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Patrol Squadron Fifty-Four was commissioned as a squadron under Fleet Air Wing Two on 15 November 1942 at the U. S. Naval Air Station, Kaneohe Bay, Oahu, T. H. A nucleus of experienced officers and men was assigned from existing patrol squadrons in the Hawaiian Area, but the majority of the pilots were drawn directly from advanced flight training units. This was the first patrol squadron to be commissioned outside the United States and was indicative of the great need in the Pacific for search and patrol aircraft.
Lieutenant Carl W. Schoenweiss, USN, was the Commanding Officer of Patrol Squadron Fifty-Four and Lieutenant Henry G. Mc Donough, USN, the Executive Officer. Other principle officers were Lieutenant John W. Erhard, USNR., Flight officer, Lieutenant Paul T. Westervelt, USNR, Personnel officer, Lieutenant Alfred S. Cleveland, USNR., Intelligence and Communications officer, Lt.(jg.) Robert L. Engemann, USN., Navigation Officer and Lt.(jg.), Otho B. Bruce, USNR, Gunnery Officer. The squadron's initial personnel complement was approximately sixty officers and one hundred and fifty men. Twelve PBY5A Catalina amphibian aircraft were initially assigned to the squadron but during the latter part of the squadron's tour on Guadalcanal this was increased to eighteen PBY5A's.
Training of the newly formed squadron was carried out in navigation, gunnery, communications, airplane and ship recognition, and flight operations. The squadron also provided three crews and aircraft daily for daylight long range patrols of the approaches to the Hawaiian Area.
On February 12, 1943, VP-54 received orders to ready itself to deploy in about two weeks to the South Pacific as a Black Cat squadron. Training was intensified and the first nine airplanes departed Kaneohe Bay for Espiritu Santo, New Hebrides on March 1, 1943. They arrived at their destination on March 7th and after appropriate briefings, they proceeded on north to Guadalcanal with the first Black Cats of VP-54 arriving at Henderson Field on March 11th where they joined in operations immediately with Black Cats of VP-12. The two squadrons operated together until about June 1, 1943, at which time VP-12 returned home to the Hawaiian Area.
Fortunately for the squadron, on May 26th, 1943, the Assistant Secretary of the Navy, Artemus Gates and his party were flown to the Russell Islands for a brief inspection trip in one of VP-54's aircraft. On the return trip to Guadalcanal, Mr. Gates visited in the cockpit and told Lt. Comdr. Schoenweiss that he wanted to visit a few of the squadron's camps at Henderson Field and the squadron CO immediately invited him to make the Black Cat camp one of them. Shortly after landing back at Henderson Field, Mr. Gates and his party visited a dive bomber squadron camp adjacent to the airstrip, and then came to the Black Cat camp. The Assistant Secretary of the Navy was obviously surprised to see the camp facilities that had been provided. When the Secretary make some comment to this effect, he was told by the squadron CO that he should see how it was after a heavy rain. That night there was a heavy rain, and at about 8 AM., the next morning, the Secretary and his party arrived unannounced at the camp and had the opportunity to walk around in the thick black mud and see for themselves. As a result of this, Mr. Gates directed that a new camp be built for the squadron and that it be reported to him when this had been done. On June 25th, 1943, the squadron and its support personnel moved into a brand new Quonset Hut camp built especially for them in the proximity of the airstrip; gone were the problems of drainage, fly and mosquito control, the Black Cats now had a home to be proud of! The improvement in health, overall efficiency and morale was tremendous.
1943:
1. March 11 to June 15 Development and defense of
Guadalcanal
2. June 15 to August 5 Rendova
and Munda campaigns
3. August 5 to October 31 Japanese evacuation of
New Georgia and Vella
La Vella
4. October 31 through December 1943 Bougainville
campaign
The Black Cats' part in the first period consisted of night patrols, known as the "Mike Search", day and night anti-submarine patrols, Special weather flights, Dumbo rescue missions, logistic flights, bombing and harassing missions over the Japanese airfields at Vila and Munda, radar detection flights and flights involving the transportation of officers and materials to advanced bases. The Mike Search was an anti-shipping patrol designed to cover the channel and southern approaches to Guadalcanal and the track included the Russell Islands, the southern two-thirds of the southwest coast of Santa Isabel, the northern tip of Malaita and Savo Island. The patrol required approximately 13 hours of night flying and was distinctive largely from the standpoint of monotony; Convoy and anti-submarine patrols were ordinarily flown to the southeast of Guadalcanal or between Guadalcanal and the Russell Islands, the most advanced Allied base during this period.
