Note: while this squadron was designated VMSB (instead of VMTB), it flew Avenger torpedo bombers in combat.
Pilots (1942 arrival date, remarks)Lt Col P Moret (11/12) KIA 06/08/43 (died in transport crash)
Capt JC Aggerbeck (11/14)
Capt George E Dooley (11/12)
1/Lt DA Bangert (11/12)
1/Lt WW Dean (11/12)
2/Lt JJ Conrad (11/12)
2/Lt EM Hatfleld (11/12) MIA 04/07/43 (lost in storm during night bombing mission)
2/Lt William Hayter (11/12) MIA 04/07/43 (lost in storm during night bombing mission)
2/Lt T Levandowski (11/12)
2/Lt McGuire (11/12)
2/Lt McShane (11/14)
2/Lt AT Molvik (11/14) KIA 12/01/42
2/Lt Martin B Roush (11/12)
2/Lt Smyth (11/14)
2/Lt JL Warren (11/14)
Pilots with later or unknown arrival dates:
Capt. Alvin J. Clark
Capt. Manthey (MIA 04/07/43, lost in storm during night bombing mission)
Capt. Russ R. Riley
Capt. Bill M. Ritchey
Capt. Stiles (KIA 03/19/43, lost in SNJ flight accident)
Capt. George B. Woodbury
1/Lt Frank P. Barker
1/Lt Dean "Snuffy" Dalton
1/Lt Nuzum (MIA 04/07/43, lost in storm during night bombing mission)
1/Lt Pelto (MIA 12/03/42)
1/Lt Thomas Reese
N.A.P. (Mt.Sgt.) Julien (KIA 02/01/43)
N.A.P (Mt.Sgt.) George (Bud) Main
N.A.P (Mt.Sgt.) George Nasif (arrived 01/18/43)
VMSB-131 Aircrew roster
(note: the following list was provided by VMSB-131 veteran George Bobb)
Radio/Tunnel Gunners (TBF-1)
Pfc. Robert A. Baum (MIA 04/07/43, lost in storm during night bombing mission)
Mtsgt. George Bobb
Mtsgt. John Bruder
Sgt. Gerald Champlin (KIA 02/01/43)
Mtsgt. Oren L. Childress
Cpl. Vernon Goodwin (MIA 12/03/42)
Pfc. Matthew V. Hoss (MIA 04/07/43, lost in storm during night bombing mission)
Pfc. William Manard
Ssgt. Gordon Miller (MIA 04/07/43, lost in storm during night bombing mission)
SSgt. Paul J. Moyer (MIA 04/07/43, lost in storm during night bombing mission)
TSgt. Norman C.S. Pearson (KIA 03/19/43, lost in SNJ flight accident)
Pvt. Gerald Schroeder (KIA 12/01/42)
Mtsgt. Robert A. Woolfe
Sssgt. Julius Zimlich (MIA 04/07/43, lost in storm during night bombing mission)
Turret Gunners (TBF-1)
Cpl. Joseph O. Blotnick
Pvt. George Brown (KIA 02/01/43)
Mtsgt. William E. Bolen
Mtsgt. Ted Chikoswki
Mtsgt. John Dewey
Ssgt. Emmanual Ditiberg
Pfc. Orville Gannon (MIA 04/07/43, lost in storm during night bombing mission)
Sgt. Richard C. Ganther (KIA 02/02/43)
Ssgt. Robert T. Gough (KIA 02/01/43)
Sgt. Kenneth Gros (MIA 12/03/42)
Sgt. John L. Kuipers (MIA 04/07/43, lost in storm during night bombing mission)
Mtsgt. William Lares
Mtsgt. Dominick Pace
Pvt. Lawrence Winkle (MIA 04/07/43, lost in storm during night bombing mission)
Spring 1943 – posing with a TBF Avenger on
Espiritu Santo
Front Row
Doug Bangert, Bill Ritchey,"Snuffy" Dalton, Al Clark, T. Levandowski
Second Row
George "Bud" Main, Tom Reese, Jim Maguire, Frank Barker, Joe Warren
Third Row
George Nasif, Barney McShane, George Woodbury, Martin Roush
Fourth Row
Frank Smyth, George Dooley, Russ Riley
The mascot dog in the very front is "Pickles." He was brought over from San
Diego.