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PHOTOGRAPH ALBUM: PAGE 3
JOE E. BROWN'S MISSION: While visiting VMB-611, comedian Joe E. Brown was taken on a flight by Lieutenant Colonel Sarles. Those making the flight were: Front Row (L-R) Staff Sergeant Stanley L. Aliskowitch, Joe E. Brown, and Lieutenant Colonel George A. Sarles. Back Row (L-R) Unidentified, Staff Sergeant Arvid J. Steiff, First Lieutenant Willis A. Downs, Technical Sergeant Floyd M. Sigler, Jr., and First Lieutenant Charles A. Jones, Jr. Photograph: U.S. Marine Corps
SQUADRON OFFICERS AND JOE BROWN: Joe E. Brown (Front row, 3rd from right) joins VMB-611 pilots for a group photograph outside the Officers' Club. Brown worked tirelessly to entertain the troops as a means of overcoming the loss of his son, Captain Don E. Brown, on a training flight in 1941. Photograph: U.S. Marine Corps (Courtesy of Carl Samuels)
JAPANESE FIGHTER: An intact Japanese Army Kawasaki Ki-61 Hein fighter plane was captured at an overrun Japanese air base. Known to allies as the "Tony" this aircraft featured an liquid-cooled engine and was an extremely good aircraft, especially in the hands of a skilled pilot. Photograph: Raymond S. B. Perry Collection (Courtesy of Robin Hill and the National Museum of Naval Aviation)
JOSE RIZAL MONUMENT: Located in Manila, this national monument was dedicated to Doctor Jose Rizal, a national hero of the Philippine Revolution. Doctor Rizal was a staunch nationalist who fought for Filipino independence from Spanish colonial rule in the 1890s. His martyrdom for the cause of independence elevated him to the level of one of the greatest national heroes of the Philippines. Here, tow Marine from VMB-611 visit the monument from the recently liberated capital. Photograph: Raymond S. B. Perry Collection (Courtesy of Robin Hill and the National Museum of Naval Aviation)
BALINTAWAK BEER BREWERY: Established as the San Miguel Brewery in 1890, the Balintawak Beer Brewery was renamed by the Japanese following their occupation of Manila. On February 4, 1945 the Balintawak Beer Brewery was liberated from the Japanese. Photograph: Raymond S. B. Perry Collection (Courtesy of Robin Hill and the National Museum of Naval Aviation)
COLLISION DAMAGE: While conducting a low-level strafing attack over New Ireland on February 17, 1945, BuNo 35178 was struck by a flying fox (fruit bat). Although no one was injured in the incident, the impact of the animal destroyed the radome and the radar scanner. The aircraft immediately returned to base and the damage was repaired.
Photograph: U.S. Marine Corps
(Courtesy of Dave Fish)
OFFICERS' CLUB:
A group of VMB-611 pilots enjoy their off-duty time in the Officers'
Club at Zamboanga. Those identified are First Lieutenant
Robert F. Jardes (front row, left) and First Lieutenant Earle H.
LeMasters, Jr. (back row, 4th from left).
Photograph: U.S. Marine Corps
BATTLE DAMAGE: Over Del Monte on April 21, 1945, Japanese
antiaircraft fire damaged the pilot's canopy on the PBJ being flown by First Lieutenant Stewart
R. Lauer. Both First Lieutenant Lauer and his copilot, Second
Lieutenant Vincent H. Klockzien. were wounded in the incident.
Photograph:
Raymond S. B. Perry Collection
(Courtesy of Robin Hill and the National Museum of Naval Aviation)
BASEBALL TEAM:
The squadron baseball team. Taken in 1945 at Zamboanga.
Photograph: U.S. Marine Corps
JAPANESE JUNK: This junkyard in the
Philippines invited souvenir hunters to help themselves. On
the left, a the cockpit and nose of Japanese Navy twin-engine G4M "Betty"
bomber lies broken and partially stripped.
Photograph:
Raymond S. B. Perry Collection
(Courtesy of Robin Hill and the National Museum of Naval Aviation)
JAPANESE STAFF OFFICERS: Following the
end of the War, members of General Yamashita's staff traveled throughout the
Philippines to encourage isolated Japanese troops to lay down their arms.
Photograph:
Raymond S. B. Perry Collection
(Courtesy of Robin Hill and the National Museum of Naval Aviation)
FILIPINO FOLK DANCE: Filipino
schoolchildren from Tituan School at Zamboanga, perform a folk dance, Al
Camphor, for their American "guests" in celebration of their
liberation from Japanese rule.
Photograph:
Raymond S. B. Perry Collection
(Courtesy of Robin Hill and the National Museum of Naval Aviation)
POW BRIEFS SQUADRON: Speaking through his interpreter,
Sergeant Charles T. Imai, Japanese prisoner of war, Lieutenant
Minoru Wada describes the target area to pilots during a briefing.
Major Mortimer H. Jordan, the air strike coordinator, stands to the
left, checking the information which Wada has already given him.
Photograph: U.S. Marine Corps
SPECIAL PASSENGER: PBJ pilot, Major Sidney Groff, adds
the name of the Lieutenant Wada to his manifest prior to the day's
bombing mission against the headquarters of the 100th Japanese
Division.
Photograph: U.S. Marine Corps
PINPOINTING TARGET: Scanning the terrain below from the
radio-gunner's compartment in the lead PBJ, Japanese prisoner of
war, Lieutenant Minoru Wada, pin-points the target area for the
Marine strike force. PBJs of VMB-611 and accompanying F4Us of
the strike force can clearly be seen in the background awaiting the
word to pounce.
Photograph: U.S. Marine Corps
BOMBS-AWAY:
Lieutenant Minoru Wada scowls as PBJs release their bomb loads on
the position of the Japanese 100th Division headquarters.
Results of the strike were excellent.
Photograph:
Raymond S. B. Perry Collection
(Courtesy of Robin Hill and the National Museum of Naval Aviation)
GRAVE OF LIEUTENANT COLONEL SARLES
AND CREW: The grave of Lieutenant Colonel George
A. Sarles and his crew at Arlington National Cemetery: Corporal George T. Cawley; First Lieutenant
Charles A. Jones, Jr; Lieutenant Colonel George A. Sarles; Technical Sergeant Floyd M. Siger, Jr.
Photograph:
Courtesy of
Dave Fish
GRAVE OF CAPTAIN DOIT FISH AND CREW: Captain Doit Fish and his crew were
buried at Fort Logan National Cemetery in Denver, Colorado on July 15, 1957:
Corporal Walter G. Charboneau; Captain Doit L. Fish; Sergeant Robert
L. Harrison; Sergeant Chester D. Luberda; Corporal John D. Rood;
First Lieutenant Donald C. Sculati; Captain Siguard J. Simonson;
Sergeant Richard C. Vorel.
Photograph:
Courtesy of
Dave Fish
SSGT JAMES D. ORTON
MEMORIAL BRICK: This memorial brick, dedicated to VMB-611 member James
Orton is located on the winding pathway at the newly opened National Museum
of the Marine Corps and Heritage Center at Marine Corps Base, Quantico,
Virginia.
Photograph: Courtesy
of Scott Orton
CHRISTMAS IN ARLINGTON
NATIONAL CEMETERY:
A week before Christmas in 2008, Sondra Sarles, daughter of Lieutenant
Colonel George A. Sarles volunteered to place wreaths on graves at Arlington
National Cemetery. During her visit, she placed a wreath on the grave
of her father and three other members of his crew. In all, volunteers
placed two truckloads of wreaths on graves throughout the cemetery.
Photograph: Courtesy
of Sondra Sarles |
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