Part Four: Fleet Air Photographic Reconnaissance Squadron VD- Four

In mid 1943, LCDR. Charles H. Clark, USN, a Naval aviator pilot in Fleet Air Photographic Reconnaissance VD-One Squadron at Koli Point air base at Guadalcanal, while flying his PB4Y-1P (photo Liberator) on a photographic reconnaissance mission over New Georgia Island in the South Pacific, was ordered back to the states for duty assignment as commanding officer of Fleet Air Photographic Reconnaissance VD-Four Squadron, then being formed at the Naval Air Station, North Island, San Diego, California.

LTJG. Charles C. Shirley, USN, a former enlisted Naval photographer who had been advanced to a temporary Naval officer early in World War II, was assigned duty as the VD-Four Squadron photographic officer.

LT. Shirley was given an almost free hand with organizing the squadrons photographic set up, and according to LCDR. Clark, Shirley did a magnificent job. LCDR. Clark also reported that his squadron were mostly young pilots and were a happy group and that their training at San Diego was highly satisfactory. He also reported that his squadron was blessed with the services of a young supply corps officer named John Robo who was able far beyond that which his limited experience would indicate. The squadrons maintenance people were also outstanding as was LT. Hubbard Tuttle the squadron's executive officer.

While their training period was progressing in a satisfactory manner, the fleet air photo-recon VD-Four squadron was suddenly ordered from NAS, San Diego to NAS Barbers Point, T.H. a move with which they were able to comply expeditiously.

At the time of their orders to NAS Barbers Point, VD-Four squadron had nine PB4Y-1P photo liberators and two B-25 airplanes, all eleven of which were flown from San Diego to the Hawaiian Area in mid-November 1943.

Shortly after their arrival at NAS, Barbers Point, T.H., it was decided that the B-25 airplanes were of no great benefit to the VD-Four squadron long distance photo recon operations in the Pacific, therefore the two B-25 airplanes were ordered to other operations.

After several tedious months of training at NAS, Barbers Point, the Fleet Air Photographic Reconnaissance Squadron VD-Four and a photographic interpretation squadron were ordered forward as photo group one to replace Fleet Air Photographic Reconnaissance VD-Three squadron at Eniwetok.

CDR. Clark reported in his hand written account in June 1972 that if his memory serves correctly they departed from NAS Barbers Point T.H. on 2 May 1944 and arrived at the fleet air base on Eniwetok on 4 May and two days later, 6 May 1944 they were over the Island of Guam taking aerial photographs.

Inasmuchas Fleet Air Photographic Reconnaissance VD-Three squadron had an established operational photo lab at the fleet air base on Eniwetok, it was a very simple task for Fleet Air Photographic Reconnaissance VD-Four squadron to take over from VD-Three squadron and commence operations with little or no building

Problems at Eniwetok.

The bulk of the Fleet Air Photo-Recon VG-Four Squadron’s photographic equipment and supplies remained packed and was stored at the Eniwetok base for further use upon our forces securing the Island of Guam.

Shortly after Fleet Air Photographic Reconnaissance VD-Four Squadron's arrival at the fleet air base on Eniwetok, the squadron began its first aerial photographic-reconnaissance operations from that base.

The aerial photo-reconnaissance coverage of the Japanese held islands in the Marianas were made by multi-plane flight formation which consisted of three to eight or nine VD-Four PB4Y-1P (photo Liberators), each of which was escorted by two B-24 U.S. Army Air Force bombers or PB4Y-1 bombers from Commander Renfros Navy bomber group, therefore in the case of nine PB4Y-1P photo planes there would be eighteen bomber escort planes in a formation with the nine photo planes slightly leading their two escorts, one on each side and slightly to the rear of the photo plane. The nine photo plane formation in a straight line with the bomber escorts in between, thus separating the photo planes far enough apart so that lateral overlap picture coverage was obtained in the aerial photos made by all nine photo planes as they crossed their assigned target all at the same time at an altitude of some 20,000 feet in a wide spread formation which was effective from the standpoint of obtaining vertical overlapping aerial photos from photo plane to photo plane. This spread also split up the Japanese anti-aircraft fire and their fighter airplane attack.

Commander Clark said that the Japanese anti-aircraft fire was not very accurate, mostly below and behind the photo-recon bomber formation. He also mentioned that it was noticable that the Japanese fighter airplanes would customarily wait to attack the photo-recon formation after the airplane group had passed clear of the Japanese antiaircraft fire zone.

CDR. Clark in his June, 1972 report is herewith quoted in part:

Quote: "On one flight over Truk, we had scheduled our arrival over the target to take place perhaps 30 minutes after a large Army Air Force bombing attack. We had 27 planes in our group, nine PB4Y-1P photo planes and eighteen B-24 escort bomber planes. The theory was that on our pass, the enemy fighters would be on the ground fueling.

For hundreds of miles we sloughed through a solid layer of clouds, breaking into the clear just before reaching our target area. Fighter opposition was intense.

Later we found out why. The Army planes had decided that the bombing raid was hopeless, so they performed a 180 degree turn and headed back through the clouds toward our mutual base. There were a tremendous number of planes on opposite courses in those clouds. Although various planes in our formation were hit by some antiaircraft bursts and Japanese fighter fire, we lost none of our planes." unquote.

Fleet Air Photographic-Reconnaissance VD-Four Squadron flying from this air base on Eniwetok made bi-weekly aerial photographic reconnaissance coverage of various islands in the Gilberts and Marshall groups that had been bypassed by our assault forces as the progress of the war in the Pacific was moving toward Japan at a rapid pace.

Fleet Air Photographic Reconnaissance VD-4 photo planes made a number of multi-plane photo coverage of the various islands in the Marianas, such as Guam, Tinian and Saipan.

The VD-Four Photographic Reconnaissance squadron also made infrequent photo coverage of the Japanese held island that had been bypassed such as Truk and Naru, both of which were heavily defended with antiaircraft batteries which were manned by Japanese who were skilled and accurate.

VD-Four photographic reconnaissance had one flight over the island of Naru which had to be aborted because of fogged lenses in the aerial camera caused by condensation. The VD-Four photoplane approached the island at 20,000 feet altitude and found cloud cover over the island with the bottom of the clouds at 10,000 feet altitude.

After the photoplanes had loitered in the area for a while, they descended to 10,000 feet and made a photo flight over the target. The results: No photos due to the collection of condensation on the camera lenses. This condition was a real problem because of the exposed position of the cameras to the elements at high altitude at very cold temperatures and then as the photo plane descended to a lower altitude where the air temperatures were warmer, the condensation became a problem.

The longest flights that Fleet Air Photographic Reconnaissance VD-Four had to make from their Eniwetok Air Base, was to the Island Rota, the northern most island of the Bonninia, some 900 miles from Eniwetok, a round trip of about 1800 miles.

The island of Rota was thought to be a very important link for their air supply to the south from Japan. It turned out to be just that. There was a single air strip on the highest elevation of the island.

On VD-Four's first aerial photographic reconnaissance coverage of Rota, which caught the Japanese by surprise as they had many exact duplicates of the four engine Japanese version of our Douglas DC-4 Transport. The military intelligence information obtained from the aerial photos of Rota resulted in a little later task force heavy shelling and aerial bombing attack by one of our fast task force groups that were ranging far and wide in the Pacific Ocean area in the Summer-Fall of 1944.

Charles Shirley reported an interesting camera installation used on one of their photo-reconnaissance missions over the island of Ponape in the Caroline Island group.

Fleet Air VD-Four Photo-Recon Squadron had received orders to obtain photo coverage of Ponape, the order called for a scale of 1/5000 with the K-18 aerial camera which had a 24" lens, thus requiring the photo plane to fly over the target area at the altitude of 10,000 feet, which CDR. Clark and photo officer Shirley considered extremely dangerous from the standpoint of the possibility of very accurate Japanese antiaircraft gun fire.

Charles Shirley came up with the idea of using three F-56 cameras each with 40" focal length lenses arranged in a tri-fan installation in the bomb bay camera rack. THis would permit the photo plane to fly over the target at an altitude of 16000 feet plus, thus giving the photo coverage a scale close to the 1/5000.
Shirley had calculated that the coverage across the flight track was almost equal to 75,000 feet for the F-56 camera 40" focal length tri-fan installation.

CDR. Clark approved of the F-56 camera 40" lens tri-fan installation in three of the VD-Four squadrons PB4Y-1P (Liberators) plus one K-18 camera 24" lens for the coverage of the Island of Ponape.

The three VD-Four squadron photo planes made the tri-fan camera photo coverage of Ponape at the altitude of 16,000 feet without any hits from the Japanese antiaircraft first, the aerial photo turned out just fine.

While Fleet Air Photographic-Reconnaissance VD-Four squadron was still operating from their Eniwetok Air Base during the various Pacific fleet task force assaults on the Marianas, the Eniwetok atoll basin was being used by the various Pacific fleet task force groups for their assembly of a large number of ships being anchored in the very large Eniwetok anchorage lagoon and as the days passed in June and into early July, 1944, the anchorage allocations became a problem for the large number of Pacific fleet ships from carrier-battleships-cruisers-landing force command vessels-troop carriers-landing ship tanks (LSTs)- destroyers- destroyer escorts-submarines-personnel supply ships and tankers.

The port director and his staff had all sorts of problems in connection with getting the ships into their assigned anchorage points in the atoll, so in an effort to aid the staff of the port director at Eniwetok atoll in their handling of the vast numbers of ships coming and going and anchoring in the protected waters of the Eniwetok atoll, an order was issued to the

Fleet Air Photographic-Reconnaissance Squadron VD-4 to make an aerial mosaic map 1:5000 scale of the atoll showing the large number of ships at anchor. This map of the atoll was to be used for the purpose of designating the several hundred ship anchorage space allocations.

Fleet Air Photographic Reconnaissance Squadron VD-Four sent two of their PB4Y-1P (photo Liberators) into the air where they made several photo runs lengthwise of the anchorage area of the Eniwetok atoll at which time there were a lot of ships at anchor.

