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| USMC MAW-1 MAG-23 VMF-212 |
Pilot 2nd Lt. Lawrence C. Taylor, O-010347 (MIA / KIA, BR) Santa Ana, CA MIA August 24, 1942 Aircraft History Built by Grumman Corporation in Bethpage, New York as a model G-36 with manually operated folding wings. Delivered to the United States Navy (USN) as F4F-4 Wildcat bureau number 02084. Shipped overseas to the South Pacific (SoPAC). During late July or early August 1942 loaded aboard USS Long Island CVE-1 that departed August 2, 1942 bound for the South Pacific (SOPAC). On August 20, 1942 took off from USS Long Island CVE-1 roughly 200 miles southeast of Guadalcanal and landed at Henderson Field. Wartime History Assigned to the U.S. Marine Corps (USMC) to 1st Marine Aircraft Wing (1st MAW), Marine Aircraft Group 23 (MAG-23) to Marine Fighting Squadron 212 (VMF-212) "Hell Hounds / The Musketeers". No known nickname or nose art. Attached to VMF-223 "Bulldogs" at Henderson Field on Guadalcanal. Mission History On August 24, 1942 at 2:15pm during the Battle of the Eastern Solomons took off from Henderson Field on Guadalcanal piloted by 2nd Lt. Elwood R. Bailey on a mission to intercept six B5N Kate torpedo bombers from Ryujo escorted by nine A6M2 Zeros. When this aircraft failed to return, Taylor was officially listed as Missing In Action (MIA). Also lost was F4F Wildcat 02095 (MIA). Memorials Taylor was officially declared dead on August 25, 1943. He earned the Silver Star and Purple Heart, posthumously. Taylor is memorialized at Manila American Cemetery on the tablets of the missing. References Navy Serial Number Search Results - F4F-4 Wildcat 02084 USN Overseas Aircraft Loss List August 1942 F4F Wildcat 02084 VMF-223 Lt. Taylor MIA NARA "Report of action of the Forward Echelon of Marine Aircraft Group Twenty-Three during the period 20-30 August 1942" pages 3 "24 August 1942 - 1420 - Air raid. Fifteen (15) single-engine bombers supported by twelve (12) Zero fighters attacked. They were opposed by our aircraft as listed below: VMF-223 2ndLt Taylor (STAD from VMF-212) - did not return from flight. Assisted Lt Jeans to shoot down one bomber." History of the Marine Corps Aviation in World War II pages 80-81 (August 24, 1942) American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC) - Lawrence C. Taylor FindAGrave - 2Lt Lawrence Coburn Taylor (photo, tablets of the missing) A History of Marine Attack Squadron 223 page 2-3 [PDF page 12-13] "On 24 August, the Cactus Air Force met the enemy aircraft from the carrier Ryujo and the Battle of the Eastern Solomons was underway. At 1420 the two MAG-23 squadrons augmented by five Army P-400s which had arrived from New Caledonia; intercepted an enemy flight of 15 bombers and 12 fighters. These Japanese aircraft never reached Henderson Field. The Marines shot down 10 bombers and half of the fighters. Captain Carl alone was credited with two bombers and a fighter. The victory was not without its costs; three of Captain Smith's pilots Second Lieutenants Elwood R. Bailey, Lawrence C. Taylor and Roy A. Corry [sic, MIA August 26, 1942], failed to return, and one pilot was shot down and later recovered." First Team and The Guadalcanal Campaign (1994) page 118-119 [August 24, 1942 mission] "In turn the Japanese shot down 2nd Lt. Elwood Bailey of VMF-223. Although seen to bail out over Tulagi, he never came back." Guadalcanal Tome I (2015) pages 116, 118-119 Contribute Information Are you a relative or associated with any person mentioned? Do you have photos or additional information to add? Last Updated December 12, 2023 |
 Wildcat  MIA 1 Missing |
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