CZ5-c.;ic?

;(jGy

. . . ... . .... . . . . .
I .

. . . .

,2AirshijsSc4u,y.dron zT,Ei,TcN :{;a.s r n.l;;ce< in c omm i s s i o n a t the 6.S. N s v n . 1 Air S t r t i o ~ i ,South

Ti ,

. . .. .. ... . . : . .. . . .. .
~

. .. . .

... . . . . . . . . .. . . .. ,. . .. . .. . . . . . . . . .

. r;tiY1i~~~th, s s ~ . c l i u s e t t i n accordcince w i t h -.. . ?/la - comnissioning o r d e r s .s L i e u t e~x-~nt CIVO Cornziia.nder 1'- . ' . ...--..,-,.-: p............. :c > :> > Samuel &I. BBILEZ, USN, assumed c o m ~ a n d . . . .
.

';.,u-r;s'c 012 temporary l . r, f rc;.x.Air o:

y, ELJTE ::

9 S!::u?.?.rc n
I

.
.

. . . ., .
. . . . .

.
.

, . .~ . .. . . .

i ..
.

. .

9 June

K-3 e i ~ c u t e o pick u p convoy c b s e r v e d f r o m a t .. alst,ywnce the torzed.,2ing of S;S R ~ ; \ ; C ~ ~ T : I N S ~ N .

T]?e . z , i r s h i p tilcn prcceed5d 60 t h e sceiie,
.

. . . . .

..
. .

d i r e c t e d t h e crew t o r e b o a r d the s r l v z . g e ~ . b l e f r e i g h t e r , : n sumncned. s u r f z c e s u p p c r t . K-3 ;5 stood b KEG~~~?RIflSEE t i l vessel 1c;cr.s t z $ e n in 7 . un

..

t
13 June Jq4,2

017:

. . .. . . . . . .. ..... . . . . . . . . . . . : . ... :.. .

I<-6 dropaed t ~ i od e p t h bon~bs o n c i 1 s l i c k s and TiQiD ccntx.cts over C ~ + s h e l L&s-ge ;~:i-t;h no s visible results.
.

. . . . . . . . , .. . . . . . . . : .. . . .. . . . . :.... . . . .. .. . .. . . ....... . . . . . . .. .... ..... .

. . . .

. . .
. .

29 June 19d2

X-8 s i g h t e d s u s p i c i o u s V-shzped r i p ; > l e ,

'

j! . . I .
$ .

. . ,..I ..... . .. ..
. . . . . . .

' . '

. . . . :: . received. sh2ir.p lL&O c o l ~ t s ~ c trn6. d r o g p e c one bomb i'-:':::, 5 y e r d s ail'3ad of ~i:ia!.;e. 0 There %-ere no apparent .: ...: r e s u l t s from t h e bordoing 4-irs h i p recjues-ked ,.. . . : .. . . r e c e i v e d surfsce znti .zir s u y p c r t . K-8 . . .. . marked e.n.6 buoyed t h e s p o t b u t o b t a i n e d no . ,... . . . f u r t h e r T i contacts. UD . . . .. .. . . . . . . . . .

...

1::::
3

.:. .: .

.. . . .

6 J u l y 1942
10 J u l y 19~:Z

. . .. . . . K-6 qas r i p p e d from i t s mooring mzst and . . . . .. .. . . . . def l s t e d nhen a torizLdo s t r u c k NPiS S o u t h i,?ieymcu-th. . . . ...:.i:;.:: . .
> . . . . . . . . .
,

.. .. . . .. ... . . . . .

. . . ..... . ... . ..

9 : .

i-L

fi

convey .!;jas provided. a l l n i g h t a i r cever&ge,-:::.-,:.::. ...... f o r t h e f i r s t time by a n a i r s h i p (K-l+) o f Sciuzdmii:::.::::--::..

:-:.>:; :.

........... . . .

. . . .. .

20- iiugbst 194.2

I<-5 Cropped f o u r b o d s o n s t r o n g rnzgnetie con-.

t a . c t 7;~ithc-ut a p p z r e n t ' r e s u l t s . of nevi? c o n t a c t b u t mD f a i l e d .
-.

-.-, .\$;;?;;; Be-gan development

/ . . . . L-

< .-: , , .. < - - ,h <<. . ........... ,.........-... ... ., .. ..

......

??:?i: . . . . . . . . .
........ . . . . .. .
f...:.'..
A -: '; .

L+ September 1942

A f t e r MAD c o n t a c t , Kl-4 s i g h t e d a p e r i s c o p e which i n m e d i a t e l y submerged Air ship marked . s p o t viith a s l i c k , b e g a n i n t e n s i v e search of a r e a , and t-tvice s i g h t e d unid-entified oE j e c t i n t h e water. K-4 r e c e i v e d a n o t h e r W . o n t a c t c and s u p p o r t i n g DD had r e p e a t e d mar contacts which i t d e p t h charged xithout v i s i b l e yesult.;.

..

..

. . .. .. . .. ... .. . , . !. . . . . . . . .. . .

. .. ..< : ........ . . .. . .. .. . .. . . .

... :.

. .. .. . . : . . . . . . .. .

I.-., !. ...:. ..:..: . . .... .

I, . :. - - - - ,

,(...'..:... ......... . . . . .. . .. .... . . . . . . ... .

. . .

i.. ..

Seve1-e thuili;erstcTm w i t 1 1 high :>;inzs E!.& h a i l damzged ncse a . s s e i ~ ~ b l i e s t h r e e floored o u t of eirsllips of n'nich tv;o- h a d to be flown to NPPS c.lI'S. Lakehurst f o r r ~ p '-

K-3 landed a t S~.ua.dron expe2itibns.ry b z s e ; . t :. B2.r H::,rboY, liq:$ine t o j.x&.u.;ur?.teuse of' t h & t f'z.cility.
G

3 0 Septckber 191+2

2 October 19Lk2

t0

11-3, b>.sed 2t BET fi?-rbor, grovid.eS- spec.ia1 a i r cov2rsge t o US5 '$:J~~.<~J$'I~LD e i n g b to Boston Naval Yard f o r repairs,
7

K-ll, locz,ted dis;i;]-e< trai;lef INCA a d r i f t an6 d i r e c t e d z.nother trau?;-ier, SMITH, t o the AL scene. The kL SMITH took tile I N C A in tow.
3 November 1942
R-11, K-12, K-14 % e r e docked i n I-I:..l%t7.r .#Ia t NllS S o u t h I;"ieymouth; this z a r k e d the f i p s t time t h a - t the ha.ngar h . d hcused an a . i r s h T p .
I(-l,!,
l e d SC 7177 to o i l s l i c k s e ~ 2 . stojsd by while -<essel t h r e e cllarges. L s t e r a minesweeper dropped five charges a t site of K-14 Ifd-Dconta.c,t. N rpnarent r e s u l t s from o the tii~oa t t a . c k s .

1 Decei~~ber & 1 2 9

K-11 searched f o r and found. d i s a b l e d CGR 3032; ~irslilp drol;;;?ed r ? . t i o n s and. stood by u n t i l zrriv.,,' e c r s f t . , cf s u r f m I
2 6 A o r i l 1943

R-14 d r i T t e d biithout rudder c o n t r o i f o r 30

mi-nutes due t o loclring key f k i l u r e . Sc,urdron e2rpeditionzwryb c s e a t Szr Hzr.bor bggsi1 i n i t i a l operations f o r 194.3.

29 R p r i l 194.3

14 iAay 1943
29 June 19&3

X-38 dlrony)ed one bomb on lVG:D c o n t a c t l h t e r evelusted 2.s a \;a-eck.

.Airship S!justir;on 2LEVJZ:iVl s E r d i s t e d Lig3t;ertha.l?-Air school g r a . d u a t e b its f'ir.st c l a s s .

15 J u l y 19L3
29 July 1943

T'-7
-1.

i t h i;l.lTe;z j L i 5 : 1 c1inu-q to it, .,

.

--', ,-

..,:

. - ,..r,',- - . ,~ .>:
;; . ,

, >

Gy

c.j.L(,~.

.-

-,
7 . ~

, .

;,;i2il<)_.

: i - >

i?~yj<e-,.c

c i r c c t c d . c.

s-y::z.t, dyo;-x -,-\r; .,

I . ,

C.. r2

fi- .-;

\7e::::5;

__ i t5

~ -- . i ~ ~-. ~ u y ~ l ; ~ , slCifi-' , ~ ' h e ir 512571, c . f r ; f t ) ':I$,'

A

Zil.?

SiLlII,

p''

29 &!,rch 1.941;.

-. L i e u t e r ~ ~ , n te c i l C E.CLkLj8 iJUj$ r2~1eved 3r, ,:~.'-.. ~ $ j . ~ , - j ~ ! u t . ~ :~o > .~~ ti ~ ~ , n d e , , l , . : . 3 i ~ ~ John : r 3 . ; C ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ , ~ . ; l ~ L a!:,-us.[[yf>n k.,LEVLl$. -elim:2 ,e y
<.

>

; ~

;.l?ril lqi i~ .

1 ; 6 lost z : l 1 the fi2,l-ic ofr' :-9

. , - 55 L
; ; t ;,
p 7; . .
" A

.-1 : - 1 !..;-ur-rc f f i i r : h t .

,. -

"

L G ~

:)art s l o e of

.-

13 S e p t ~ ; - ~ b e r 1944,

r"'

lhe $j&v&iA i r Si;;tiQn, S o u t h T e ~ ~ m ~ ~;~.iz,s ,Li;h struck hg a huri.ic~:.r?_ctho c e l l t e r of r::lich , T,2 ,, C, c over l;i?e b s s o S G : > T ~ ~ : . J z - f t e y ?li]r? on .-.1 : - /: Sc-c; tenlLj 2 1 * i - ; ~2 .u: cro n ~5iJVziQ z i r s i 1 i l s i .: . Tiyere docked an?- none v;as dan;&ed by t h e storm.
;, . .

~ , - i

,.,-

-.-..-.. ...-. ...- .,. , ............... ...... . .~- .. . ..... . .- ~ ... . .. .......... . ..- .- ..............
x.. .. ,.
?

z;.: ,:: -.c ............. .::

' >

........

: 1 ~:

.L .

16 E,e;2terfibey 191;.4 .'X-; 5 l o c a , t e d yIT;JjTyi.,r:r)

$A

.---A,L

during t h e r e c e n t 11urrica.ne. J!U;D locsted! t h e wreck ~ ? i t l ? i one hzlf hcur of ;:hen s e e r c h began. n

7il.Ti~yi l j & t , & ~ f - p ~-pJc s

17-24. Septcnioer

1944 i<-59,

to assist in anti-szbiilr::rine o p e T a . t i o n s by u s e of i t s & 1D ! gear.

Tzsk

U ~ q i t 212.3.2

i:"as b z s e d at k r g s n t i a

30 September 1944

During lzlzciing of K-9 2 . t Yz.rmouth, member of ~ r o u n c icrew beczme entangled i n hz.ndling l i 2 e . Des.r?ite c i r i f t o f a i r s h i p , n i l o t d e c i d e d t o remain on ground t o t r y t o s a v e man e n t r n g l e d n l i e R-9 d.rif t e d into a mast and d e f l s t e d . ?$Iana t o p mast wzs overcome by helium and s~:riouslyi n j u r e d v&en h e f e l l t o the c o n c r e t e t a g i s t r i p ; s - ~ c o n ~ a.to-, ix2.n mast z e l l ' i n t ~ e f l z t i n g e n v e l o ~ e2nd had to 6 be c u t c u t . O n e meaber of t h e K-9'sbcre-iibl?~z.s s u p e r f i c i a l i y injured.
. . L

23 Gctober 1944.

K-25 1~~2.s v e r t e d frsm p a . t r o l t o s e a r c h f o r di

h .

plane c r z s h s u r v i v o r s . ~ l r s h i . 9 i . g h t s d t ~ i - u s s u r v i v o r s on e. rzft b e i z g circled. by plznes. R-25 d r c p p e d . l i f e r2.ft 2 . 3 5 7 . ~ 6f l s h i n ? vessel .to t h e rescue.

Lieutern-nt Corcnander J o h n F. P Z - L ~ , --C--" zssurnedUuNn, c o s a a & of B l i m ? Squa.dron ELEVEN. LieutemLnt Comman2e~BE22 r e l i e v e d L i e u t e ~ n t Connn~z.n2.er Cecig' A, SCLJLJ~, U'SW.

I(-19 nzde a n n u a l bird c o u n t f l i g h t f o r F i s h znd V i i l d l i f e S e r v i c e . Commander F l e e t A i r s h i n s , A t l a n t i c ord.~r;ec!t h e t e m p 0 r a . r ~a s s i g n m e n t t o F l e e t A i r s h i p ffing OI'BE o f s i x a d d i t i o L r a l a i r s h i p s cfmhich t ~ were o . d e s t i n e d f o r Blimp Squadron ELEVEN t h u s r a i s i n g t h e , s q u a d r o n fs s t r e n g t h from s i x t o e i g h t s h i p s .
28 F e b r u a r y 1945

K-50 s e a r c h e d f o r fishing v e s s e l rep o r t e d i n Ciistress, l o c z t e d i t , a n d horned surffice c r z f t t o it.

2 9 >:l~.rch 194.5

K-100 e s t z b l i s h e d 2-ieak $$AD c o n t a c t which c o i n c i d e d b l i t h scund c o n t a c t s of s u ; y o r t i n g SCs. Depth chi<rge p a t t e r n s were d-roppzd by t h e s u r f a c e c r a f t 3-~ithout i s i b l e r e s u l t s . v

K-50 s i g h t e d .rvhat appeared t o , b e a

submerging p e r i s c o p e 'and. l a i d 2own a sonobuoy p a t t e r n which p i c k e d up p o s i t i v e propeller beats. I f i t e n s l t y of sonobuoy r e c e p t i c n dirnini'shed u n t i l c o n t a c t Eas l o s t . MAD . r u n s producsi TSO c o n t a c t s .

K-69, w h i l e s u p p o r t i n y t h e DD GLEiiVX:S,
l a i d ' a sonobuoy pattern a.nd- r e c e i v e d p o s s i b l e p r o p e l l e r ~ o i s & s . 'The a i r s h i p rnadle a n a t t a c k b u t -n6 r e s u l t s were observed.

