g.asher
2LT Charles S. Hughes, USMCR
F2A-3 BuNo 01552, originally assigned to VMF-221 in September 1941.
"The morning of June 4, 1942, I warmed up my plane at approximately 0350. At 0530 (exactly by my watch) I received word to start the engine again. At approximately 0605 we took off, at five thousand feet I started having trouble keeping with my division, as the engine started vibrating and losing power. At sixteen thousand feet I was lagging badly and the engine was so rough I concluded it would be suicide to try to fight the plane. My decision was to get the plane back to its revetment where it could be readied to hit them later. I carried out this plan and had the plane in the revetment at about 0630. Minute later the horizontal bombers arrived.
"The anti-aircraft batteries went into action as soon as the enemy was in range and got two out of the eleven that stated their run on Sand Island. I saw the bombs released over San Island and then had to hug ground as six planes released their bombers over Eastern Island and they landed close to my position. The dive bombers came out of the sun a few minute later. They appeared to be Aichi 99's. The Zeroes came in strafing immediately after word. I saw two Brewsters trying to fight the Zeroes. One was shot down and the other was saved by ground fires covering his tail. Both looked like they were tied to a string while the zeroes made passes at them. I believe that our man with planes even half as good as the zeroes would have stopped the raid completely."
2LT Charles S. Hughes, USMCR
F2A-3 BuNo 01552, originally assigned to VMF-221 in September 1941.
"The morning of June 4, 1942, I warmed up my plane at approximately 0350. At 0530 (exactly by my watch) I received word to start the engine again. At approximately 0605 we took off, at five thousand feet I started having trouble keeping with my division, as the engine started vibrating and losing power. At sixteen thousand feet I was lagging badly and the engine was so rough I concluded it would be suicide to try to fight the plane. My decision was to get the plane back to its revetment where it could be readied to hit them later. I carried out this plan and had the plane in the revetment at about 0630. Minute later the horizontal bombers arrived.
"The anti-aircraft batteries went into action as soon as the enemy was in range and got two out of the eleven that stated their run on Sand Island. I saw the bombs released over San Island and then had to hug ground as six planes released their bombers over Eastern Island and they landed close to my position. The dive bombers came out of the sun a few minute later. They appeared to be Aichi 99's. The Zeroes came in strafing immediately after word. I saw two Brewsters trying to fight the Zeroes. One was shot down and the other was saved by ground fires covering his tail. Both looked like they were tied to a string while the zeroes made passes at them. I believe that our man with planes even half as good as the zeroes would have stopped the raid completely."