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| USN VB-101 Formally VP-51
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Aircraft History Built by Consolidated Aircraft Corporation at San Diego. Constructors Number 1036. Delivered U.S. Army Air Force (USAAF) as B-24D-25-CO Liberator serial number 41-24241. At the factory painted with olive drab upper surfaces and gray lower surfaces. Wartime History Assigned to the U.S. Navy (USN) as PB4Y-1 Liberator bureau number 31960. Assigned to Patrol Squadron 51 (VP-51). Squadron number 51-P-6. No known nickname or nose art. On January 4, 1943 took off from Barbers Point Airfield piloted by Lt. Hall with AMM2c James J. Curry plus five others on a navigation flight that lasted 0.2 hours. During the middle of January 1943 flown from Barbers Point Airfield on a flight across the Pacific Ocean flying via Palmyra Airfield, Canton Airfield, Nadi Airfield before arriving at Bomber 2 Airfield (Pekoa Field) on Espiritu Santo then to Henderson Field on Guadalcanal. On January 28, 1943 took off piloted by Lt. Frank M. Fisler with AMM2c James J. Curry plus eight others on a flight that lasted 9.7 hours. On February 1, 1943 redesignated Bombing Squadron 101 (VB-101). On February 14, 1943 "Saint Valentines Day Massacre" took off from Henderson Field on Guadalcanal piloted by Lt. James C. Nolan with a crew of ten armed with a single 1,000 pound bomb. One of nine PB4Y-1 Liberators on a daylight mission against enemy shipping off southern Bougainville in the Buin-Shortland area. The bombers were escorted by ten P-38s Lightnings from the 347th Fighter Group, 339th Fighter Squadron plus twelve F4U Corsairs from VMF-124. After the bomb run, the formation was intercepted by roughly thirty A6M Zeros and fifteen A6M2-N Rufe floatplanes from Shortland. During the combat, two Liberators were shot down, PB4Y-1 Liberator 31950 pilot Lt. Jay D, Bacon, Jr. or PB4Y-1 Liberator pilot by Lt. Stuart T. Cooper. One was shot down by head-on attack by enemy fighters over the target and crashed. The other crash landed or ditched off New Georgia. Due to the severe American losses, this mission became known as the "Saint Valentines Day Massacre". The ultimate fate unknown. Likely scrapped or otherwise disappeared. Memorials Nolan retired from the U.S. Navy as a Lieutenant Commander. He passed away on September 11, 1992. He is buried at O'ahu Cemetery in Honolulu, HI in section 7. References USAF Serial Number Search Results B-24D-25-CO Liberator 41-24132 "24132 - to US Navy as PB4Y-1 BuNo 31960" Navy Serial Number Search Results PB4Y-1 Liberator 31960 "31960 ex USAAF B-24D 41-24132" Diary of James C. Nolan - February 13, 1943 (Saturday) via This Damn Navy Flight Log Book, AMM2c James J. Curry from USN VP-51 via Bill Petrolino flights aboard "31960" December 4, 1942 and January 28, 1943 U.S. Navy Patrol Squadrons - VP-51 History History of Patrol Squadron-11F, Patrol Squadron-54, Patrol Squadron-51, VB-101, PATSU 1-2, and CASU F-56 "The next day, February 14,1943, off the coast of Southern Bougainville Island. nine PB4Y-1 aircraft fully armed, bombs and ammunition, bombed and sank a large enemy transport and a destroyer from 22,000 feet altitude. After the flack came 50 to 60 enemy fighters from Kahili airfield to intercept the bombers and their cover. The top cover consisted of 4 Army P-38's and the lower cover consisting of Navy F6F's and Marine Corps Corsairs (F4U). The Marine Corsair was in combat for the first time in this mission. Two PB4Y-1 Bombers -- 101-B-3 and 101-B-4 and entire crews were shot down. The entire top cover was destroyed and six of the lower cover aircraft were destroyed. It was reported by observers that the enemy lost 26 aircraft in this fight. This 'skirmish' was named in most military history books as the 'Saint Valentines Day Massacre'. The losses for both sides were very heavy for the day." We Flew Alone (2000) by Alan Carey pages 13-14 FindAGrave - LTC James C. Nolan (grave photo) Thanks to Jim Sawruk for additional information Contribute
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