Aircraft History
Built by Douglas Aircraft Company in El Segundo. Constructors Number 2275. Delivered to the U.S. Navy (USN) as SBD-4 Dauntless bureau number 10348.

Wartime History
Assigned to the United States Marine Corps (USMC), Marine Air Wing 1 (MAW-1), Marine Air Group 11 (MAG-11), Marine Scout Bombing Squadron 144 (VMSB-144) "Hensagliska". Squadron Number 88. No known nose art or nickname.

Mission History
On July 23, 1943 between 7:16am to 7:21am took off from Banika Field (North Field, Sunlight) in the Russell Islands piloted by Lt. James W. Dougherty with gunner Sgt Robert Bernard as one of seventeen SBDs each armed with a single 1,000 pound bomb on a dive bombing mission against anti-aircraft guns near Gurasai near Munda on New Georgia. Inbound, the weather was heavy cumulus clouds up to 7,500' over Gatukai and over Santa Isabel and Choiseul but good to the target area.

At 8:29am approaching from the north at 12,000' the SBDs began their dive bombing runs from 10,000' with dive flaps and released their bombs from 1,800' to 1,200' and pulled out at 1,200' to 800'. They claimed 16 bombs fell in the target area. Pulling out of his dive, Dougherty was hit by anti-aircraft fire and caught fire and flew southward escorted by two SBDs from the formation then successfully ditched into Rendova Harbor off Rendova Island.

Fates of the Crew
Both crew were unhurt in the ditching, aside from a head wound when Dougherty impacting the bomb site. Before their plane sank, both were able to exit, deploy their life raft and wave to the two SBDs. Afterwards, rescued by U.S. personnel from Rendova Island.

Wreckage
This Dauntless remains in situ upright on a sandy bottom at a depth of 12m / 39'.

During the early 1990s, the aircraft was found by SCUBA divers David Cooke and Mariana Cooke of Solomon Sea Divers while conducting exploratory dives for new sites. When found, the plane's cowling machine guns and gun site were removed, indicating someone had removed they prior to their visit. Possibly, they were recovered by U.S. forces during the war or more likely locals free diving to the plane. Afterwards, historian Ronnie Day identified the plane as the one ditched by Dougherty who was located and in retirement in California.

On July 23, 1995, the former pilot, James Dougherty, his wife and daughter traveled to the Solomon Islands with SCUBA dive masters and documentary video makers who recorded their visit. Exactly 52 years later, at precisely 1:00pm, Dougherty touched the plane's left wing, sat in the cockpit an explored his former plane. His visit was later the subject of the documentary Lost Warriors of the South Pacific (1996) by by Kevin Juergensen and Robert Keets of Pacific Media Associates.

Robert Keet adds:
"The video of the pilot getting back into the seat of his SBD was July 23, 1995. Exactly 52 years to the minute after being brought down by a 40mm AA. Jim even visited the exact guns that hit his plane as they were still at Kindu. The guys that helped him into the plane were myself, Bill Angione (a Los Angeles County Sheriffs dept Diver/Paramedic/Instructor and Dave Cooke, (Solomon Sea Divers, Munda)."

References
Navy Serial Number Search Results - SBD-4 Dauntless 10348
"10348 damaged by AAA over Kindu on Gurasai Point, Rendova Island"
USN Overseas Aircraft Loss List July 1943 - SBD-4 Dauntless 10348
NARA VMSB-144 War Diary July 1943 pages 20-23
(Page 20) "July 23.... During the pull out, Lieut. J.W. Dougherty's plane was hit by A.A. and set afire, forcing him to make a water landing at Rendova Island. Both Lieut. Doughterty and Sgt. R. D. Bernard, his radio gunner, escaped unhurt and were taken to Rendova Island. Mission report follows.
Action... Lt. Dougherty, in plane 88, made a forced landing on water inside Renard Entrance on Rendova Island but he was accompanied down by two planes and he and his gunner were seen to get into their rubber boat before the plane sank. He waved that he was all right, and reports have been received that he and the rear seat gunner were safely picked up by boats from Rendova. Smoke..."
(Page 21) "...was seen coming from the cowling on the lower right side, first in steady streams then at intervals large gusts of it would should out. One pilot heard him say his motor was afire. It is thought that he must have been hit by A.A. fire during the attack, as it was on the trip back to base that he was forced down.
Return... Plane 88, piloted by Lt. Dougherty, sank shortly after the water landing and is lost, unless it can be raised by salvage boat which is very unlikely."
Lost Warriors of the South Pacific (1995) by Kevin Juergensen and Robert Keets includes Dougherty's 1995 visit.
War Wrecks of the Coral Sea includes dive footage of this wreck
Thanks to Robert Keets for photos and visit details