Blimp Squadron ELEVEN conducted i t s l a s t p a t r o l f l i g h t s ; o r d e r s were rec e i v e d t o f l y only e s c o r t , s i n s l e ship, o r s p e c i a l missions. K-125 r e c e i v e d mz\y s t r o n g PJED s i ~ r i z l s i n o i l b u b b l e s a d dropaed one bomb which d i d n o t d e t o n a t e due t o z r g i n g w i r e f s i l u r e . C o n t ~ c tmas l r t e ~ det e r m i n e d t o be s u n k E a g l e Boat.
L a s J day of which Squadron ELEXEN pr ovi5:ed a i r .coverage . t o convoys o r s i n g l e

s h i p ~::;.ovement s

CofiiinCh 5x6. CNO conf i C . e n t i a l d i s m t c h 141956 .directed. the decom-. missioning of Blimp Squadron SLEVEN.

16 May 1945

Elimp Squadron ELWEN r e p o r t e d t o Comander A i r Force, A t l a n t i c F l e e t f o r n p e r a t i o ~ .lc o n t r o l . ( s e e Appendix A). Zonrn-&nder A i r Force, A t l a n t i c F l e e t d i r e c t e d Commander F l e e t A i r s h i p s , A t l a n t i c t o assume o p e r a t i o n a l cont r o l of Blimp Squhdron ELEVEE and proceed v i t h i t s C~ecommissioning. Blimp Squaclron ELEVEN assumed t h o s e u t i l i t y commitments of A i r s h i p U t i l i t y Squadron ONE r e q u i r i n g t h e servi'ces of K-type e i r s h i p s . T h i s was i n accordance w i t h o r d e r s from Cornan& r F l e e t A i r s h i p s , A t l a n t i c , and. V J ~ - s f i r s t carried. out f o u r days l a t e r .
. . .

Blimp Squadron T'fiELVE w a s d i r e c t e d b y Commander F l e e t A i r s h i p s , A t l a n t i c t o e s t a b l i s h a detachment a t N S South A Weymouth an6 upon t h e e s t a b l i s h m e n t t h e r e o f t o assume t h e u t i l i t y conn i t m e n t s of Blimp Squadron ELEVEN. ( s e e A p p e ~ d i xB ) .

. ;...::;

'

.. . .. .. .. . .
.
.

:::, .

. . .. .. . .. . .. . .. .. . . .
. . . . .. . .. . . . . . . ..

. .. . . .. . .

. . .. .. . .. ..

25 May 1945

IC-92 photographed t h e USS RAKEFIELD as she brought t h e f i r s t l e r g e group of r e t u r n i n g ETO v e t e r s n s i n t o Boston Elarbor.
T r a n s f e r of a l l Blimnp Squadron Z E E N LVJ a i r s h i p s t o o t h e r coaliisnd-s v:as completed. w i t h t h e f e r r y i n g of t h e K-50 t o HAS Lakehurst. Blimp Squadron ELEVEN w a s decommis-: s i o n e d i n accordance vrith Corninch and CNO confidentia.1 d i s p s t c h 141956 Xa,y 1-94.5. ( s e e Append-ix c).

.. ... . ... ..... . . .... . . .. . . ............ . .. . . .. .... . .. .. . . . . ... . . .. ........ .. . . .

. . . . . .. . . . . . : ... ... ... .... .

. . . . . .

.. .

,.
I

,... . . ... .. . .. . 8. . . . .._ . . . ... ..

I

8.

28 Lky 1945

8 J u n e 1945

:-C

._ .,.

-. I g
:I:

[ ;

1;

.. . . -..

it',
p '.

. . .. .. .. . . .. . . . . .. .. .. . . . .. ... . . .

0perati.o.n~ were rcj:,t:'ne

and uneventful f o r Airship Sql? ;.?

on

ELEVEN d u r i n g tlie f i r s t six dsys

operation,

On t h e s e v e m n '

day, 9 June 1942 a t 0650, t h e K-3 while proceeding from U S

South Fleymcuth f o r a r e g u l a r anti-submarine mission, s i g h t e d z l a r g e eastbound convoy. With h i s b i n o c u l a r s o n t h e d - i s t a n t conp i l o t , L i e u t . W. R.
, , ~ ,

voy a s i t czme over the- horizon,' t h e E-3's

.
I .

PEELER, US;IJ., saw a l .a .r. g. e .. column-.of . water. . r i s e from t h e bow . of tht . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . .. . . - . . . ..~ . . .: .

~.

. . .

~.

s h i p t h a t \-$as l a s t i n formstion.

Judging i t t o be a.torpedo ex-

plosion, he hesded f o r t h e scene a t f u l l speed and s e n t a p l a i n language r e p o r t t o t h e base r e q u e s t i n g support, Almost iinrrtediatc

a second explosion on t h e same s h i p wzs observed by L i e u t . PEELEI thrpugh h i s bi.noculars.

kt
X . I

64 k n i t s , t h e K-3 proceeded to, t& damaged ship vii~c'_

" *

proxed t o be the. Idor-wegizn SS KRGNPRINSEN out of Oslo, a la^, .

* &

-* *

% ?

- - . - --- -

f r e i g h t e r loaded w i t h Army motor cars and trucks-,lak

one of a

was begun 2mmedi-ately by -tihe

. .
d

K-3 b e f o r e %he s.urf@e -support,- the *>,

.

Br-;tishDD:174
- r.

andst%"& 6cari;ettes 140 and 141, ar?$@i$i.and bd&n

t h e i r search f o r the suspected U-boat.

The T K R ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ had J ! J S E stopped s e t t l i n g , ~ 8 s l i g h t l y down by s

t h e -bow, and her s t e r n .&most blown o f f . .

, ,

. . . .

A f t e r surveying t h e
,
,

. . . ,. . . ............ . . . .;.;..>.:;:.r.j . ............._....: >;._. . . . ... ..'.........I.-....-, ._ .. .. ................ ...._.. .............. . . . . . ... . . . . . . . . . . . . . . s ' 2 .... .. ...................... . ; . . ............ ......... . . . . . ., . ........................ .. . . . . ................... . . . .

: .
. - ........

% .

........

%. , .

%.

>-

<-..-

,~~~-oond&~~&on.-,o~~~~~h$@;i.,rri~;f;~gStt &salvage of ,!the I,bb:,, ~ E & L ~ , ~ & : c + & & th;lt ~ , . --...- .-,,. ..... ..,..:.. , ,.*-.* . . . . . .- . . .-. -.,- ................-., -...,, . . . . . . ...... .,=* - *: ; * .. .. : .ve.,s sex:R Z , S ps.sr2j1-ec.'A6visin.g f &pr erst e.a, p'art i e s. -zccordi,ng.Xy, i-.--....
.
.-,...-,.w.r.rr.,*

, ~ .

, *&-a<.&

?.r..: ,.I, ...i

:=.>

,b.

>:.:

% -

.G.. .2~,

. . a ,,zL*,+,.v>::. .< ,:

"

t h e K-3 by radio recuested t h a t t u g s be s e n t out.

The a i r s h i p

vfas then i n s t r u c t e d by t h e s u r f a c e support commander t o d i r e

-2-

t h e creff t o r e t u r n -to t h e i r s h i p .

This was done by rounG-i Upon boarding

u p a l l those l i f e b o a t s still i n t h e v i c i i L V .

t h e KRONPRINSEN, t h e crew soon g o t u p steam and s e t up communic a t i o n s with t h e a i r s h i ? by v i s u a l s i g m l s . The requested

-

surface support a r r i v e d , took t h e v e s s e l i n tow, and headed f o r a Nova Scotia port.

The K-3 t h e n returned t o South Weymoutk

where it landed w i t h only 26 gallons of f u e l remaining a f t e r ovc

26 hours i n t h e a i r .
A

On 1 June 1942, t h e K-6 replaced t h e K-3 xhich had been 1

f e r r i e d t o th'e Naval A i r S t a t i o n , L a k ~ h u r s t , N w Jersey on t h e e
I

preceding day.

The K-3 had been o p e r a t i n g f o r Squadron ELEVEN

on a temporary l o a n frorn Airship Squadron TWELVE a t ~akehurst.

It was not u n t i l 1 7 September t h a t an a i r s h i p wa.s permanentl-7

assigned t o Squadron ELEVEN; on t h a t date the K-11 vras rece- J. . . - . .--.-- - - .a i r s h i p s were i n t e r m i t t e n t l y and temporzrily as s8gGed t o Airship Squadron ELEVEN f r o m Airship Squzdron TIYELVE from 3 Jurie 1942 t o
.= k

-.

320c86ber- 1942; airships involved w e r e t h e K-3,

-

and K-8.
- On
< .

-- -

- -

-.

K-4, 'K--5,

K-6,

sane 13th,
as he's

the K-6 inirestigated of1 s l i c k s anC IJMD conLedge.

tacts over

I t w ~bombs were dropped w i t t i no apparer

A t 1300 on 29 June, about 3 miles south of Buoy 3 J ' e f f r e y t s

::,:.
~Z . . . . . .._ .. .-.. ................... ................ + . . a . . . . . .:.. --*.-.,--, : : .:. 2.- . . . . ; :: ............................ 22..2:..2.7.. : : . ~ .............................. ,........... . ..., . . . . . . " e r . : .*.'.. -..--.~ . .. . ..... . . . - . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .......... . . . . . . ... . -.. . .. . ... ..-... . . . ... ...,__* .. . . . . . .&.., .................... . . . . . ........ ,. ... .. . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . ........................................... . . ... . . . . . .
:
:I
..-i--iA.'.-.

Le~g.e,:,,~h~.~,K.-~a~.~~~,,Ag.htedL 3s ~u.s..picihzls..:Y-s:ha&.. i p p l e o f f We. pqz-5;". -. ......... r

ho~J.,~e~.d~..-Mg-Mg~~30000.r..e1a~-i:ye . d i . s t a n t L50 yards.. The ~.s h i p -,sbtained- a . .
.

- ..

>--.-

....

>

. Sh2r.p MAD cont5:ct s.nd dropped one bonb .SO yzrds shead of t h e ~ z k
.

v ~ i t hno a.ppsrerlt r e s u l t s .

Surfti.ce a.nd a i r support was req.uf

?.
L-

-nd. r e c e i v e d .
d

The K-8 marlied and. buoyed t h e spot b u t lie further

-

-- A3.D

contz.cts x e r e obteined.
lics,ring in r:i.ithcut v;z:.rning, a torllzcTo s t r u c k Scuth :;?e:7n1outh

in t h e ez,rly evenil= of 6 J u l y 194.2.

.
7;::~tk

A
..*..

t v f i s t i n g cqlumn o f wind,.
.....

c e n t e r v e l o c i t y es!imz-ted .
.

<.. . ..................._.,_ qt-,,.60 i..l .e. s.-. p.e r .' . . a. u.r. - .~ .~ .~ .~ .. .~ .s. ~. y e p ': t. 7 ..z c........ .~ p __ .....s ~ m h ' .............................._._... .r . ~ s . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
<

.- ,

. -. .

,.:..

.........

. . . ............ .:: . ................. . . . . . .. - .... .. . . . . .:. . ........ -~ ................:. . . . . . .. . . ................... . / . ; . . : .. . .- . : ......

--

t h e land-in: f i e 1 6 a t t h e Naval A - i r S t s t i o n , causing c o n s i d e r a b l e dz.;:nage, A s f a r 2,s coul.6 be determinedi, t h i s p e r t i c u l e r kind of weather phenomenon 1;ad never p r e v i o u s l y been ex2erienced i n t h e -.South ,.eymouth a r e ~ .
Tihen %he t o r n z d o s t r u c k t h e K-6 rias nzoored o u t z t I'Jumber T 0 K

- = .

qocring c i r c l e and- k t &

landed f ~ o m f l i g h t only a half! hour beforei . .a

&

Ensign E. DOYLE, USTJ33, w i t h a tliree n a n crew was i n cli5rge of t h e

ship.
.-...

The t % i s t e r r i p p e d t h e K-6 from t h e mcclring-msst a d carried

i t t o t h e south edge of t h e f i e l d v~herei t crashed i n t o t h e t r e e s end s e t t l e d Lnts t h e und-erbrush ~ L t envelope d e f l z t e d . h

The f o r c e

of t h e tormd-o simultaneously b e n t t h e s t e e l s u p p o r t s of t h e crane st t h e s i t e of Xs.ng~,r $ c o n s t r u c t i c n . 1

Only t ~ of t h e f o u r o

members of t h e R-6 crew were injured.; and t h e s e n o t s e r i o u s l y . The K-4. made a noteworthy f l i g h t on 1 0 J u l y 19.42 xhen it

l o s t t h e convoy b u t each time r e g a i n e d c o n t a c t w i t h radar.

radar i n s t s l l a t i o n , ~ : i t hz-hich t h e

The

K-4 was one sf t h e f i r s t a i r -

s h i p s t o be equipped, Eas t h e n a i n f a c t p r which enabled t h e blimp

t o provide t h i s a l l - n i g h t c o v e r a g e a f e a t ~ h i c h had been accomplished

, B

' i f any times before. w

hi - . w u t the "A g s,

K-5 dropped f o u r bombs on a m g n e t i c con;. -t

-4-

with no apprrent r e s u l t s .

The airship began development of

another contact \panerr t h e Will gear failed.

A t 1632 on

4 September, t h e IC-4 e s t a b l i s h e d an U D contact.

K-4 sighted a
The
, ,

A f t e r a surface c r a f t search, t h e contact was evaluated a s f s l s e

A t 1750, while p a t r o l l i n g ahead of t h e convoy, t h e

periscope about 150 yards fomisrd of t h e blimp's port bean. p e r i s c o p e , immediately disziipeared. The blimp rnade no a t t a c k

because 3 minutes viere re(-uired b e f o r e t h e s h i p was i n a p o s i t i o to attack. The s p o t

IIES

rnzrked with a s l i c k .

A n intensive searl

f ~ l l o ~ ~ e da suspicious object w k s twice s i g h t e d by t h e and not i d e n t i f i e d .

