3/28/45 15 new PB4Y-2 were assigned to the squadron with 6 used PB4Y-2 for training purposes. The 6 used planes were transferred to VPB-115 by the end of May.
59745, 7/19/45- emergency landing at Yakatat en route to Shemya from Whidbey Island via Anchorage and Adak.
August 1945: 18 crews and 14 Privateers. As of 8/3/45: 2 a/c transferred to HEDRON,12 planes in custody.
VPB-120 squadron call codes (tail codes) assigned by the Fleet Air Wing Four: 81-100.
The codes of the aircraft flown by the Squadron in August: 81- 95. The 93V (BuNo 59710) remained with Hedron through the month of August and did not participate in Kurile missions.
BuNos and known corresponding tail codes (squadron call codes):
59646 wrecked in Atsugi, Japan 1/14/1952
59704 95V wrecked in Atsugi, Japan 1/14/1952
59710 93V Hedron; no Kurile missions flown
59741 91V filmed as “Bouncing Betty” in 1958 movie “The Lady Takes A Flyer”
59745 90V “Black Sheep”
59807 89V
59809 87V
59819 was purchased in 1959 by Ralph Martin Aero Mechanics Inc., Prescott, Arizona and identified as 206.
Leonard “Red” Maser was president and Joe Agnew served as a foreman. In 1968 the plane was sold to T. & G. Aviation in Chandler
Arizona and was identified as Charlie 30. Sergio Tomassoni was listed as owner of T. & G. Aviation and Jim Cook was chief pilot.
In 1991 it was purchased by Lone Star Flight Museum while Mr. Jim Fausz was director, and flown to Galveston, TX.
Restored and is on display in VPB-120 colors at Pima Air & Space Museum, Tuscon, AZ .
59821 84V 6-12/45 wrecked at NAS Kodiak 7/22/1947
59823 83V 6-12/45
59827 6-12/45
59838 81V 6-12/45
All BuNos and corresponding squadron codes were confirmed by the photographs. Analyzing their sequence it is logical to propose that
59827 was 82V
59819 was 85V
59646 was 96V
I am in continuous search for the photos of the Aleutian Privateers to prove this hypothesis!
Six bombing and strafing missions were flown before the end of the hostilities:
8/3: 82V Davis, 83V Marlin, 81V (59838) Reynolds, 84V Doyle
8/5: Flight Able 86V (59816) M. Noyer and 92V N. Hofheimer, Flight Baker 91V (59741) Chandler and 83V Marlin. Flight Able mistakenly attacked two Soviet patrol crafts near Kamchatka coast.
8/7/1945 Flight Able: 84V Lt. J.P. Doyle, 94V Lt. R.E. Edwards (attack on Torishima Retto islands off Paramushiro coast), Flight Baker: 88V Lt. J.K. MacLean, 95V Lt.(jg) P.T. Kisssling (Onekotan strafing)
8/12: 81V(59838) Reynolds, 82V Davis, 83V Cook, 84V Lt. J.P. Doyle, 87V(59809?) Courtney, 88V Chandler, 92V Hefferman, 94V McElnea. Two bombed Kurabu Zaki, three were diverted from mission to cover Task Force and provide anti-snooper patrol, two were recalled back to base
8/13: 83V Marlin, 89V(59807) Trust
8/14: Four Privateers flew the final Kurile mission, an anti-shipping sweep. 94V Edwards was over the target at 1300W, 84V Doyle- at 1312W, and 81V (59838) Reynolds- at 1338W. It is unclear whether any targets were attacked, since all planes were recalled to base due to the surrender of Japan at 1340W. The fourth plane, 87V (59809) Chandler, did not make it to his target area before receiving the call to return.
On August 17, 18, 21, 22, 23 and 24, VPB-120 and VPB-122 flew sector searches.
Two successful photo missions to the Kurils were flown by VPB-120 in August after the surrender of Japan:
8/24 86V Trust
8/25 92V Doyle
Both missions were flown from Onekotan south to the limit of range. On the first mission, approximately 400 vertical and oblique photos of Onekotan, and oblique photos of Shasukotan, and Harumkotan were obtained with 20″ and 8 1/4″ focal lens F-56 cameras. Additional 50 oblique photos were made with K-20 camera, all from the altitude between 200 and 1,000 feet.
Two small surface crafts were sighted in the bay north of Otomari Zaki during both missions. Another DD or DE making estimated 25 knots was sighted by 86V crew. No attempts were made to contact or identify the shipping due to the nature of the missions.
Two more photo missions were flown in September. Excellent vertical pictures of Kurile chain from Paramushiru to Shimushiru were obtained during September 3 mission.
On September 27 six Privateers were stripped off armament, bomb bay tanks and armor for the purpose of transferring of the Staff of Commander North Pacific Force from Adak to Kodiak. On September 29 the squadron was flown from Shemya to Casco field, Attu. 30 September five disarmed aircraft, carrying 52 Navy personnel as passengers, departed for the continental United States.
Early aircraft of VPB-120:
59357 4/45, 6-7/45 crashed 8/13/45 while with Hedron FAW6
59365 5/45
59366 3/45, 6-7/45
59372 3-4/45, 6/45
59373 5/45
59374 5/45
59555 4-5/45
59578 4-5/45
59585 4-5/45
59589 4-5/45
59591 4-5/45
59596 4-5/45
59601 4-5/45
59604 4-5/45
59605 4-5/45
59606 4-5/45
59608 4-5/45
59612 4-5/45
596144-5/45
59615 4-5/45
59617 4-5/45 Miss Milovin (while with VPB-116/121)
59620 4-5/45
59701 6-7/45
59704 6-7/45 wrecked in Atsugi, Japan 1/14/1952
59813 6/45
Flown by Donald Barker’s crew in 1946 (per Malcolm Barker’s flight log):
59646
59701
59704
59710
59716
59745
59805
59809
59813
59816
59819
59821
59827