[SAMWolf]

The weather was clear with scattered cumulus clouds off the coast of Saipan on the morning of 19 June, 1944. As part of Task Force 58 protecting the Marianas landings, Fighting Squadron 16 was expecting an attack from the 400-plane Japanese carrier force. At 10:30 bogeys were picked up on radar approaching in several large groups and twelve Hellcats were launched from the USS Lexington to intercept the Japanese force. Twelve-victory ace, Lieutenant Alex Vraciu was one of the pilots in that group.

Leading a division of four Hellcats, Vraciu experienced engine problems and couldn't climb past 20,000 feet, but requested a vector from the fighter director and was put onto a line of Yokosuka D4Y2 Judy dive bombers. In the eight minute tail-chase, Vraciu splashed six. The air battle became known as the Great Marianas Turkey Shoot - Task Force 58 Hellcats destroyed over 300 Japanese aircraft. The following day, Alex Vraciu claimed his 19th and last victory, a Zeke.

[snippy_about_it]

Vraciu -

As soon as I saw his picture and caption in the opening I wanted to know more about him. Thanks SAM.


Commander Alex Vraciu, USN (Ret.) is best known for his involvement in the now famed June 1944 Marianas Turkey Shoot in which U.S. Navy fighter pilots and anti-aircraft guns accounted for the destruction of 402 Japanese planes during the battle for the Marianas Islands. Then Lieutenant Vraciu shot down six Japanese aircraft in less than eight minutes. One aircraft was destroyed as it tried to crash into an American destroyer. In all, Commander Vraciu's squadron accounted for 41 of the 402 aircraft destroyed during the battle. Later in the war, Commander Vraciu was shot down and joined a band of guerrilla fighters in Luzon. Under his leadership, they helped the invasion troops led by General MacArthur successfully retake this portion of the Philippine Islands. Commander Vraciu described the intense battle for supremacy in the sky and explained how the U.S. forces in the South Pacific achieved dominance in the air.