The Munda and Vila harassing missions consisted of flying over those bases at periodic intervals during the night and dropping a single bomb on each run. The objective was of course to keep the Japs awake and in their fox holes. If the Black Cat was as successful as was "Washing Machine Charlie" over Guadalcanal the missions were well worth the effort.
On June 1, 1943, Patrol Squadron 12 left the area and all Black Cat missions were assumed by Patrol Squadron 54. From approximately this date to August 5th (the end of the Rendova and Munda campaigns) the Black Cats were extremely active. At the Squadron's suggestion the Mike search was discontinued. A number of more useful night patrols were substituted which took the Black Cats far into enemy territory to hunt for Jap shipping at the top of the "slot" and off the southwest and northeast coasts of Bougainville. At the inception and during the 32 day Rendova and Munda campaigns the Japs attempted to land reinforcements, to shell our land positions and to oppose Allied task forces. Four to six Black Cats were sent out nightly to search for, report and attack Jap warships. Contacts were numerous and the Black Cats were frequently able to guide Allied warships or aircraft strike groups to attack the Jap forces, and to illuminate after the enemy had been engaged. The Squadron takes pardonable pride in the fact that virtually every major contact with Jap surface forces was first developed by search planes of VP-54. Black Cat contacts led to each of the several battles of Kula and Vella Gulfs. In nearly every instance the Black Cats dropped their four 500 pound bombs on the ships contacted or, in the event of no contact, bombs were dropped on the Vila airfield.
The number of other types of missions was also increased. Numerous convoys were escorted to Rendova and Munda, special bombing and harassing missions were undertake, a considerable number of pilots were rescued and a large number of spotting, weather and transportation flights were undertaken.
The period from August 5th to October 31 saw the occupation by Allied forces of Arundel and Vella Lavella Islands, intense bombardment of Jap positions on Kolombangara and, during the latter portion, the attempted evacuation of Japanese troops from New Georgia area. Several Jap task groups were used during these operations but the bulk of the shipping consisted of barge convoys and single troop carrying ships. A considerable increase in transport, rescue and anti-submarine missions also, occurred during this period.
October 31 marked the beginning of the Bougainville campaign. Black Cat operations again increased with search areas extending as far as Rabaul on New Britain. Six Black Cats spotted and searched for the Task Force that shelled Buka, Bonis, Kahili and the Shortland-Faisi area and the planes of VP-54 contacted a number of Jap task forces dispatched to oppose our landings on Treasury Island and at Empress Augusta Bay. The Cats also provided air cover for the numerous large convoys which carried men and equipment to advanced Allied positions, and served as transports for officers and urgently needed supplies. Many searches during this period were flown from Munda but despite this, patrol missions often required 14-17 hours of continuous flying. When the crews of the SB-24 unit were grounded because of Pilot fatigue the Black Cats took over a portion of their night patrols in the St. Georges Channel area between New Britain and Rabaul.
The pilots and crews of the Black Cats flew primarily at night under every conceivable weather condition. They successfully completed the missions assigned them and pressed home bombing and strafing attacks despite the inadequacies of their planes for attack operations. The Black Cats brought to the Solomon Islands area were the best available, but they had put in a high number of hours and were not in desirable condition for combat operations. A great deal of credit is due the officers and men of Patsu 1-1 for their work in keeping the Black Cats flying. This unit operated without adequate facilities, equipment or supplies yet very few flights were rejected by VP-54 for lack of aircraft.
After a few weeks turn over period, VP-81 relieved VP-54 of all operations in the Solomons Area, and the squadron personnel proceeded homeward for a well deserved rest in mid December 1943.
