Japanese cargo vessel sunk by Lt. Ellis Fisher and his crew. (U.S. Navy)
(Source: "Black Cat Raiders of WWII" by Richard C. Knott)
Japanese cargo vessel sunk by Lt. Ellis Fisher and his crew. (U.S. Navy)
(Source: "Black Cat Raiders of WWII" by
Richard C. Knott)
Patrol Bombing Squadron 34 (VPB-34) jacket patch.
(Source: "Bless 'Em All" by Robert Hayes)
VP-23 crew members swim out to help a wounded pilot from his raft into the PBY.
(Photo sent by Leslie La Brie)
Robert Hayes (author of Black Cat book "Bless 'Em All") shows the typical
daytime flight gear for two degrees south of the equator.
(Source: "Bless 'Em All" by Robert Hayes)
Lieutenant Commander Carl W. Schoenwiess (right) gets an after-action report from one of
his pilots. VP-54's insignia, a Black Cat riding a bomb, looks down from the hull of a
PBY.
(Captain C. Schoenweiss collection) (Source: "VPB-54
"Black Cats" Squadron War Diary)
VP-11's Lts Hine and Higgs discuss the bomb and torpedo scoreboard on "Pistol Packin'
Mama" in New Guinea during 1943.
Note the markings indicate 16 bomb runs, two torpedo attacks, and two Japanese aircraft
downed.
(Source: Airpower magazine, November 1994, with additional info from
"PBY Catalina in Action" by Squadron/Signal Publications)
Film star Betty Hutton was one of the U.S.O. troupe to come entertain the men of VP-24 on
their island base in 1944. She is seen climbing into the Black Cat's waist blister (a
common entry point) for an inspection.
(from the archives of the San Diego Aerospace Museum)
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