Due to the length of the fleet anchorage, and the width which was some 30 miles long by some 10-12 miles wide, thus requiring the photo plane flying at 10,000 feet altitude, some 30 minutes to make one pass, then turn around and get lined up for a return photo pass, therefore during the time required for the photo plane to return over for its return photo pass, the currents in the fleet anchorage had changed the positions of the ships' anchorage so much, that when the photographic people tried to match the overlapping aerial photo, it was impossible.

CDR. Clark and LT. Shirley came up with the solution. They would send up all nine of their PB4Y-1P (photo Liberators) and at 10,000 feet they would all be spaced apart for flight line overlapping photos and all planes would cover the entire anchorage of the Eniwetok Atoll at the same time, thus obtaining aerial overlapping photographs from each of the nine photo planes, which proved to be so successful that it was used by the Port Director and his staff in their allocations, and movement control of the ships' berthing facilities in the Eniwetok Atoll.

This type of aerial photographic coverage was later used by Fleet Air Photographic Reconnaissance Squadron VD-4 for the aerial mosaic map of the Ulithe Atoll which became a main Pacific fleet task force anchorage facility during the Philippine and Okinawa assault operations in which hundreds of ships were used.

Captain CHarles H. Clark, USN (retired) in his long hand written June 1972 resume of his VD-Four Photographic Reconnaissance Squadron operations in the Pacific from Eniwetok and Guam in 1944, mentions a few other photo coverage operations which the writer outlines as follows:

CDR. Clark with several of his VD-Four Squadron Photographic -Reconnaissance PB4Y-1P airplanes were on a photo recon flight from Eniwetok to cover the Saipan Island target area, when during their photo pass over their Saipan target, one of his Air Force B-24 bomber escort airplanes lost the power of one of its engines, which reduced its airspeed, therefore as the photo group formation was leaving the target area at a somewhat reduced speed, a Japanese fighter made an attack on the formation from out of the sun position, sweeping across the photo-bomber formation, presumably in an attempt to pick off the handicapped B-24 bomber. Instead, it shot down one of the undamaged B-24 Bomber escort planes. Radio silence was broken to report the location of the crashed B-24 to the lifeguard submarine that was supposedly in the area.

CAPT. Clark also reported what he described as one of the hairiest situations that his squadron faced while operating from Eniwetok.

Quote: "VD-4 Squadron had received an order to fly a photographic reconnaissance coverage of the Island of "Yap," a Japanese held island located southwest of Ulitihi atoll, and to the northeast of the Palau Island Group.

Our calculations showed that we probably could not cover that distance and return with our gas supply, and certainly could not make it should there be any need for high speed under fighter attack.

Vainly we pleaded for permission to return from Yap to Hollandia in New Guinea for refueling and then back to Eniwetok, but we were refused. That night we went to bed figuring it might be our last day. Finally early in the morning, while we were preparing for this flight, someone higher up saw the light and called the mission off." unquote

The writer at this point remembers the late Rear Admiral Howell J. Dyson telling him some of his experiences while on duty as the Pacific fleet photographic intelligence office on the staff of C in C, Pacific Ocean Area at Pearl Harbor in 1944, when one of the opertional dispatches he happened to see was this aerial photo coverage of the Island of Yap which caused him to become very much concerned about its purpose, and more so, its possibility of success.

Therefore, from his experience as former commanding officer of Photographic reconnaissance VD-One Squadron operations with the PB4Y-1P (photo Liberators) in the Solomons, Commander Howell J. Dyson was instrumental in getting the photographic reconnaissance coverage of "Yap" cancelled.

Captain Clark also stated in his June 1972 VD-Four squadron resume:

Quote: "We operated so far in advance of other forces at times over areas where we met severe opposition in the Pacific that had not yet been declared battle zones, hence no battle stars authorized.

While still based at Eniwetok, we sent an echelon forward to the Island of Saipan, when shortly after their arrival, 90% of the personnel involved caught dengue fever." unquote

Shortly after our forces had secured partial control of Guam in late July or early August, 1944, Fleet Air Photographic-Reconnaissance VD-Four Squadron moved up to Guam from Eniwetok, where they established the base camp on the south side of the Agana Air Field.

It was at this Agana Base that in Oct. to Nov. 1944, a large size photographic laboratory was built which mainly consisted of four quonset huts, each 40 feet long by 20 feet wide mounted on four foot high concrete footing walls, and the four quonset buildings anchored into a center wood building that was 40 X 40, all of which had a concrete floor.

In late July to early August 1944, Fleet Air Photographic-Reconnaissance VD-Four Sqwuadron, flying from the Agana air stip on Guam with a refueling stop at Tinian, then under our control, did the photographic-reconnaissance coverage of Iwo, Iloha, Chichi Jima Islands during which the photographic planes along with their Air Force B-24 bomber escort ran into strong opposition.

Other target assignments made by photo recon VD-Four squadron from Guam were Maloelap, Panape, Mille, Woleai, Ialmit, Rota and Pagan.

Capt. Clark also stated,

Quote: "On one of the VD-Four photographic reconnaissance missions, while returning to the Guam base, LT. Harry Butterfield spotted a Japanese Betty airplane far beneath his PB4Y-1P (Liberator). Using his superior altitude for speed, he caught and destroyed the Jap Betty Airplane.

A number of our PB4Y-1B Liberator airplanes shot down attacking Japanese fighters while on photographic- reconnaissance missions. Each of these pilots was awarded an air medal, as was the specific gunner involved." unquote

Capt. Clark also mentioned that his PB4Y-1P (photo Liberator) while on a photographic reconnaissance mission shot down an enemy airplane, ". . . but no one higher up thought to nominate me for the award."

At the conclusion of Fleet AIr Photographic-Reconnaissance VD-Four squadron tour in 1944, CDR. Clark was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross by the Secretary of the Navy, Forrestal.

The Fleet AIr Photographic-Reconnaissance Squadron VD-Four was awarded the Navy Unit Commendation.

During the months of August-September-October 1944, Fleet Air Photographic-Reconnaissance VD-Four Squadron maintained their base headquarters at the air base on Eniwetok, while using the Agana air strip on Guam because the Island of Guam had not been entirely secured by our assault landing forces. There were still quite a few Japanese military people still holding out on the Island of Guam.

Capt. Clark remarked that when his VD-4 air squadron started operating from the Agana air strip on Guam in August-September 1944, the Naval air personnel at the Agana air stip at night in going to and from the head, had to sing out in a clear American voice to prevent being shot at by our own guards.

During the months of Sept.-Oct. 1944 various items of building material and photographic equipment from the Eniwetok air base were transported to Guam, where it was unloaded from the cargo ships and transported to the jungle area on the south side of the Agana air strip, where the equipment and materials were dumped in the mud.

While the VD-Four Photographic-Reconnaissance squadron was still operating from their Eniwetok Air Base, and the Agana Air Strip on Guam, the Seabees construction battalion at Guam started construction of the photographic laboratory that was going to be used by the Fleet Air Photographic-Reconnaissance VD-4 and VD-5 Squadrons.

Fleet Air Photographic-Reconnaissance VD-Four Squadron, CDR. Charles H. Clark, USN, commanding officer, was relieved about mid-November 1944 at the Guam Agana Air Base by Fleet Air Photographic Reconnaissance VD-Five Squadron with CDR. A. D. Fraser, USN, commanding officer.

Part Five: Fleet Air Photographic Reconnaissance Squadron VD-Five

In the late spring-early summer of 1944, Fleet Air Photographic Reconnaissance VD-Five Squadron was placed into operation at the U.S. Naval Air Station, Miramar, California with Commander A. D. Fraser, USN as the Commanding Officer.

LTJG. Mike Clasby USN was the VD-Five squadron photographic officer.

In September 1944, Fleet Air Photographic Reconnaissance VD-Five squadron moved from NAS Miramar to the U.S. Naval Air Station, Barbers Point, T.H. where they continued their training in preparation for their assignment to the Island of Guam.

In October 1944, Commander Fraser along with his squadron's photographic officer, LTJG. Mike Clasby, and his key logistical officers, made a flight from NAS Barbers Point to Guam, with a two day stop at the Naval Air Base at Eniwetok, where they had a meeting with Commander C. H. Clark, USN, the Commanding Officer of Fleet Air Photographic Reconnaissance VD-Four squadron, who informed CDR. Fraser that he expected to stage out of Guam in about two weeks and that he would only be on Guam for about two weeks before the Fleet Air Photographic Reconnaissance VD-Five Squadron was due to arrive from the Hawaiian Islands, and that VD-Four Squadron would probably be living out of their suitcases and boxes, CDR. Clark also informed CDR. Fraser that the Fleet Air Photographic Reconnaissance, VD-Four Squadron's photographic equipment was in terrible shape.

CDR. Fraser and LT. Clasby had a look at the VD-Four equipment at ther air base on Eniwetok, salt water spray mixed with coral dust from the Eniwetok Atoll made a real mess. Fresh water at Eniwetok was at a premium.

After two days at the air base on Eniwetok, CDR. Fraser and his officers flew up to the Guam Agana Air Base, where they spent about one week meeting with the Guam Seabee commander and the Agana Air Base Commander, where the requirements of the Fleet Air Photographic-Reconnaissance VD-Five Squadron were discussed, and plans made for the Seabees to construct the basic facilities for the photo squadrons camp area, the photographic laboratory and the aircraft flight line operational requirements.

CDR. Fraser left one of his VD-Five officers at Guam who was the squadron's liaison officer to make sure that the various things that were listed were going to be done by the time of the scheduled arrival of Fleet Air Photographic Reconnaissance VD-Five Squadron, which was to be around 15 Nov 1944.

Upon Commander Fraser's return to NAS Barbers point and shortly before being ordered to Guam, Commander Fraser was designated as Commander of Photo Group Two, which included Fleet Air Photographic Reconnaissance VD-Five Squadron, and Photographic Interpretation Squadron Two.

