2nd Tour, June 1944- February 1945

Modifications on the PV-1s for the second tour of VB-136:

Five fixed guns in the bow
LORAN
Dual flight instrument panel
Bendix ADF receiver
VHF radio
ARC-5 receiver with anti- static loop
Dual scale radar altimeter
Aft cabin fuel tank
Automated fuel system (diluter-demand)

6/8/44 total of 15 PV-1s were permanently assigned to the squadron

6/17-20/44- back to NAS Attu. As of 6/29/44 there were 14 PV-1s and 16 combat crews.

6/30/44 one PV-1 was transferred to Hedron

7/10/44 one PV-1 and pilot John N Dingle arrived for duty (14 PV-1s again are permanently assigned to Squadron)

7/18/44 one PV-1 was transferred to Headquarters Squadron, 13 left.

8/1/44 49420 to Hedron

8/12/44 49525/81V reported “landing Petro” – starboard engine problems and low on fuel (500 gallons at the target area). With 3 other crews, experienced difficulties with navigation (unexpected wind and unsatisfactory Loran reception) and made a landfall about 150 miles south of the target. Over Matsuwa Island all turned back. Crew: Lt. Carl W. Lindell, Ens. James S. Head, Ens. Murlin K. Richardson, Henry H. Williamson AMM1c, Cyril J. Brown, ARM3c, Russel L. Manthie AOM3c.

8/14/44 49505 from Hedron (former X13, 81R)

8/19/44 BuNo 49507/75V (Lt.(j.g.) J. R. Cowles) crash- landed on Lopatka, destroyed by explosion.
Crew: Ens Leonard Panella, Jr., Ens Millard B. Parker, Harold R. Toney, ARM1c, John R. McDonald, AOM3c.

8/25/44 49527 from VB-135- new 75; 3/9/45 to Hedron

8/25/44 49459 from Hedron

8/27/44 49508/82V (Lt.(j.g.) John A. Dingle) is MIA. 3 Oscars were seen making runs on the plane. Heavy damage was reported. Last msg “landing at 2300Z”. Crew: Ens. Emil M. Petterborg, Ens. Eugene F. Dulan, Harvey H. Pollard AOM2c, Charles D. Henry AMM3c, Daniel Leintz ARM3c.

8/27: a 400 ft tanker heading north was attacked off Kamchatka coast, that was believed to be Onekotan To. (Lt. Price) One of the incendiary bombs was observed to seen to explode on the deck of the tanker aft of amidships, starting a fire which could be seen for 30 min during departure. During the attack, Lt. Price saw what he described as a white rectangle with a red circle in the center, painted on the side of the ship, and members of the crew saw two flags flying above the superstructure which were described as “red and yellow stripes” and ” white with a red circle in the center”. Later the tanker was indicated as possibly Russian. Recently I found an article describing this incident in more details.

8/31/44 12 PV-1s

9/2/44 34630 from Hedron to VB-136 (82R) Transferred to VPB-135 on 10/21/44

9/10/44 Lt. Everett H. Price attacked a 4000-5000 ton freighter off Paramushiro. The plane was hit by flak fragments in the port engine, port aileron, and starboard wing. Oil pressure in the port engine gradually dropped, and all unnecessary gear in the plane was jettisoned. Initially the pilot wanted to proceed to Petropavlovsk, but later decided to push to the base. The plane left the target with 700 gallons of fuel, landed with 200, of which 100 could not be used. The damaged engine finally stopped about one hour before the landing, the flight was completed on one engine.

9/17/44 49472/73V (Lt. Cmdr. Charles Wayne) is MIA, landed in Petro. Crew: Lt. John W. Murph, Ens. John E. Ehret, Robert P. Baxter ACRM, Earl A. Mulford AOM2c.

After bombing a cannery at Asahigawa, Lt. Littleton in 79V was attacked by four Ki-43s of the 54th Sentai, and shot one of them.

10/1/44: 11 PV-1s

10/21/44:
34630/82 to VPB-135
48891/78 (former VPB-135/3) and 49420 (former VPB-135/4R) transferred to VPB-136

Same 12 PV-1s remained in Squadron till 2/22/45

From 11/13/44: Under operational order from FAW4 Commander, Ventura planes are prohibited to carry bombs due to excessive weight and the close gasoline margin, making it impossible to proceed to alternate field if Attu and Shemya are closed in. PV’s were limited to MG’s and rockets. As of 11/30, four Ventura’s of VPB-136, and seven of VPB-131 were equipped with eight rocket launchers each.

