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| USN USS Essex (CV-9) VF-15 |
Pilot Lt John E. Barry Jr., 0-98795 (MIA / KIA) Summerville, SC Crashed September 9, 1944 Aircraft History Built by Grumman as model G-50 in Bethpage, New York. Delivered to the U.S. Navy (USN) as F6F-3 Hellcat bureau number 41772. Wartime History Assigned to USS Essex (CV-9) to Fighting Squadron 15 (VF-15). No known nickname, nose art or squadron number. Mission History On September 9, 1944 launched from USS Essex (CV-9) piloted by Lt John E. Barry Jr. on a fighter sweep against Mindanao in the Philippines. While strafing a ship off the east coast of Mindanao the ship exploded and this plane was caught in the explosion and went Missing In Action (MIA). Memorials Barry was officially declared dead the day of the mission. He earned the Air Medal, Purple Heart, posthumously. Barry is memorialized at Manila American Cemetery on the tablets of the missing. Relatives John E. Barry III (son) References Navy Serial Number Search Results - F6F-3 Hellcat 41772 USN Overseas Aircraft Loss List - F6F-3 Hellcat 41772 NARA VF-15 War History page 19 [PDF page 34] "On 9 September [1944] we began the initial neutralization of northern Mindanao. The fighter sweep and the first strike of the day took off at the same time, attacking the assigned target areas and destroying the only enemy aircraft observed airborne (2 Topsys and 2 Vals). In route back to base, an enemy convoy of 42 ships off the east coast of Mindanao was sighted and attacked by the fighters from both the sweep and the strike. When these attacks were over, 18 ships had been sunk, 5 were loft burning fiercely, 9 were dead in the water and trailing oil, 7 were hit, and the last 3 were damaged but still underway. CL's and DD's from the Task Group came in and sank the ships remaining afloat. All of the enemy ships were Aks, of the coastal freighter type. During one strafing attack, one of the ships, evidently loaded with ammunition, exploded with such ferocity that it caught Lieut. J. E. Barry, Jr., A-V(N), USNR, in the blast, and he was killed in action. During the rest of the day, only one other enemy aircraft was encountered airborne, a Dinah, and it was destroyed." American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC) - John E. Barry Jr. FindAGrave - Lt John Edmund Barry Jr. (tablets of the missing photo) Why Can’t I (2020) by John E. Barry III Contribute Information Are you a relative or associated with any person mentioned? Do you have photos or additional information to add? Last Updated September 9, 2025 |
 F6F  MIA 1 Missing |
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