On this Memorial Day, I want to honor the men from VMSB-232 lost on Guadalcanal. Aboard the USS Long Island (CVE-1), the 12 pilots and 12 gunners of 232 were told to buy time with their lives so America could bring up more men & planes.
They did far more than just that. They saved America’s first offensive of WWII.
The cost:
Fletcher Brown
Larry Baldinus
Oliver Mitchell
Charley McAllister
Don Rose
Leland Thomas
Gunners:
W.R. Proffitt
R.S. Russell
P.O. Schackman
Nine of 24 KIA. Half the pilots lost. The others were all either wounded or medically evacuated, except for Dick Mangrum. After 53 days, he was last man standing, a skipper without a squadron.
Not forgotten.
The American Warrior 