34th Fighter Squadron Yearbook
on the island of Ie Shima WW2.
A Series World
War 2 Historical Exhibits.
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This
is the Home page for the exhibit. The
34th fighter Squadron Yearbook.
Also listed on this page are many links about World War Two. Stories about
WW2 Veterans in the Air, Land, Sea and Under the Sea.
Esta es la pgina de inicio para la
exhibicin.
La 34 escuadrilla de combate Anuario.
Tambin figuran en esta pgina son muchos enlaces sobre la Segunda Guerra
Mundial. Las historias sobre WW2 Veteranos en el aire, tierra, mar y bajo el
mar.
34th Fighter Squadron,
with P-47 Thunderbolt fighters, in 1944 Ie Shima
one of the Japanese islands
of World War 2.
This Exhibit covers the men and their
crews on this Western Pacific island named Ie Shima which is located near
Okinawa in World War 2. Start your Exhibit Tour
by
pressing the right arrows located throughout this series of pages.
This
is your Tour Guide The original exhibit contained 176 pages and
348 files, that was fifteen years ago, today is 10-15-2012
Take
one of these 34th Fighter Squadron Tours
Ernie
Pyle The most famous War Correspondent and Combat Photographer.
Eddie Saboo Standing
with the medals were awarded for the Atlantic Fleet Belt,
Pacific Fleet Belt
From: Timothy Lawler
To: Jeff Dyrek
Sent: Monday, October 15, 2012 10:54 AM
Subject: Hello
Ok. My Dad was there in ia shima when the Japanese flew
in. he was a machine Gunner and had to keep his finger on trigger when they came
off plane . If u go to google and type in "my name is Daniel Lawler sr" hi
history will show up
Tim Lawler
The Last Surviving Pilot of the 34th Fighter Squadron in WW2 was Ward J.
Derks.
Ward was also and instructor pilot and the public affairs
officer for the first Thunderbirds aerobatic flight team, then called the
ThunderJets aerobatic team. Ward passed away on June 10th, 2011 and was
burried at Memorial Park Cemetery in Tulsa OK. Ward's obituary was
published in the Tulsa World on 6-9-2011.
Ward Derks Obiturary Link
Ward Derks from Tulsa World
Mr. Dyrek,
My name is Jason Repak and
I am an F-16 pilot in the 34th FS. I am doing a lot of research into
the history of this fine squadron and recently came across your informative
website. I understand you have been in contact with my squadron commander
Lt Colonel Valentino Bagnani who told me you were a great source of help
and information concerning the 34th's history. I noticed you have
attained an original 34th 1945 yearbook and was wondering if there might
be a way of attaining the original or a copy of it from you. We are trying
to collect as much 34th related memorabilia as possible in hopes of putting
up a permanent historical display which honors the proud veterans of this
squadron. Unfortunately, memorabilia from the WWII time period is
somewhat lacking and any additions would be a huge boost to the display.
Please let me know if we can make any arrangements concerning this request.
Additionally, we are also looking for a Ram squadron patch from the same
time period. Would you know of any way we could acquire such an item?
Thanks for your time and the contribution your website makes towards this
squadron's history.
Sincerely,
Captain Jason Repak
34th Fighter Squadron
A Special Request
from the 34th Fighter Squadron Today
Click Here's another great web site on the 413th Fighter Group
at 413thFighterGroup.com
from Wes Tyler
My Dad, who was in the Signal Corps, told me he sheltered in one of the caves
inland from Red Beach #2 from nightly Japanese bombing of the island. I believe
he landed on D+3. He thought the caves were originally tombs that had been
sanitized with DDT.
In order to prove his entitlement to a Bronze Star Medal he told me his CO put
him in for -- but that he never received -- I'm trying to find any information
regarding a communications tower that stood just west of the southern end of the
easternmost airstrip constructed by US forces in 1945. A picture would be ideal.
My understanding is that the current US comms tower does not date from 1945 and
is not at the same location as the one I'm seeking.
Dad said his minor act of heroism occurred atop that 1945 tower during a
daylight strafing run by a lone Japanese aircraft, soon after the Island was
considered to have been "secured," maybe early in May of 1945.
Thanks for any assistance you can render. -- Ross
From the Webmaster: If anyone can help Ross with this one, it would
be a great help. C. Jeff Dyrek.
Dec 7th 2010
Dear Ross;
There is no question in my mind that your dad was recommended to receive a
bronze star for his action under fire on that communication tower. It's just a
darn shame his Company Commander didn't follow through.
