Besby Frank Holmes -- decorated WW II ace fighter pilot
Posted on 07/27/2006 9:38:06 PM PDT by NormsRevenge
Besby Frank Holmes, a decorated combat ace who helped kill the Japanese admiral who planned and coordinated the attack on Pearl Harbor, died Sunday at Marin General Hospital. He was 88.
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Mr. Holmes was an avid flier and career officer, but the high point in his career came in 1943 when he was a 25-year-old pilot flying P-38 Lightnings from an airfield on the island of Guadalcanal.
The Army and Marines were battling the Japanese for control of the South Pacific. U.S. forces intercepted a message indicating that Adm. Isoruko Yamamoto would be flying to Bougainville island for an inspection tour of forward Japanese combat units.
Yamamoto was the commander of Japan's Pacific fleet, had studied in the United States and once said famously that he feared Japan had "awakened a sleeping giant" by attacking Pearl Harbor.
--snip--
The intercepted message indicated that Yamamoto would be within 400 miles of Guadalcanal, too far for any U.S. fighter aircraft at the time. But the newly arrived P-38s had a long range that could be extended by jury-rigging external fuel tanks. The men who planned the raid figured their chances at 1,000 to 1, because they would have to fly low and arrive at exactly the right time -- while Yamamoto's plane was still in the air but near its destination.
Mr. Holmes and 17 other pilots took off the morning of April 18. Two planes turned back because of mechanical problems. The other 16 flew just over the water, through Japanese-held territory, until they reached their destination. The gamble paid off, and they ran into six Japanese fighters and two bombers, one of which was carrying Yamamoto. In a short, furious dogfight, the bombers were shot down, and Yamamoto was killed.
(Excerpt) Read more at sfgate.com ...
Besby Frank Holmes -- decorated WW II ace fighter pilot
Mr. Holmes finished the war as an ace -- an ace is a pilot with five kills or more. Mr. Holmes had 5 1/2.
He stayed in the military after the end of World War II, when the Army Air Forces officially became the Air Force. He flew in Korea and served in Vietnam, retiring as a lieutenant colonel.
If that had happened today, the NYT would be lamenting that his successor is worse.
If it was today, the New York Times would have published the attack plan a week in advance.
ping
He was stationed on Oahu December 7th and was attending a Catholic Mass when the attack started and actually took to the air but landed after taking friendly fire after being mistaken for a Japanese Zero aircraft.
He subsequently emptied his .45 at a Japanese plane as it flew overhead.
You dont dogfight with a Betty Bomber. As they approached Yama's formation Holmes was concerned that he hadn't test fired his guns and let out a burst. Although separated by a few thousands of yards this burst actually hit the Betty Yamamoto's Betty and it was already trailing smoke by the time the P38's pressed the attack. Holmes admitted later that it was just a wild shot.
I heard that the gun camera film was botched - too bad - it would be a heavy player on the Military Channel.
Men of Honor,, our nation depends on them today as much as it has in the past. RIP Chief Brashear.
That was a very touching movie.
Here's a Japanese Purple Code bump for your MI ping list...
Tip off by LouD
Found this, for more info;
http://www.pacificwrecks.com/aircraft/g4m/2656.html
Rest in peace.
My understanding is that the downing of Yamamoto's plane was contested --that two different pilots swore they were each the one who shot it down.
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