Photo Group Two, with Fleet Air Photographic Reconnaissance VD-Five Squadron of eight PB4Y-1P (photo Liberators), Photographic Interpretation Squadron Two, and all components arrived at the Guam Air Base on 15 November 1944, when they relieved Fleet Air Photographic Reconnaissance VD-Four Squadron which departed the next day for the states.

The Guam unit of Seabees really got busy. They constructed a very large photographic laboratory facility in the jungle area just south of the Guam Agana air field, and the basic camp facilities for the Photographic-Reconnaissance Group II was adjacent to the photo lab set up.

The VD-Five photographic laboratory consisted of a wooden center building 40 X 40 feet square, and four 20 X 40 foot quonset buildings connected onto the center building, these forming a cross with the wood building in the center.

This entire structural set up was anchored to a four foot high concrete footing wall which raised the structure four feet higher than usual for the quonset buildings thus affording more and better operating space.

The entire floor areas of the quonsets and the center building had a concrete floor. The entire building structure was securely bolted to the concrete footing walls which proved to be a good thing later on when the Guam area was hit with a severe typhoon through which the photographic laboratory came with little or no damage from the high winds and heavy rain during the storm.

The Fleet Air Photo Group II, VD-5 Photo-Recon Squadron, photo interpretation squadron, camp and photo lab area had nine 75 KVA diesel powered electrical generators, most of which operated 24 hours per day seven days per week. The operation of the camp power systems was handled by electricians and motor mechanics.

The photo group II camp area and photographic Laboratory had two fresh water wells that were drilled by the seabee people, the wells delivering some 50,000 gallons per day.

Shortly after the Fleet Air Photo Group II had arrived at their Guam Agana Air Base, the entire Group, officers and enlisted men, working with some help from the seabees got their camp area and operating facilities in fairly good shape in about a month during which time the Fleet Air Photo Recon VD-Five Squadron PBY-1P airplanes were making photographic reconnaissance flights over Iwo Jima.

Fleet Air Photo Group Two had a complete lithographic unit, officers, men and various items of equipment, but one basic piece of equipment wasn't there--the two Harris 20 X 24 lithographic presses, which were supposed to be with the lithographic component.

So after about a month had gone by, and no Harris presses, and as Iwo Jima "D" day was getting closer, and the the photo-recon squadron was making frequent photo coverage of Iwo Jima, the photo group two had no way to disseminate in quantity the military intelligence information that was being obtained from the aerial photos and by the photo interpreters. There was a most urgent need for maps that were being plotted as to the Japanese gun positions, terrain and beach features, the maps then available on Iwo Jima being inadequate.

CDR. Fraser finally in desperation fired off a priority dispatch personal to CDR. Quackenbush USN, then the director of Naval photography back in the Navy Department, Bureau of Aeronautics, Washington, D.C. informing CDR. Quackenbush that the photo group two at Guam was in dire need of receiving the two Harris presses and adding that CDR. Fraser wanted to know when he could get them out to Guam.

The next day after this dispatch had been sent, CDR. Fraser received a phone call from the Commander of the Naval Air Bases on Guam. CDR. Fraser got in his jeep and proceeded to the headquarters of the Commander of the Guam Naval Air Bases, whereupon his reception in the commanders office, the commander proceeded to read Commander Fraser off in no uncertain terms, because CDR. Fraser had by-passed him in sending this urgent dispatch to CDR. Quackenbush asking for the urgent delivery of the Harris presses.

CDR. Fraser replied to the Guam Air Base's commander, I gave you an information copy of my dispatch to Quackenbush, to which he replied, "yes, but I should have had the opportunity to put an endorsement on it." CDR. Fraser replied:

"Commodore, I have had experience with you before, and if I had sent it to you, you would have sat and looked at it for a week before you did anything about it, and then maybe you wouldn't have put an approval on it.

Sorry sir, but my photographic-reconnaissance coverage of Japanese held islands on which valuable, important military intelligence is being revealed to such an extent that immediate quantity reproductions are most urgently needed by the various Pacific Ocean Area Task Force Commanders in their assault assignment of certain planned operations in the Marianas."

CDR. Fraser further remarked "I can't wait."

RADM. Fraser told the writer that this Harris Press incident was the beginning of a beautiful hatred. "He and I never did get along. However, within a week the two Harris Lithographic Presses arrived by air on a direct shipment from the states on a C-54 NATS airplane."

CDR. Quackenbush, upon receiving the dispatch from CDR. Fraser, called the Harris factory where they diverted two presses from their production line for immediate delivery to the closest airport where the U.S. Naval Air Transport C-54 airplane picked up the presses for direct delivery to the Fleet Air Photo Group Two at the Guam Agana Air Base.

The two Harris Lithographic Presses were unloaded at the Agana Air Base, taken immediately to the Fleet Air Photo Group Two Lithographic Quonset where they were placed into operation within 24 hours after the C-54 had landed at the Agana Air Base.

The two Harris presses for weeks on end were in full operation on a 24 hour basis turning out thousands and thousands of maps of Iwo Jima showing the locations of Japanese isntallations, air field service facilities, and various other Japanese facilities.

The Iwo Jima area was photographed two or three times each week, weather permitting by the VD-Five photographic reconnaissance PB4Y-1P airplanes from which the photographic Interpretation Squadron Two was hard at work assembling the military intelligence information, which was mass reproduced by the photo lithographic unit for immediate distribution to the task force commands that were then or to be assigned to the assault operations toward the eventual capture of the island.

The Fleet Air Photographic-Reconnaissance Group Two at Guam Agana Air Base had not only the basic facilities and equipment for their important operations, but they also had a highly qualified staff of officers and enlisted men, most of whom were specialists in their respective fields.

RADM. Fraser, in his 1972 tape recording, stated that during the last two weeks before the landing at Iwo Jima, the Fleet Air Photo Group Two at Guam had an intelligence officer from each of the assault force activities that were going to participate in the lands, actually living in the photo group two camp where the Fleet Air Photo Group Two photo-recon aerial photos were being reproduced and interpretation reports being prepared, the assault force intelligence officers were daily looking at the aerial photos and the military interpretation intelligence reports as they came off of the production line.

In fact, some of these intelligence officers were actually trained photo interpreters themselves, and would actually do some of their own interpretation of the aerial photographs of Iwo Jima that were being produced by the Fleet Air Photo-Recon Group Two.

Photo Group Two was also getting certain other military intelligence reports to which the photo lithographic unit would produce updated maps for delivery to the Pacific fleet task force units that were assigned to the assault on Iwo Jima, some of the updated military intelligence information being air dropped to task force units enroute to Iwo Jima, right up to the day of the landing.

Fleet Air Photo Group Two at Guam had, in addition to their eight PB4Y-1P photo Liberator airplanes, six F6F5P fighter type airplanes that were especially designed and equipped for aerial photographic operations.

The Fleet Air Photo-Recon VD-Five squadron operating from their Agana Air Base on Guam made photographic reconnaissance coverage of a great number of islands in the western Pacific Ocean area during the period of Nov. 1944 to June 1945.

The following is a partial list of various Japanese held Islands covered by aerial photography by Fleet air Photographic Reconnaissance VD-Five Squadron: Volcano Isles, Iwo Jima, Bonin Island, Chichi Jima, Marcus, Ulithi Atoll, Yap Atoll, and Palau Atoll, plus several of the by-passed islands in the Caroline Island Group, such as Truk, Ponape and Woleai.

Rear Admiral Fraser's description of his photographic Reconnaissance flight over Iwo Jima 8 December 1944:

"The assault task force command had scheduled a heavy cruiser bombardment on the two air fields on Iwo Jima, and they wanted aerial photographic coverage of the damage that had been done by this bombardment, immediately after the bombardment, to get the damage assessment as to what this type of shelling would do to an airfield, and later they wanted aerial photo coverage to follow up on how fast the Japanese could repair it. They wanted aerial photos of the Japanese air fields on Iwo Jima soon after the last shell had hit the target area.

Up to that time, the VD-Five photographic-reconnaissance flights had been restricted to 20,000 feet altitude over Iwo Jima, and the photo group had been instructed to not go any lower.

In this case of the cruiser bombardment, they wanted us to come down to 10,000 feet with the 24" focal length lens cameras in order to get minimum exposure to the anti-aircraft fire, which, by the way, was pretty good at Iwo Jima."

CDR. Fraser decided to take six PB4Y-1P photo Liberators to cover the air fields on Iwo Jima after the cruiser bombardment, and that his six photo planes would make one pass over the target area at 10,000 feet altitude with all six photo planes' cameras operating at the same time getting overlapping photo coverage.

When the six VD-Five PB4Y-1P (photo Liberators) arrived in the Iwo Jima area, there was a top of solid overcast up to around 12,000 feet altitude. CDR. Frazer was in radio communications with the cruiser force commander who informed him as to the anticipated completion of their bombardment. CDR. Fraser told four of his PB4Y-1P photo Liberators to return to Guam, as he could not use them. He told the pilot of the second photo plane in his flight to follow me down in about two minutes; that he was going to make a low level oblique photo run around the island and that he should do the same.

Both of the PB4Y-1P (photo Liberators) flew around the island, the second photo plane about one mile behind during their flight around the island of Iwo Jima just under the bottom of the cloud cover which was about 1400 to 1500 feet above the sea.

At the north end of the Island the hills on the island were about 500 feet above sea level, so by flying by at the altitude of 750 feet, the oblique aerial photos would be recording a fairly flat view of the area which would not show too much detail. Therefore after the two PH4Y-1P photo planes had made a complete circuit around Iwo Jima Island at 750 feet altitude, CDR. Fraser elected to get some vertical photographs of the two Japanese air fields on Iwo Jima Island.

CDR. Fraser told the pilot of the second photo plane to stay clear while he made a photo run down the center of the island from north to south, splitting the island coverage down its middle, and that he was going to fly over the Japanese air field runways, one of which was on the northern section of the island, with the second Japanese air field on the island's southern section.