None of VPB-136 crews had rocket training, and only six crews of VPB-131 had. All the planes had 8 rocket launchers installed, and the training began at the range in the island in Chichagof Harbor, Attu (dry runs). By 12/15 the construction of live rocket range on Agattu has been accomplished. The shipment of sub caliber rockets was expected by 1/1/45, and rocket missions were to be set up shortly after they arrive.

From 1/5 to 1/24/45- intensive rocket practice at the western tip of Agattu with three types of rockets.

Conclusion on S.C.A.R. (Sub-Caliber Aviation Rockets) and A.R. (Aviation Rockets):
speed was too slow and too inconsistent, accurate firing from recommended 1000 yards is impossible. Range was decreased, aiming was done by the bow gun tracers.
H.V.A.R., High Velocity Aviation Rockets, were found to be OK

As of 1/1-1/31/45: 12 PV-1s

2/22/45 29822 from Hedron; 49509 to VPB-131

2/28/45 Lt Mantius to Naval Hospital, Attu

3/1-3/14/45, operating Squadron Codes:

73,74,75,76,79,80,81,84,86

3/9/45 To Hedron: BuNos 49506, 49510, 49526/74

From Hedron: 33207, 33218, 33305, 48908 (Ex9R2 of VB-135), 48918 (Ex1R of VB-135), 48919 (Ex5V of VB-135), 48936 (Ex10V of VB-135), 49506, 49919, all remained with VPB-136 till 9/1/45

3/17/45 48891/78 lost. The first section of VPB-136 departed Attu, having completed duty with FAW4. Enroute to Whidbey Island, Lt. Moorehead had troubles locating Kodiak field and radio failure. He ditched his PV-1 near Karluck village on the west side of Kodiak Island. Crew were rescued, plane lost.

6/6/45 PV-2 37044 (Cogan, A. B., VPB-136, NAS Whidbey Isl) TAC C
Madson, R. P., Boberg, S. E., Coleman, C. H., Phillips, C. E., Burns, C. W. M.


As of 9/1/45: 7 PV-1s and 3 PV-2s

Original known BuNos and movement

49420   Transferred to HQ Squadron FAW4 on 8/1/44
             Transferred from VPB-135 (4R) back to VPB-136 on 10/21/44 (replacement for 73 or 82)

49459   Transferred from Hedron 8/25/44
             Transferred back to Hedron 3/9/45

49472/73 Landed Petro 9/17/44 (Lt. Cmdr. C. Wayne)

49506   Transferred to HQ Squadron FAW4 on 3/9/45

49507/75 Crash-landed on Lopatka on 8/19/44 (Lt. Jack R. Cowles)

49508/82 Landed in Petropavlovsk 8/27/44 (Lt. (jg) John A. Dingle)

49509   Transferred to VPB-131 on 2/22/45

49510   Transferred to HQ Squadron FAW4 on 3/9/45

49525/81 Landed in Petropavlovsk 8/12/44 (Lt. Carl W. Lindell)- low on gas, starboard engine problems

49526/74   Transferred to HQ Squadron FAW4 on 3/9/45

49528/84 (Lt. Moe’s aircraft)
 

Other BuNos

​

48891/78 Transferred from VPB-135 on 10/21/44, former 3V              

                Lost on 3/17/45 (Lt. Moorehead)

​

48936   Transferred from Hedron on 3/9/45 (Ex10V of VB-135) Remained with VPB-136 till 9/1/45

​

49505/81R   Transferred from Hedron, FAW4 on 8/14/44

​

49527/75R   Transferred from VPB-135 (Ex 2R2) on 8/25/44 

​

33207, 33218, 33305, 48908 (Ex9R2 of VB-135), 48918 (Ex1R of VB-135), 48919 (Ex5V of VB-135), 48936 (Ex10V of VB-135), 49506, 49919, from Hedron 3/9/45, all remained with VPB-136 till 9/1/45


Squadron No’s/ BuNos, VPB-136:

73 49472 (Wayne, 9/17/44)
73R 49420 or 48891

74 49526 Photo- Scrivner, p. 23

75 49507 (8/19/44, Cowles )
75R 49527 8/25/44 from Hedron

76 Photo -Scrivner, pp. 23, 24

77 ?????

78 ?????

78R 48891, former 3V of VPB-135, Lost 3/17/45 (Lt. Moorehead)

79 ?????

80 ?????

81 49525 Lindell (8/11/44)
81R 49505 8/14/44 from Hedron

82 49508 Dingle (8/27/44)
82R 49420 or 48891

83- 88 ?????