The famous Naval historian Rear Admiral Samuel Elliot Morison in his
History of the U. S. Naval Operations in WWII, Vol. VI, makes several references
to the Black Cats and their involvement in various critical phases of operations
in the defense of Guadalcanal and the subsequent offensive actions of the
Allies to recover the Solomons Islands. For the most part, the Cats' mission
was to locate and destroy the "Tokyo Express" which consisted of Japanese
cruisers, destroyers, and landing craft which were used to support and
supply the Jap forces in the Solomons during their frequent nightly runs
down the "Slot" from the Shortland Islands to Guadalcanal. On many occasions
the Cats had to refrain from dropping their bombs since our own surface
forces were indistinguishable from the enemy once they became mingled in
the proximity of each other. Attached are a few excerpts form Vol. VI of
Admiral Morison's accounts which were based on reports of our own forces
as well as reports from Japanese records.
The Black Cats operating under Commander Air Solomons (COMAIRSOLS) were included in the below quoted appraisal by Historian Morison (Vol. VI, page 290)
Airsols, despite a heterogeneous composition (planes of U. S. Army, Navy, Marine Corps, and Royal New Zealand Air Force), was one of the world's finest, with matchless Esprit de corps. Its fighter planes kept guard over every convoy running north of Espiritu Santo; its "Black Cats" scoured the darkness, its "Dumbo" rescue planes picked up shipwrecked mariners and bailed-out aviators, delivered rations to beleaguered coast watchers, and rushed spare parts to the fighting front. Its photographic planes performed hydrographic services inestimable in that neck of the Pacific where German and British chart makers alike had been content with 18th century surveys by Bougainville and D'Entrecasteaux. For, as Admiral Merrill once observed, "The possibility of viewing the sunrise from the sloping deck of a ship stranded on an uncharted shoal is thought not pleasant to contemplate, especially if said shoal is under the guns of the enemy's coast defense batteries."
Information from W. J. Sneed to Mr. Robert F. Monroe
Your articles and request were forwarded to me by Richard Teubert who is the Permanent Secretary for our VP & VPB 54 Reunion. There are so many stories to tell about the PBY's. You just don't know how to start.
A short time chronology may be of help to you. I was born in Mooringsport, Louisiana (14 miles north of Shreveport, Louisiana) on June 25, 1917. I enlisted in the Navy Cadet Flying Program on September, 1941 at Portland, Oregon, and was released to Reserve duty in April 1946 from Anacostia Naval Air Station in Washington, D. C.
In 1941 - War was almost felt as being inevitable. My brothers and I were working in Curry County in Southwest Oregon and on one of our trips to Portland, I was challenged by the sign in front of the Post Office with a pair of Navy Wings most predominant and the quotation "Do You Have That Something Extra?"
I signed up that day in September. Reported to Sand Point Naval Air Station in Seattle, Washington for duty on November 28, 1941. Our class finished Elimination Base on February 5, 1942.
The expansion of the Air Arm of the U. S. Navy was causing many growing pains and therefore, "P" Bases had to be established. So we were sent to Hensley NAS at Dallas, Texas for our Pool Base. Much cramming was done on ground school work and learning to be a line officer.
We were sent to the University of the Air at Corpus Christi, Texas on March 20, 1942 and had our first hop in an N3N3 on March 29, 1942. For our Basic Training here at Corpus we were assigned to Class 3A42. We were still Flying Cadets. On August 29, we received our Navy Wings of Gold, and was commissioned as Ensign and became officers and gentlemen.
October, 1942 found me at North Island Naval Air Station at San Diego, California. I was assigned to Transition Training Squadron, Pacific Fleet, Operational Training Division. It was at this time we were to start our training for the PBY5A. The "Ole Cat" with the wheels on her sides. We alternated working in San Diego Bay and then over to Salton Sea. We were also indoctrinated to the Good Life at Palm Springs while at Salton Sea. We had a big Christmas 1942 at Balboa Park in San Diego.
Shortly after this Christmas Ensign Chester Phillips and I were sent to San Francisco with a short leave in Los Angeles. Our orders from San Francisco simply read "To the Fleet" at Kaneohe Bay. On arrival at Naval Air Station on January 12, 1943, I was assigned to a newly formed Squadron of PBY5A's. Chet Phillips was sent to VP-10 flying the PB4Ys or Coronada Flying Boat.
VP-54 was formed in November, 1942 and I had my first hop as a Fleet Aviator on January 27, 1943. Our new Skipper was Carl Schoenweiss and Lt. Greg McDonough was made our Executive Officer.