The pilot of the second photo plane suggested that while Fraser was flying down the middle of the Iwo Jima Island at 900 foot altitude over the northern part of the island, he would fly a diversionary pattern across the neck of the island just north of Mount Surabachi, during which time he would draw some of the Japanese gunfire away from CDR. Fraser's photo plane. This flight plan was approved by CDR. Fraser as a very good idea, as it did draw some antiaircraft gun fire away from CDR. Fraser's photo plane.

"So we flew, as I say, split the island right down the center, and I remember how peculiar I thought it was when I saw a tracer going by my left window, of course, all of our machine guns were firing.

In addition to the cameras and gasoline load, we had three 500 lb. bombs in the bomb bay rack which we always carried for harassment purposes, as we were letting the bombs drop, I saw the tracers going by my window, I was thinking 'Oh, boy,' my top gunners are sure giving them hell down there, when out of the corner of my eye all of a sudden I saw the tracers were going the wrong direction--they were coming up, not down.

My navigator-co-pilot Larry Dunlap was on the bomb sight, giving me directions, so that we would have a nice steady run down the island, and would be able to split the air field runway, we wanted to be sure that we got the runway.

Larry Dunlap did a beautiful job of guiding me down the middle of the island at the altitude of 900 feet, while at the same time he was looking through the telescope on the bombsight and he could see all this stuff coming up.

Larry told me later that he was looking right down the barrel of those Japanese Antiaircraft guns, and there were no divergence on them.

Larry would tell me two degrees left, now two degrees right, now straighten up; he was just weaving me about two degrees at a time, no turning, and he would say 'skipper, they are getting right on you--you had better move over a bit to the left.'

Finally we were past the first Japanese air field on the northern section of the Iwo Jima Island, when we had to make a change in our flight course to fly over the middle of the second Japanese air field which we covered in a short time, when I pulled the PB4Y-1P (photo Liberator) up into the clouds right along side of Mount Surabachi. I started to roll my tabs back in order to help me pull up a bit, when nothing happened; I had to haul back hard on the yoke to pull up. I then put the controls on automatic pilot, when about that time I had a call on the intercom to come aft, as I had a badly wounded man back there, so I told the other co-pilot to take over.

I proceeded to the rear section of our airplane, where the back area looked like a sieve, holes all through the aircraft, pieces of brass all over. It was then I realized why the tabs would not work--they had all been shot out, they were just hanging.

I gave Carey, my plane Captain, first aid. He had been hit with a 30mm shell just above his right knee and it had broken out just below his hip. Fortunately it just missed the bone; he had a big hole there.

We had a couple of the other crew members with minor wounds, so after we got the personnel back aft straightened out, I returned to my pilots seat where I took over the controls and headed for Guam, when one of my right engines started missing, losing power, but we still had three good engines and of course by that time we were fairly light in load.

We arrived back at Guam at about 9pm with no tab control, I started to put the flaps down, I found that we had no hydraulics left, so we had to go through an emergency procedure in getting the flaps down only half way. The next thing was getting the wheels down, but could only get one down, but couldn't get the other one down, found out later the landing wheels had got jammed up due to so much damage out on the wing.

My squadron engineering officer down on the ground started telling me what to do, when I said that I had been to the same school he had, and I knew what to do, just leave me alone, and we will work it out.

We finally worked the wheel down, and I came into the Guam Agana air field at a very high speed for a PH4Y-1P Liberator, with no brakes, half flags, and the tabs trimmed for maximum speed which meant nose down, therefore, as I couldn't get my nose up for a landing, which meant that I had to come in fast. I had crew members standing in the port and starboard waist gun hatch in readiness with their machine gun in case our airplane during its landing swerved to the side, I wanted them to shoot out the tires because I didn't want one good tire on one side and the other side one not good, therefore with only one good rudder, no brakes, half flaps, maximum speed tab trim, we hit the Agana Air Field runway going like a bat out of hell. We ran the entire length of the Agana landing strip, and piled up high and dry on top of the big rock pile past the end of the runway."

Fraser's last comments in regard to this flight were:

"We were very fortunate, we had only one man severely injured, Larry Dunlap did an outstanding job of guiding us over the target and back to our Guam Agana air base. We got excellent photographs of the two Japanese airfields with our Fairchild K-17 camera with its 6" focal length lens."

Fleet Admiral Chester Nimitz awarded CDR. Fraser and LT. Dunlap the DFC for this flight. The wrecked VD-Five Squadron PB4Y-1P photo Liberator remained for a month piled up on top of the rocks at the east end of the Agana Air Base. As time passed, when officers and enlisted men in photo group two had spare time, they would go out to the wrecked airplane where they counted and circled the holes which totaled over 1000.

Shortly after this flight over Iwo Jima and the reported last of the PB4Y-1P photo Liberators, upon landing at the Guam Agana Air Base, the Commander Aircraft Pacific Ocean Area at Pearl Harbor, issued orders for a replacement PB4Y-1P photo Liberator to be flown to Guam.

LCDR. Jack Eady, USN, then commanding officer of Fleet Air Photographic Reconnaissance VD-Three at NAS Barbers Point, T.H. along with a flight crew, and the VD-Three Squadrons phographic officer, LT. George A. Carroll, proceeded to the Naval Air Station, Keneoha, T.H. where they took possession of a PB4Y-1P photo Liberator, and flew the airplane back to NAS, Barbers Point, where the VD-Three squadron mechanics checked and reconditioned the PB4Y-1P for its flight assignment to the Fleet Air Photographic Reconnaissance VD-Five squadron at Guam.

After this replacement PB4Y-1P had been through an intensive check-recondition period of about three days, CDR. Eady with a flight crew aboard consisting of a navigator, co-pilot, radio operator, aircraft mechanic and VD-Three squadron photo officer departed from NAS Barbers Point to Johnson Island where they spent their first night. Early next morning they departed from the air base on Johnson Island, bound for Kwajalein Island in the Marshall Island group, where they spent their second night enroute to Guam. The next morning (third day) they flew from Kwajalein to the Guam Agana Air Base, where the PB4Y-1P photo Liberator was delieverd to the commander of Fleet Air Photo Group Two, VD-Five Squadron.

CDR. Eady and LT. Carroll spend about four days at the Fleet Air Photo Groups Two headquarters Guam, and then returned to NAS, Barbers Point where they prepared for their forward area assignment on Okinawa.

RADM. Fraser in 1971 mentioned two photography missions that he was involved in that did not strictly relate to a photographic-reconnaissance mission. The purpose of these two flights were for the news coverage of the assault landing at Iwo Jima and later the assault landing at Okinawa:

Quote: "Since my squadron VD-Five, had done about 95% of the photo-reconnaissance of Iwo Jima before the landings I went up there in our PB4Y-1P Liberator on the day of the landings to photographically cover the landings on motion picture film and some still aerial photo that was wanted for release to our nations news media in their effort to put the story of our U.S. Navy in action.

The motion picture cameraman on this flight was Navy Chief Photographer Lief Erickson who did a beautiful job of getting the movie coverage of the landings at Iwo Jima. Still photographs were made by the two aerial camera operators, Rankin and Bodkin, who were regular crew members of the PB4Y-1P Liberator.

Also along on that flight was Webbley Edwards from the Columbia Broadcasting System, who went on Command Radio Network that night when he broadcast from Guam to the United States describing what the whole operation looked like.

Similarly, for the landings on Okinawa, we did the same thing. We went out there to do the landing coverage as we had done at Iwo Jima, and because Webbley Edwards' broadcast had been so well received, and that the operation at Iwo had gone so well at Iwo Jima, I was asked to take him along with me to Okinawa, which we did.

We flew from Guam to the Philippines two days before the landings at Okinawa, rested a day, then took off at midnight from Clarke Field, flew up to Okinawa, circled around for about three hours getting pictures and descriptions of the landings, then over to Karamareta, where we dropped half of our exposed aerial film negatives sealed in 5" powder cans to the command ship in the event that we didn't get back to Guam.

I didn't want to lose all of the aerial photographs. We took the parachutes from the "night photo flares" and put on these 5" powder cans in which we placed out negative cans, which fit very well into the 5" powder cans, these we dropped from our PB4Y-1P Liberator, which slowly floated down on the parachutes where they landed in the water near the command ship, who picked them up by the small boat crews from the ship. We shot duplicates of all of our film, half we left with the command ship at Karamareta, and the other half we took back to Guam.

We couldn't make the entire flight from Clarke Field to Okinawa, and three hours taking aerial photographs, then an hour or so delivering the films to the command ship, and then back to Guam, we just didn't have enough fuel capacity in our PB4Y-1P liberator, therefore I had made arrangements to have one of my other PB4Y-1P liberators standing by at Iwo Jima.

I called them in when we were about 20 miles out of Iwo Jima, I had them turn up their engines at the end of the air strip, ready for take off, we landed and pulled up alongside of this standby PB4Y-1P liberator, where we made a pony express transfer, and immediately took off for Guam. That night Webbley Edwards went on the air describing the landings at Okinawa. We were in the air 18 hours which is a long time to be pushing one of the photo Liberators around.

We switched planes on Iwo Jima in just a few minutes and we were on our way to Guam with the aerial photos made earlier in the day at Okinawa." unquote.

RADM. Fraser described another photo recon flight during our tape recording session in 1971:

Quote: "We took off from Guam early one morning on an assigned photographic-reconnaissance mission to cover the Island of Marcus which the Japanese were using as a staging point. That particular morning there had been an air bombing raid on Marcus by some of our planes operating from Saipan and Tinian.

While we were approaching Marcus for our photo run, we got a call from a submarine that was on a guard channel we had seen about 30 miles to the west of the island. I answered him and asked what he wanted, he asked if we would help him look for some downed aviators who had been shot down that morning over Marcus. Three plane loads--quite a few people had been shot down.

