I happened on this site by accident. As it turns out my father, LtCol. Art OKeefes first squadron was the VMF-232 (now VMFA-232) predecessor, then called VMSB-232. He obtained his wings, sent to San Diego for a few months then assigned to VMSB-232 flying the SBD Dauntless where he went through additional training , mostly aircraft carrier ops and landings. He flew 65 flights in July 1942 (one day off after crashing off the carrier into the ocean). The squadron left Hawaii for Guadalcanal on August 1, 1942 arriving at Guadalcanal about 3 weeks later. Two squadrons were launched to Guadalcanal, a VMF and VMSB-232. My Dad, at age 21, was one of the first VMSB-232 aircraft to land in Guadalcanal August 20, 1942 where he earned a Distinguished Flying Medal. I Only learned of his within the last few years and will post a video of my fathers gunner, Tom Mohan flying an SBD this last May. I will also post comments I wrote regarding the video at the end of this post and lastly a photo of Tom Mohan, myself with the SBD at the airshow May 4, 2014. My Dad passed away August 2013 so he was unable to witness this fantastic event. Hope you enjoy the story and the film. I have many more documents but not very many photos. Thank all of you for your service! Mike Note, comments begin with Airshows Confederated Air Force SBD pilot: It truly was my honor to have Tom Mohan, an SBD gunner from WWII who was in the Battle of Guadalcanal, in my gunner seat at the Spirit Of St. Louis Air Show & STEM Expo. Here is more of the story from Michael OKeefe, the son of the pilot Tom flew with during the war: My father, Lt. Col. Arthur OKeefe was Toms pilot in Guadalcanal. Dad was fresh out of flight training and was sent to Hawaii for Aircraft Carrier training and qualifications in June 1942. He flew 66 flights in 23 days (off 2 days from a crash off the carrier into the Pacific) in July. August 1 he flew to Ford Island where he, Tom Mohan and the aircraft were embarked on the USS Long Island...destination Guadalcanal. Dad was now 21 with a total of 318.4 flight hours. He and Tom, age 19, were launched August 20 to be the 3rd aircraft to land on Guadalcanal. The planned supplies and support had not made it so they slept on the ground under the aircraft wings while eating rice and lambs tongues left by the fleeing Japanese. They were shelled constantly and all developed dysentery, malaria and tremendous weight loss with little food and an average of 2 and many times 3 flights a day. My father was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross and Tom an Air Medal for a solo mission through enemy territory and successfully bombing a zero float plane base at Giza harbor, 250 miles away. Less than two months after arriving half the pilots were dead and the rest medically evacuated. Imagine not only the courage of those who flew the airplanes but the backseat bombers, like Tom, who trusted the pilot to keep them out of harms way. My Dad and Tom kept in touch with yearly Christmas cards for over 70 years until my Dad developed dementia. I only learned of Guadalcanal and fortuitously of Tom within the last two years. We talked on the phone and exchanged email and photos but had never met. I was connected to Dan OHara, the president of the Missouri Aviation Society through Toms participation and Dan was a constant help in keeping Tom and I in the loop. Unfortunately, Dad passed away August 13, 2013 and unable to witness this wonderful occasion orchestrated by Dan OHara. It was a great honor to travel from my home in Coronado, CA to St. Louis to witness this unprecedented flight. As you see in this outstanding film, Tom is quite a character and more mentally with it than me! You see the Blue Angels in the background but I can tell you as a witness to the occasion the excitement was all about Tom flying in the SBD. Jacqui Pour, the producer/writer and her film crew couldnt have done a better job in condensing many hours of filming into 6 minutes. A few personal notes, first and foremost, I was finally able to meet Tom, his wife Carol along with children Tom, Becky and Bob. Their welcomed me with open arms and it was like I knew them my whole life. We bonded in a few days and I now consider Tom my surrogate dad. Second, I am a retired Navy pilot. I made the decision to become a pilot at age 13 when my family went to meet my Dad and his F-8 Crusader squadron returning from Cuba. My Dad dissuaded me for years but finally relented when it was obvious I had made up my mind. He approved with one caveat (or as he said Otherwise I will make sure you dont pass the physical) to join the Navy vice the Marines so I would be on an aircraft carrier with a bunk and three squares a day. I now know why he felt so strongly about that. Lastly, for the non-aviators, as all aviators who read this already know, that it is very dangerous for an experienced pilot flying around Pacific islands in good weather with no war and no navigation except a compass, watch and plotting board. It is unfathomable (idiotic!) to me that my Dad at age 21 with less than 320 total flight hours was able to accomplish this under war time conditions! Semper Fi!
Posted on: Tue, 16 Sep 2014 15:57:00 +0000