Content provided in partnership with

Airlines: Keep 'em flying!

Air Classics, May 2003

TARGET TOKYO

Your article "Target Tokyo" in the March 2003 issue is a great piece of history and brought back a lot of memories.

I was a radioman with VT-23 on the USS Langley (CVL-27) which participated in the 17 February 1945 raid.

Our target was the Tachikawa engine factory and our flight contained nine TBM Avengers and our bomb load was four 500-lb bombs per aircraft. As we pulled out of our bombing dive, I was able to see the bombs hit the target while taking pictures with a K-20 camera from my rear position in the aircraft. Review of those photographs later confirmed extensive damage to the target.

Most Popular Articles in Home & Garden: Coolest room on the block: have a bedroom that's way drab and boring? Hang ...; Reuse, recycle, remodel: environmentally friendly materials and techniques ...; Keeping it simple: interior designer Michael Lee finds an overdesigned ...; House of the Year: this craftsman-inspired home is factory-built--proving ...; Dreaming of cabin life: smart ideas for small spaces, plus the hottest spots ...; More »

Our air group was also briefed to fly on to China in the event we were unable to return to the Langley. Fortunately, that was not necessary.

Jack Kosko 10618 Saint Paul Av. Woodstock, MD 21163

EDITOR'S NOTE: Jack Kosko owns a Grumman Avenger and he and his dedicated volunteers are in the last stages of a sixyear complete restoration. The plane has been donated, and will soon be delivered, to the Mid Atlantic Air Museum in Reading, Pennsylvania.

Your article "Target: Tokyo!" will probably attract response from your readers. It has special meaning to Jack Kosko and the rest of us helping him on his TBM restoration (Editor's Note: See above).

Jack was a radio operator/gunner with Air Group 23 (Avengers and Hellcats) which relieved Air Group 44 aboard the light fleet carrier USS Langley (CVL27) of Task Group 58.4.

Jack kept a diary of his time aboard the Langley. As a 19-year-old enlisted man, he was not privy to first-hand information. His diary is of personal observations and scuttlebutt obtained at the time. Returning from a bombing run over Okinawa on 5 May 1945, his TBM missed the arresting cables and crashed into the barrier. The damaged aircraft was TBM-3 BuNo 68377 and his restoration is being finished as this aircraft. The following segment is from Jack's diary and covers a three-week period from 29 April to 18 May 1945.

Richard D. Santora Bel Air, MD

JACK KOSKO'S WARTIME DIARY

29 APRIL: VT flying. Two raids on Koniya (Amimi O Shima). I flew second raid. Carried one 1000-lb bomb. Dropped on seaplane base. Made two strafing runs on target and small town. On first raid, Weber was hit in both wings with 40mm shells - landed on Yontan. White was flown back in later afternoon. Weber and Cumby spending night on Okinawa. AA fire was rather heavy on first hop. None on second. Had GQ (General Quarters) late afternoon. One plane came in on BB (battleship). Shot down. Our fighters splashed two planes over Okinawa.

30 APRIL: VT not flying, VF on CAP. Parachute came down near our group (TO 58.4).

1 MAY: VT flying Okinawa support. Two planes landed on Yontan to pick up Weber and Cumby. Cold came in for landing - hit deck and ended up in port catwalk upside down (half of the plane was hanging over the side). No one hurt. Plane was tossed into drink.

2 MAY: VT not flying. Ship refueled, rearmed and provisioned. No mail call. Very hot day. Two new TBMs flown aboard.

3 MAY: VT flying. Okinawa support. Heavy and accurate AA reported over target. The engine in our plane failed to start so we sat this one out in the ready room. Our planes (fighters) shot down two planes over target. Ship's main generator broke down. Bridge steering control went out. Almost rammed CB (battle cruiser).

4 MAY: VT not flying. VF flew CAP over target (Okinawa). Nothing out of ordinary.

5 MAY: VT flying. Six plane raid on Kikai Shima (Amimi Group). I flew. Dropped twelve 100-lb bombs on southwest taxi strip of airfield. AA was rather light. None of our planes were hit. Had barrier crash when we landed. Plane's right wheel collapsed after hitting barrier. Nobody hurt. Tossed plane over side.

6 MAY: VT flying Okinawa support. I didn't fly. No AA fire over target. Not much new.

7 MAY: VT not flying. Ship refueled, rearmed, and provisioned. Had mail call. Supply of fresh water critical. joined up with oiler group to effect repairs. Got replacement TBM.

8 MAY: No flying. Flight deck inspection. Had picture taken of guys on torpedo run. Still with oiler group. Rainy day. (Note: Torpedo run on 2 April 1945 by five TBM-3 Avengers from VT-23 of USS Langley. Led by Lt. Cmdr. D.A. Pattie, the aerial torpedo attack was done entirely at night. Believed to be the only night attack by torpedo bombers during WWII. Jack's TBM was not operable and missed the run.)

9 MAY: No flying. Still with oiler group. Took on mail for 58.4 (Task Group). Still repairing boilers.

10 MAY: Joined up with 58.3. Left oiler group. Boilers OK now. Fresh water supply improved.

11 MAY: VT flying. Support strike over Okinawa. Attacked troop concentration near Naha City. Dropped two 500-lb bombs. Fired eight rockets. Light AA reported but I didn't see any. Joined up with 58.4 again.

12 MAY: VT flying anti-sub patrol. Three planes. Not much doing.

13 MAY: Headed back to Ulithi. Whole task group (TG-58.4)

14 MAY: Arrived in Ulithi 12:30. Very hot weather. Squadron (Air Group 23) received notice to go to Pearl with ship.

Airlines: Keep 'em flying!

Air Classics, May 2003

Find Research Guides for:

Find Featured Titles for: News

Most Popular Articles in Home & Garden

Most Popular Publications in Home & Garden