Marcus was a real hot target. It was a small place, but they had some of the best antiaircraft fire that I had ever run into. You could always depend that on their first shot it wasn't going to be a ranging shot. It was almost on you if it didn't hit you. We always brought holes in our airplanes from Marcus.

I told the submarine that as soon as I had finished my photo assignment over Marcus that I would give him a hand. I made two photo runs over Marcus to get both of the Japanese air field runways, then I started my square search around the submarine, figuring that he had something to go on. One of my waist gunners told me that while we were on the way to the submarine, that he had seen an oil slick just a few miles to the northwest of the island, I said, let's go back from the sub to that so we were about almost where he thought he had seen the oil slick, when out of the corner of my eye I thought I saw something orange, I looked again, but it had disappeared. I called back to the waist hatch and told the waist and tail gunners to look for a life raft. I made a 360 degree turn, and we spotted the thing again and we stayed there until the submarine could come along and pick them up. We made an aerial photo just as the submarine was picking up the people from their life raft, when the Japanese on Marcus opened up with their 5" guns, with a salvo of three, and they bracketed the submarine on their first salvo. The submarine quickly got the people from the life raft on board the submarine and immediately crash dived.

After the war was over I got a letter from one of the men in the life raft thanking me for saving his life." unquote.

Shortly after Marianas had been secured by the Pacific Ocean area armed forces, Fleet Admiral Chester Nimitz, USN moved a sizable portion of his C in C. Pacific Ocean area operations from Pearl Harbor T. H. to their advance headquarters on Guam.

Commander R. O. "Red" Green, USN, along with LT. George Waters, USNR, moved the main operation of "JIGPOA" Joint Intelligence Group Pacific Ocean Area from Pearl Harbor to the advanced headquarters of the C in C, Pacific Ocean Area on Guam.

After the Japanese Island of Palau had been secured by the allied forces under General McArthur, Fleet Air Photo Group Two at Guam sent four of their F6F5P (photo fighter) airplanes to Palau where they operated under the U.S. Army during the allied forces assault movement north into the Philippines.

The U.S. Army Air Corps had some photographic facilities in their operations into the Philippines, Fleet Air Photo Group Two, supplied the F6F5P (photo fighters), cameras and film. The Army did the film processing-printing and photo interpretation.

The Fleet Air Photo Group Two, Fleet Air Photographic Reconnaissance VD-Five Squadron and Photographic Interpretation Squadron Two furnished services to the allied assault forces during the initial landings on Okinawa.

Fleet Air Photographic Reconnanissance Squadron PB4Y-1P (photo Liberator) made their aerial photographic coverage of Okinawa by flying from Clark Field on Luzon, the northern island in the Philippines.

Shortly after the assault forces had secured Iwo Jima, the Japanese Islands Ryukyus assault plan was placed into operation by Commander in Chief, Pacific Ocean Area, Fleet Admiral Chester Nimitz.

Commander Green phoned CDR. Fraser from Fleet Admiral Nimitz's Guam headquarters one morning around 7:30am when he informed CDR. Fraser that they had a "red hot" for Fleet Air Photo Group Two.

CDR. Green told CDR. Fraser that they wanted VD-five photographic reconnaissance squadron of five PB4Y-1P (photo Liberators) to immediately fly to the Island of Samar in the Philippines in order that four of the PB4Y-1P photo liberators could be over Okinawa two days later in connection with a coordinated task force aircraft carrier strike.

Commander Fraser and his staff officers had prepared plans for just this type of forward area operations. They had previous plans for photo-recon advanced base operations for two planes, four planes or a six plane set up; they had assembled all of their equipment and materials, had it all packed and labeled, and stored in a reserved section of the photo groups two warehouses at Guam, ready to go.

CDR. Fraser called all of the photo group two officers to a meeting in which he outlined the general plan of operation, and told the Department heads to expedite their operations based upon a five PB4Y-1P photo Liberator advanced base operation.

Within 1-1/2 hours after the meeting, all five of the PB4Y-1P photo Liberators had been loaded with the advanced base operational gear along with 55 people, 11 per airplane, and were airborne bound for Guiuan on the Island of Samar in the Philippines.

The group of five PB4Y-1P photo-recon planes arrived at the Guiuan Air Base at 1755 hours (5:55pm). Four of the PB4Y-1P photo recon airplanes were loaded with gas by filling the airplanes tanks by hand operated pumping gas out of 50 gallon drums, it was raining that night and there was a Japanese air siege over the area at that time. RADM. Fraser said that they had some problems.

The five VD-Five photo-recon airplanes operated out of Guiuan for about a week making photo-reconnaissance flights up to and over Okinawa, and upon returning to their advanced Guiuan base, the exposed aerial film was removed from the cameras and sent by airplane to their Guam base for processing and interpretation as the advanced Guiuan base had no provisions for that kind of service.

By sending the film to Guam, it was faster and better, because of the excellent photo laboratory-photo lithographic-photo interpretation facilities at Guam, and also most of the military intelligence information had to go to the various task force commanders of the assembled assault ships at anchor in the Ulithi Lagoon.

After a week of operations out of Guiuan, CDR. Fraser considered that the operation from Guiuan to Okinawa and return non-stop to Guiuan was just too risky, as his PB4Y-1P photo Liberators were making the round trip non-stop and landing at Guiuan with 20 to 30 minutes of gasoline in their tanks. The flight was about 2500 miles up and back. CDR. Fraser made arrangements with the Guiuan Air Base operations officer by which he flew up to Manila to see General MacArther on the first day that the General was in Manila.

CDR. Fraser chased the General all over the Lingayen Valley trying to find him, and finally located him in Manila. CDR. Fraser had to talk to the staff operations office in his attempt to get permission to operate out of Clark Field on the northern most Philippine Island of Luzon.

During CDR. Fraser's talks with MacArthur's people, it developed that the logistics to the Clark Field area was a terrible problem and that he would have to make arrangements with the Navy to furnish the gasoline for the PB4Y-1P photo-reconnaissance operations.

CDR. Fraser went to Clark Field where he talked with a Captain Jones, USN who had a flock of B-17 Bombers and privateers. Capt. Jones stated that he had only enough gasoline for his privateer scouting runs and every drop of gasoline came in 50 gallon drums by the big Curtiss Cargo Airplanes.

Capt. Jones, in deep thought for a few minutes said, "I think your photo-recon is more important than our scouting missions, therefore I will curtail my scouting missions by enough in order to supply your planes with what they need in order to get the photo reconnaissance coverage of Okinawa, that is so urgently needed by the Commander in Chief of the Pacific Ocean area in his planned assault on the Okinawa Island area."

CDR. Fraser immediately moved his PB4Y-1P photo-recon airplanes up to Clark Field on Luzon where he made frequent photo-reconnaissance flights over Okinawa, and also was assigned to make some aerial photo-reconnaissance coverage of the Ningpo Peninsula at the mouth of the Yellow River below Shanghai, because there was consideration being given at that time to make a diversionary landing on the mainland of China in an effort to draw Japanese forces away from Okinawa.

Shortly after the Ningpo Peninsula aerial photo-recon pictures had been processed and reviewed by the photo interpreters at Guam, the military intelligence information revealed that the Ningpo Peninsula area water was too shallow, the beaches too muddy, and in general, the delta area was not suited for a successful landing, therefore the Ningpo peninsula operation was cancelled.

The aerial photographic-reconnaissance coverage of the Ningpo Peninsula and the Okinawa areas was sent daily back to Guam by Naval Air Transport flights from Clark Field, where the film was processed and photo interpretation made by the photo group two personnel, and at the same time there were task force intelligence officers from all of the assigned participating assault units.

These intelligence officers would draft up their own dispatches back to their respective unit commanders, for their use in preparing for the planned assault on the Japanese Island of Okinawa and several small islands in the Ryukyus.

During the allied assault task force attack and landing on Okinawa, Fleet Air Photo-recon VD-Five PB4Y-1 photo liberators made daily coverage of the operations, while at the same time CDR. Fraser had some P6F-5P photo planes operating from aircraft carriers who were making low level 200 foot altitude Sonne strip coverage of the offshore reefs and the coral heads to determine how much clearance the landing boats would have.

After our force had secured a beach head on each side of Okinawa Island and had captured the Japanese air field at Yontan, about five or six of the F6F-5P photo planes were sent to operate from that air field to support the fighting marines and the U.S. Army units in their front line operations on Okinawa.

Some of the F6F-5P made as many as 15 to 16 low level 200 foot altitude missions a day. The Sonne strip films were processed on an aircraft carrier that was operating nearby the Okinawa area, and as soon as they were processed, the military intelligence information was speedily prepared for air delivery to the commanders of the combat units that were engaged in combat with the Japanese units on Okinawa.

Some of the Sonne strip photos made at low level 200 foot altitude over the roads on the island, particularly down toward the town of Naha revealed some interesting and valuable military intelligence information. Sonne strip photos made early in the morning and late in the afternoon would show where the road mines had been implanted, the indentations where the ground had settled, the edge shadows were very revealing by which our photo interpreters were able to furnish exact locations of the suspected land mines, thus giving our ground fighting forces information that they used to remove the mine or detonate it before our units passed over the road.

CDR. Fraser with his Fleet Air VD-Five PB4Y-1P photo Liberators moved from Clark Field in the Philippines about 30 days after our assault forces had made their landings on the Okinawa Island. The VD-Five photo recon planes operated from the old Japanese air field at Yontan.

From the Yontan air field on Okinawa, the Fleet Air VD-Five Photo Reconnaissance Squadron made photo-recon flights over various target areas in the chain of Japanese islands north of Okinawa to Kyushu.

CDR. Fraser with his five PB4Y-1P (photo Liberators) and his six F6-F5P airplanes operated from the Yontan Air Fields on Okinawa until early June 1945, when the Fleet Air Photographic-Reconnaissance VD-Three Squadron relieved Fleet Air Photo-Recon Squadron VD-Five.

