Pacific Wrecks
Pacific Wrecks    
  Missing In Action (MIA) Prisoners Of War (POW) Unexploded Ordnance (UXO)  
Chronology Locations Aircraft Ships Submit Info How You Can Help Donate
 
  F4F-4 Wildcat Bureau Number 02095  
USMC
MAW-1
MAG-23
VMF-223

Pilot  2nd Lt. Elwood R. Bailey, O-010347 USMCR (MIA / KIA, BR) Parma, MI
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 02095. Shipped overseas to the South Pacific.

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), Marine Fighting Squadron 223 (VMF-223) "Bulldogs". No known nickname or nose art.

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 Kates from Ryujo escorted by nine A6M2 Zeros. When this aircraft failed to return, Bailey was officially listed as Missing In Action (MIA). Also lost was F4F Wildcat 02084 (MIA).

Wreckage
This Wildcat crashed roughly ten kilometers southwest of Mbarana (Barana) on Guadalcanal.

During 2012, Solomon Islander Clay Chualu of Mbarana (Barana) visited the crash site and recovered the wing of this aircraft on behalf of Anders (Jurgen) Markwarth / Solomon Islands War Museum.

In February 2013, a team from Joint POW/MIA Accounting Commend (JPAC) visited this crash site with Mr. Chualu as part of Joint Field Activity (JFA) 13-1BP. By this time, the crash site had been subjected to extensive scavenging. The crash site was designated Site BP-00188.

Recovery of Remains
In April 2015, Solomon Islander Mr. Chualu turned over human remains and artifacts including a .45 caliber pistol and a bent dog tag with the name "E. R. Bailey 2nd Lt. T-5-42 USMCR" to Mr. Markwarth who reported them to JPAC. In July 2015, these items with the exception of the pistol were turned over to JPAC.

To identify the remains, dental, anthropological analysis plus historical and material evidence were used to identify the pilot. On September 28, 2017 the Department of Defense (DoD) announced Bailey was identified.

Memorials
Bailey was officially declared dead on August 25, 1943. He earned the Purple Heart, posthumously. Bailey is memorialized on the tablets of the missing at Manila American Cemetery.

After the identification of his remains, Bailey is scheduled for burial in his hometown on October 13, 2018.  At Manila American Cemetery, a rosette will be placed next to his name to indicate he has been accounted for.

Relatives
Wayne L. Tompkins (nephew)

References
Navy Serial Number Search Results - F4F-4 Wildcat 02095
USN Overseas Aircraft Loss List August 1942 F4F Wildcat 02095 VMF-223 Lt. Bailey 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 Elwood R. Bailey - did not return from flight"
History of the Marine Corps Aviation in World War II pages 80-81 (August 24, 1942)
American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC) - Elwood R. Bailey
"the remains of 2nd Lt. Elwood R. Bailey were accounted for in 2017."
FindAGrave - 2Lt Elwood Ray Bailey (tablets of the missing photo)
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 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 pages 116, 118-119
DPAA Historical Report: Bureau Number (BuNo) 02095 Guadalcanal Province, Solomon Islands by Hannah Metheny August 14, 2017
DPAA New Release "Marine Missing From World War II Accounted For (Bailey, E.)" September 28, 2017
"Marine Corps Reserve 2nd Lt. Elwood R. Bailey, killed during World War II, has now been accounted for. On August 24, 1942, Bailey was a member of Marine Fighting Squadron 223 (VMF-223), Marine Aircraft Group 23, (MAG-23). Bailey was piloting a F3F-f [sic, F4F-4] Wildcat in aerial combat with Japanese Military Air Forces [sic Imperial Japanese Navy] over Guadalcanal, Solomon Islands, when he was reported missing in action after being shot down and failing to return to base. Interment services are pending; more details will be released 7-10 days prior to scheduled funeral services. DPAA is grateful to Mr. Clay Chualu, a Solomon Islander, for his assistance in this recovery. Bailey’s name is recorded on the Walls of the Missing at an American Battle Monuments Commission site along with the others who are missing from WWII. A rosette will be placed next to his name to indicate he has been accounted for."
DPAA News Release "Funeral Announcement For Marine Corps Pilot Killed During World War II (Bailey E.)" Release No: 18-162 Oct. 4, 2018
"On August 24, 1942, Bailey was a member of Marine Fighting Squadron 223 (VMF-223), Marine Aircraft Group 23, (MAG-23). Bailey was piloting a F4F-4 Wildcat in aerial combat with Japanese Military Air Forces over Guadalcanal, Solomon Islands, when he was reported missing in action after being shot down.
In October 1948, a Board of Review declared Bailey's remains to be non-recoverable.
In April 2015, Clay Chualu, a resident of the Solomon Islands, turned over human remains and material evidence to DPAA. The remains had been reportedly recovered from a crash site of an F4F-4 aircraft located southwest of Mbarana Village. The remains were subsequently sent to DPAA for analysis.
To identify Bailey's remains, scientists from DPAA used dental and anthropological analysis, which matched his records; as well as historical and material evidence.
DPAA is grateful to Mr. Clay Chualu for his assistance in this recovery."
Missing Marines –  Elwood R. Bailey

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

Tech Info
Wildcat

MIA
MIA
1 Missing
  Discussion Forum Daily Updates Reviews Museums Interviews & Oral Histories  
 
Pacific Wrecks Inc. All rights reserved.
Donate Now Facebook Twitter YouTube Instagram