Written and submitted by: Lee Cook

Flying the new Chance Vought F4U Corsair they broke combat records in the Pacific and were instrumental in proving this powerful new fighter to the Navy in World War II. Amongst Fighting 17’s heroic exploits were shooting down 154 Japanese aircraft in aerial combat in only 76 days, no bomber escorted by them was lost to enemy air action, no ship for which they provided cover was hit by enemy bombs or aerial torpedoes, and they never failed to complete an assignment.

Tom Blackburn always stressed teamwork and led the squadron to a Navy Unit Commendation and made the “Skull and Crossbones Squadron” one of the most successful squadron’s in the annals of air warfare.

Fighting 17 flew more combat hours and sorties than any other fighter squadron in the Pacific up to that time. The squadron had thirteen aces with “Ike” Kepford the leading Navy ace at that time. One of the outstanding contributions made by Fighting 17 was providing proof, under battle conditions, of the suitability of the F4U for carrier operations and were first into combat flying off a carrier with the Corsair.

When Fighting 17 went into combat in October 1943 the F4U was unproven to the U.S. Navy as a carrier fighter aircraft. In the Battle of the Solomon Sea on November 11, 1943 Fighting 17 took off from a land base and landed on the carriers U.S.S Bunker Hill and U.S.S. Essex. They refueled and then flew cover over the task force and shot down 18.5 Japanese aircraft. They proved in this action that the F4U could be successfully operated in combat from a carrier.

Fighting 17 Roster

The forty three pilots who went into combat with Fighting 17 in October 1943 at Ondongo, New Georgia are as follows:

      

Name  Nickname or known as Robert Sidney Anderson Andy Bradford Warren Baker Brad Shelton Ray Beacham Ray Thaddeus Richard Bell   Thad, Juggy John Thomas Blackburn   Tom, Tommy George Franklin Bowers  Hap Howard McClain Burriss   Mac, Teeth Jack M. Chasnoff   Jack Lemuel Doty Cooke   Lem Paul Cordray    Paul Daniel Gerald Cunningham  Danny Merl William Davenport   Butch, Mother Clyde Howard Dunn    Clyde John Orrin Ellsworth    Fatso Doris Clyde Freeman    Chico Carl Wilson Gilbert    Gil Clement Dexter Gile    Timmy Douglas Hugo Charles Gutenkunst  Doug James Alex Halford, Jr.   Lucky, Jim Roger Richards Hedrick   Rog Robert Hugh Hill   Windy Robert Roy Hogan    Bob Donald Allan Innis    Stinky Robert Hal Jackson    Hal Frank Andrew Jagger    Andy John Henry Keith    John Louis Marsden Kelley    Lou Ira Cassius Kepford    Ike Tom Killefer     Tom, TK John Milton Kleinman   Johnny Thomas Frederick Kropf   Tom Melvin Monroe Kurlander  Mel, Kurly William Lee Landreth    Country Donald Thomas Malone   Don Harry Andrew March, Jr.   Dirty Eddie Earl May, Jr.    Earl William Preston Meek   Bill Charles Alfred Pillsbury   Chuck Wilbert Peter Popp    Beads, Peter Mills Schanuel    Mills Walter John Schub    Wally Frederick James Streig   Big Jim Whitfield Carlisle Wharton, Jr.   Whit

The following replacement pilots reported to Fighting 17 in December 1943 and January 1944 for the second tour:

The following officers served with Fighting 17 during the training period (January 1943 to August 1943):

Non Flying Officers

VOUGHT PHOTOS

I acquired the photos from Rick Einar son of Richard Martin “Dick” Einar Jr., who served with Fighting 17 from February 13, 1944 to March 7, 1944 as a replacement pilot. They were sent to Fighting 17 pilots to congratulate them for their record in the Solomon Islands, where they were the top scoring squadron in this area.

The collection included numerous “snap shots” taken in the Solomon Islands, although many have passed into private collectors hands over the years. Chance Vought were delighted with Fighting 17’s efforts which proved the Corsair to the U.S. Navy. Although there are 94 photos in this collection I am sure there are other original photos which were sent out and often appear in publications credited to other collections.
 

Photographs
VF-17 War Diary
Lee Cook Biography
Richard M. Einar Jr. Biography