Fleet Air Photographic-Reconnaissance VD-Five Squadron during the period of November 1944 to August 1945 flying from Guam Agana Air Base, conducted vast aerial photographic reconnaissance coverage of a large segment of the Pacific Ocean area by their photographic assignments over Japanese held islands, by which a great deal of valuable military intelligence information was obtained from their aerial photo coverage of the Japanese held island from the Bonins - Volcano Islands - Marcus Island - Caroline Islands, Ulithi - Yap - Palau - Okinawa - the Ryukyus and Kyusui.

RADM. Fraser in his taped interview in 1971, recorded the following from a letter he had in his files from Admiral Kelley Turner, USN:

Quote: "Commander Amphibious forces U.S. Fleet to Commander in Chief, U.S. Pacific Fleet - COMPIPSPAC Notes with great regret the loss of pilots and planes while engaged in highly important photographic missions over Iwo Jima. The photography involved is of great importance to the success of forthcoming operations and requires close approach to vital and strongly defended areas.

COMPIPSPAC cannot too highly praise the high devotion to duty of the pilots and their crews concerned, and their efforts to complete in exact detail the hazardous missions assigned them.

The photography obtained by Task Force 93 in this operation has been splendid and undoubtedly the best received by this command.

Our request for coverage has been meticulously carried out regardless of difficulty and hazard, and the resultant photographers are invaluable.

The fine co-operation of the Commander Strategic Air Force of the Pacific is greatly appreciated." unquote.

General Harmon was the commander strategic Air Force during the period of operations by Admiral Kelley Turner and his amphibious forces.


ADDENDA TO PART FIVE

FLEET AIR PHOTOGRAPHIC SQUADRON UNIT COMMENDATION AWARD

The Secretaty of the Navy takes pleasure in commending the

FLEET AIR PHOTOGRAPHIC SQUADRON FIVE for service as follows:

" For outstanding heroism in action against enemy Japanese forces in the Pacific Ocean Areas, from November 20, 1944, to May 26, 1945. Operating both long-range and fighter photographic planes, Fleet Air Photographic Squadron FIVE carried out numerous reconnaissance missions over Japanese-held areas in the Western Pacific to obtain valuable aerial photographs of enemy positions and installations. Frequently flying at maximum range without escort and at low altitudes to afford large scale coverage, this squadron executed all assigned missions with skill and courage despite antiaircraft fire and aerial opposition. As a self-sustaining unit, the squadron maintained its own planes and operated a photographic laboratory for processing film and modern photo-lithographic plant in which vital intelligence material, maps and target charts were printed. By its excellent photography obtained during the pre-invasion period of the Iwo Jima and Okinawa campaigns, Fleet Air Photographic Squadron FIVE contributed materially to the success of these operations, and its outstanding record of service throughout reflects the highest credit upon its officers and men and the United States Naval Service."

All personnel attached to and serving with the Fleet Air Photographic Squadron FIVE from November 20, 1944, to May 26, 1945, are authorized to wear the Navy Unit Commendation Ribbon.

/s/ John L. Sullivan
Secretary of the Navy


BIOGRAPHY OF REAR ADMIRAL ARCHIE DONALD FRASER, USN (RET.)


REAR ADMIRAL ARCHIE DONALD FRASER, U.S.N. RET.

Born - Oxnard, Calif. 29 May 1909
Graduated Oxnard Union High School, June 1927.
Appointed to U. S. Naval Academy, June 1927 and sworn in as Midshipman, U.S.N. 11 July 1927.
Graduated U.S.N.A. 4 June 1931 and commissioned Ensign, U.S.N.

Duty Assignments and Promotions

Reported Detached

6/15/31 7/16/31 Elimination Flight Training, NAS San Diego. Soloed 7/13/31

8/25/31 8/2/33 USS Arizona

8/15/33 9/1/34 Flight Training, NAS Pensacola, Fla. Designated Naval Aviator No. 4034 6/28/34

9/8/34 6/2/37 Torpedo & Bombing Squadron Two (VT-2)

9/11/34 Commissioned Lieut.(j.g.) dated from 6/4/34

6/29/37 5/10/39 Flight Instructor, NAS Pensacola Squadron 1, Primary seaplanes except when student at Photo School.

1/4/38 6/20/38 Student, Navy Photo School. Night flying instructor, Squadron 5, fighter planes.

6/9/39 3/6/41 Utility Squadron One (VJ-l), Fleet Air Photographic Officer.

6/22/39 Commissioned Lieut. dated from 4/1/39.

5/40 VJ-l Transferred NAS, San Diego to NAS Ford Island, Pearl Harbor, T.H.

4/7/41 10/9/43 O-in-C, Photo Section, BuAer, Navy Dept. Became Ass't. Dir. when Section became
Photo Div. in 1942.

6/15/42 Commissioned Lieut. Comdr.

10/1/42 Commissioned Comdr.

11/23/43 4/20/44 Photographic and Intelligence Officer, Staff, Commander Aircraft South Pacific based at Guadacanal.

5/19/44 6/12/44 PB4Y-1 (B-24) Pilot training, NAS Hutchinson, Kan.

6/19/44 5/26/45 C.0. Photo Squadron Five (VD-5) based at NAAS Camp Kearny. Cdr. Ray Gehlbach

had commissioned squadron and acted as Acting C.O. 6/1/44 - 6/19/44

9/27/44 Transferred VD-5 to NAS Barbers Point, T.H. for completion of training.

11/17/44 Transferred VD-5 to NAS Agana, Guam for combat flight operations and as relief for VD-4.

11/28/44 Designated ComPhotoGroup Two as additional duty. Group comprised VD-5 and Interpron 2

4/8/45 Operational control of PhotoGroup 2 trans- ferred from ComGen StratAir POA to

CINCPAC/CINCPOA

5/26/45 Turned command of VD-5 over to Lt. C.J. Witt, USNR, Exec. Off to return squadron to U.S. Remained at Guam a ComPhotoGroup 2. Original Exec. Off., Lt. Cdr.
Gehlbach was killed in an operational aircraft accident 2/24/45. VD-l relieved VD-5,
Cdr. Juan Hutchison, USNR, Commanding.

7/1/45 Detached as ComPhotoGroup 2, relieved by Cdr. Hutchison.

8/8/45 6/21/46 Reported to Navy Dept. for duty in Op-03-5 with add't'l. duty in Op-517 & BuAer.

Primary assignment - define future photo recco requirements and prepare specifica-tions for future generation of long range photo planes.

9/21/45 9/26/45 Nassau, Bahamas to discuss possibilities with Governor General of Joint US-British hydrographic triangulation projects involving photographic techniques to tie West Indies to US triangulation network.

11/5/45 Tempor. duty to op-34, Operational Readiness to prepare Tactical Doctrine Instructions for Long Range Air Reconnaissance and Scouting.

2/4/46 4/10/46 Completed special Navy Dept. course in

Nuclear Physics conducted after working hours

6/29/46 8/ 47 Reported to ComNav Air Bases 11th ND as Operations Officer.

3/24/47 Designated Chief of Staff, Nav Air Bases

9/5/47 11/22/48 Executive Officer, USS BOXER (CV-21)

12/28/48 1/5/51 Commanding Officer, Naval Air Technical

Training Unit, NAS Pensacola (Photo Schools)

7/1/50 Commissioned Capt.

1/20/51 2/4/52 Commanding Officer, USS CORSON (AVP-37)

2/13/51 Commissioned USS CORSON from mothballs.

4/16/51 USS CORSON deployed to Okinawa as northern base for airborne Formosa Straits

Neutrality Patrol. Acted as SOPA Okinawa.

10/5/51 USS CORSON left Okinawa for Alameda.

3/5/52 3/14/54 Head, Naval Photography, OPNAV, Navy Dept.

3/4/53 3/24/53 Inspection of US, British and NATO photo recco capabilities and facilities in England, France, Germany, Italy and French Morocco.

4/9/54 7/3/56 Commanding Officer. Fleet Airborne Electronics Training Unit, Pacific,

NAS North Island.

7/27/56 9/30/56 Established new Electronics Data Processing Division, BuAer, Navy Dept. and served as Director.

9/30/56 Retired at own request to accept position in industry.

l0/1/56 Commissioned Rear Admiral

Rear Admiral A. D. Fraser USN, (Ret.) during his active service years 1931 - 1956 was awarded:

Distinguished Flying Cross
DFC Gold Star - 2nd award, 20 combat missions
Air Medal and 3 Gold Stars, 25 combat missions
Navy Unit Commendation Citation
Campaign Medal and Ribbons:
Asiatic-Pacific, 2 Bronze Stars Iwo Jima and Okinawa American Areas
American Defense with Bronze Star
American Victory
China Service extended
Philippine Liberation
Expert Pistol
Korean War

DISTINGUISHED FLYING CROSS AWARD TO CDR. A. D. FRASER, USN

THE SECRETARY OF THE NAVY

WASHINGTON

The President of the United States takes pleasure in presenting the DISTINGUISHED FLYING CROSS to

COMMANDER ARCHIE DONALD FRASER

UNITED STATES NAVY

for service as set forth in the following

CITATION:

"For heroism and extraordinary achievement in aerial flight as Squadron Commander of Photographic Liberators in Photographic Squadron FIVE during operations against enemy Japanese forces in the vicinity of Iwo Jima, on December 8, 1944. Undeterred by an extremely low ceiling over the area assigned to him for photographic coverage, Commander Fraser courageously descended through the clouds to an altitude of approximately 1000 feet and, in the face of intense hostile antiaircraft fire, made two reconnaissance runs around the shore line and then flew directly over the center of the island. By his skilled airmanship and coolness under fire, he was responsible for obtaining large-scale oblique photographs of the enemy airfields and defense installations on Iwo Jima. His leadership throughout was in keeping with the highest traditions of the United States Naval Service."

