FIGHTING 17 (VF-17)

FIGHTING SQUADRON SEVENTEEN
WAR DIARY

OCTOBER

7 Enemy ships destroyed:

2 AK

5 Landing barges

No enemy aircraft destroyed:

Note: As ships were destroyed as the result of strafing by entire flights, pilot's names are not             given.

No VF-17 pilots lost:

No VF-17 aircraft lost:

NOVEMBER

7 Enemy ships destroyed:

2 AK

5 Landing barges

47 Enemy aircraft destroyed in the air, listed by pilot:

Lt. Cdr. J. T. Blackburn

Lt. Cdr. R. R. Hedrick

3 Zekes

Lt. S. R. Beacham

2 Zekes

Lt. T. R. Bell

2 Vals

Lt. M. W. Davenport

2 Zekes

Lt. C. D. Gile 

3 Zekes, 1 Kate

Lt. J. M. Kleinman 

1 Kate

Lt. (jg) R. S. Anderson 

1 Zeke, 1 Hamp

Lt. (jg) H. M. Burriss

1 Zeke, 1 Betty

Lt. (jg) J. M. Chasnoff 

2 Zekes

Lt. (jg) P. Cordray 

1 Zeke, 1 Kate, 2 Tonys

Lt. (jg) D. G. Cunningham 

1 Zeke

Lt. (jg) D. C. Freeman   

2 Zekes

Lt. (jg) R. H. Jackson

1 Zeke

Lt. (jg) T. Killefer 

1 Zeke

Lt. (jg) M. Schanuel

2 Zekes

Ens. B. W. Baker  

1 Kate

Ens. R. H. Hill  

1 Kate

Ens. R. R. Hogan   

1 Zeke, 1 Betty

Ens. F. A. Jagger   

1 Zeke

Ens. I. C. Kepford   

1 Kate, 3 Vals

Ens. F. J. Streig 

2 Zekes, 1 Tony

2 Enemy aircraft destroyed on the ground:       

Lt. L. D. Cooke

Ens. W. P. Popp

1 Betty

Ens. J. O. Ellsworth

1 Betty

3 VF-17 pilots lost:         

Lt. (jg) J. H. Keith  

enemy A/A fire

Ens. B. W. Baker

enemy aircraft

Lt. C. A. Pillsbury

probably by enemy A/A fire

7 VF-17 aircraft lost:      

2 Shot down by enemy aircraft

3 Shot down by enemy A/A fire

2 Lost as the result of water landings due to gas shortage after prolonged cover and air combat over Task Force 50.3 on November 11, 1943.

DECEMBER

No enemy planes or surface craft were destroyed.

One VF-17 aircraft lost after an accident during night flying operations.

JANUARY

No enemy ships destroyed:

60½ Enemy aircraft destroyed in the air, listed by pilot:

