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Casualty Info
Home Town Hiawatha
Last Address Provo
Casualty Date Oct 25, 1944
Cause KIA-Killed in Action
Reason Air Loss, Crash - Sea
Location Philippines
Conflict World War II
Official Badges
Unofficial Badges
Additional Information
Last Known Activity:
VB-13
CURTISS SB2C-3C HELLDIVER
PILOT: LTJG DONALD A. McPHIE
CREWMAN: ARM2c ROBERT D. CANDLER
THEIR AIRCRAFT WAS SHOT DOWN BY ANTI-AIRCRAFT FIRE
DURING THE BATTLE OF SIBUYAN SEA, 25 OCT 1944
USS FRANKLIN (CV-13)
Comments/Citation:
Memorialized at:Manila American Cemetery Location:Fort Bonifacio, Manila, Philippines
Description Around 08:00 on 24 October, the Center Force was spotted entering the Sibuyan Sea and attacked by VF-20 squadron F6F-5 Hellcat fighters, VB-20 SB2C-3 Helldiver dive bombers, and VT-20 Avenger torpedo bombers from USS Enterprise of Halsey's 3rd Fleet. Despite its great strength, 3rd Fleet was not well-placed to deal with the threat. On 22 October, Halsey had detached two of his carrier groups to the fleet base at Ulithi to provision and rearm. When Darter 's contact report came in, Halsey recalled Davison's group, but allowed Vice Admiral John S. McCain, with the strongest of TF 38's carrier groups, to continue towards Ulithi. Halsey finally recalled McCain on 24 October—but the delay meant the most powerful American carrier group played little part in the coming battle, and the 3rd Fleet was therefore effectively deprived of nearly 40% of its air strength for most of the engagement. On the morning of 24 October, only three groups were available to strike Kurita's force, and the one best positioned to do so—Gerald F. Bogan's Task Group 38.2 (TG 38.2)—was by mischance the weakest of the groups, containing only one large carrier—USS Intrepid—and two light carriers (the failure to promptly recall McCain on 23 October had also effectively deprived 3rd Fleet, throughout the battle, of four of its six heavy cruisers).