K-L bu.
app:

The K-L+ received ztnother hU.0 contzct; a DD had

r e p e a t e d sonar c o n t a c t s and r e l e a s e d

4 depth charges without

results. The K-11 wa.s received on 1 7 September 1942; t h i s was t h e a i r s h i p permanently a s signed t o t h e Squadron. Kinds .of g a l e f o r c e v~hichc a r r.i e d v:ith them dense clouds of
-.

f i 3

dust kept a l l S ~ ~ u a d r o n personnel busy o n - t h e -South Weyrnouth f i e l c

c a r i n g f o r t h r e e masted a i r s h i p s on 2 7 September 1942, s u c c e s s f u l l y rode out t h e storm.
A l l ship

day a thunderOn t h e f o l l o ' c ~ i n g

storm, accompanied. by high winds and. h a i l stones, swept across t h e mat.

. . . . .ha?i , . . . .- _ . ...
,

Three z i r s h i p s were rnoored out a n d T'fere rnanned by p i l o t

3.nd crevi t o prevent them from being blovin ;c.r-d~,y. After t h e storm
.
.

,h

damage t o t h e i r nose assemblies t o warrant t h e i r being flown t o .

NAS Lakehurst f o r r e p a i r s .

pstssed, . '$t. ~32,s found $h2.,.t~ I T Q ' ships .bed .s.u f f e r e d s u f f i c i e n t ' ' -. -.
A"

. - ..

- ,.-.>,.

.--,. ? s ' .

Bangzir o p e r s t i o n s e t NAS South Vieyrnox

d i d not begin u n t i l completion of Bangur #l o n 3 TJovember 1943.

Septe!!;iser 1942 ; , ~ s m'rlied

by t h e e s t e b l i s h ~ i e n tof a n exT h i s b ~ s e x s s e t up i

pec',itiomry b s s e ~t Bar Harbor, Msine.

during t h e l a s t neek of , t h e month and f i r s t used -on "S Septe&BeP . - .. 1942 when t h e K-3 l ~ n d e d snd was moored z f t e r executing e s p e c i a l mission of providing coverzge t o t h e USS ViLKEFIELD. South V"eymouth, 1z.s ordered. o,n 2'9 September miles 1942 t o proceed o n t h e fol:Lot5:ing da.y t o a p o i n t 1 5 u e a s t of Digbg The K-3,
besed :t :

Bay, N.S.,

t o f u r n i s h a i r coverage t o t h e USS WAKEFIELD being

towed t o t h e Bcston Navy Y z r 3 f o r r e p z - i r s s f t e r t h e f i r e which had swept her a s h o r t time before. The K-3 nas t o b e based a t

Squadron expeditiona.ry base a t Bar Hslrbor d u r i n g t h e e x e c u t i o n o f t h i s -.m-ission. Ensign P. DOYLE, USNEi,, a.nd Ens. E. L. ~TCC~:E~T~VZ~'Y, aere USTJT;,,
t h e p i l o t s chosen t o handle t h e t h r e e day assignment.

Excellent

weither and cc,lrn seas, r ~ h i l ef a v o r i n g t h e tow, v:ere a l s o on t h e s i d e of t h e Germzn U-bokts, t h e determimition o f which t o "getrf The tot? made a s i x knot

t h e 141MEEFIELD had been voiced by H i t l e r .

speed 511 t h e 'i!;~y, ~ i i t h h e blimps doing a I7e&ve p n t r o l ekezd a d t

s u r f s c e c r a f t keeping a s h a r p lookout on t h e s u r f a c e . The K-3, v h i c h T:.s.asbased a t Bar Harbor o n 30 September and

1 October, provided c i r coverzge e l l t h e m y around Nova S c o t i a

and dosin through t h e G u l f of bfaine &s f a r s ;

Levtiston, ldaine where

i t v;as joined by h e z v i e r - t h m - a i r

units.

'i:ith t h i s added coverage,

t h e Vv'AIiEFIELD was s l i n a e d dovm t h e i n s i d e coz,stal route'safe-ly-:.

i n t o d r y 3 o c k a t Boston.

The K-3,

i t s mission completed, lan~t-?

a t bIAS South i.uyrnouth on 2 October.

I n a b i l i t y t o xi",:..?.r~,ten f o u l westher o r t o pick up d e f i n i t e i

,ses t o en:<.ble them t o s s c e r t z i n t h e i r t r u e p o s i t i o n r e s u l t e d i n t h e fS-14, Ensign R. D. FRLEL, USTJK, p i l o t , srld crev h ~ ~ v i n g .s

,
. ..... ..... ... ..........:... . . . . . < . . ... . ... . . . . . . . ::.: ........ . .:.... ., . ...... .. .. .. .. . . . .. . .,....,-.. , . .. .................... .................. ................... . . . . ............. .

harroviing experience.

Quring z night f l i g h t on 5 0-ctober,1942, . . . . . . .

. .

they were hand-icepped by ba.d westher w i t h zero-zer'o c o n d i t i o n s

and l o s t z l l t r a c k of p o s i t i o n .

'They s e t e course which they

thought -fi!ould b r i n g theill t o South '~eyrnouth. A l l night Long, t h e s i r s h i p d r i f t e d ?long t h e A t l e n t i o Coz-st.

....

?)hen deyli,ght came,

t h e K-14 crew t r i e d t o f i n d a hole i n t h e f o g .

k t O830 on tile m c ~ n i n gof 6 October, they spied t h e ,gi=ourxJ.

through a hole.
hnd f i n a l l y shw

The pilot c i r c l e d the spot u n t i l the fog broke

En a i r f i e l d xhich

I J C ~ Li d e n t i f i e d S

2 s the f i e l d a t

YJJzterville, k i n e .

The base &tSouth Y:eyrio~ithsvas n o t i f i e d , and

len 'the v i e ~ t h e rh::.d. cle;..red. s u f f i c i e n t l y t o permit he~~vier-th2.na i r operations, Lieuterxint Comander John J. McGOR&IICK, USM, Execu t i v e Officer of A i r s h i p Sc;ur;dron ELEVEN, boarded s small t r a n s p o r t plane a t t h e Naval A i r Sta,tion, Squantum, I6iiass. and flevf t o Viaterville. Gzithkring a grounc crew from v e r i o u s rnilitary f ~ c i l i t i e s

i n the v i c i n i t y , Lieutenznt Commsnd-er ldcCOF;MICK d i r e c t e d t h e landing

and r e f u e l i n g of t h e s h i p .

The K-14 t h e n proceeded t o South Weymouth

ancl land-ed without i n c i d e n t .

On 2 fioveinl~er l9L!,2, the K-11,

'

while on r o u t i n e mission, found Flying low over. t h e v e s s e l , t h e

t h e disabled t r a w l e r I N C A a d r i f t . p i l o t was a.dvised t h a t t n e r e Knowing t h a t another tra3;ler

WZS
WELS

no inui:ediate danger t o t h e INCA. i n t h e im~iedibtev i c i n i t y , t h e K-11 Aftex, n s h o r t search, t h e

.
. . . . . . . .

S a t e d out i n 2.n endeavor t o l o c a t e i t .

. i r s h i p found. t h e second t r a w l e r , t h e AL SMITH, and. lo,: i t back t o

- 7-

t h e INCA.
i
4

The LL SXITH t h e n too!:r t h e INCA i n to^.

. . . . . ................. . ,...... . ... . . . . . .. .-. ... . . . . .. ................ ................ ........
'

;,
.

The I"olio~;in,~; 62.37, t h e Si.iuadronfs t h r e e sirs h i p s I(-11, K-12,

and K-14 Tiere clocked. i n Hamgar $1.

. .. .... .... . . .

This was. t h e ~f-irst time,t h a t

+..

. .... .

9
i

t h e ne.isly completed 1000 f e e t s t e e l hangar had housed a n a . i r s h i p . The I<-14

Y:LS

executing

; outine r

p c t r o l on 2. Geceaber 1942
70-30b.

vihen i t sigliteu an. oi:L s l i c k a t 4.7-]-ON;

The K-14 l e d

t h e SC 707 t o t h e s p o t e n d remained i n t h e a r e a while t h e v e s s e l dropped t h r e e depth charges w i t h no v i s i b l e r e s u l t s .

'

A s h o r t time

I
I

l a t e r , t h e a - i r s h i p covered a minesweeper while i t dropped f i v e depth charges a t t h e p o i n t of 'a K-14 MAD contact. apparent r e s u l t s from t h e charges.
O t h e 6 t h of December 194.2, t h e K-12 EE-senroute t o meet i t s n
There were no

convoy when b a t t e r y t r o u b l e dcvelopecl v:hich f i l l e d i t h e cz,r ~ 6 t h fumes and created. a considerable hazard t o t h e members of t h e crew. The X-12 returned to b a s e immediately. .The K - 1 1 departed South 7U:.ieymouth o r r o u t i n e p a t r o l . on f
8 December b u t w a s diverted. t o s e ~ r c h o r CGE 3032 :,$hi& t h e a i r s h i p f

I I

suceedeci i n l o c a t i n g a f t e r s e v e r a l hours search.

The K - 1 1 dropped
.. . .. . . .. . - . . ............... ... ,, .. ..........-..*.. . . . . .. ........ ... . .............. . ... . ... . ... . .. . ... . .. .. .. .. .. ... . .. _. : .. ..,.-.. . . . ....... .. . ....... . . ....

rzitions and s t o o d by u n t i l . s u r f a c e c r 2 - f t zrriveci t o t a k e - t h e vessel i n tow. Operations d u r i n g Januzry 1943 ;?Jere cur t a i l e d by New E n g l a d

I
I
I1
: .

vlinter weather which brought with i t s e v e r e i c i n g conGitions and heavy snows.

On on5 occasion during t h e rnonth (1 ~ n n u a r ~ ) a

Squadron ELEVElV a i r s l i i p , t h e K-14 landed w i t h a heavy snow l o a d on t h e .envelope. During January, 30 ?light-s ( y a c o r t , 1 8 p a t r o l , I
totalling 264.4 hours.

p o t r o l am5 e s c o r t , and 4 o t h e r s ) r e r k fli.::n

Weather conditions continued unfavorable during Februa-ry

1942 when 37 f l i g h t s (338.2 hours) were made on 15 dzys of

operations. Twenty-eight v e s s e l s were escorted during t h e month.

S e v e r a l photographic and one c a l i b r a t i o n f l i g h t were made by Squadron ELEVEN a i r s h i p s during February.

On 1 8 February, t h e

K-11 ma.de a n inventory of migratory waterfowl; a U.S.

Game Mamge-

ment agent was aboard during t h i s f l i g h t which follovred t h e c o a s t l i n e from North River,.hfassachusetts t o t h e Cape Cod Canal.
-

V?ith impr.oving weather, Squadron ELEVEN'S number of f l i g h t s

during March

1942 increased t o 96.

Operations, however, were

r o u t i n e except f o r two MAD c o n t a c t s by t h e K-14 and K-38 on 14 March; attempts t o develop t h e s e contacts, however, were unsuccessful.
A t o t a l of 337 vessels were escorted during t h e month.

The

K-14 s u f f e r e d a s t e e r i n g c a s u a l t y due t o a locking key

fai1uk.e and d r i f t e d h e l p l e s s l y i n high ~ ~ 2 without rudder c o n t r o l n d ~ f o r a p p r o x i m a t e l 30 minutes i n the v i c i n i t y o f t h e Naval A i r S t a t i o n , South Vleymouth, Massachusetts on 28 A p r i l 1943.
A t first

i t was believed t h a t t h e c o n t r o l wires had parted o u t s i d e of t h e

s h i p but Ensign P. DOYLE, USMR, S t r u c t u r e and Repair O f f i c e r of Squadron ELEVEN, took or"f i n an SNJ, c i r c l e d t h e K-14, and found t h a t r e p a i r s could be made from w i t h i n t h e ship. The p i l o t of t h e

K-14,

Ensign H F. SIJIITH, USNR, was so n o t i f i e d . and t h e mechanic .

aboard t h e s h i p ma,de r e p a i r s by breaking o f f t h e small ends of f i l e s and insertins: them a s s u b s t i t u t e keys i n t h e keyvrzys. t h e r e s u l t of t h i s
As

i n c i d e n t , Bureau Change Number Seven was ordered.

An a i r s h i p expeditionary u n i t from t h e Squadron was d i s p a t c h e d '

t o Trenton, ( ~ a rarbor) idaine on 29 A p r i l 1943.

I

The K-42
...

landed, ~ i a sserviced on t h e mc.st, and took off viithout i n c i d e n t ,

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . ,- ,
,

.............. ....... ... . . . . . ... .. . .. ... . ... ... ...

........... .

The ground h a d i n g p a r t y was

up of a few key .-men from South

. . . . ..

. .-.:j.~.:.:.:~.:,.....:.: ............... ... .. .... . . . . .

Keymouth plus personnel frora Bar Hsrbor S e c t i o n Base and C i v i l A i r P a t r o l personnel a t Trenton. The s e c t i o n base quartered. and sub-

IS s i s t e d personnel from FA South Keymouth.

The Naval Air S t a t i o n ,

Brunswick, Maine, provided subsistence, q u a r t e r s , and s e r v i c i n g f o r t h e Squadron t r u c k s enroute t o and from B a r " ~ a r b o r ,
Operations f o r Miiy 194.3 Qere routine and uneventful except
f o r & a t t a c k made by t h e K-38 on an MAD c o n t a c t on t h e l4.th of n

t h e month. be a-WBck. hours

The K-38 dropped one bomb on what was evalua.ted t o

During May, Squadron ELEVEN flew 140 f l i g h t s t o t a l l i n g

.
School designed t o

A s p a r t of i t s program f o r e n l i s t e d training, Airship S q u ~ ~ 6 x ~ n

ELENEN e s t a b l i s h e d a n E n l i s t e d Lighter-than-Air

t r a i n Squadron personnel t o ' b e f1Qua-1LTAtT ( ~ u a l i f i e d . ,Lighter-thanA ~ F ) . This school wzs p a t t e r n e d upon t h e E n l i s t e d Airship Training

School a t N S Lakehurst. A
.

F i r s t c l a s s graduated.frorn t h e Squadron

.school,on 29 June. 194.3; ,57.enlisted personnel were designated "Qua1 LTAu t h a t d a t e .

O 1 5 J u l y 1943, i n l i n e with a general r e o r g a n i z a t i o n of n

the Atlantic Fleet lighter-than-air

organization, A i r s h i p Squadron

ELEVEN was r e d e s i g n a t e d - ~ l i r a ~ SquaCron ELEVEN.

