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| USMC VMF-214 |
Pilot 1st Lt Wilbur H. Blakeslee, O-027112 (MIA / KIA) Hartford County, CT Crashed August 6, 1943 Aircraft History Built by Vought. Delivered to the U.S. Navy (USN) as F4U-1 Corsair bureau number 02492. Disassembled and shipped overseas to the South Pacific (SOPAC) and reassembled. Wartime HIstory Assigned to the U.S. Marine Corps (USMC) to Marine Air Group 11 (MAG-11), Marine Fighting Squadron 214 (VMF-214) "Black Sheep". No known nose art or nickname. Mission History On August 6, 1943 took off from the Russels Islands piloted by 1st Lt Wilbur H. Blakeslee on a mission to escort an F-5A Lightning on an armed recon over Shortland Harbor at low level. Over the target, they surprised several A6M2-N Rufes and E13 Jake seaplanes in the harbor. Intercepted by A6M Zeros, this Corsair was shot down in the vicinity of Shortland Island. Memorials Blakeslee was offically declared dead the day of the mission. He earned the Purple Heart, posthumously. Blakeslee is memorialized at Manila American Cemetery on the tablets of the missing. References Navy Serial Number Search Results - F4U-1 Corsair 02492 "02492 (VMF-214) lost to enemy action Aug 6, 1943" USN Overseas Aircraft Loss List August 1943 - F4U-1 Corsair 02492 pilot listed as "S" [sic MIA] American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC) - Wilbur H. Blakeslee FindAGrave - 1LT Wilbur Howard Blakeslee (tablets of the missing photo) Contribute Information Are you a relative or associated with any person mentioned? Do you have photos or additional information to add? Last Updated July 4, 2024 |
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