My first Patrol Plane Commander was Lt(jg) George Cook and after some "shake down" work, we were in the first contingent of three airplanes sent "South".
The first stop was Palmyra Island and then on to Canton Island. We were all neophytes as to crossing the equator, so we had to be initiated into the Court of King Neptune for having crossed the equator for the first time on this flight. We were initiated into this court by surrendering our hair. Here we had our heads shaved also we were initiated into the war. On April 8, 1943 a high altitude Jap Betty came over and scored a direct hit on the revetment area where we had our PBY5A's parked. All three airplanes were destroyed by the bombs and the gasoline fire afterward.
The crews had not removed any of our possessions, so all of our personal possessions were destroyed. There was some moaning as to this turn of events by the greatest moaning was done by Pete Maravich (Pistol Pete of LSU fame's father who is now called "Press" is the Maravich I speak of) who had saved for weeks both money and his rations of "Mail Pouch" chewing tobacco to have while away in the jungles.
My Patrol Plane Commander, Lt.jg George Cook was injured on Canton and
was returned to Oahu. We had to double up crews on the next contingent
of planes and on April 12, 1943, we landed on Espiritu Santos. I was then
assigned to fly in the crew of Lt. H. G. McDonough, the executive officer
of the squadron. We were a part of the first group of PBY5A's to be
based and to work off of Henderson
Field, Guadalcanal. It was at this time our planes were painted black.
Other PBY5s were working off the water and were painted black but we were
the first Black Cats flying the PBY5As.
We had a routine set up. The Crew flew a night patrol up the slot to
Bougainville and further. Stopping off at Munda for fuel, then out all
night and back to Munda for breakfast. Many of these hops were in excess
of 15 hours. The next day would be our "off day" to rest and sleep and
then the third day we were on Standby "Dumbo" or rescue work.
We were from Buttons to Cactus to Villa on many hops (code names for Espiritu Santos and Guadalcanal) flying more night time hours than day time hours. We brought our navy on to the Jap Fleet on more than one occasion while working up the "slot" and our crew was over the top of our USS Denver when she was crippled and our squadron picked up her sailors for many days thereafter.
We lost some of our crews and some of our planes and our time stationed in the Solomons was stretching out to almost nine months from April to December was beginning to take it's toll.
The PBY5 was a 1930 Vintage airplane, so with the great strides in aviation in the 30's everyone was thinking the Catalinas was obsolete. As a result of this thinking Consolidated-Vultee Aircraft in San Diego had discontinued the building of PBY5As. The job that was done with the ole Black Cat Amphibians had made ComAir So Pac give the orders for us to stay on the "Rock". They were not going to be without "Black Cats". They laughingly would say that "we flew at a 100 knots - we dived at a 100 knots - we landed at 100 knots but we came and went and did the job that the Japs did not think was possible.
There was rumor that we were going to get some spot promotions and advance some of the younger pilots and bring in some rested boys to allow us to continue operations. As a result my log book shows that I qualified as a Patrol Plane Commander on December 7, 1943 over the signature of Lt. H. G. McDonough, Commander. On December 14th our relief came aboard our camp on Henderson Field and we were relieved to go to the United States.
We flew our planes back to Espiritu Santos and I then elected with about ten other people to ride a "Liberty" ship back to San Francisco. Christmas of 1943 was at sea and we had a lot of rest and relaxation and dreams about coming home.
All of the younger boys in our squadron just knew we would be able to stay stateside after having been overseas for more than a year. This was a far cry from what was to be.
We were ordered back to North Island NAS and a new squadron of PBY5A's to be called VP-54 (which was redesignated on October 1, 1944 as VPB-54). Our new skipper was Commander Kenneth J. Sanger USN and Larry P. Geis USN executive and both Annapolis graduates. This was done in February 1944. In March of 1944 my log book indicates 66 hours of Link Trainer and 51.4 hours of flying. In April, 1944, it indicates 108.7 hours of flying and on May 1, 1944 as a Lieutenant jg AV(N) USNR, I qualified as a Patrol Plane Commander over the signature of K. J. Sanger - Commander US Navy (Commanding). After flying over 70 hours in May we flew in a contingent of three planes our Trans Pac from San Diego to Kaneohe. It took us 18.3 hours to make this flight the night of May 20, 1944.