The C h i e f o f t h e Hingham, Lfassachusetts, F i r e Depertraent f o r warded a vely a p p r e c t a t i ~ r cl e t t e r i n connection w i t h t h e djscovery of a f o r e s t f i r e by a Squadron a i r s h i p o n t h e evening of 22 J u l y

P i l o t and co-pilot observed t h e f i r e , placed

message i n a

Cixie cup, used an apple f o r a cover, and dropped t h i s ~~sserflbly

on t h e lawn of

nearby farm house from which t h e message was

A s t h e f i r e was i n a n inacces-

forv~zrdedt o t h e F i r e Department.

s i b l e l o c a t i o n , i t i s doubtful whether i t xould heve been other-

v i s e discovered before the next morning.

T h i s was t h e same p i l o t

who previqusly reported a f i r e i n the t o m of South Weymouth; the

q u e s t i o n a r o s e whether t o appoint him a deputy f i r e chief or l e t

him hang a b e l l on one of t h e blimps and p a i n t i t red.

Rear Admiral Charles E. ROSENDAHL, USN, newly appointed
Chief of Ma.val Airship Training and Experimentation, and h i s s t a f .

conducted an i n s p e c t i o n of Squadron personnel, material, and hang,

spaces o n 29 July 1943.

The K-11,

~ n s i g n L. QUIVEP, USNR, p i l o t , wag.on .anescort W.

The K - l l headed towards t h e b a s

mission on 31 J u l y and a t 2020 was ordered t o r e t u r n t o base be-

cause of expected thunderstorms.

f ram .Cape Anne, . e x p e r i e n c i n g t.urbulence.

.

Lightning was observed

inland.

At 2132, the K - 1 1 recrossed t h e .coast a S c i t u a t e , f l y i - n g . t

Lights atop t h e hangar were v i s 5 b l e . Lightning was

a,t 450 f e e t .

observed. t o t h e north and south, b u t r a i n had not y e t commenced,

A t 2137, l i g h t r a i n began and RPMs on b o t h engines were in-

creased t o 1300.
.............. ..................... . ..... .:.......... .... ...... * ..................
................... ...........

The K-11 w a s flying normzlly and t h e ground sgei

. . .

........... .._......_.... . . . . .. . . .. . . . . . . . .. .
. .

... . . . . . . . ....... . . . .. . .

..was a2pro.x-i.qat,gly 2.5: -.. kry~tS'.' A t 21-39 t h e r & i n bectime heavy w i t h

. . . . . . .

h a i l s t o n e s ; t h e mind' increased and begsn t o s h i f t t o t h e northwest

. -

The s h i p was becoming progressively h e a s i e r and t h e p i l o t decided

t o r e t u r n t o Cape Cod Bey t o d r o p b a l l a s t .

An attempt

VJZS

made

-11-

t o g a i n a l t i t u d e i n o r d e r t o make a t u r n . a t t h e r a t e of 150 f e e t per minute.

The K-11 xva s dl'opping

'............. .,:.... ....... .......... . .. ...... .. ... .... .. . . . . .. .... . . . . . . .. . .. .
. .

F u l l u p e l e v a t o r and f u l l
.
.

t h r o t t l e were a p p l i e d a.nd t h e rudd-erm~n was instructed not ,to-... -

t u r n t h e rudder l e s t he b r i n g t h e nose down.

The port engine

responded t o t h e t h r o t t l e and turned. up t o 1800 RPMs. board engine s p u t t e r e d and never g o t above 1400 RPXs.

The s t a r -

The s h i p w a s s t i l l s e t t l i n g a t t h e r a t e of 150 f e e t per

minute a.nd viii;as a.ls'o d r i f t i n g r a p i d l y t o p o r t with p r a c t i c z l l y no

forward speed.

It could. be seen by use of t h e la.nc?ing light t h a t

t h e s h i p was above t h e t r e e tops.

The engines were throttled back.

Th-e e l e v a t o r man t h e n c u t t h e s a f e t y and forward engine switches. A t 2144, the c a r s t r u c k t h e t r e e tops, t h e n t h e t o p of e two s t o r y
~p:'

<,~ss%:*$<.

barn, and came t o r e s t on t h e @ou& 2 5 y a r d s beyond t h e barn.

Both r i p c o r d s were p u l l e d , b u t only t h e ,a.fter panel w a s ripped. I n s t r i k i n g tlie t r e e s , however, t h e underside of theenvelope wa,s t o r n ca.using i t t o d e f l a t e r n p i d . 1 ~ . N member of t h e crew was o injured.
On 1 August 1943, t h e K-42 dropped tvto bonius on a n o i l s l i c k

withqut any appzrent r e s u l t s .

Tcrget ofas a s s e s s e d as "no submarine". d e f l a t e h e s a r e s u l t of t h e

A t 0615 on 13 ~ u ~ ut h e t K-69 s

s t a r b o a r d s t a b i l i z e r s t r i k i n g t h e i n t e r i o r of t h e hangzr- a.nd. puncturing t h e envelope while t h e s h i p was undocking. Although

tivo members of t h e crew r e c e i v e d s u p e r f i c i a l i n j u r i e s , no one was seriously hurt. The K-14, i n t h e c o n t r o l a r e & a t about 1500 on 16 August, was orcleled t o s e s r c h t h e a r e n off t h e mouth o f North River f o r a l r overturned v;hite s k i f f . The K-14, p i l o t e d by Ensign J. J.

LELLON, USNR, proceeded t o t h e designated a r e a 2nd searched t h e

area with 'negative r e s u l t s ,

. .

K-14

sighted

overturned

Extending t h e s r e a of search, the ..gg'ast...df...?.. .. skiff at 1620, ... v-e.. .... . ............................. f.r. .
3

.
s

...

. . . . . .. . . . . . - ......................... . . . . . .... . .... . . .., . .. .. . . , .,. . . .. ..-... . ........................ /. .... ................. ............. ... .--.............
*
-._. .- l .

....;... ..:.:.. ...............

. :..... . :.:;;

Brant Rock.

Three men were c l i n g i n g t o t h e bost.

The a i r s h i p -

dropped i t s l i f e r a f t a n d marked t h e spot w i t h a smoke flti.re; then i t d i r e c t e d a fishring v e s s e l t o t h e rescue of t h e , t h r e e men. f o u r t h man had previously drovarned. Vice Admiral A. ANDRWiS, U S N , Commander E a s t e r n Sea F r o n t i e r ,
A

on v i s i t e d t h e Squ%d.~*on 2 September 1943, making a study of

oper-ations of t h e Squadron and HedRon.
K-10

I n t h e afternoon, t h e

escorted t h e MIGRLLNT, carrying Vice Admiral BNDREIkS from

Boston Harbor t o t h e Cape Cod Canal, t h e Admiral's plane hsving ..

sen g r o u d e d due t o wezther conditions.
The K-69,

re-erected on t h e base a f t e r i t was d e f l a t e d during

an undocking a c c i d e n t of August 13, made i t s f i r s t t e s t f l i g h t on

9 September and w a s pronounced s a t i s f a c t o r y .
On 1 4 September, Cspljain G, He MILLS, USM, Commander F l e e t

Airships, A t l a n t i c , conducted a m i l i t a r y and m a t e r i d i n s p e c t i o n of B l i m p Scjuadron ELEVEN.

. . . .

Cornrna.nder R. F. TYLER, USN, Commander

F l e e t Airship Wing ONE, and o f f i c e r s o f ' various s t a f f s formed t h e inspecting party. I n t h e first change of coprnand s i n c e t h e commissi.oning of t h e Squadron, Commander S, !A.
BAILEX, USN, who had guided t h e
.

d e s t i n i e s of t h e u n i t s i n c e i t s inception, turned over command on yteniber 24th 1943 t o Lieuterxnt Comnla~derJohn SmMNONy

USN,
, . . ... . ..

".~xecutive Officer of the Squadron s i n c e May 194.3 when Lieut. Come.

..

. - . . . .. . . .

J. J. h'IcCORMICK, USN, ka.d b e a ci.etr.ched t o assume command of A i r - .

s h i p Squadron TVilENTY-TWO

The ceremony took place ..i n..'Hangk-...

...................

. . ............. . . ........... ..... . . . .. ... . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . ..-.. .................... .................

2

. -.

............. . . . .............

'Plumber ONE where Commander BAILEY rezd t h e orders which detached

him. Lieutenant Corfimander SHANNON followed with t h e r e a 4 . i ~ of

h i s o r d e r s and b o t h outgoing and incoming commanders inspected

the Squa.dron personnel.

Lieutenant C e c i l A. BOLAM, USN, who

ha.d been Operations O f f i c e r , w c s , nanled Executive O f f i c e r t o f i l l

the vacancy caused by t h e succession of Lieutemnt Comnander

SHANNON to command.

On 31 October 1943, the K-12 wzs landed and. docked without

d i f f i c u l t y i n t h e r e c e n t l y completed Hangar Number T#0.

Although

the K-69,

a f t e r its d e f l e t i o n on 1 3 August was re-erected i n t h e I(-12 actual1.y sirzs t h e f i r s t s h i p t o be

Hangar Number K O ,
docked t h e r e .

O p e r ~ t i u n sc o n t i n u e d r o u t i n e d u r i n g Novernber 19ik3 v ~ i t h89

missions znd 3 5 tr: inin,?f'fli,yhts flo'irn z.gp:regttinq 1063.8 hours

insl>ected t h e Syuad.r'on and. hangc;r spaces on 8 December.

Vice-Adairel H. F. LEBIIY, USN, Command-er E a s t e r n Sea F r o n t i e r ,

Excellent ground hztneling by Ensign J. F. FALLON, UShX, and c l e v e r manipulation of t h e eieva.tor c o n t r o l s by E n s i g n R. L.

EOVING, USNR, ; ; i l o t , snved t h e K-14 from s e r i o u s dan~ageor pro-

bnbly d e f l s . t i o n d u r i n g dockin,g msneuvers a t about d u s k on December

9th.

The ship, having j u s t l a n d e d from a p z t r o l , v.as being vltlked

gust; of 3 0 k n o t s frora t h e northwest,

illto t h e hhng2r when

struck
/

1
I

i t , c z u s i n g I t . o kite t o an angle o f more t h m 60 degrees. t

tail of t h e s h i p pz.ssed i i i t h i n n feu, f e e t u f t h e hangar door,

The

. . . . .

. ... .

i s i n g c l e a r above i t , and. i n t h i s p o s i t i o n ,
A t t h i s ~ o i n t ,Ensign FLLLON ordereci t h e t r h c t o r t o be backed 5 - w ~ ~

from t h e door, preventing t h e t a i l from s t r i k i n g .g$e ha.,ngsr 'ig,,.

descent.

The s h i p w e s then docked*

The nonths of J a n u ~ ! qc.nd February 194.4 brought w i t h them severe v ~ i n t e ro ? e r a t i n g conclitions y r o u n d i n g BlimpRon ELE3?EN eirs h i p s f o r 7 and 8 days r e s p e c t i v e l y o u t of ~ a c h month. N cono

t a c t s , a t t ~ c k s ,r e s c u e s , o r o t h e r e v e n t s of importance occurred during t h e two months. Lieutenant ~ e c i A BOLHiy USN, Executive Ofricer. of the l. Squadron s i n c e 2.4 September 1943, succeeded L i e u t e n a n t Commander John SHANMON, USN, as Commanding O f f i c e r i n appropriP.te ceremonies

eld on t h e deck of Hangar Number O N E on 29 March 1944.

Comnander SUTJTJGN
ViLs

Lieutenznt

detached t o sssunie

7 o s t i n t h e Bureau of

Aeronautics i n Kzshington. named Executive O f f i c e r .

L i e u t e n z n t John F. PELR, USNR, was

In t h e e ~ r l y f t e r n o o n of 1 4 A o r i l 1944, t h e I<-11 c ~ i l l e dt h e a a tower from North River t o say t h z t t h e r e Ttas c ~ n i r s h i p flying nearby with t h e i n s i d e s of i t s upper f i n exposed.
A feib minutes

of b l i n k e r nork betvieen t h e ti~!o s h i p s e s t a b l i s h e d t h e i d e n t i t y of t h e s h i p i n t r o u b l e ; i t vms t h e 11-69, Ensign R. FORLND, USTJR, p i l o t . Ensign FOFiBND w2s i n s t r u c t e d t o r e t u r n t o t h e f i e l d a t once 2nd c i r c l e so t h a t t h e dzmage could b e i n s ? @ c t e d from t h e ground.

It

was zbout 1530 a t t h i s time a n i t h e K-69 vvas z l r e s d y on i t s way back

+o b i s e . The shf p T~,-~-s sppc?.rently u d e r good c o n t r o l and i n no Gus't: t o 37 lrnots on t h e f i e l d mzde l a n d i n g more
Vii-as

,Ar~i~edic?te d2n;-er.

dangerous t h s n r i d i n g o u t t h e ~.~l-nc!s,SO Ensign FOrtLJID

okd-ered

i.
i
i : '
>

t o hold uptbiind from t h e f i e l d u n t i l t h e sunset l u l l . Ensign FORhND headed i n t o t h e wind znd r i n h i s engin&
. . . .

i :

.... -

.........

at
. .

* .

low

spee(Zj

until 1730 Tihen he ,mzde a lan$Ja. . .-..m:iitb. . . . ty6uB .

iil..;.

...... . .._, . . . . ...... . _ _ .... . . .. . . . .. ......... . . . . ... .... . . . . .A. . . .. .................. ......... .: . ........

..... , ..J.;.~.:.:.: :: :: f ; . , ......._ .. :

._

gusts t o 26 knot?,

A 1 1 t h e f c b r i c ~ 2 off t h e g o r t s i d e of the s

fill, b u t none i.t.s t o r n from a r o u n d t h e e6ges, nor an;-

t h e rudaer

surface d~rnzged, Sur-prisingly, t h e f a b r i c on t h e p o r t s i d e . had held xriithout c n y s i g n of weakening, and theBe hcci been no jsmming or binding of t h e c o n t r o l s elthough l a r g e bunches of f a b r i c were dra.ped over t h e f i n b-race tficires and some were over t h e rudder c o n t r o i csble. The ~ i l o s a i d tilst he' f e l t no l o s s of contro3, t
-.

b u t detected a , s l i g h t v i 3 r z t i o n of t h e rudder c o n t r o l s sometine-

before he Itnel,, of h i s f i n daaage. was t h a t v i b r a t i o n csuses

h

The most p l a u s i b l e e x p l a m t i o n

t h i n chafed a r e a which developed i n t o

a small hole ~ ~ l i i c h t u r n caused t h e f a b r i c t o give i n t h e high in

gusty ninds.

