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Avenger #05885 wreck on New Georgia 1943

Posted: Tue Dec 18, 2012 3:03 pm
by tomhopp
Through lengthy research, I have identified the wreck of my uncle's Navy Grumman Avenger torpedo bomber #05885, which was located just after WWII near Menakasapa, New Georgia Island, Solomon Islands. Does anybody know anything more about this wreck? It was shot down attacking a Japanese flotilla just to the north of the island. I would love to see photos, or even go to visit it, if it still exists. Can anyone suggest sources of information on its exact location, its mission on that day, and its present fate? I know my Uncle flew as a turret gunner with Escort Scouting Squadron VGS-12, off the jeep carrier USS Copahee, and attached to the Cactus Air Force on Guadalcanal. The shoot-down occurred on February 4, 1943. Herb survived. His crew mates did not.

Re: Avenger #05885 wreck on New Georgia 1943

Posted: Wed Dec 19, 2012 7:25 am
by Edward
Tom,

Congratulations on your research. I hope that someone here at the forum will be able to provide you with some information on the mission and the exact location of the wreck.

You may want to see a copy of book . Using Google book search I see that the USS Copahee is mentioned but not Menakasapa.

Operation KE: The Cactus Air Force and the Japanese Withdrawal from Guadalcanal
Roger and Dennis Letourneau
(Naval Institute Press 2012)
416 pages

Good luck,

Edward

Re: Avenger #05885 wreck on New Georgia 1943

Posted: Fri Feb 15, 2013 5:44 pm
by PF

Re: Avenger #05885 wreck on New Georgia 1943

Posted: Fri Feb 15, 2013 5:47 pm
by PF

Re: Avenger #05885 wreck on New Georgia 1943

Posted: Fri Feb 15, 2013 5:47 pm
by PF

Re: Avenger #05885 wreck on New Georgia 1943

Posted: Tue Feb 26, 2013 4:39 pm
by nreese
The best people to contact about this are probably Graham from Dive Munda (they operate out of Agnes Lodge in Munda, New Georgia), or Danny Kennedy, long-time dive operator (Adventure Sports - Dive Gizo www.divegizo.com) out of Gizo on Ghizo Island. If you can get some more info on the island where the plane is I'll investigate a bit more for you.

Re: Avenger #05885 wreck on New Georgia 1943

Posted: Sat Jul 20, 2013 3:10 pm
by tomhopp
Thanks guys, for the suggestions. I have made little progress since the initial posting. Learning from the book suggested, "Operation Ke," I at least identified Uncle Herb's radioman as one of his VGS-12 squadron mates, Bill Murrel Owen. However, when I requested Owen's service record from the National Archive, they took 3 months to reply that there was no record. Given that I was able to get my Uncle's record from them, I believe Owen's record really is lost. Too bad. Anyway, I'll keep searching.