Bardin, George Gaddis, Jr., ENS

This Military Service Page was created/owned by Donald Losey (Fallhiker), MM1 to remember Bardin, George Gaddis, Jr., ENS.

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Home Town Oak Grove, LA	Last Address Oak Grove, LA
Casualty Date Sep 13, 1944
Cause Non Hostile- Body Not Recovered	Reason Air Loss, Crash - Sea
Location Philippines	Conflict World War II
Location of Interment Manila American Cemetery - Taguig City, Philippines	Wall/Plot Coordinates Not Specified

From the Official Aircraft Action Report 13 September 1944

Eight Hellcats of VF-31 and four TBMs of VT-31 were launched form USS Cabot at 0620-29 for a strike on Fabrioa airfield, Negros Island, Philippines.  After rendezvousing in assigned sector, Cabot planes joined aircraft of the USS Bunker Hill for run into the target.

Cabot planes landed at 0930, with Ens. Bardin (F6F-3 BUNO 42602) missing and Lt. Steward coming aboard with his plane smoking and seriously damaged.

Long after the attack, many calls were received from Ens. Bardin on high frequency.  Cabot obtained permission to answer, but Bardin did not receive the transmissions and continued to call. He was finally picked up on the radar screen northeast of Samar Island and given a vector on VHF.  Six hours after taking off, he reached the task force, ran out of gas and made a crash landing. His plane was afloat for approximately thirty seconds, and covering fighters observed that he stood up in the cockpit, but seemed to be entangled in something. They thought he went down with the plane; a search showed no signs of a survivor.