The -r.ind. st one time during t h e f l i g h t vzs 36-40

Irnots vdith gusts Lo 55

60 knots.

On 18 A p r i l 1944, 3 5 miles s o u t h of Nantucket Island, a s the

r e s u l t of a mid-air c o l l i s i o n of tvio t r a i n i n g planes f l y i n g from

I I

Charleston, R. I., tmo~ a w f l i e r s ~ were l o s t while t h r e e otfiers' were rescued i n a speed.y 2nd s ~ e c t a c u l a rusernblage of surfs.ce c r a f t and t r ~ o blimps. Squadron ELEVEN.Jts I(-9, under t h e command- of Ensign J. C .

<.

..... .: ..................... ......... ............. _ . . . .>:.. ......... .. _ . . . . ....... ............ . . ..... .. . . .. . . .. ..

.,..
.

... . . . . . ..:__ . .......... . ..;.:. ....... .

iI
; i

BjaTEI, USN, was ordered t o x-+oceedt o t h e crash l o c a t i o n t o e s s i s t

i.n l o c ~ ~ t i nsurvivors. g
::

Homing on NGs being s e n t by a PBIJ st.t h e

1 : :

scene, t h e K-9 n r r i v e d a . t 1630 snd began s n i r~lr!iedicite s e a r ch oi' t h e area,

lit

1655,

8 .

Zreen dye sliclr wes sighted i n t h e water and tiyo

l i f e r f f t s ls.s21ed totgettier.

A t t h i s t i n e , t h e S 630 C

;?bout
. . .
. . ... . .. . .... . . ...<._,,_;.:_ .. .....
i...

7 miles from t h e scene accorr,p~niedby a n o t h e r , ? i r s h i p , G-8 (!-irs h i p U t i l i t y Squadron QME).

-):.. . ::::: The H-9 raclioed %.he,f.,&ndi.ng..o&. : ~ ' . . . . . . . . ....... . ..:-............... . +,& . . . . .
. . .

.......

-..cr...r*

; -

.....

<

.....*

. . . I

-....

survivors
SC 63'3.

and hovered over them u n t i l t h e GI;$ arrfved. 1egd:irg t h e 7

......... . : ...................... .._. .................

? ,

"--

'

The SC 633 toe% t h e trto survivors zbozrd.

h t

Xesuming i t s search
2nd
ht

1725, t h e K-9 ~j.gc.in v ~ e p tt h e a r e a , s

1750, one of t h e cre-;; s i g h t e d a srnz11 o b j e c t i n t h e v ~ a t e r

which proved t o be a man, epparently unconscious, i n a l i f e jacket f l o z t i n g f a c e up. The K-9 s i g m l l e d a P ! b o z t ~vhichlS:as on t h e I Surface c r a f t and a 3 ~ p l a p e s

scene, an6 t h e PT picked t h e man up.

then secured, b u t t h e K-9 continued t h e sezrch u n t i l ordered back t o i t s base a t 1910. The Squadron Commsnder, Lieut

. Comdr . ECLAM,
1944

USN., p i l o t e d

the K - 1 1 on a t r a i n i n g f l i g h t on 7 May
-..--

t h e purpose of which

vilc!,s t o i n s p e c t the r e c e n t l y estzblisnei! S:j,u~dro'n i p e 6 . i t i a m r y e

f e c i l i t i e s s.t t h e N ~ ~ v A li r S t a t i o n , Brunsviick, 11Saine. a

Despite
.

extremely poor v i s i b i l i t y due t o f o g , t h e K - 1 1 lzndcd r t Bruns~-iick, ~~;Iz.ine,? - s refueled, hnd r e t u r n e d t o South \Veyrnouth t h e same day. kt This landing of t h e K - 1 1 marked t h e i n i t i d use of t h e Squadron's

expeditiona.rg f a c i l i t i e s a t Brunsviick. Bar Harbor expeditionary opertitions got und-erway on 8 Uay. 194.4 when t h e e x p e d i t i o n ~ . r yt r h i l e r z nd ground handlers were dispatched n o r t h ~ a r dfrom South Weymouth under t h e comnand of Lieyt. C. J. B m , USl!lR. U E

L t . (j

On t h e following morning, the K-12, Tor Trenton i i r p o r t ( ~ a r

...
. . . . . . .. . . .

G.

FRk-ZIEn, USNn, took or':

darbor) ind 1;nded there t o begin 1944 o p e r s t i o n s from t h z t bzse.

The nzonth of June 19/:,4 s uncventf ul., s.;:-

o p e r a t i o n s were

r o u t i n e except f o r t h r e e minor i n c i d e n t s !::hick occurred t o t h e

K-69, K-38, and I{-lli..

:.:.::.:-,..::.: ~. &h On 22 June, t h e K-69 &n~>:.nc.d. . h ~ . ~ ~ e . . & . n. : ,.. ..... e ~ ...... .......
,

........ ................ . ...........

. . .

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2; ::. :.:. . .y,:.:,. . . : . . .. ,

.......... . .

bag i n a.n unexpected mzri-ner.

P

I n running d o f ~ nand ilivestip,.;tlng

- 1

'

r;.&zrb l i p , t h e K-69 h i t ' its- t r ~ i l i n g sntennz z g c i n s t t h e mzst

2

of s s h i p znd l ~ u r l e dt h e znt-rm;. through t h e b2 ? ; t h e a i r t u n n e l j u s t a f t of t h e czr.

f ev, i n c h e s from

A l l of t h i s occurred b e f o r e

t h e p i l o t could s e e t h e s u r f a c e v e s s e l and avoid t h e c o l l i s i o n . The K-68 r e t u r n e d t o base vmlthout d i f f i c u l t y . The same day .(22 June 1944)~ t h e p i l o t of t h e K-38 ha.d a s l i g h t scare. During a p a t r o l mission, he f e l t a. sudden s h a r p

I I I

1
I
I

j s r r i n g throughout t h e cel.r. . F e ~ r i n ga p s r t i n g cf t h e suspensions, he headed home irnmedistely, radloin:

h i s suspected t r o u b l e .

The

s h i p s7:as inspected. a f t e r i t r e t u r n e d s u c c e s s f u l l y and no t r o u b l e could he found. The probz-ble ex-plamtlon

i4iE.s

t h h t on that d&y

t h e r e vlere extremely heevy c x l i b r e guns f i r i n g i n h i s p a t r o l a r e a ; t h e concussion probzbly gevc t h e h-38 t h e v i o l e n t jrzr. Con6-ucting a n instrument search a t n i g h t on 27 June 1944, on a s p e c i a l sweep of Penobscot Bay, t h e K-14 came c l o s e t o striking
a b r i d g e between ti:eo i s l a n d s .

stand in,^: a t t h e vuiincishield, looking

forviard, t h e p i l o t saw t h e o b s t r u c t i o n i n time t o g i v e a ~ u ' i c k o r d e r . f o r up e l e v z t o r , t h e n dosi? e l e v a t o r t o g e t t h e t ~ i over l

. t h e bridge.

T;Tnile conducting

; specia.1

MAD s e a r c h st 4,l+-0511; 67-5-l;

and

2 . t 2.n

2 - l t i t u d e of b e t a e e n 200 2nd %5G f e e t , t h e K-14 crasi?ed i n f u l l flight

2-t

i n t o t h e i;;te-r.

22856 on 2 J i i l y

1944.

During

-18-

f'

he ii'IPD s e e r c h , t h e

K-14 v ~ a sallovled t o g e t t o o c l o s e t o the

..._.....:.:.. . . .

vi;.ster.

The F l i g h t Captz.in, vrho v"ss a f t i n t h e c a r , chanced t o

................" .
. ......-

look o u t of t h e port v:'indo~; snd, s t s r t l e d a t the.. p r o x l n i t y ..Qf..:t.b . . . . . ~. .~ .~. ~. . .: ...~..~. ..L < . ~ ~ . ~
. .

water, r a n forviard t o o r d e r t h e s h f p t o n s a f e , z , l t i t u d e , but the;.

..... .........I.._._........ . . ....... ............. : .... ......... . .... 2

...................... . . . . . . . .

K-14 s t r u c k t h e 1~:2..ter ~ i l r n o s ti m i e d i a t e l y
The c c r r'pidly
f i l l e d ~ i t -hE te-. : ,

F i v e me~nbersof the cr'ev:

escaped f r o m t h e c E r r r i t h d i f f i c u l t y and made t h e i r utiy t o a f l o a t i n g f i n surface.

Then t h e f i n sank, t h e y swam t o s section

One of t h e
A t 0550Q,

of t h e envelope s t i l l p a r t i r l l y I n f l a t e d and a f l o a - t . f i v e becane separF.ted from t h e o t h e r s and disappeared. t h e f o u r s u r v i v o r s viere picked up by t h e USS T&-TRIOT.

The b o d i e s

s of t- e. rern~~iningi x melnbers of t h e cres: were r e c o v e r e d . h Those ~ h oo s t ' t h e i r l i v e s i n t h e a c c i d e n t were: l L i e u t . C h s r l e s \J. KLUBEB, 8118248, USNR. Edward J. DRZEV,X'ECKI, B608 84 34, fiR2c, USPaR. Viilliam H. !IUNRO, $607 9 5 29, A R M ~ c , USNR. John V. OLDAR, i7224 81 75, M1iD$2c, USN. i i a l t e r P. OZESKY, $653 22 93, I;EM3cJ USNR. John I3. POITLES, #2 58 3 5 87, ARll2c, USN. Ensign Id. I. CARLSON, USNR, i n t h e K-25 p a r t i c i p a - t e d i n r e s c u e ' work o n t h e c f t e r n o o n of 1 August 1944,. H e gunnery f l i g h t t o t h e 6:istress.
UE,S
.'.

d i v e r t e d from

p o s i t i o n of a fishing v e s s e l r e p o r t e d i n .

He found

t h e b r i f t , t h e JOFjiRE, a d r i f t w i t h no c o n t r o l

bout 133 m i l e s

EhE of ?ori;lend v!ith her ensign f l y i n g u-oside down.

The I(-25 dropped t>?o messages t o h e r deck t e l l i n g t h e crev: of the

JOFFRE 1;hs.t h e l p i n t h e form of a

Coast Guard v e s s e l was o n t h e in w2y snd h o r n i n . c n tlie a.irshi;pls r a d i o . Ho-i~ever, t h e Cozst Guard
I

r;i.ft broke d-own am:. h ~ . d o be t.ou:.ed b2.ck t o b a s e a.nd t h e K-25 w s s t

. .

. . . . . . . . .

r e c a l l e d t h r e e houi: s a f t e r making conxta.ct w i t h t h e JJOFPRE.

Surface

I1 i

.
;.,
.:;:

crGft S o c ~ t e dtlie f i s h i l i g vessel t h e foll.ov;ing ciay ~ n d .to-;.ed it i n t o ;?art. A hurricane swept t h e northeast coast,
........>
...

. .

i%s cenh,r:-p+s&&. ........;.. ~g.?., ... ................. . a. over t h e base s h o r t l y a f t e r '0100on I 4 Septe~nber. The . St a. -10n
~ ."*... .a:;:.

srcrned i n a.dvr;.nce served cis

2.

port of refuge f o r hezvier-thsn-air

u n i t s ui:) an6 down t h e c o ~ s t a.na Sc:uaircn personnel turned o u t to hsndle t h e land-ing and. berthing operations. Lieutenant Cornrnander

B,OLAU, USN, Sguairron Come-nder and Senior F l e e t Naval

viat tor. at
---

I I

II

I
.........

South G'eymouth, assunicd comi~%nd- o p e r a t i o n s . of

It u:as a t f i r s t

expected t h a t about 130 planes wouldJbe handled, b u t this numb-ex' grew r a p i d l y a s t h e afternoon o f 13 September mt on.
=.,.

The f i r s t

. . plznes a r r i v e d a t 1230 and a f t. e. r . t h a t , f o r s i x . hours, a - plane

. . . .

land.ed every minute u n t i l a t 1833 t h e r e ?;ere 326 plenes secured i n t h e hangs=

.
.?

The planes were SNJs, FAUS, S m s , TEFs, TBMs, F6Fs, RB-ls, FNs, GHs, GB-2s, GS2Us, SBDs, R50s, and PVs.
7

They c a n e from

hesterly, F.I.,

>

Ch;.rlestok.n,

fl..I.,

O t i s F i e l d , N~ss,,U&rthats

Vineyard, ;vIz.ss.,

Groton, Conn.,

Quonset Point, R . I . ,
<

Charlestown,
.-

R.I., Lakehurst, N.J.

aul N S New York. A

The-south wind made it

necessary f o r t h e planes t o be lsnded s c r o s s t h e East mat, so t h e

I I
I

l o n g e s t s t r e t c h o f runi.;g,

p i r ~ l l e l o Hangar ONE vias not uszble. t

B u t during the xhole operztion, involving 652 landings 2nd takeo f f s on a s t r a r g e f i e l d , t h e r e were only two accidents.

One F6F

crscked up on t h e Ezst mat probably because t h e rough ground. caused a w i n g t~ ciip am1 s t r i k e t h e ground..

Ltiter, v:hen 1s.ndirgs

vwere being ma.de i n t h e ssme d i r e c t i o n on t h e Viest ragt, a PV1 f a i l e d

t o g e t down soon enough and c;.reened o f f the ed.ge of t h e field. i n t o -20-

2.

rocky erea. where i t hzd t o be dismantled. During t h e o p e r ~ . t i o n h e experience o f ~ l squadron o f f i c e r s t l

'

vrith previous Heavier-than-Jiir

t r a i n i n g was u t i l i z e & , . ,.OfMcersj-.. . . . . . . . .

.

, .

:.

1 . .

--.../-...

. + ( . * I

>.

.I.^

.,+. .

