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Casualty Info
Home Town Shrewsbury, MA
Casualty Date Jul 04, 1944
Cause KIA-Died of Wounds
Reason Air Loss, Crash - Sea
Location Pacific
Conflict World War II
Location of Interment Buried at Sea, Pacific Ocean
Official Badges
Unofficial Badges
Additional Information
Last Known Activity:
Lieutenant Malcolm Lindsay Loomis
Service Number 176976 Killed In Action
Iwo Jima on the 4th of July, 1944
USS Cabot CVL-28, Air Group VT31 Lost at sea, body was not recovered
USS CABOT: World War II (1943-1944)
Cabot sailed from Quonset Point, Rhode Island with Air Group 31 aboard, on 8 November 1943 for Pearl Harbor, where she arrived on 2 December. Clearing for Majuro on 15 January 1944, she joined TF 58 to begin the consistently high quality of war service which was to win her a Presidential Unit Citation. From 4 February-4 March 1944, she launched her planes in strikes on Roi, Namur, and the island stronghold of Truk, aiding in the neutralization of these Japanese bases as her part in the invasion of the Marshalls.
Cabot returned to Pearl Harbor for a brief repair period, but was back in action from Majuro for the pounding raids on the Palaus, Yap, Ulithi, and Woleai at the close of March 1944. She sailed to provide valuable air cover for the Hollandia (currently known as Jayapura) operation from 22–25 April, and 4 days later began to hurl her air power at Truk, Satawan, and Ponape. She cleared Majuro again on 6 June for the preinvasion air strikes in the Mariana Islands, and on 19 June and 20 June launched sorties in the key Battle of the Philippine Sea, the famous "Marianas Turkey Shoot", which hopelessly crippled Japanese naval aviation. Cabot's air group 31 pounded Japanese bases on Iwo Jima, Pagan, Rota, Guam, Yap and Ulithi as the carrier continued her support of the Marianas operation until 9 August. LTjg Loomis was killed during operations at Iwo Jima on the 4th of July, 1944.
In addition to the Presidential Unit Citation, USS Cabot received nine battle stars for World War II service. Loomis, an F6F pilot, was posthumous awarded the rank of full lieutenant, the Purple Heart, Air Medal and the World War II Victory Medal.
Air Medal citation Lieutenant (jg) Malcolm L. Loomis
For meritorious achievement in aerial flight as Pilot of a Carrier based Fighter Plane, attached to a Fighting Squadron in action against enemy Japanese forces in the central Pacific Area from January 16 to July 4, 1944. Taking a vital part in vigorous strikes against strongly fortified enemy installations at Truk, Lt. (jg) Loomis succeeded in scoring a direct hit upon dispersal areas at Eten Island with resultant damage to numerous planes parked in that section. Later participation in the invasion of the Marianas, he again pressed home a bold attack, inflicting severe damage upon buildings in the service area of Ushi AIrfield, Tinian Lt. (jg) Loomis's expert airmanship during this period of intense aerial activity, were in keeping with the highest traditions of the United States Naval Service.
Comments/Citation:
July 4, 1944:
The pilots of VF-31 were up at 0345 hours for breakfast and the briefing on the predawn patrol and strike on Iwo Jima and the Bonin Islands. Three divisions, consisting of twelve F6F Hellcat fighter aircraft were launched from the USS Cabot at 0500 hours:
The pre dawn air assault on Iwo Jima on the 4th of July would result in the first casualties for VF-31. Three pilots would be lost on this mission. All three pilots were posthumously awarded Air Medals.
LTjg Haig G. Elezian, Jr., Service Number: 250593
LTjg Frank Hancock, Jr., Service Number: 263521 LTjg Malcolm L. Loomis, Service Number: 176976
1944-1944, 131X, VF-31 Tomcatters
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Other Memories LTjg Malcolm L. Loomis Killed In Action Iwo Jima on the 4th of July, 1944 USS Cabot CVL-28, Air Group VT31 Lost at sea, body was not recovered
