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| USN CAG-21 VF-21 |
Pilot Ensign Jack H. Redinger, O-145522 USNR (MIA / KIA) MI MIA July 15, 1943 Aircraft History Built by Grumman Corporation in Bethpage, New York as a model G-36 with manually operated folding wings. Delivered to the U.S. Navy (USN) as F4F-4 Wildcat bureau number 12059. Disassembled and shipped across the Pacific to the South Pacific (SOPAC). Wartime History Assigned to Carrier Air Group 21 (CAG-21), Fighter Squadron 21 (VF-21) "Freelancers". No known nickname or nose art. Mission History On July 15, 1943 took off from Henderson Field on Guadalcanal piloted by Ensign Jack H. Redinger on a patrol mission over Rendova. At 2:00pm, a large formation of Japanese G4M1 Betty bombers escorted by Zeros was spotted over Kolombangara Island and intercepted the formation. Also intercepting were P-40 Warhawks from the 44th Fighter Squadron plus F4U Corsairs from VMF-213. When this aircraft failed to return, the pilot was officially declared Missing In Action (MIA). Also lost were P-40 Warhawk piloted by Murray (MIA) and F4U Corsair 02599 (MIA). Memorials Redinger was officially declared dead January 7, 1946. He earned the Air Medal and Purple Heart, posthumously. Redinger is memorialized at Manila American Cemetery on the tablets of the missing. He also has a memorial marker at Fort Rosecrans National Cemetery at plot MA, 0, 16. References Navy Serial Number Search Results - F4F Wildcat 12059 USN Overseas Aircraft Loss List July 1943 - F4F Wildcat 12059 pilot Ens Bedinger [sic, Redinger] NARA Carrier Air Group Twenty-One War Diary 15 May to 5 August 1943 pages 18-2 (Page 19) "Our losses: Ensign Redinger, MIA." NARA CINCPAC War Diary July 1 - July 31, 1943 page 294 (Page 294) "15 July 1943. 1. Contacts and actions with the enemy in the Pacific Ocean Areas. 0330Z/15 - 27 Jap VB(M)s [G4M1 Betty] and 50 Zeros were intercepted over Rendova by 44 Blue VF's. 15 VB(M)s and 30 zeros were shot down. We lost 3 pilots." NARA Second Marine Aircraft Wing War Diary for July 1943 "July 15, 1943 - 1425 - Condition red declared when a large bogey was reported closing. Fighter cover was vectored to intercept them and contact was made at 26,000 feet. Twenty-nine enemy fighters and 15 medium bombers were destroyed as compared with our loss of three fighters. No planes reached Rendova." American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC) - Jack H. Redinger FindAGrave - Jack Hutto Redinger (memorial marker photo) FindAGrave - Ens Jack H Redinger (tablets of the missing) 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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