.,-

were s t a t i o n e d with flagi a t k e y p o i n t s over t h & field . t o

keep

..:.::::.:: : . x . . . : . , : .i : . .: : . .... , . .. . . _ . . -...: :... _ _ _._ _, , ... : .. . :......::y.. .:>.fl. . .:. . ,:. ...... . . . . :.

................. ::: : 2. . . . - ..- ...... ... . . .

..............

t h e floTi; ol" t r a f f i c smooth am5 t o r o u t e t h e v a r i o u s planes cor-

r e c t l y so t h r t the;. c o u l d be docked. w i t h t h e i r osn o u t f i t s as f a r

a s possible.

A 1 1 F6Fs were d o c k d f i r s t because t h e i r f o l d i n g wings

made it com-p~rativelye;sy

t o ma,neuver them among t h e blimps on

. .

t h e hangar declr:

I n ord.er, t o r e l e a s e a.s few a s p o s s i b l e of t h e

. . . . . . .
: .

......... . . . . . . . . .
&
\

l i n e s which secured ' t h e blimys, t r z f f i c Lanes were. s e t ' 2lp .'Ln.the

.

..

,,'.

hangars.

I n t h i s vazy Dock Tvao vtss f i l l e d wit11 F6Fs a l l t h e way t o

'

t h e North Doors even though a11 planes were brougklt i n through . h. e. t out'n doors and f i v e blimps were i n t h e hangar.
A t f i r s t t h e planes m u l d c u t t h e l r motors a t t h e hangar

doors, f o l d t h e i r wings, and be pushed i n t o p l z c e by manpower,

but t h i s turned o u t t o be too slow.

Thereafter, planes kept

t h e i r motors running and t a x i e d t o t h e center of t h e hgngar under t h e i r own pomer. Althoi~ghundocking o p e r a t i o n s o n the
...

14th involved pushing. a l l planes outsid>eby hand, - t h i s was .

.
,

,dam

even f a s t e r t h a n t h e docking had been.

a t 1000 and a l l were i n t h e a i r by 1500.

Planes began t & i n g o f f

The I<-25, Ensign G. R. ANDERSON, USPJR, pi]-ot wes s e n t t o Vineyard Sound on 16 September t o search f o r t h e Light Vessel. ffVINl3YARDHAVEN11 which was l o s t d u r i n g the hurricane of 1 3 a d
i..

Using MlsO, t h e K-25 began t h e search i n t h e

quadrant of

I.'.:

'

. . . . . .

i
i

a c i r c l e of 10 miles r a d i u s from t h e origirx?l p o s i t i o n of t h e

?.

... .....

..

vessL

This tras considered t o be t h e area i n ir?hich t h e v e s s e l

..............

n s s most l i k e l y

t.0

be found because., w h e n the&zxi.cane ...passed,-- .

;......

.<

.............

- . .,. :;. .
, :

:.

. ............ ............Il.,:.......... ,
. . . .d

. , y....... ..........

..

..........

. . ..

. .......... . . . .. .. . ................. ............ ............. . . . .

t h e f i r s t severe g a l e s were blowing from t h e SE.

I n l e s s than one half hour z f t e r the sea-rch was begun,

1I I

t h e wreck of the "VIit'EYARD i3AVE1\Jf1 w a s located by t h e IS-25 by means of I I ~ D . The p o s i t i o n of t h e wreck vias approximately 1 1 / 2
miles NIri! of t h e o r i g i m l p o s i t i o n , i n 1 6 fathoms.
A few days
.
a

'1

Later; d i v e r s a e r e s e n t down a i the wreck was p o s i t i v e l y identified. ,-, rd

4

The K-69,

Task U n i t 22.3.2,

Lieutenant R. T. CONNOR, USNR,

I
'" "

p i l o t , took-off from South Weymouth a t 16402 o n 16 September 1944

enroute - t o Argentia, Newfoundland t o a s s i s t i'n anti-submarineoperztions by the use of $!LeiD gear. The K-69 a r r i v e d a t Argentia 1 7

September a f t e r having landed and refueled a t Sidney, N,S,

The

iI
,
I

K-69 was ordered t o stand by a t Argentia.

From 1 7 September t o

24 September, t h e a i r s h i p was masted a t Argentia and a. wetch was

kept i n t h e s h i p by members of t h e combat a i r crews.

During t h i s

time t h e K-69 successfully rode out r a i n and winds which a t one

time. reached a v e l o c i t y o r - 60 kkpoOts were o f t e n great-er than. and

40 knots.
On ?4 Septeniber a t 07502 rivith L i e u t e m n t Corncider
L

C. A. BOLPJ!, as p i l o t , the K-69 took-off from Argentia f o r

:

South V,eymouth and landed a t NAS South Reymouth a t 22382.

I
1i
11

On 30 September t h e K-9,

Lieutenant R. T. COMNOR, USNR, on a. m v i g a t i o m - 1 and i n d o c t r i -

p i l o t , proceeded t o Yarmouth, N.S. nation f l&th.

Yihile landing a t

Y armouth, t h e s h i p was t+l.owno f f

SimultG.neously, a member of t h e

wind by n gust on t h e p o r t bow.

ground handling crew became entangled i n a holding l i n e and f e l l .

Lieutenant CCNIJOR decided t o remain on t h e ground t o save the man entzngled i n t h e l i n e .

.
.
, ,

- *,-.

....... -.....-. ...-. ...........,...I -. ..-............. ............................. ...... .... ...-. .-. so f a s t , however, t h a t i t .vas.....no$ .:possible t.0..bpi=-, &t up i.n%o ;.&.I... . . . . . . .............. .:...:. ..

.. . .. The. s h i p continue,d.,t..qd r i f $ offl ,A,g%a3 ....-. .................. .. .....:.. . . . j. , ,7..,. ;.;: ........ . . .

. . . . . . . . .. ... ...-.. ............... ... ... ........... ,

. . . . .
... . . .

.................

....

-:'

t h e wind before i t h i t t h e mast parked alongside t h e l.ariding area. The K-9 d e f l a t e d r a p i d l y on t h e f i e l d .

. a

One member of t h e crern of t h e K-9 was s u p e r f i c i a l l y c u t . One of t h e men on t h e t o p of t h e mast q p a r e n t l y had unbuckled .
"
-<

,
"

h i s s a f e t y b e l t t o climb down. t o t h e concrete t a x i

He was overcome by helium, f e l l

. . . . .. .................. ..;

s'trib,

and was s e r i o u s l y .injiured.

. .

- ..,

; :

,..

..-

. . , .4-

.His . . - . .

..,., ........... ~;...

--.;;.r, : . L * . . -r.-,*..a

. . . . . . r,F-,~b... .....

Cansdian a s s i s t a n t had a l s o unbuckled h i s b e l t , t h e d e f l a t i n g m e l o p e and had t o be c u t o u t . The K-25,

He f e l l --into
- .
.
"

. . >
I

Ensign G. R e ANDERSON, USNR, p i l o t , during routine

,

Q p a t r o l on 23 October 1944 was diverted. a t 1200~.and - ordered t o search f o r s u r v i v o r s of a n SBD which had crashed a t sea South of
Nantucket.
A t 1551Q i n

40-42N; 69-l4W; a r a f t

W~LS

s i g h t e d con-

t a i n i n g two apparently uninjured survivors. scene c i r c l i n g t h e r e f t .

.
.

Planes were on the

The K-25 dropped i t s ov:n r a f t and t h e

. .

survivors were seen t o change from t h e i r r a f t t o the l a r g e r a i r ship r a f t .

By means o f hand s i g n a l s a n d megaphone, t h e K-25 l e d

t h e f i s h i n g ves.se1 JEKFRY & JEPJIY t o t h e scene from a p o s i t i o n t h r e e miles a m y . v e s s e l a t 1615Q. The survivors were taken aboard t h e f i s h i n g The K-25 t h e n stood by t h e c r a f t u n t i l t h e

s u r v i v o r s were t r a n s f e r r e d t o t h e Army Crash Boat #C-39069 a t

173 5Q.

Leanwhile a t l 5 O O Q , t h e K-27,
EOLAM, U S N ,

Lieutenant Conmznder C. A.

p i l o t toolc-off f o r the scene with gear aboard f o

! i

pick u p survivors i f crashboats could not r e a c h t h e scene before

-23-

i i

dzrk.
,..-

The K-27 ~ . r r i v e dzt t h e scene a t 1725 by vdlich time t h e

'

I
' f
I
.

survivors had'been picked up by t h e f i s h i n g v e s s e l .

. . .

After a n ' i n s p e c t i o n of t h e Sq.usdron i n fs.ont.aR.B&Dga:L. ,:,<,,,.:..,,, ,* . . .

'
...I..............

.-_-.- -.-.. .............I-.._ -.-.. "..-"~,..._.

_-,,_..-

N,jmber n f 0 on 31 O c t o b e r - ' ~ ~ ~Lf.&Gt-emj-& 4,-&mma&er.~~~--6=:F.i..-P~EARr'.~

USIJR, assumed comi~iand- B l i m p Sr,uadron ELEVEN. of

. . . . . ... . .. . . . .. ,..-. . .............. ...; .................... ..... .::. ..... .......... ---. :; .... ~,2:Li.-. . .

. . .............. ....... . . . ............:.: ... .I:...:. :..,:.:,, : . ........ . .

,.,.:~.:
:

i I
1
..........

Lieutemnt
Blimp

Corimander C . A. BCLAIYI, USN, xho had been i n comzand of

Squad-ron ELEVEM s i n c e 29 b r c h 1944, read h i s o r d e r s detaching him from t h e Squadron, Lieutenant Commader BEAR, t h e nevi Executive O f f i c e r of t h e Squadron.
i
"

, <

Squs-dron Commander, had been

base from a night e c o r t mission.

The- s h i p mas f l y i n g i n smooth

a i r through 5.. l i g h t d r i z z l e a t an a l t i t u d e of about 350 f e e t .... -. ......-.... . . . _ ..-. .........._ . . . * ...

when i t lurched upward. t o 700 f e e t .

The p i l o t a p p l i e d ' f u l l

'

... .'

.. ~. ". . .

1
1

I 1

.
''

down e l e v a t o r md returned t o 350 f e k t . a f t e r t h e turbulence had subsided.

A t 07.459, t h e s h i p a g a i n lurched v i o l e n t l y upward

a t t h e r a t e of 1200 t o 1400 f e e t a minute u n t i l it reached an

a l t i t u d e of 100O0&et a t which point t h e a s c e n t wa-s checked. During t h i s time s e v e r a l members of t h e crew reported hearing a loud crack or snap. Pbessure a t t h i s time went down and w a s not ragained i n s p i t e of e f f o r t s t o r a i s e i t by i n c r e a s i n g t h e t h r o t t l e and
.

I
i

s t a r t i n g %he e l e c t r i c a l blower.

One member of the crew r e p o r t e d

noticing wrinkles in t h e bag at t h i s time.

Slip tanks were

s-

dropped and t h e engines turned up a t 1400 RPM b u t s t i l l the s h i p continued t o s e t t l e .

A l l hands were ordered t o sta-nd by f o r a

c r r s h and lit about 0750 ( t h e car elitered t h e water.

A l l hands aba.ndoned s h i p and s u c c e s s f u l l y reached. t h e

inflated l i f e r a f t .

Due t o heavy seas, t h e r e f t cz9sized a @

p i l o t , f i r e d z11 h i s s i g n a l f l a r e s i n a n e f f o r t t o a t t r a c t tention.

5.t-

The ship, t h e USS KLINE:, approached and threw down

l i n e s by means of ~ i h i c h l l members of t h e crew were s u c c e s s f u l l y a pulled aboard e x c e p t , SPALDING, D,F, AFMlc, USNR, who- was. washed away by a l a r g e wave and wa.s not seen again.
.
~

O f t h e remaining
: .

. . . . .

. . . . . . . . .

.............
*

..3.,

: . .

. ?

members of t h e crew, a l l were s u f f e r i n g from. miLd shock o r 3ruTs.e~ . ,:q .

.

...

with t h e exception of Ensign Arthur H. VOSS, USN, who died aboard t . - - he

USS KLINE from exhaustion due t o exposure. -A t 1400 Q, t h e K-61,
i

L t . ( jg) J.F.

KING, p i l o t , was about

on t o be undocked from Hangar @1 14 December p r i o r t o a f e r r y

"

f l i g h t t o NAS Lakehurst.

t h e s h i p nrr?s' being taken o u t on

t h e ma.st through t h e west doors, t h e ground pa.rty began t o have t r o u b l e preventing t h e t a i l , o f t h e s h i p from k i t i n g t o p o r t ,
. . . . .

.,

Additional men viere ordered t o t h e starboard l i n e s , b u t t h e rnove. . .

ment t o b o r t could not b e cnecked.

. .

The :pilot s p p l i e a f u l l u p
9

. .

e l e v a t o r but t h e shf p k i t e d approximately f i f t e e n - f e e t b e f o r e . t h e e f f e c t of t h e c o n t r o l s was noticeable. The ship had begun

t o s e t t l e normally when t h e p o r t h o r i z o n t ~ . l .i n s t r u c k t h e south f

west hangar door a t 1405Q, r e s u l t . i n g i n a long t e a r i n t h e port s i d e of t h e envelope. A f t e r t h e impact t h e s h i p vened .clea.r of
.

t h e hengar, j e f l a t i n g immediately, ~ n c icrzshing on t h e mat cle.~iolislrringt h e unZersi?.e of t h e c a r .

N members of the crek were o

injured.
! &:.. ; "I i
.,

Operations during January 1945 ?.;ere r q u t i n e except f o r an

:
-

amual b i r d count f l i g h t msde by t h e K-19

"

on t h. .e. .. .24th..for. . %he-. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

-.

-:
.'

. ......... ".......... . ,. . . . . . .

.4.

..:......... . . .. .. . ...-... *........... ........... .............

. . . ..........

i
1

F i s h and V i i l d l i f e S e r v i c e . During t h e ~nontkiof ~ ' e b r u s r y 1945 e x c e p t i o n c l l y heavy end fYec:;,uentsnov~storms, i n c l u d i n g one f a l l of

1
I

I
1

14 inches o n 8

Februsry, considerably reduced b o t h t h e o p e r a t i o n a l a-nd t r a i n i n g f l i g h t hours of t h e Squadron.

.