For the President,

/s/ John L. Sullivan

Secretary of the Navy

A. D. FRASER - PHOTOGRAPHIC HIGHLIGHTS

1941 1943 Photo - BuAer

Participated in the greatly expanding Navy photo activities, both from a purely military viewpoint and in conjunction with the Office of Public Relations. Began the duty as Section Head but as the need for a larger Navy photo capability materialized the Section was upgraded to a Division, requiring higher rank as Director, and I became Ass't. Director. I was directly involved in the formation of the Training Film Section which was given the responsibility for production and procurement of all Navy training films . In conjunction with Lt. R. S. Quackenbush, USN we selected the candidates for the newly formed Photo Interpretation School and got the school started, which he then initially headed. I was also active in obtaining photo capabilities for various Naval aircraft and assisting in the installation designs. During this time the first Navy Photographic Squadron, VD-l, was formed, commanded by Lt. Cdr. H. J . Dyson, USN .

The increased workload and responsibilites placed on the antiquated photo lab at NAS Anacostia placed an untenable hardship on the limited and inadequate facilities and small number of personnel. G. A. Carroll, CPhoM at Nas Anacostia prepared drawings for a proposed new lab but as we reviewed them increased reqirements made each revision outdated. It was apparent that professional help was required and Eastman Kokak Co. undertook an architectural and engineering contract for $1.00. My job was to obtain the authorization and funding from Congress which resulted in the Navy Photo Science Laboratory (later Naval Photographic Center). Also approval was obtained for Class B and C type laboratories at various air stations.

As the Navy member of the Photo Section of the American Standards Association I forced the adoption of the ASA War Emergency Film Speed Index. This is still in use as the ASA Film Speed Index. I was also instrumental in drastic revisions to the course at the Navy Photo School in order to provide sorely needed photographers to the fleet at an increased rate. For advanced instruction for especially selected personnel an arrangement was undertaken with Time-Life Inc. whereby still photographers were trained by and worked with Life photographers and motion picture photographers with those of the March of Time. These services were provided to the Navy at no cost to the government other than standard food and lodging allowances.

In order to provide for exceptionally well qualified photographic officers with Navy background a program was established by which specially selected high ranking photo petty officers were given Warrants or Commissions. This capability proved invaluable during the progress of the war. A large number of well qualified personnel were also brought in from civilian ranks and given petty officer ratings or commissions depending on qualifications. Navy photo, during World War II, would have been completely unable to operate without these 2 sources.

1944 - 1945 VD-5 and PhotoGroup 2

Squadron formed NAAS Camp Kearny, June 1944. Deployed to NAS Barbers Point, T.H., Sept 1944 for completion of training. Early Oct. I flew to Eniwetok to discuss future operational problems with Cdr. Huff Clark, CO VD-4, then to Saipan for discussions on operational control and then to Guam to select a future camp site in the jungle and make a camp layout, then back to Hawaii for final arrangements for final deployment.

In mid Nov. planes flew to Guam by increments and ground personnel went by CV. Squadron gear was shipped in 2 cargo ships with no loss of supplies and no damage to sensitized material because technicians and supply personnel accompanied the shipments with full concurrence and cooperation of the Captains. VD-4 ground personnel served VD-5 flight operations during transition of air and ground echelons. First VD-5 mission was 30 Nov. covering Iwo Jima, Chichi Jima and Haha Jima.

On Cdr. Clark's departure I became ComPhotoGroup 2, which was merely a paper title comprising VD-5 and Interpron 2. In early Dec. CinCPAC/CinCPOA issued a directive consolidating all photo intelligence in the Western Pacific in Photo Group 2. This made PhotoGroup 2 a full operating command. It became the central receiving, digesting and distributing agency for the Pacific Fleet with all recco photos from whatever source channeling thru the group. Because of the tremendous number of copy negs required the Photo Lab and Photo Repair personnel modified a K-17 camera to operate as a high speed copy camera with excellent results and a tremendous saving of time. The tremendous work load required that the Photo Lab work 2 -12 hour shifts on a 7 day week basis. Despite the heavy work load, morale and efficiencg remained high.

On 8 Dec. VD-5 was ordered to cover Iwo Jima at 10,000 feet (no previous missions had been below 20,000) in order to obtain large scale photo results of shore bombardment. I took 6 planes to obtain coverage on a single pass but cloud cover was solid down to 1,000 feet over the island. I sent 4 planes back to Guam and LtCdr Gehlbach and I obtained low altitude obliques around the island but they would not have provided necessary stereo. LtCdr Gelhbach crossed the narrow neck of the island to help draw fire while I flew the length of the island. Photo results were excellent, however, one man was seriously wounded, two others had slight wounds and the plane was so severely damaged as to require strike after return to Guam. I received the Distinguished Flying Cross as did LtCdr Gehlbach. My Navigator, Ens. Larry Dunlap, received the Air Medal for his cool and excellent guidance of my path on the desired photo run.

All except 3 of the VD-5 missions were unescorted. One mission to Iwo Jima was escorted by P-38s. VD-5 planes remained on station until clouds cleared for photos but the P-38s were limited to 5 minutes on station because of fuel limitations. On one other occasion AAF B-24s were used for mutual fire support but because of operational problems all VD-5 pilots elected to fly unsupported missions depending on their own excellent gunfire. About 90% of the pre-landing photos of Iwo Jima were by VD-5. Other targets routinely covered included Truk, Puluwat, Woleai, other Marshalls and Carolines, Marcus, Chicha Jima, Haha Jima and still Jap occupied islands in the Marianas. Both PB4Y-lPs and F6F-5Ps were used.

The third use of escorts was with P-38s on a mission to Truk. One P-38 had an engine failure enroute and turned back without notifying the flight leader. A VD-5 plane noticed the plane was missing and turned back to try to locate it and escort it back to Guam. The P-38 lost its other engine and the pilot bailed out. The VD-5 plane searched for and found the downed pilot, dropped survival equipment, notified the base and remained in the area for several hours until the pilot was picked up by a destroyer.

The landings at Iwo Jima were covered by my plane for photographic and news coverage. All aerial photos of the landings were by L. J. Bodkin, PhoMlc and J. F. Rankin, PhoM3c of my regular crew for still photos and Leif Erickson, CPhoM of CinCPAC Pub Info for motion pictures. Mr. Webbley Edwards of CBS accompanied us for the combined radio networks and gave a very graphic account of the operations after our return to Guam.

Prior to the Iwo Jima landings intelligence officers from all of the participating units were based at our camp and participated in the intelligence derived from photo intelligence and other supporting sources. With our complete photo litho plant we developed and printed 8-color overlay maps of Iwo Jima that were distributed to all participating units. These were updated as fast as new information on defense positions and capabilities was available. The Interpron 2 personnel worked around the clock during this period to ensure that up-to-date information was continually available. After return of the unit intelligence officers to their ships radio updates were provided to all concerned activities.

The success of Photo Group 2 in the Iwo Jima operation was so outstanding that I was directed by CinCPAC/CinCPOA to immediately expand our facilities in order to provide the same support for the Okinawa operation, which was less than 6 weeks away. Build up of personnel was so rapid that some critical ratings arrived at Guam in dress blues, having been picked up while on liberty by Shore Patrol from points as far away as the East Coast and put immediately on airplanes. Replacement personal gear and adequate work uniforms were provided after arrival at Guam.

The value of being a self supporting activity was dramatically demonstrated during this rapid build up. My Executive Officer was killed in an operational aircraft accident at this point and unprecedented responsibility was placed on the Department Heads. They were given requisite authority to carry out their responsibilities, which they did in an outstanding manner. Then, on 3 hours notice, I was directed to leave for the Philippines with 5 planes with support personnel to begin our photo work over Okinawa. Of my 8 Liberators 2 were airborne on another mission. It was not necessary to recall them since aircraft maintenance was always at a very high level.

With 5 planes in the P.I. we were left short to carry out routine surveillance of Jap held positions still in the Marianas and the AAF 28th Photo Recco Squadron equipped with F-5s (Photo P-38s) was assigned to Photo Group 2 for operational control. While operating in the P.I. (originally from Guiuan, Samar and later from Clark Field, Luzon) targets covered, in addition to Okinawa, were all islands of the Sakishima Gunto with particular attention to Miyako and also the Ningpo Peninsula, China. During this time I was on a commute basis between Guam and the P.I.

The same procedure was used for Okinawa as had been done with Iwo Jima in connection with basing intelligence officers at Photo Group 2 with radio updating after they had returned to their units. Success of this procedure was again demonstrated.

For photo and radio coverage of the Okinawa landings Webbley Edwards of CBS again accompanied me. We left Clark Field shortly after midnite 1 April, covered the beaches and inland areas before, during and after the landings and then went to Kerama Retto, where we dropped half of our negatives in water proof containers to an AGC in case we did not get back to Guam. With not enough fuel to get to Guam we went to Iwo Jima where I had one of my planes standing by for a pony-express type transfer and then on to Guam.

A week later I received 9 F6F-5Ps and returned the 28th P.R. Squadron to the 7th Air Force. F6Fs were deployed to Palau and Iwo and as soon as Yontan Air Field was available at Okinawa I sent 3 F6Fs there to operate in support of the 10th Army for close air support and location of ground mines in roadways. As soon as Yontan could support Liberators I went there to establish our remote operating base and left 2 of them for operations in the Ryukus. One of them was lost on the ground in a nite attack by Japanese landing on the airstrip in a Kamikaze type attack. As our hold on Okinawa improved I increased the number of planes based there.

During this period Liberators were based at Iwo and covered all of the Nansei Shoto Islands up to the coast of Japan.

In early May on a mission to Marcus I was contacted on Emergency Frequency by USS JALLAO asking for assistance in searching for downed flight personnel as 2 planes ( a Liberator and a Privateer) had been shot down over Marcus earlier and they had heard from a surviving plane that there was a raft in the water. After finishing my photo run I assisted in the search. My plane captain, C.T. Carey, AMMlc, had spotted an oil slick and I started search going downwind from that position. We located the raft with 5 survivors, called the JALLAO, which was about 15 miles further west, and maintained position until JALLAO arrived. As the survivors were being picked up the batteries on Marcus opened fire, straddling the submarine on the first salvo. The submarine crash dived and escaped damage.

