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Summary: VMB-423 was commissioned
on 15 September 1943 at Cherry Point, NC. In October 1943 squadron was
transferred to Edenton, NC, and upon completion of training, departed for El Centro, CA in December
1943, arriving on 3 January 1944. The ground echelon embarked and
sailed aboard the USS Hammondsport, arriving at Espiritu
Santo 11 March 1944. Sailing with their aircraft aboard the USS Prince
William, the flight echelon arrived and rejoined the ground echelon one month later.
My middle of May 1944 the flight echelon was operating from Sterling Island but
was transferred on 21 June 1944 for Green Island to rejoin the ground echelon which had
arrived from Espiritu Santo. Over the next year, VMB423 carried out
both daylight and nighttime attacks against targets on New Britain and
New Ireland and provided close air support strikes for
Australian troops on Bougainville. By middle of June 1945 squadron
redeployed northward and was
operating from Emirau. On 10 August 1945, the squadron was once again
reassigned northward to Malabang in the Philippines, arriving on 16 August 1945, just as war ended. VMB-423 was
decommissioned at Miramar, CA on 30 November 1945 following the squadron's
return to the United States.
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Commanding Officers: |
Lieutenant Colonel John L Winston |
15 Sep 1943 - 18 Jul 1944 |
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Lieutenant Colonel Norman J. Anderson |
19 Jul 1944 - 15 Aug 1945 |
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Lieutenant Colonel Louis L. Frank |
16 Aug - 30 Nov 1945 |
Awards: American Campaign; Asiatic-Pacific
Campaign
w/2 bronze stars, and; World
War II Victory.
Aircraft Operated
Overseas:
PBJ-1D, and; PBJ-1J.
Aircraft Loses: 7
Operational; 3 Combat.
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Casualties: |
Second Lieutenant
James P. McCullough |
1
November 1943 |
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Second Lieutenant Lieutenant Irving R. Werner Jr. |
1
November 1943 |
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Private First Class
Charles E. Schwieman |
1
November 1943 |
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Corporal
Thomas S. Szymanski Jr. |
1
November 1943 |
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First Lieutenant Henry E. Seeman |
3 March
1944
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Second Lieutenant
Bert C. Sanders |
3 March
1944
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Corporal
Anthony J. Gallo |
3 March
1944
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Staff Sergeant
James W. Lee Jr. |
3 March
1944
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Corporal
Robert W. Lide |
3 March
1944
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First Lieutenant
Alden R. Carlson |
20
April 1944 |
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Second Lieutenant
Thaddeus H. Banachowski |
20
April 1944 |
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Staff Sergeant
Clyde E. Yates |
20
April 1944 |
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Corporal
Reber H. Smith |
20
April 1944 |
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Corporal
Raymond T. Marks |
20
April 1944 |
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Corporal
John T. Gunn |
20
April 1944 |
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First Lieutenant
Laverne A. Lallathin |
22
April 1944 |
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Second Lieutenant
Dwight D. Ekstam |
22
April 1944 |
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Technical Sergeant
James A. Sisney |
22
April 1944 |
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Corporal
Wayne R. Erickson |
22
April 1944 |
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Technical Sergeant
Walter B. Vincent Jr. |
22
April 1944 |
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Corporal
John D. Yeager |
22
April 1944 |
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Corporal
John A. Donovan |
22
April 1944 |
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Sergeant
Roderick H. Herndon |
2 June
1944
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First Lieutenant
Vernon R. Kistner |
22 June
1944
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Second Lieutenant
Richard B. Lucy |
22 June
1944 |
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Staff Sergeant
Clifford S. Buckley Jr. |
22 June
1944 |
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Staff Sergeant
Jewel T. Hawkins |
22 June
1944 |
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Corporal
Edwin J. McDowell |
22 June
1944 |
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Sergeant
Winton G. Walk |
22 June
1944 |
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Captain
Richard A. Edmonds |
29 June
1944 |
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Second Lieutenant
Nimrod C. Olinger |
29 June
1944 |
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Staff Sergeant
Loren N. VanBuskirk |
29 June
1944 |
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Sergeant
Roy H. Morrison |
29 June
1944 |
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Corporal
Dewett T. Greene Jr. |
29 June
1944 |
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Sergeant
Raymond M. Hallbauer |
29 June
1944 |
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Private First Class
Willie T. Phillips |
23
December 1944 |
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