mark leonard Posted September 22, 2011 Share #1 Posted September 22, 2011 I have had this Log Book for a couple of years and just noticed this signature.Do you think it is Max Leslie.The date of this page is Aug. 1940, VB-3. Thanks for any help Mark Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
67Rally Posted September 23, 2011 Share #2 Posted September 23, 2011 What are the dates of the log book? At first glance, I'd be hard-pressed to say that it would be some other M. Leslie since he was with VB-3. That is awesome! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mark leonard Posted September 23, 2011 Author Share #3 Posted September 23, 2011 What are the dates of the log book? At first glance, I'd be hard-pressed to say that it would be some other M. Leslie since he was with VB-3. That is awesome! The log begins May 1939 thru Dec.1940 VB-4 then Jan.1940 thru Nov. 1940 VB-3 then Nov. 1941 thru Jun 4th 1942 VP-44 when he was KIA at Midway Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
R Leonard Posted September 23, 2011 Share #4 Posted September 23, 2011 Max Leslie was XO of VB-3 in August 1940. Regards. Rich Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bob Hudson Posted September 23, 2011 Share #5 Posted September 23, 2011 Hard to imagine there was another Lt. Cdr. MF Leslie signing Bombing Squadron logs at that time... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
B-17Guy Posted September 23, 2011 Share #6 Posted September 23, 2011 Very interesting. Guessing the owner of the log book was maybe a gunner on SBD's? Best, John Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
67Rally Posted September 23, 2011 Share #7 Posted September 23, 2011 The log begins May 1939 thru Dec.1940 VB-4 then Jan.1940 thru Nov. 1940 VB-3 then Nov. 1941 thru Jun 4th 1942 VP-44 when he was KIA at Midway It really seems to be his book...which is very cool!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
R Leonard Posted September 23, 2011 Share #8 Posted September 23, 2011 It really seems to be his book...which is very cool!!! Who's book? Not Leslie. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bob Hudson Posted September 23, 2011 Share #9 Posted September 23, 2011 Who's book? Not Leslie. Correct: Leslie signed it and it looks like the guy who did own it flew with him, but it is, as suggested, probably a gunner's log. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mark leonard Posted September 23, 2011 Author Share #10 Posted September 23, 2011 Correct: Leslie signed it and it looks like the guy who did own it flew with him, but it is, as suggested, probably a gunner's log. The book belonged to ARM Adams ,my question was on Leslie's signature.Thankyou guys for your comments, I guess it is Max Leslie's signature. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
67Rally Posted September 23, 2011 Share #11 Posted September 23, 2011 Who's book? Not Leslie. :pinch: Oops...sorry to create confusion...I meant to type "his signature" meaning that it is Leslie's autograph. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
R Leonard Posted September 23, 2011 Share #12 Posted September 23, 2011 Oh, no doubt it's Leslie's signature. While it was preferred that squadron COs sign-off on hours, XOs and FOs signatures were more than acceptable. I have a sample of Leslie's signature on his Midway report. Looks the same. Regards, Rich Leonard Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bob Hudson Posted September 23, 2011 Share #13 Posted September 23, 2011 I have a sample of Leslie's signature on his Midway report. Looks the same. That's great - I looked all over online for a sample of Leslie's signature and they just aren't there, even though he lived until 1985: I could find no evidence of sutographs, signed photos or letters, nothing. Where did you find that one? The only VB3 report I could find was for June 10, 1942, signed by Shumway. If you can post that it will add to this thread's value as a reference source on what is apparently a rare signature. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
R Leonard Posted September 23, 2011 Share #14 Posted September 23, 2011 Shumway's report is the best source for a description of the VB-3 Midway operations, but that's because Leslie had to ditch when he got back from the morning strike and spent the rest of the battle aboard a cruiser. His report is more of a personal narrative of what he did during the morning strike. Runs about 7-8 pages. I looked at it to insure it was signed and actually tried to upload it, but it's a PDF that's an order of magnitude bigger than the forum system allows. Even the single page with his signature is too big. Absent any clever ideas, the only solution I have is to print it off and re-scan hoping for a smaller result. The version I have was photocopy to picture to conversion to PDF, so its size is no surprise. If you as a forum administrator can load a really big PDF, I'd be happy to email it to you in its present form for that purpose. It's not classified, afterall. Where did I get it? Had it in the files. I've just about all the available squadron reports from Midway, some originals of other documents only seen as copies at NARA or USN archives and even some stuff you won't find in the NARA or USN archives, in their originals. My father was Flight Officer & Acting Exec of VF-3 during the battle, the senior LTJG of Yorktown's VF-42 draft that augmented VF-3 for the trip. Regards Rich Leonard Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mark leonard Posted September 24, 2011 Author Share #15 Posted September 24, 2011 Oh, no doubt it's Leslie's signature. While it was preferred that squadron COs sign-off on hours, XOs and FOs signatures were more than acceptable. I have a sample of Leslie's signature on his Midway report. Looks the same. Regards, Rich Leonard Thankyou for that info! Mark Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bob Hudson Posted September 24, 2011 Share #16 Posted September 24, 2011 Shumway's report is the best source for a description of the VB-3 Midway operations, but that's because Leslie had to ditch when he got back from the morning strike and spent the rest of the battle aboard a cruiser. His report is more of a personal narrative of what he did during the morning strike. Runs about 7-8 pages. I looked at it to insure it was signed and actually tried to upload it, but it's a PDF that's an order of magnitude bigger than the forum system allows. Even the single page with his signature is too big. Absent any clever ideas, the only solution I have is to print it off and re-scan hoping for a smaller result. The version I have was photocopy to picture to conversion to PDF, so its size is no surprise. If you as a forum administrator can load a really big PDF, I'd be happy to email it to you in its present form for that purpose. It's not classified, afterall. Where did I get it? Had it in the files. I've just about all the available squadron reports from Midway, some originals of other documents only seen as copies at NARA or USN archives and even some stuff you won't find in the NARA or USN archives, in their originals. My father was Flight Officer & Acting Exec of VF-3 during the battle, the senior LTJG of Yorktown's VF-42 draft that augmented VF-3 for the trip. Regards Rich Leonard I sent you a PM on how to get the PDF me - and I can put in on the forum. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bob Hudson Posted September 24, 2011 Share #17 Posted September 24, 2011 Thanks to Rich we now have the most comprehensive online study of the signature of Maxwell Franklin Leslie - in fact these may be the only examples online of something he's signed. Here's his signature from the Midway report and the one from the radioman/gunner's log: And here's the PDF of his Midway report: VB_3LeslieReport.pdf And here's the first and last pages in jpeg form: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hink441 Posted September 26, 2011 Share #18 Posted September 26, 2011 Wow, this is a great thread. Very interesting report. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lluckey Posted November 10, 2023 Share #19 Posted November 10, 2023 @R Leonard I'm newly registered to this site. Maxwell Leslie was my great-uncle. My dad has talked about him and his service many times. We are all very proud of him and I love finding new pieces of Uncle Max's story. I'm so appreciative of the posted copy of his Midway report. My dad, now 85, will be interested in reading this. (By the way - many years too late, but I have a copy of his signature.) Thanks again. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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