Lt. Cdr. J. T. Blackburn

3 Zekes

Lt. Cdr. R. R. Hedrick

3 Zekes

Lt. O. I. Chenoweth

3 Zekes

Lt. M. W. Davenport

2 Zekes

Lt. C. D. Gile

2 Zekes

Lt. H. A. March

2 Zekes

Lt. (jg) T. Killefer

3 Zekes

Lt. (jg) H. J. Bitzegaio

1 Zeke

Lt. (jg) R. H. Jackson

1 Zeke

Lt. (jg) J. Miller

2 Zekes

Lt. (jg) P. Cordray

3 Zekes

Lt. (jg) D. G. Cunningham

2 Zekes

Lt. (jg) C. W. Gilbert

1 Zeke

Lt. (jg) H. M. Burriss

5 Zekes

Lt. (jg) D. H. C. Gutenkunst

4 Zekes

Lt. (jg) R. Mims

2 Zekes, 1 unidentified aircraft

Lt. (jg) E. May

2 Zekes

Lt. (jg) M. Schanuel 

1 Zeke

Lt. (jg) I. C. Kepford

7 Zekes, 1 Tony

Lt. (jg) F. J. Streig

2½ Zekes

Ens. F. A. Jagger

1 Zeke

Ens. J. O. Ellsworth

1 Zeke

Ens. D. R. McQueen

1 Zeke

Ens. P. E. Divenney

2 Zekes

Ens. J. C. Dixon

1 Zeke

Ens. W. P. Meek

1 Zeke

5 VF-17 Pilots missing in action:      

Lt. T. R. Bell

Shot down by enemy aircraft

Lt. (jg) R. R. Hogan

Shot down by enemy aircraft

Lt. (jg) J. W. Farley

Shot down by enemy aircraft

Lt. (jg) T. F. Kropf

Shot down by enemy aircraft

Lt. (jg) H. M. Burriss

Shot down by enemy aircraft

1 VF-17 operational loss:        

Lt. (jg) D. H. C. Gutenkunst

Killed in mid - air collision

13 VF-17 aircraft lost:

5 Shot down by enemy aircraf

1 Destroyed in mid - air collision

3 Destroyed in operational crash landings

4 Destroyed in crash landings after serious damage had been inflicted by enemy aircraft

FEBRUARY

2 Enemy ships destroyed:

1 AK

1 Barge

46 Enemy aircraft destroyed in the air, listed by pilot: 

Lt. Cdr. J. T. Blackburn

3 Zekes, 1 Hamp

Lt. Cdr. R. R. Hedrick

3 Zekes

Lt. O. I. Chenoweth

3 Zekes, 1 Tojo

Lt. M. W. Davenport

2 Zekes

Lt. C. D. Gile

2 Zekes

Lt. W. J. Schub

2 Zekes

Lt. (jg) E. C. Peterson

1 Zeke

Lt. (jg) H. J. Bitzegaio

1 Hamp

Lt. (jg) D. G. Cunningham

4 Zekes

Lt. (jg) W. L. Landreth

2 Zekes, 1 Hamp

Lt. (jg) E. May

6 Zekes

Lt. (jg) R. Mims

2 Zekes, 1 Tojo

Lt. (jg) I. C. Kepford

3 Zekes, 1 Rufe

Ens. J. O. Ellsworth

1 Zeke

Ens. C. H. Dunn

1 Zeke

Ens. W. P. Popp

2 Zekes

Ens. J. M. Smith

3 Zekes

4 VF-17 pilots lost:

Lt. (jg) J. Miller

Shot down by enemy A/A fire

Lt. (jg) D. T. Malone

Shot down by enemy aircraft

Ens. P. E. Divenney

Shot down by enemy aircraft

Ens. C. H. Dunn

Shot down by enemy aircraft

4 VF-17 aircraft lost:

1 Shot down by enemy A/A fire

3 Shot down by enemy aircraft

MARCH

2 Enemy ships destroyed:

2 Barges

No enemy aircraft destroyed:

No VF-17 pilots or aircraft lost:

COMBAT STATISTICS
Fighting 17 (VF-17)
(From War Diary)

Totals for two tours of combat duty (76 days)

First Tour: based at Ondongo, New Georgia, from October through December 1, 1943.
Second Tour: based at Piva Yoke, Bougainville, B. S. I. from January through March 4, 1944.

Combat hours flown:

8,372.4

First tour:

4,985.5

Second tour

3386.9

Combat sorties flown:

2,669

First tour:

1,570

Second tour

1,099*

Average hours flown by regularly flying pilots:

First tour:

132.0

Second tour

89.8**

Damage inflicted on the enemy:

Destroyed in the air:              154

First tour:

47 1/2

Second tour

106 1/2

Destroyed on the ground:

2 (First tour)

AK's sunk:

5

First tour:

4

Second tour

1

Barges sunk:

17

First tour:

14

Second tour

3

VF-17 planes lost:

24

First tour:

8

shot down by enemy aircraft

2

shot down by enemy anti-aircraft fire

3

lost in water landings as the result of gas shortage after prolonged cover and air combat over Task Force 50.3        on 11 November, 1943.

2

lost in operational crash landing

1

Second tour

16

Shot down by enemy aircraft:

8

Shot down by enemy anti - aircraft fire:

1

Crash or water landings due to injury in combat:

4

Operational losses:

3

VF-17 pilots lost:

13

First tour:

3

shot down by enemy aircraft 

1

shot down by enemy anti - aircraft fire

2

Second tour:

10

Shot down by enemy aircraft:

8

Shot down by enemy anti - aircraft fire:

1

Lost in operational crash:

1

* This figure includes only missions actually completed. If a pilot was forced to return early        his flight was not counted as a combat sortie.

** This figure represents the average time flown by 30 pilots. It does not include the time of         missing pilots, or those who were grounded for