I must admit that this was the hardest flying I ever have experienced. Over 200 hours in preparation. It saved our lives and also Lady Luck was on our side. Our second squadron did not lose a crew. Some planes, yes, but not any full crew. I must add, it also interfered greatly with my girl chasing in San Diego. I was still single then and it made me go fly some mornings when I sure was sleepy.
We were all over the Pacific. From Owi to Emirau from Hollandia to Peleliu to Kossol Passage. From Noumea to Funafuti, VPB-54 was all over the Pacific doing night patrols, bombing runs to rescue mission.
On November 1, 1944, we were the first Allied Plane to land on Peleliu. We were on Bombing runs and night Barge Hunts and Rescue Missions. We have a good story to tell about a Black Cat Bombing.
On December 19, 1944 our orders were to Leyte and there to work off of the USS Orca. Our first time as a group to be aboard ship. January found us working hard out of Leyte Gulf. Our squadron dropped our first torpedoes at night during this period. On January 10, 1945 we were sent to Lingayen Gulf. The USS Orca joined us there and we went back aboard and worked off the water.
On February 14, 1945 we were nearly to the China Coast on Patrol, my crew was ordered to return to base. We got back to Lingayen Gulf and USS Orca after daylight on February 15 and we were told to report to the USS Tangier in Leyte Gulf. We all anticipated the move up to Formosa and just knew this was our orders. We, all crews and Support People were in the officers mess waiting for the verdict. Our Skipper K. J. Sanger came in following Admiral Spruance. The Tangier was his flagship. The Skipper was trying to look so stern but I could recognize a smile in his eyes. The Admiral commended us for a job well done and advised us that if we could have all of our planes turned over to our PatSu Group and could be aboard a troop ship (The USS Whorton) we could come to the states. Needless to say we taxied those planes on to the island made the Whorton. Some 22 days later we went under the Golden Gate Bridge at San Francisco.
My next flying in the log book indicates flying an R5O Lockheed Lodestar on May 2, 1945 out of Anacostia NAS at Washington, D. C. That entailed a lot of stories about girls and other kind of airplanes and not the great ole gals of the fleet - The PBY5A's.
The airplane (PBY5A) that my crew and I called ours, had the Navy Number 48294 and for your information where ever she is today she has painted on both sides of her nose these letters -----BALSENALL----- Say this real fast and this was our feeling about the Japs.
My two crews were:
VP-54 Crew #8
Lt (jg) Henry G. McDonough, USN. PPC
Ens. John H. Love, USNR 2nd Pilot
Ens. William J. Sneed, USNR 3rd Pilot and
Navigator
Jim W. Martin, CAP (AA) Pilot
Theodore E. Kimmell, ACMM (AA) Plane Captain
Clifford L. Savage, AMM1/c 2nd Mech
Ernest L. Kendall, AMM 1/c V-3 3rd Mech
Aaron W. Keen, ACRM (PA) 1st Radioman
Leonard J. Gonzales, ARM 2/c V-6 2nd Radioman
William B. Hacker, Jr., AOM 1/c Ordnance Man
VP/VPB54 Crew #10
Lt. (Jg) William J. Sneed
Ens. H. Johnson
Ens. A. M. Christ
J. R. Trout, AMM 1/c
L. E. Latimer, AMM 3/c
L. J. Gonzales, ARM 2/c
A. J. Csutoras, ARM 3/c
A. Topalian AOM 3/c
Grover C. Smelley, AOM 1/c
This is a chronology dating of the two squadrons that was spent overseas. So you see there are some of us that were in the two squadrons from January 1943 with the first squadron to February 1945 with the second squadron. This is two years out of a young man's life and to be sure it created a lot of love and respect that each of us have one for the other to this day.
There are many anecdotes, many tall tales and a lot of stories that I can recall. To be sure to have a good story it takes a lot of preliminary verbiage to build the background of the story.
I, therefore, shall close this bit of background to you for what it is worth and if more detail is needed or if you want some real war stories about the ole PBY5A, I think I could qualify to give you several.
-Will Sneed
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