Pacific Wrecks Forum

Hi All,

I'm currently trying to determine which US servicemen were lost in which aircraft during the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor. According to one article from Flight Journal a few years back, there are currently still 9 American airmen listed as missing - the details they give are that five were from the USS Enterprise, three from a US Army Coastal Artillery Regiment, and one from the 15th Pursuit Group.

Here are the names of those still missing from the attack who I believe are the airmen referred to above:-

USS Enterprise
RM3c Mitchell Cohn, 4036798
Cox Fred John Ducolon, 3927455
Ens Manuel Gonzalez, O-81553
RM3c Leonard Joseph Kozelek
Ens Walter M Willis, O-84140

251 Coast Artillery Regiment
Sgt Henry C Blackwell, 20920836
Cpl Clyde C Brown, 20920839
Sgt Warren D Rasmussen, 20920790

15 Pursuit Group
2/Lt Gordon H Sterling, O-411852

Now, to tie these aircrew up with their aircraft...

* 2/Lt Sterling was flying a 45th PS P-36 Mohawk (serial unknown).
* According to the Aviation Archaeology website, Ens Willis was flying SBD Bu No 2159 of VS-6.

And now for the questions...

* This site states that three VS-6 SBDs were listed as missing (Bu Nos 2159, 2160 and 4521). I can only assume that the remaining four airmen from the USS Enterprise were aboard these SBDs. Can anyone confirm?
* What aircraft were the Coast Artillery Regiment servicemen flying?

I'd be very grateful if someone out there would be able to assist.

Cheers,

Daniel

Hello Daniel:

The three 251st CA Regiment soldiers were members of a recently federalized California National Guard coast artillery (anti-aircraft) unit. All three were licensed pilots, and had rented two Piper J-2 (or possibly J-3) Cubs from K-T Flying Services at John Rodgers Airport (now Honolulu International). They were in the air when the Japanese aircraft arrived over Oahu, and both aircraft were shot down off the Eva coast.
Cheers,
Steve

Daniel,
RM3 Mitchell Cohn was the gunner in SBD-2 (6-S-9) Buno. 2158 flown by Ens. John Reginald McCarthy
Ens Walter Michael Willis and Cox Fred John Ducolon were the aircrew aboard SBD-2 2159 (6-S-15)
Ens Manuel Gonzalez and RM3 Leonard Joseph Kozelek were the aircrew aboard SBD-2 2181 (6-B-3)

SBD-3 4521 (6-S-16) was flown by Lt(jg) Frank Anthony Patriarca and RM1 Joseph Ferdinand DeLuca, I show this aircraft as having crash landed
SBD-2 2160 (6-S-3) was flown by Ens John H L Vogt Jr and RM3 Sidney Pierce

See remarks concerning Mitchell Cohn at http://forum.axishistory.com/viewtopic.php?t=80865

Offical report of losses http://www.cv6.org/ship/logs/ph/vs6-action19411207.htm