- On 1 Februzry, Commander F l e e t Airslniyx, A t l a n t i c d i r e c t e d 1

7
~ 7 .

t h e ternpor~ryassignment t o F l e e t A i r s h i p Wing ONE of sex 'ddftfoml. a i r s h i p s and twelve crevis from F l e e t A i r s h i p Ring TVtO.
TVJO of
'

'
I

t h e s e. .s h i.p s and f o u r c r e x s were d e s t i n e d f'or Blimp, Squndron ELEVEN. ....., . .

, -. , , .7

Upon d e l i v e r y of t h e a i r s h i p s , t h e Squedron's a i r c r a f t complement

I I I
I
I

was temporsrily increz.sed from s i x t o e i g h t blimps.

The i n c r e a s e

was i n e f f e c t u n t i l t h e Squadron1s decommission in^ o r d e r s were r e c e i v e d on 14 May 1945.

t:.

I n t h e l z t t e r p z r t of t h e month nex sonobuoy e ~ u i p r n e n tarr i v e d and

VjZs

inst;i.lied i n t h e Squadron s h i p s .

An i n t e n s i v e g r o u d
............. . . .. . . . . . .....:.-. ....-,:. .. . :.-: .i'
" : . .. . ... . ... . . . . . ......... ....................... . . .. .

..

and f l y i n g t r a i n i n g program was put i n t o e f f e c t t o f a m i l i a r i z e

...

t h e crews with t h e equipment.

of sending t h e crews i n

...... - . . .. . . . .

..

rot.c?tion t o 14AS~%e~.csville r tvio d a y s of s p e c i h l i z e d - t r z i i n i n g i n fo t h e use o f . sonobuoys mas imugur2,ted. I n a d d i t i o n , arrsngements

were mede t o conduct sonobuoy t r a i n i n g e x e r c i s e s with f r i e n d l y submarines o f f Portsmouth. On t h e 28th o f Februz.ry, t h e K-50,
Lt.
'
,

( j g ) 1. U. ;

......

. . . . .. . . .

:
i

USNR, p i i c t , took o f f a t 1318 t o s e a r c h i f ~ a f i s h i n g v e s s r

.
,

reperted i n distress.

The e i r s h i p l o c a t e d t h e v e s s e l and- h

. .. . . . ..
.:.

.,, L ' .

surface c r a f t t o t h e scene. From 1 fiarch t o 2 5 Pilarch, because of t h e tnreetened renewal

.

o f . t h e U-boat a c t i v i t y , emphasis was placed. on .the

.

............. . . t r a i n i n g pr0gra.m and every o p p r % u n i t y was t,aken-..tosend .out. . . . . . . . -;;.-........-- -.....__. :

- .
.I.

.....................

;. ;> ->: . . . . .~ ~ ~ P J-., E Y , ~................................. :.: . ............ . . . .

,, .
,

...............
. . .: . . . . ... . .: . . .
:.

., .;

2 . 2,;

, c T _ -,.,

. .

.......

... _._-. . . . . ............................

t r a i n i n g fli!!hts exercises.

t o work with friendly submz-rines i n t r a c k i n g

During t h i s time, a t o t n l of 2 1 tr2.inin.g f l i g h t s

were s e n t out which logged approxirnstely 25% of t h e squadron's f l y i n g hours f o r t h e period. The K-69,
Lt.

( jg) G. J. DODGE, USNR, p i l o t , took o f f o n

2 5 BIc?.rch f o r a s p e c i a l p a t r o i i n t h e a r e & 43-35B,

67-SON, wbe'ke"

surfs.ce c r a f t had made what appeared t o be a good sound c o n t a c t with a U-bo2t. Upon a r r i v a l , t h e K-69 r e p o r t e d t o CornDesRon

1 7 and wss i n s t r u c t e d t o make a n MA-D search over t h e point of contact. The K-69 did. s o b u t obtained no s i g n a l s .

Meanwhile, because of probable a c t i v i t y of enemy submarines i n t h e Bay of Maine a.nd the p o s s i b i l i t y of extended o p e r a t i o n s north of 43-00, two a i r c r e w had. been s e n t from South iqeyrnouth The K-69
VJZS

t o t h e Advanced. Base a t B r ~ n s ~ ~ i cMzine. lr,

ordered

t o land t h e r e where i t ws.s r e f u e l e d and took o f f a'ga.in a t 2050Q; L t . Grant PAUL, USNR, was ' t h e p i l o t and r e p o r t e d a g a i n : ' t o C O ~ D ~ S R O

17. A t 0230, t h e H-69 sighted

s. long, narrov;,

o i l s l i c k extending

4-5 miles.

An MAD Search produced no c o n t a c t s ; n e i t h e r d i d a The K-69

sonobuoy dropped a t t h e southeast corner of t h e s l i c k . returned t o Brunsvrick a f t e r a 7-8 hour search.

During t h e period o f 26 t o 25 lharch, 55;-ns o p e r a t i n g from

'

South L'eymouth maintained b ~ r r i e rp a t r o l s a t desigm-t;ed areas

-2 7-

i J
1

a c r o s s t h e E,Dproc!chcs t o ~ d a s s ~ . c h u s e t t s and. opersted on Bay sever~~l missions with DesRon 1 7 2nd. CortDiv 3 5 , i n v e s t i g a t i n g promising sound c o n t a c t s by s u r f a c e c r a f t and . other a..i r c r a f.-.-.... . . ..- . . . ... t
.-.>.
> ,

g,

.
.
'

i I I
I

O n 29 March t h e K-LOO, Lt. Vl.

'

D GRAPfi,' i$JoE,.

wgs $n..$be

ry.. _ _ . . . ... ............ ....... ......... .. ...... ............ -2. ... ....... ....... .........

. . .

'I

.............. ............ .......... .<. .. ' ...............

'

area of 43-07N,

69-03';;,

a t 1800, standing by ~ h i l e SC1280 and

A t 1830, t h e K-LOO begzn

SC1.301 developed a sou116 contact.

'

msking lMAD r u n s over t h e s r e a of t h e sound c o n t a c t and dropped

a f l o a t l i g h t t o mark t h e spot of a doubtful sigml which, how-

ever, coincided with t h e sound c o n t a c t s of t h e F ~ s . Both SCs l a i d depth charges pz.ttrns over t h e are: w i t h no observa.ble results. A f t e r a f u r t h e r search without obtaining a c o n t a c t ,

t h e K-LOO resumed p a t r o l . The K-50,

Lt.
(jg) L U ..

HUELEI',

USNR, p i l o t , proceeding

from base t o C~she's Ledge on t h e 30th of dnrch t o r e p o r t t o CortDiv 35, .sighted virhzt .apqeared.. o be a su,b.plerging . p e . ~ i s c o ~ e , . . t
..

~t 15254 a t a. d i s t a n c e of about two miles.

course f o r t h e point of t h e s i g h t i n g (42-5211, dovrn a sonobuoy p a t t e r n .
clocked twice by L t .

The a i r s h i p a l t e r e d

69-0%;) and l a i d

Strong, p o s i t i v e propell-er bez-ts were

and 230 r.p.m.

( j g ) XUhLFE a t 240 r.p.rn.

a.nd t h e speed estimated a t 8 knots.

The i n t e n s i t y of t h e sonobuoy
IUD runs

r e c e p-.tfon grci,dually diminished u n t i l c o n t z c t was l o s t . produced no c o n t a c t s .

A t 1635, CortDiv 35 i n s t r u c t e d t h e K-50

I
,
I I

t o s t a y with t h e contact and continue t h e search.

A t - 2010,
'

without f u r t h e r c o n t a c t , t h e K-50 was r e l i e v e d by t h e K-69 and returncd to, b::.se.

N further; contacts were obtained i n t h i s area. o

I I

Lt.

( j g ) BURLID 1 s s i g h t i n g was evalua-icZ by CESF and ConiinCh as

probable. Throughout t h e month of A p r i l , a heavy operatir,:: sched-ule

:..il(j

ain:iir~ul:: i:er.;jonnel k e p t :-';:I'?.h; ilCUs in t h e 5c.!us6.ronu l l y f

occu7:)ied. .The r.e;.:they durlil~t h e iil~n~i;'ri, ;.ii;hough s u i t z : b l e f o r I"l;rin!; on a l l but f i v e d z y s ,

I~;,.S

chz.~.t~.cteir.iz,ed generi:ally by tlie

.-...... --.,..

high :.inG-s ;cn6' hei7.vy fay corumn to t h e a r e z at, t h i s t i m e of year. Operations IYere rem;.rkzble for the l z . r g e number- of missions rinvolvin-: c o o ~ e r :t. i o n n-ith surf;..ce c r a . f t .
fit v s r i c u s times,
a.-. &

........... *....,
.........

..... ... ........., ........ .......... .... .

zLiyslli;,s

fie;>

frecyent se;..rch iir1.6 y s t r o l missions i n c o o r d i n ~ t i i n

:;ii;h them.

To:.rrG tile ell< of the nonti-1, t h e fre:.:uency of tllr=:.e

oper: t ; i o n s incre:-.sed re;:.chin:,t i t s ~ e : ? . -on t h e 30th, :!:hen -

six

mis:;ions r';cre f2-o;,n i n c o o ? e r ~ . t i c n : . i t h ss.urf;ice c r ; f t . - L' Tju-?

or^ tF1;;.t
~:QS:Q~I,
7

tile evl-?r;in;;:of 5 i.:y j-1, ;:or6tile t:::.&er

~:.;.j.~l-.~,,ilIi,: ~ b C d,-i..~: ,
'

~i;:

s recei~.;.~zC f real
-.

.?l '

"1 '1

--.

,.

.-lr-,,-

IIYC. -:3cr3n

t i l ~ i ~ j - c t iof: ~ ~
* :

I I ~ , Y . ~ Li1.!0l~il6, T O N ~CC I

c>-~r.-;i; .. L eA .-,, L...

p7.-?losionv e y g ~ r:os siblg.

c:l;t. f t,

-!:eye

f'03?

t h e ; - ; ~ o s.pt.ri; sfi?-Ltr.r:i.n;- yioy'i., > n .:::iu:_ci.- of t :iiAL d

bet,,zc~ fcr2;;y z,i;(.

' T(;.. -._. c

f i f t y l.;noi;s el.i:;tc!d ;L::

f l y i n g lesrelc. in the

Gu::..~:.:,

t,o 35 ?.rnot;s \ ; e y e e;;!1e:~ience6 czn t h e f i e l d .

;it

051Lq.

lit 05L.2ib t h e K-82 i-iit;h ~ t ( . g ) BUYLEE; 2 s p i l o t j

.

11
1

& . .

follosied; st 0618Q t h e K-69 a i t h L i e u t . Gi;b?lI: a s p i l o t ,

;
. g

a.nd t h e n ~ .063 7 the K-50 with L i e u t t

-.

. IGO 2 s ' p i l o t " took,-off ..i-n_

............

...

.r

.,-., ... .-...

~.

.. ,.'..'........ . . . ... . . ..
.-

. .......... ..............: .
:,:.

g:,:.: :: ., ...........: _ _._

.9 .> ;
.
' '

succession.

These s h i p s p::trolled e s c o r t e d the li,TLi;I]TIC

and secrched t h e ozea during.

sl"j'i'-.,.,TTr.'' iw,

the d.y

2&

which was s t i l l a f l o a t

2nd uncier tow, bc!.ck t o aoston.

T a k i n g off a t 0548Q on A p r i l 30th, t h e K-69,
CiiRTbTOPHER,

Lt. ( j g )
-

USlW, r s p i l o t , conducted a s p e c i z l search from

4 4 0 1 t o 1;310N off t n e e ~ s coc s t of Ca.pe Cod, t h e :.re2 i n r h i c h 1,1J t

G-

tr~~ixing ?lane ha6 r e ~ o r t e ds i g h t i n g s surfzccd enemy submarine The rnorn5ng was uneventful a.rd
.>

a t 2010Q on t h e preceding day.

t h e a i r s h i p ' s s e z r c h a f t h i s mea. produced no apparent r e s u l t s .

i t 1312F, the K-69

~ ; sinf'ornicd by silrfnce c r : i f t t h z t t h e

'

DL CLUiVLS r e p o r t e d a sound c o n t a c t L+O miles from C a p e Cod L i g h t

on i bearing of 123 degrees. ,
The GLE*VKL Tias leavinpp formation

II

t o investig-j;.te t h e contkct and t h e a i r s h i p ~ i a si n s t r u c t e d t o proceed t o t h e scene and. a s s i s t . t h e scene ~ . n d . r:Tsived s.t 13434. The I<-69 gave
sin

ETA of 1345 a t

The s h i p f l e ~ : a n ?,UL c i r c l e one .

I
II

m i l e i n dismeter over t h e s p o t of t h e scund col~tacl;, b u t no

s i p ~ - ; l .!;;erer e c e i v e d , s
>-.

l i f t e r sp;?roxii-iiutely s i x c i r c l e s bee been

flown, the 13ilo''ideciced t h a t bec~iuseof' g ' e o l o ~ i c z land e l e c t r i c r l i n t e r f e r e n c e , t h e IvULCe c u i p m ~ ~ coulc: n ~ Ste usec? t h e n f o r e v ~ l u n it t i o n of t h e surfz.ce c o n t ~ c t . The G'SBI:VgS t h e n a-ithdreu, from t h e ::reg t o eneble t h e z i r s h i p
to d r o p s o n ~ b u c y s . The Ti-69 d r o p 7 e d . ::.n oTznj:;e buoy 211; t h e i ? o i n t . * o f the soun6- c o n t a c t 2 , r d 8:eg;.. .r:. t p :-!iclr ur, sounc!s vjhich t h e p i l o t

znd. souobuoy r e c e i v e r o p e r i t o r thought were ;xobhbly p r o p e i l e r

."

n o i s e s and not t h o s e of t h e depc.rting s u r f s c e c r a f t xhfch could be i d e n t i f i e d sep;jur.~,l y te

...

.............

...

.,

'-.

X.-i.,rb..\

..... ...-. The b l i m p t h e n ,dr.0ppe.d s.-x-ed... -sonobu;lsy---.-.-. ......................... -1. .................. ................. ... . .

....................... ... ........... .... . ... ......

., .
L
'

"

........... . . . . .

.................. . . . ............... . .

. . . . . . . . .

:,I.

