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Old 12-07-2013, 02:24 PM   #7
ApS
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Exclamation PBY—Patrol-Bomber—"Catalina"

Earlier that fateful morning, it was a twin engine patrol bomber (PBY/Catalina) that sighted two Japanese subs near Pearl Harbor beaches. My Dad happened to be stateside, training other pilots in the intricacies of flying the PBY "flying boat" when the first attack occurred on Oahu Island.

On December 7th, the very first bombs fell on Kaneohe Bay Naval Air Station, where his entire squadron of 36 aircraft (VP-11) was destroyed on the ground.

Otherwise totally unprepared to return fire, sailors retrieved 50-caliber machine guns from damaged PBYs, then used them to return fire. The largest loss of US Navy lives occurred in Kaneohe hanger #3, where sailors were gathering ammunition to return the fight to the enemy.

Using one of those guns, the first Medal of Honor of the war was earned at Kaneohe Bay Naval Air Station. (While bleeding from 21 wounds).

My Dad's squadron VP-11 later was tasked for night-fighting—all painted black—reknowned as the "Black-Cat-Squadron".
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