I'm sorry that I can't be of any help but I was not involved in the battles
taking place on Ie Shima. We could see the tiny Island off in the distance when
we arrived aboard ship and also from our view atop Shurie Ridge on Okinawa.
Scuttlebutt had it that American forces on Ie Shima were also taking heavy
casualties and War Department records has proved our information was correct.
I can probably help you with any information needed concerning the Island of
Okinawa because the shore based forces and the landing strips [just like IeShima]
were being hit by the Jap Betty Bombers some days and most nights. At Okinawa
our ground radar was picking up incoming Jap planes and the ground troops would
scatter in the areas that was going to be the target and no doubt this was also
true on Ie Shima. The fact that one lone bomber attacked the tower you dad was
working on is an indication to me this lone Jap hit them by surprise, and I have
no doubt the tower would be a prime target. It took guts for your Dad to remain
on mission under fire. I sincerely hope you can find someone in his outfit that
can cover him but sadly, according to information I received last week from the
Veterans Hospital Clinic 90% of WW2 veterans are no longer living. If time
permits you may find someone who could help you by going to the VA clinics and
ask the old Vets if they happened to have been on Ie Shima. If you haven't
contacted the VFW or the American Legion you may want to consider asking them
for help. I have your email address and I will talk to any old WW2 vets during
my future trips to see if I can get you a name to contact.
Happy Trails Bob Shackles
Dec. 8th 2010
Thanks so
much for your prompt reply, Bob. I'll let you know what progress I make. My Dad
proposed to my Mom by letter from his supply tent -- not far from where Ernie
Pyle fell. My dad is no longer living and Needless to say, Mom was quite moved
when I brought her to that spot during a visit to Ie Shima in 2002. Thanks for
your service--Ross
Click Here are some questions that need to be answered about the
34th Fighter Squadron's history.
Major Brian "Toxic" Bragg the 34th Fighter Squadrons
ADO, today is asking for some information before the 34th is closed.
1. Where did the picture of the ram come from
2. Why was it chosen as the mascot
3. What significance did it have at the time that it was selected to be
the Mascot, (Logo).
Please send me a letter at the bottom of this page.
C. Jeff Dyrek, Webmaster.
Find
a 34th Squadron Member, Readers Pages email
address, phone numbers and address of members today. Also, Pictures
and Stories from our readers. You will like this. Send
me your photos.
1-28-2010
Dear Jeff,
I was very excited to find your website and
information. I have come into possession of some photos of the peace envoy
and planes very similar to the ones you have posted. Col. Isaac Simonds was
there. He was my husband's uncle. When his wife died, we got pictures. He
had written some notes on the backs of some of them. Thanks to you, I now
know more of the story of several of them. We also have some photos showing some of the
destruction, from the air. We have some from a visit to the base by General
Partridge. He was meeting Col. Ellenger's staff.
We have some showing Uncle Ike's Sqd headquarters'
and Sqd. 23rd ADG. I don't know what squadron he was in, or if he was a
Colonel yet at that time. If you would like to see any of our photos or
possible figure out more about what some are, let me know.
Thank you for your service!! We currently have one
son in the US Navy and one in the
National Guard
I hope to hear from you.
Sincerely,
Kathy
Dear Mr. Dyrek-
My father, Seth Villa, was a member of the 34th
fighter squadron D-flight on Ie Shima in
WWII. He provided you with the 34th squad yearbook on your website.
I am sad to report that yesterday, November 30, 2007,
my dad died of natural causes. Please post this on your website so his
friends and members of the squad are informed of his passing.
He was a proud member of the greatest generation. Thank you for keeping the memory of my dad and the
great men in his fighter group alive on the web. If I can find any more info of the time my dad served
his country, I will forward copies to you.
We need your help
with the following subjects. 1. We are looking for information about War Correspondent
Jack Singer for his nephew Jeff Hubbard. Jack Singer was a War
Correspondent for the U.S. Navy and was stationed on the USS WASP when it was
sunk in 1942. We are also looking for information about any members of the
ships company. Please send me information at the bottom of this page if you have
any information.
When
in England at a fairly large conference,
Colin Powell was asked by the Archbishop of Canterbury if our plans for
Iraq were just an example of empire building
by
George Bush He
answered by saying that, "Over the years, the
United States has sent many of its fine young men and women into
great peril to fight for freedom beyond our borders. The only amount of
land we have
ever asked for in return is enough to bury those that did not return."
It became very quiet in the room.
Great site! A wonderful starting place for somebody to get 'unclassified'
info about Ieshima in WW2. No matter how I ask for it, (or which search
engine) you were ALWAYS "First Hit" on search engines regarding Ieshima
/ IEShima in WW2.