3300 y2,rd.s south of t h e or.::nge ~:.ndt h e indic;;.tions were picked up

~ l s o n t h i s one. o
A t t h i s time, hoviever, a s u r f 2 ce c r a f t vvas noticed e p ~ r o ~ c h i n g

the

2r9~ of

t h e sorlcSuo7 p e t t e r n >,mcd. i t v,~.si n t e r f e r i n g v a i t h t h e

The K-69

- .,,

reception.,

c a l l e d beck t h e GLIQ1VdS t o resume sound

,. ,

t r a c k i n g and. attempted t o e n t e r comunict.tions v j i t l . 1 t h e other

,

surface c r a f t .

By blinker t h e v e s s e l w a s identified a s CG-92004,

and i t wzs learned tha,t b o t h h e r trrsnsmitter and r e c e i v e r vvere

irioperative on t h e scene of a c t i o n frequency.
A s t h e GLFXVES hnci t h e ~,ccornpi+,rnji~~ DE PETERSCN came i n t o

t h e a r e a , t h e p o s s i b l e p r o p e l l e r n o i s e s from t h e sonobuoys ceased o r were drowned o u t by the s u r f z c e c r a f t . The GLEAVES then

reported- a sound c o n t a c t a p n r o ~ i r n ~ t e l -700 y s r d s from t h e orznge g

buoy dropped-by t h e K-69.

The GLERVES proceeded t o

byork

this

c o n t a c t f o r some time.
I

'

A t a p ~ r o x i m a t e l y1540Q, t h e GLZAVBS again c l e a r e d t h e area:

l e a v i n g t h e K-69 t o resume sonobuoy opers.tions.

Ils t h e s u r f a c e

c r a f t Left t h e 2-re2, t h e o r i g i n r l s u s p i c i o u s sounds were heard bgain over t h e sonobuoy r e c e i v e r zn6 t h e K-69 resurnecl. laying i t s
. . .. .. . . .

p a t t e r n xihich-vcas com~1ete.da t 1668%. The sounds were d i m i n i s h i n g on t h e crange buoy, viere very s l i g h t on b l u e t o t h e west, 2nd were .he strongest oil red t o t h e south.
S.

They seemed. t o be movirg i n

k p u r p l e 't~uoywas drop.?ed:

s o u t h e r l y k.nd we;;t.erly'"%irection.

b u t nc so'unds .::ere h e a r d , f r o n i t .
fit 17271;,

riit'n sounCs h c i -

he~.rd from tne r e d buoy,

,. , . .

the
,.b.

K-69 ma.de a n a t t a c k .

N r e s u l t s were observed. o

Th'ea.souncl?, .
I ~

........-....

. . . . . .
. . . .

..................

........... ....... . (:,;,.':...'2,. :.. ...... ,.,. ....

........... ..........

.........

..........

cezsed f o r some rrlinutes s . f t e r t h e z t t c c l r , b u t about't;;elity

minutes l a . t e ? t n e y resu:med r c ~ ~ c h i n2.g ~er'ik::t 1800~,,Sounds

similer t o t h e b l e e d i r ~ . ; of b t , l l s s t tr;.nks vTere ~ l s .heard f o r a o
The K-69 vias r e l i e v e d a t 1957Q by t h e K-50 ane r e t u r n e d t o
I

tiue

base, l a n d i n g a t 2130Q, N c o n t a c t s were e s t a b l i s h e d o r developed o

b y t h e K-50.
During the first days of May, the l a s t days of t h e European
I.'nr, more enemy submsrine
l-~ijaters l x n t

t i v i t y bvas experienced i n Neji; England

L z r g e numbers of U-boets

zt

;ny

t i n e f o r many months.

were e s t i m a t e d t o be i n o r z.ppro2.chirg A m e r i c a v,t;.ters and l a t e r s u r r e n d e r s prove6 t h e s e estim~test o nave b e e n s u b s t e n t i a l l y correct.

D e s p i t e contiimed f o g 2nd lovi v i s i b i l i t y , Sc;uacron airships

meint;.ined

; ~

n 7 rxisht p,r..tl-01 e c r o s s t h e ~ p v r o a c n e st o G

l!Tsssachusetts D&y o n hll b u t one of t n e f i r s t seven deys o f t h e

month,

Both da.y cLnd n i g h t e s c o r t s cf convoys v;ere c o n d ~ c t e ? ~

hnd s p e c i s l sezrches were csrrieS! o u t i n c o o p e r a t i o n w i t h s u r f a c e

c r e f t.

O 5 Xa.y, a merchant v e s s e l v;as t o r p e d o e d ' a n d sunk o f f F o i n t n

Judith.
A t 2204Q t h e K-82,

Lt.

( j g ) J. JANDROXITZ,
L

USN, p i l o t ,

took o f f from South Keymouth t o conduct a- s e a r c h of t h e s r e a i n conjunction

: ,

.d s from i 3 l i m p S . L ~ j c d r ~ p i th s u r f z cc cra.f t ? n z L i r h i ~ s
-32-

TY,ELVE,

The R-82 reecheZL t h e s e a . ~ 0305C; o n t h e 6th, and t

r e p c r t i l g t o t h e CTC, 1z.s t o l d t o s t a d b 3 .

'Thr.oughout t h e r e s t
. . . *,. - ,"

of t h e n i g h t i n heavy f o g , t h e I<-82 p s t r o l l e d t h e 8rea assigned-.

A t 0705Q surface crz.ft could be h e a d making ,,+.t.$,a+c.drs~,._, .. . . . . .
~

. . . . . . . . . .

.- .............. . :.. ......... ........... .. .*:::.:::::.. . . . . . . . .. . . . ... . . . . . . --. -.,.: ............. :. :.,::. .-i : : . :.: ~,
...............

A t 0715q, ~ i t v i s i b i l i t y improving, the K-$2 decid-ed t o h

i l w e s t i g ~ t et h e Exes- of t h e a t t z c k s .

TEO z i r s h i p s from Squadron

YYtKLVE were seen l z y i n g markers viith suxfcce c r ~ f t . This was

i n accordance with a previous assignment t o BlimpRon 12 s h i p s

t o t h e western s e c t o r and

BlimpRon 13 t o t h e e a s t e r n s e c t o r .

The K-82 reported i n t o t h e area and vfas ordered t o stand c l e q .

A t a d i s t a n c e of P 1/2 miles t h e K-82

observed s u r f a c e .craft

and t h e a i r s h i p s from Squadron TWELVE making runs over the t a r g e t

area.

The K-82 asked permission t o make a n a t t a c k and was toLd

A t 1050Q,

;hat t h e a r e a would not be cleared f o r another hour.

.
"

t h e K-82 was t o l d t h a t t h e German submarine was believed sunk. A t 1054.Q,t h e K-82 requested permission from t h e OTC t o depart.

PermisSion was granted, and t h e K-82 received t h e message,

" T h ~ r i t r you f o r cooperation^ from the OTC.

Divers l a t e r v e r i f i e d

t h e sinking of t h e U-boet, waters,

t h e l a s t of t h e war i n North A t l a n t i c

On 7 May t h e Squadron conducted i t s l a s t p a t r o l s .

Hence-

f o r t h o n l y e s c o r t missions and s i n s l e s h i ? movements o r s p e c i a l missions were t o b e flovb'n.

On

14

1ga.y a t 0923, t h e K-38,

Lt.

( j g ) J. JANDEOVJTZ,

USN,

p i l o t , took o f f from South Keymouth t o a s s i s t s u r f ~ c e r a f t i n c

rvestig6,tin.g o i l bubklcs off Portlan6- Light,

On a r r i v z l a t t h e
. .. .
. . ... .. . . . .

scene, t h e K-38 dropped a sonobuoy over t h e bubbles, h u t no in-

-33-

dic~-tions ic.!eTe r e c e i v e d * The &SiD gec~r&it h i s time t

VihS

inopex%.tive
.

)a ....

I ii!;
1

b u t a . t 1226~ h e source of t h e bubliles v;i::.s e v t ! l ~ ~ c t e2d s t c t i e m : r y . t s . .......... .......... ........ .. -.". . . . . . .................:. . . .. ...*.. . ~R,. which .was. . . . . . . .-iC;..-.;_ ... A t 130 5Q, t h e ii-12 5, L t ( j g) C ~ I S T O P ~ ~ ~..pil.ot,,. .:;_ .......

, * . , + . :

b...

,*.."

. % . . . . . .

:.

d i v e r t e d t o t h e scene e f t e r t h e completion of : e s c o r t mission, : n 2.rrived. :i.nd. v:ithin a f ev? minutes r e p o r t e d good $!LAD s i g n d s .
At

1423Q, t h e El-38 relea.sed. a. PI& 4.7 depth bomb i n t h e midGle of t h e

continuously r i s i n g p z t c h of o i l bubbles on v;hat t h e p i l o t considered. a ~ o s s i b l es t & t i o m r y t a r g e t . f a i l u r e , t h e bomb d i d n o t ' explode.
I
-?

Because of r;rmi'krg wire

.,

The s o u r c e of t h e bubbles

was l a t e r determined t o be t h e meclc of s n E ~ ~ g Boat vhich b d le

sunk i n t h a t p o s i t i o n a month previcusly.

1.
I
k.4

In ~ d d i t i o n ,the 1 4 t h of May as t h e lsst day on which t h e

Squndron gz.ve a i r cover3,ge t o
C O ~ O ~ rS o

s i n g l e s h i p iaovernents
U.S.

2nd wrs t h e dzy on. which t h e Commander-in-Chief,

Fleet

and Chief o f N2vz.l Operations i s s u e d h i s 'comnidential d i s p a t c h

141956 d i ~ e c . t i n gt h e d.ecom&ssioning o f Blimp Squadron ELEITEIT..

On 1 6 Yzy, t h e S ~ u a Z r o n e p o r t e d t o C o m m d e r A i r Force, r

I I

A t l a n t i c F l e e t f o r o - ~ e r c t i o m c o n t r o l i n accordcsncevtith o r d e r s l from Comuiander E a s t e r n Se6 F r o n t i e r ; 1.at e r on t h e . Sxne d2y,

.

........... ..) ............ ..........

1-5

.-. ...... ...

Comr-i1zii6er i,ir Force, A t l a n t i c F l e e t d i r e c t e d Commander F l e e t

............. .......... . ~ ................. . .. .. .. . . . . . . . ........ ........... . ..... . . . ... . . . .

A i r s h i p s , A t l s n t i c t o assume oger.::.tioml- c o n t r o l o f t h e Squadron ~ i n dt o ?roceed a i t h i t s decommis:..ioning. Tiiose u t i l i t y corimitmentS of k . i r s h i p U t i l i t y Sciua.dson ODE re:,;.uiring t h e s e r v i c e s of X-type t'i.irships were a.ssvrn~6. 1 7 May on
. .... .

by D l - i m p S ~ ~ u ? ~ d ELEVEH i n acco~;i;r.nce i i t h orclers f ronl Cormander ron v

F l e e t /:ir;hips,

!
!

i : t l ~ n t i c . F o u r days l c + t e r ( 2 1 ~ ~ I t~ e~ Squzdron h ~ ) ,

conr2ucted i t s fir::t such u t i 1 i t ; - mission .<..hen recovered it

!??.
k j
C

t o y : ? e c - ~ e si n b c t h 'the insi6.e ; ncl c g . t s i < e f-iri% r z n w ~ e s : ;t

. . .

Na-i-nol.-t
.

axd 1i:hen it c a l i b r z t e - t h e fii;n_zgr;nsett Coast .GGl;izcI"St'BtTb'ri~'~'''. . .-. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ,_. . . . _ _ . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ..

,
'*

.*: -, .

During t h e second and t h i r d yeeks i n Ms,y, Blimp ~ c ; , u i b r o n

ELEVEN receive:: nessL.ges o f thznks and c o n g r : ~ ~ t u l z t i o nfrom s

CcrninCH, Co&.irLa.nt,

C o r d i ~ tSe?.Fron, Corm-~nd-er , Northern Gro.u~, s

and Commander Northern A i r Grou~, o r i t s c o n t r i b u t i o n t o victory f i n t h e B & t t l e of t h e Atlantic,

Corn!; ncie~F l e e t L i r s h i r s , L t l ~ n t i c n o
B
fj,

;'4311s.~~ d i r e c t e d 194.5

Elimp Squadron T!:'ELVE

t o e s t ~ ~ b l i s hdetschment a t t h e Naval
FL

A i r S t z t i o n , South Keymouth,

hnd upon t h e e s t ~ b l i s h m e n tt h e r e o f ,
* .

t o assurne t h e u t i l i t y comnitments of Eliinp Ekuadron ELEVEN.

,

On 2 5 PJIE.;~, t h e K-92, vrith ' ~ t , BOG~EN,' H. USNR, p i l o t , took o f f

from South li'jeymouth cn
U.S,
C o a s t Guard.
&

photogr~,phym i s s i o n a t the r e q u e s t of t h e

The R-92 proceeded t o Massachusetts Bzy \ # h e r e

...

C o e s t Gus.rd photogrc..p'ners eboard t h e a i r s h i p f i l ~ i l e dt h e t r a n s p o r t

ilvilKEFIELD a s she 11li;.de her. bray i n t o b o s t q n limbor

loaded w i t h t r o o p s
\

r e t u r n i n g from Europe. veter6,ns.

T h i s wss t h e first 1r;rge group o f r e t u r n i n g

During t h e l z s t d z y s of t h e snonth, t h e Scjua.dron ~ . ~ ~ i . - ; i tteh e d

-*:ord t o decomiiission.

The IS-50,

Lt. D. EOYC, USNR, n i l o t , , t c o k o f f from South

1,eyrnouth on 28 Tky t o be f e r r i e d t o t h e -Navel A i r S t s t i o n , Lakehurst,

This coni>letecl t h e t r r . n s f e r of 211 BlimpRon 1 a i r s l i i p s t o o t h e r 1

units 2n6.
\. \.

v . 2 ~the

1 a . s - t 2 . i r s h i p f l i g h t rot.d.e by t h e Squadron.
.
.

On 8 June 1945, Blimp Squadron ELEVCN%is i i f f i c i a l l y d e : comrilis sioned in accorda.nce v i t h CorninCh 2nd. CNC ccnf i d s n t i a l d i s p z t s h 1,41956 of Mzy '194,5.'
.

. .. .. .. . . .

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-3 5-

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