At the end of May VD-5 was replaced by VD-l. Command of VD-5 was turned over to my Exec. Off., Lt. C. J. Witt and he returned the squadron to the U. S. The planes were destroyed at NAS Kaneohe, T.H. as no planes were permitted to be taken back to the mainland. I remained in command of the Group, turning it over to Cdr. Hutchison on 1 July 1945 and then returned to the States for reassignment.

Next duty was in OPNAV and BuAer preparing requirements for future photo recco needs and developing specifications for future generation photo reconnaissance planes. This was followed by the writing of a tactical doctrine publication on Long Range Air Reconnaissance and Scouting.

After serving as Operations Officer, and then Chief of Staff, Naval Air Bases, 11th ND followed by assignment as Executive Officer, USS BOXER (CV-21) I was ordered to command of Naval Air Technical Training Unit, NAS Pensacola, Fla.

NATTU comprised the Navy Photo Schools - Primary, Advanced, Motion Picture and Camera Repair. The schools were housed in antiquated buildings totally unsuited for the purpose and one of the first necessities was to obtain adequate facilities. A large concrete barracks at the adjacent and abandoned Army Coast Artillery Base, Fort Barrancas, was made available and designs were drawn up for conversion to a modern and well equipped set of Photo Schools. A large amount of credit for the initial design for the reconstruction is due to John Nichols, CPhoM, assigned to NATTU. The Public Works Dept. welcomed our participation in design and coordination during construction and with our very amicable working relationship we achieved a highly satisfactory installation. A large increase in student enrollment was ordered about this time and coincided with a total and complete revision of the curricula of all the schools. Photo planes for instruction of pilots and photographers included SNJ-5s, SNB-3Ps and the F6F-5Ps were replaced by F8F-2Ps. Indicative of the high level of maintenance maintained in all departments was that of Flight Operations. In the 2 years that I had command there was only 1 aircraft accident that involved inadvertent wheel retraction on taKe-off which resulted in redesign of the retraction mechanism.

Duty as Commanding Officer USS CORSON (AVP-37) was followed by assignment as Head, Naval Photography, Naval Operations. This was during the Korean War and a great deal of emphasis was placed on achieving improved photo reconnaissance from aircraft carriers. Tremendous opposition had to be overcome to even keeping such capabilities on board carriers. There were strong advocates of removing recco capabilities completely and carrying only bombs, bullets and rockets. Fortunately every carrier skipper, after a short time in combat operations, learned the vital importance of having continuous and updated target information and strike results. Because of demonstrated need we were able to develop recco versions of several new jet fighter aircraft that proved to be highly beneficial. Concurrently, BuAer, was active in the development and procurement of a new generation of aerial cameras and controls to effectively utilize the performance of the newer aircraft.

Aerial mapping projects were carried on in various parts of the world using the longer range land based aircraft. This had been a continuing program and in some areas was carried on at an accelerated pace. We had no formal relationship with the CIA but with many common areas of interest and overlaps my informal relationship with some key personnel was mutually beneficial.

A problem at this time was how to determine the location of "ground zero" from an A-bomb without visual inspection or later photo recco. I proposed a method that would involve a combined use of radar and photography. In my following command, Fleet Airborne Electronics Training Unit, Pacific, I was given the assignment of assessing the value of the idea. At an A test in Nevada I was able to demonstrate the practicability of the system and my Operations Officer, Cdr. Kedigh, later repeated the results. The utilization was again demonstrated in an H bomb test in the Pacific.

As a member of an Ad Hoc committee the relationships between Navy Photography, PhotoInterpretation and Navy Intelligence were brought into closer harmony to ensure that our total facilities in the military intelligence field would provide optimum service to the Navy.

I retired in late 1956 to accept the position as Manager of the Vought Co., Beverly Hills, Calif. The company designed and manufactured photographic data recording equipment for use in test aircraft and missiles. Among products that I designed and supervised manufacture of were periscope probes fitted to our high speed motion picture cameras that could be inserted into the tail pipes of jet engines of aircraft in flight to record flame pattern and a much larger periscope for use in engine test cells with provision for either visual observation or photographic recording. A periscope installation was also designed that was used in the Northrop X plane that became the F-5. This provided for extremely low profile and low drag for photo recording of possible tail flutter. Another item of my design and manufacture was a 5-degree freedom of motion mount and very high speed film transport for a spectrograph. Three of these were built and used in our first H bomb test with excellent results. This program was done in conjunction with a former shipmate from NATTU, NAS Pensacola, John Nichols, CPhom, USN(Ret), who was in charge of the photo lab at the Navy Radiological Defense Laboratory, Hunters Point, San Francisco. Our equipment was also used in the X-15 tests and the Hound Dog missile tests.

I left the Vought Co. in early 1960 to join the Inertial Navigation Dept., Autonetics, North American Aviation, Inc. It turned out that my photo days were not over. A former shipmate from NATTU, NAS Pensacola, Ludy Benjamin, CPhoM, USN(Ret), was in charge of the still photo lab, NASA Houston and contacted me for help in the space photo program. As a result I became an unofficial consultant on photo matters throughout the Apollo program particularly on motivating the astronauts on the importance of space photography during their missions and on aspects of improving film and lens resolution. Although not strictly photography, I later worked in the early phases of laser development at Autonetics.

MAILGRAM

From: CTF 93 COMGENSTRATAIRPOA 11 December 1944

To: CTG 93.3 COMPHOTOGRP TWO)

BRIEFING MODELS CHICHI AND HAHA AND RADAR MODELS ARRIVED GOOD CONDITION. PROMPT ACTION AND TECHNICAL EXCLLENCE APPRECIATED.

AUTHENTICATED: L. F. JOHNSON
Lt. Colonel

DESPATCH

From CTF 93 090824Z 9APR 45

Action COMMANDING OFFICER VD-5 AND PHOTO GROUP TWO

Info CINCPOA ADVANCED HEADQUARTERS


BT

WHILE UNDER OPERATIONAL CONTROL OF THIS COMMAND YOUR JOB HAS ALWAYS BEEN ONE 0F QUOTE "WELL DONE" UNQUOTE COMGEN STRATAIRPOA EXTENDS TO YOU AND YOUR COMMAND CONTINUED SUCCESS AND GOOD LUCK

BT 0908 24Z


DESPATCH

From CINCPOA ADV HQ 290145 29APR 45

To COM PHOTO GROUP TWO

Info VD-5 / INTERPRON TWO / COMAIRPAC / FAIRWING ONE

BT

THE PROMPT AND THOROUGH ACTION REPORTED IN YOUR 282132 IS CHARACTERISTIC OF THE HIGH STANDARD OF PERFORMANCE BY PHOTOGROUP TWO WHICH CINCPOA HAS OBSERVED TO BE UNIFORM IN THE OPERATIONS OF BOTH INTERPRON TWO AND PHOTRON FIVE X WELL DONE

BT 290145

Despatch

From COMAIRPAC 280201Z 27 June 45

Action CO VD-5

Info CFAW-2 / COMFAIRWESTCOAST

BT

DURING YOUR TOUR OF DUTY IN THE FORWARD AREAS YOU HAVE ESTABLISHED A REPUTATION FOR OBTAINING RESULTS DESPITE GREAT OBSTACLES

X YOUR WORK IN THE PRESENT COMBAT AREAS CONTRIBUTED MUCH TO THE SPLENDID SUCCESS OF OUR FORCES WHO ARE FIGHTING X COMAIRPAC WISHES TO EXTEND ITS HEARTIEST CONGRATULATIONS TO ALL HANDS FOR A TOUGH JOB WELL DONE X MAY YOU ENJOY YOUR WELL EARNED LEAVE AND RETURN REFRESHED TO HELP FINISH THE JOB XXX

BT 280 201Z


UNITED STATES PACIFIC FLEET
AND PACIFIC OCEAN AREAS
HEADQUARTERS OF THE COMMANDER IN CHIEF

25 March 1945

From: British Pacific Fleet Intelligence Liaison Officer
To: The Chief of Staff

Subject: Supply of Intelligence to Task Force 57

1. Before my departure from Ulithi on 23 March, Vice Admiral Rawlings, CTF 57, instructed me to express to you his appreciation of the arrangements made to supply TF 57 with last minute intelligence for Iceberg, and of the efforts of the personnel concerned that they entailed.

2. In particular, he and officers on the staff were most impressed with the high quality of the Photographic Intelligence especially prepared by Interpron Two, and the speed and efficiency with which the latest photographic coverage was incorporated in the Interpretation Reports, Mosaics, and Target Maps supplied.

3. Admiral Rawlings hoped that you would convey his thanks to the personnel concerned for their efforts and for the assistance that they have given to TF 57.

/s/ C. S. SHEPPARD

C. S. SHEPPARD

Lieut-Comdr., RN

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UNITED STATES PACIFIC FLEET
AND PACIFIC OCEAN AREAS
HEADDQUARTERS OF THE COMMANDER IN CHIEF

From: Commander in Chief, U. S. Pacific Fleet and Pacific Ocean Areas

To: Commanding Officer Fleet Air Photographic Squadron Five

Via: Commanding General, Strategic Air Force Pacific Ocean Areas

Encl.: Copy of BPF Intelligence Liaison Officer letter 25 March 1945

1. Enclosure (A) is forwarde with compliments on your efficiency and the fine cooperative spirit displayed in carrying out this task.

/s/ C. H. McMORRIS
Chief of Staff
-----------------------------------------------------------------1st Ind.

HEADQUARTERS, STRATEGIC AIR FORCE, PACIFIC OCEAN AREAS, A.P.O. 234, 1 April 1945

To: Commanding Officer, Fleet Aircraft Photographic Squadron FIVE.

Inclosure (A) is forwarded with pleasure. The teamwork and efficiency demonstrated in fulfilling this task are highly commendable.

/s/ WILLIS H. HALE
Major General, U. S. Army
Commanding