WW2 Legacy Keepers page visitor Mr. Joe Foltz recently shared some info about his father Ralph E. Foltz who was a member of the U.S. Navy's "Fabled Fifteen" during WW2. Ralph Foltz flew 49 combat missions as a Hellcat pilot during which time he was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross. Foltz shot down five enemy aircraft earning him the coveted title of "Ace".
Foltz's DFC citation reads, "Lieutenant, Junior Grade, Ralph E. Foltz is awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross for heroism and extraordinary achievement in aerial flight as a Pilot of a Fighter Plane in Fighting Squadron Fifteen, attached to the U.S.S. Essex, in action against major units of the Japanese Fleet during the First Battle of the Philippine Sea, June 19, 1944. Executing vigorous counterattacks when our Fleet was subjected to numerous heavy enemy air raids, Lieutenant, Junior Grade, (then Ensign) Foltz destroyed two of the enemy dive bombers and assisted materially in the total destruction by his squadron of sixty-seven enemy aircraft. His airmanship and gallant fighting spirit in the face of heavy opposition reflect the highest credit upon Lieutenant, Junior Grade, Foltz and the United States Naval Service."
Here is a brief history of the VF-15, the "Fabled Fifteen", The Navy's most successful squadron, and perhaps the most famous, VF-15, was established on Sept. 1, 1943, with Cmdr. David McCampbell as the first commanding officer. Initial carrier work-ups were done on the USS Hornet, with the entire air group (VF, VT and VB-15) then going aboard the USS Essex for combat deployment beginning in May 1944. Cmdr. McCampbell had fleeted up to command of the air group, and Cmdr. Charles Brewer followed McCampbell as skipper of VF-15.
"Fabled Fifteen" participated in all the fast carrier fleet offensives of the second half of 1944 including the Mariannas Turkey Shoot, where the squadron was credited (by most recent sources) with 68.5 kills, the most victories in one day of any Navy squadron.
Unfortunately, Cmdr. Brewer was killed in action, one of 20 aviators in VF-15 lost during the tour, and was succeeded by Lt. Cmdr. James Rigg. Under strong leadership, the men of VF-15 finished their only war-time cruise in November 1944 with 310 victories in the air, the most of any single-tour Navy squadron. Twenty-six aviators, led by Cmdr. McCampbell with 34 victories, achieved the status of ace.
VF-15 reformed for a second tour in January 1945 with Lt. Cmdr. Gordon Firebaugh as C.O. but the war ended with the "new" squadron at Barber's Point, Hawaii, awaiting assignment to a carrier. VF-15 was disestablished on Oct. 20, 1945.
During a lecture Foltz gave in 2009 he described one instance of when a mass-movement of Japanese airplanes developed, was detected and how he, initially, wasn't even involved when the carriers launched. He had flown the previous day on a (dangerous) photo recon mission and, because there were more pilots than airplanes, he wasn't on the flight schedule that day of the massive launch. Instead, he watched as the planes launched and vectored to intercept the massive Japanese formations. Suddenly, the order blasted over the speakers, "Man Your Planes!" Ralph asked, "Who?" and was told "Anyone!" A senior officer nearby Ralph and some other pilots yelled "You, you, you and Foltz, man those four (Hellcat) airplanes! "Ralph and the other three launched immediately and formed-up to circle high over their carrier as a CAP (Combat Air Patrol). Back on board the ship later my crew chief pointed out some battle damage to my Hellcat: "Hey, Foltz, you got a slug in your leading edge.' The back-seater in the Judys had a gun and was shooting at me and I didn't even know it!"
Ralph went on to described what it really looked like out there in the Pacific, with the make-up of the carrier task forces, number and type of aircraft, operational actions during the attack, etc. For example, on the ESSEX-class large carriers, from which Ralph flew, there were 80 aircraft: 36 F6F Hellcat fighters, 12 TBM torpedo bombers and 32 SB2C dive-bombers. "That's what constituted our means to attack the enemy - ships, ground targets, aircraft."
Ralph participated in many other exciting Navy assignments, during his career including combat in Korea flying F4U-4 "Corsairs" with VF-64 from the deck of the USS Boxer, and skippering VF-141 flying F3H "Demons" from the USS Lexington. He remained an active-duty Navy officer until his retirement in 1970 as a CDR, then spent many years as a civilian flight instructor.
Here is the ID of the men in the attached group photo, McCampbell (right side of sign) with members of VF-15 & their scoreboard with Dave's Hellcat, Minsi 3, in the background. L-R, BACK: Robert P. Pash, Arthur Singer, Wendell Van Twelves, Larry R. Self, Ralph E. Foltz, James E. Duffy, Wallace R. Johnson, Albert C. Slack & James Dare. FRONT: Ljg Roy L. Nall, Lt John C.C. Symmes, L/C George C. Duncan, Lt Bert DeWayne Morris, L/C James F. Rigg, Lt John R. Strane, Lt Edward W. Overton, Ljg Richard E. Fowler, Jr., Ljg George R. Carr, Ljg Walter A. Lundin, Ljg Norman R. Berree, C/O David McCampbell, Ljg Roy W. Rushing, Ljg George W. Pigman, Jr., (One man after McCampbell remains unidentified).
Mr. Foltz, WW2 Legacy Keepers salutes you and thanks you for your service. May you continue to rest in peace and know that you are not forgotten. Joe Foltz
|
