Ens J.H. Spinks M- VT-3

[oose]

Hi all,
I picked up Ens James H. Spinks M-422a a while ago, but with no other information attatched to the jacket, finally I've managed to trace down his unit to VT-3, he seems to have flown with them on USS Yorktown from November 1944 through to the end of February 1945. I've managed to trace one other surviving member of the unit Ens Jim Barfknecht and sent him a email, hopefully I may get some more information, I just wondered if any of you had anything on VT-3 from this period, as there is pratically nothing out there on the web!









Thanks stu

 

[jack aranda]

Good morning, Oose:
What a beautiful jacket! Well done, and even cooler that you have a little history behind it. Good luck with your research and keep us posted. Thanks for the pics.

 

[bazelot]

great jacket Stu. It's awesome you managed to get info on the original owner. Having a picture of him is also priceless. Looks like this guy some some action. Thanks for posting

 

[dujardin]

i just have this colored version of the patch for you

 

[dujardin]

and if you wish to had some photos, this is a link on ebay

http://cgi.ebay.com/12-4X6-USS-YORKTOWN ... 335dad2848

 

[dujardin]

a letter with paper and enveloppe VT-3

http://cgi.ebay.com/1944-Letter-Envelop ... 588b9142de

 

[sparidon]

Here is what I could find on CV-10's history from that period from DANFS. Her Air Group, including VT-3, would have embarked on CV-10 at Puget Sound in November immediately after her refit and then debarked at Ulithi in late January. Without my reference books from the office in front of me, this is all I can scrounge up right now. When I get back to work on Monday, I'll look and see if I can find some more.

"Yorktown arrived in the Puget Sound Navy Yard on 17 August and began a two-month overhaul. She completed repairs on 6 October and departed Puget Sound on the 9th. She stopped at the Alameda Naval Air Station from 11 to 13 October to load planes and supplies and then set a course back to the western Pacific. After a stop at Pearl Harbor from the 18th to the 24th, Yorktown arrived back in Eniwetok on 31 October. She departed the lagoon on 1 November and arrived at Ulithi on the 3d. There, she reported for duty with TG 38.4. That task group left Ulithi on 6 November, and Yorktown departed with it.

[540] On 7 November, the aircraft carrier changed operational control to TG 38.1 and, for the next two weeks, launched air strikes on targets in the Philippines in support of the Leyte invasion. Detached from the task force on 23 November, Yorktown arrived back in Ulithi on the 24th. She remained there until 10 December at which time she put to sea to rejoin TF 38. She rendezvoused with the other carriers on 13 December and began launching air strikes on targets on the island of Luzon in preparation for the invasion of that island scheduled for the second week in January. On the 17th, the task force began its retirement from the Luzon strikes. During that retirement, TF 38 steamed through the center of the famous typhoon of December 1944. That storm sank three destroyers-Spence ( DD-512), Hull (DD-350), and Monaghan (DD-354)-and Yorktown participated in some of the rescue operations for the survivors of those three destroyers. She did not finally clear the vicinity of Luzon until the 23d. The warship arrived back in Ulithi on 24 December.

The aircraft carrier fueled and provisioned at Ulithi until 30 December at which time she returned to sea to join TF 38 on strikes at targets in the Philippines in support of the landings at Lingayen. The carriers opened the show on 3 January 1945 with raids on airfields on the island of Formosa. Those raids continued on the 4th, but a fueling rendezvous occupied Yorktown's time on the 5th. She sent her planes against Luzon targets and on anti-shipping strikes on the 6th and 7th. The 8th brought another fueling rendezvous; and, on the 9th, she conducted her last attack-on Formosa-in direct support of the Lingayen operation. On 10 January, Yorktown and the rest of TF 38 entered the South China Sea via Bashi Channel to begin a series of raids on Japan's inner defenses. On 12 January, her planes visited the vicinity of Saigon and Tourane Bay, Indochina, in hopes of catching major units of the Japanese fleet. Though foiled in their primary desire, TF 38 aviators still managed to rack up a stupendous score-44 enemy ships of which 15 were combatants. She fueled on the 13th and, on the 15th, launched raids on Formosa and Canton in China. The following day, her aviators struck at Canton again and paid a visit to Hong Kong. Fueling took up her time on 17, 18, and 19 January; and, on the 20th, she exited the South China Sea with TF 38 via Balintang Channel. She participated in a raid on Formosa on the 21st and another on Okinawa on the 22d before clearing the area for Ulithi. On the morning of 26 January. she reentered Ulithi lagoon with TF 38.

Yorktown remained at Ulithi arming, provisioning, and conducting upkeep until 10 February."

-DANFS

 

[dujardin]

maybe there, list of names down the page


http://www.midway42.org/yktn.html

 

[oose]

Thanks Guys for the info, Great info sparidon on there activity plus thanks Marcel for the links and letters, the last link Marcel concernes the earlier USS Yorktown sunk at Midway, VT-3 seems to have been involved in many actions as well as the attacks on Tokyo raids on 16th-17th Febuary. I hope to put up an article on my blog for this relativly undocumented period of VT-3 History. Here is a few more bits picked up from the web...











All the best
stu

 

[dujardin]

this little found to add

 

[sparidon]

Marcel,
That info is from the first Air Group 3 which flew at the Battle of Midway in June 1942. AG3 was reconstituted after Midway due to devastating losses. Carrier Air Groups floated between many different carriers throughout the war.

Seth

 

[oose]

Hi all,
Just a little update, I've had a reply from Jim Barfknecht and his wife Virginia, and they would be happy to talk and share some memories.
I just wondered if any of you have some advice on this as I've never done this and I know some of you have plenty of experience with contacting veterans. I'm doing my research, trying to get as many facts into my head before I ring, so I don't sound to foolish!

All the best
Stu

 

[sparidon]

Research his unit as much as you can. Find out exactly when he arrived with the unit so you can speak with him about specific actions. Don't ask narrow questions, actually try not to ask many questions if you can. Just let him talk and interrupt (politely of course) for him to clarify things. Consider it a relaxed conversation, not an interview of any kind. If you show genuine interest in his history and his unit he will be more apt to open up to you and tell you things he might never have told his wife of 60 some years. Don't just talk about the action and blood and guts, ask him about down time, what life was like aboard ship, what he did on liberty, correspondence from home, etc.

 

[johnwayne]

Hey Stu
Awonderful jacket I have to say and I'm most envious, a good M442a is something I've long hankered after but settled for an early G1 that I've rattled on about here a few times. I see your in London, I take it that's good old blighty UK and not the Canadian version? Just inquisitive how you came across it, if you are this side of the pond?

cheers
Wayne

 

[bazelot]

Hi all,
Just a little update, I've had a reply from Jim Barfknecht and his wife Virginia, and they would be happy to talk and share some memories.
I just wondered if any of you have some advice on this as I've never done this and I know some of you have plenty of experience with contacting veterans. I'm doing my research, trying to get as many facts into my head before I ring, so I don't sound to foolish!

All the best
Stu

Stu, did you call him yet? Let us know what he said. i am sure you will have several calls with him. You should cherish every moment of it.