decent that way. If they had, half of my family would have been imprisoned too. I visited the Arizona Memorial on one occasion while I was in Hawaii. It was a very moving experience. I had an uncle who was blown off the deck of the Arizona when it was bombed. He managed to swim to the shore and went on to fight bravely for the duration of the war.

I believe Barack Hussein Obama is doing everything he can to bring this country to its knees. Cutting missile defense while the North Koreans are ramping up to fire nuclear missiles at our west coast and Hawaii and Japan is just one example of his braindead moves. There is more to come, I'm sure. This man needs a reality check. I hope he comes to his senses before it's too late.

-- Posted by marcus elvis erogenous on Mon, Jul 6, 2009, at 12:15 AM

You and me both.

-- Posted by sameldridge on Mon, Jul 6, 2009, at 9:34 AM

The thing is Sceptre, that the damage Mr. Obama and his gang are doing to America, seems to me, to be intentional. It still amazes me that we have a President who hates his own country, sets out to destroy it, then gets applauded by the press and a bunch of crazies. I hope Sam is right, and there really is some chance America can recover from Mr. Obama.

-- Posted by RMontana on Mon, Jul 6, 2009, at 10:08 PM

Right of Center

Sam Eldridge

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