My searches speak well of your site visibility!
Mr. D. E. Dawkins
7th Air Force
301st Fighter Wing.
This
table was completed thanks to info from Brian Bell
318th Fighter Group
413th Fighter Group
507th Fighter Group
19th Fighter Squadron
73rd Fighter Squadron
333rd Fighter Squadron
1st Fighter Squadron
21st Fighter Squadron
34th Fighter Squadron
463rd Fighter Squadron
464th Fighter Squadron
465th Fighter Squadron
The
301st Fighter Wing Score Box 318th
Fighter Group Victory Roll This Fighter Group was
from the 7th Air Force which contained the 301st
Fighter Wing. The 301st Fighter Wing
was made up of three Fighter Groups each containing three
Fighter Squadrons. The 301st was made up
of the 318th, 413th, 507th Fighter Groups. The 318th was made up
of the 19th, 73rd and 333rd Fighter Squadrons The 413th was made up
the 1st, 21st and 34th Fighter Squadrons If anyone knows what
squadrons made up the 507th Fighter Group let me know at the bottom
of the page.
On your website you asked if anyone
could tell you which squadrons made
up the 507th Fighter Group on Ie Shima. In case you are still interested, they
were the 463th, the 464th and the 465th. I was one of the pilots
in the 465th and if I can help with any other questions about our group please
let me know. Bert Eichel ajyee@juno.com
This is a
fantastic story of the Japanese Surrender
and a big part of Aviation History.
There was an interesting
story about the Japanese surrender which involved the Betty Bombers.
The surrender wasn't just the emperor waving a white flag and calling it
quits. It wasn't just the signing of the surrender papers on the
USS Missouri.
There was a long story behind the Japanese surrender and a big part of aviation
history. As a webmaster,
I'm just going to tell it the way I remember reading about it so here it
is, please forgive me for any mistakes.
When Emperor Hirohito
decided for the Japanese to surrender after the dropping of the Atomic
Bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki, he was not a popular man. The Japanese
honor dictated that the Japanese should fight to the very last person and
never give up. Hirohito knew that the people have suffered badly
and that most everyone would die if the war continued and he saw fit to
end the war and end this great suffering. The Japanese generals in
charge of the armies thought differently than this. They wanted to
continue the war to the very end, to the very last man, for the honor of Japan.
This is where
the Betty bombers came in. They were painted white and had large
green crosses painted on them. They were to fly to the island of Ie Shima to bring the surrender delegation and the surrender papers to
the Allied forces there. But it wasn't just a normal flight.
The few remaining Jap Zeros
were scrambled and were ordered to shoot the
Betty Bombers down. The Betty Bomber pilots knew that this would
happen so they flew North East instead of South East which would have been
the most direct course. Mean while the American forces sent up a
squadron of B-25 Mitchell's and P-38 Lightning's to intercept the Japanese
Betty Bombers and escort them safely to Ie Shima.
There were two Betty's
flying on this mission and one of the members of the surrender delegation
commented that he could see out of the holes in the Betty's side that were made
from American cannon fire. He was watching and noticed a group of fighter
aircraft approaching. Everyone's hearts were throbbing in fear as the
fighters came closer. Then suddenly there was a sigh of relief, the
fighters were the P-38
Lightings
and were there for their protection.
The flight safely
landed on the island of Ie Shima, however, one of the Betty's ran off of
the runway and was damaged and unable to fly the remainder of the mission.
The picture below shows the two Betty's sitting on the ramp with a guard
standing with a machine gun. This was the most important flight
of the war, but at the same time one of the least heard of.
Once the papers
were signed they had to be flown back to Japan to be finalized. The
one remaining Betty took off to complete the mission. After a number
of hours the pilot noticed that they were not going to have enough fuel
to make it back to the final base because of all of the bullet holes in
the fuel tank were leaking too much fuel and the consumption would be too
much. One of the members of the surrender delegation was an Olympic
swimmer so he was given the documents in case they had to ditch the aircraft
out to sea.
This is exactly
what happened. The plane ran out of fuel but they were able to ditch
the Betty Bomber in very shallow water. There was only one person
hurt and knocked unconscious and that was the Olympic swimmer. The
Japanese army was alerted to seek out and kill the surrender delegation
so the delegation had to sneak back to Tokyo to deliver the orders back
to the Emperor. The mission was obviously successful.
Look at these links to learn what you fought
for and why your friends died in tremendously terrible battles and wars.
It's time that all good veterans come to the aid of our country.
