VB-16 | USS Lexington (CV-16) | two WWII patches

[qmjones]

Irish,

  Thanks for the inquiry about your grandfather. I did check Dean's VB-16 roster of personnel. His name is not there. Although they may both have been in CAG-16, the squadron history does not give the "author" within the pages, unfortunately.  

[irish caffey]

Thanks for your reply @qmjones, sorry for my late response here. Looking at this again I see that it is a squadron history from April 1945 to August 1945, so it makes sense that he is not listed on that roster (would be either “Irish” Caffey or John F. Caffey).

[irish caffey]

Hi @walika nice photos you have shared here. I have a question about your post. In the last photo on your post (closeup of SBD) I can barely make it out but does it say LT. JG GLACKEN? Is it common for pilot names to be printed in white letters on the side? I can see the rearseatman also has a name printed He made a dive on the Junyo together with Cook Cleland and Irish Caffey in the mission beyond darkness. I would love to find a map that isn’t distorted, but this is from the book written about that battle, so I’m not sure if one is available online.

[irish caffey]

Quote

Here it is our squadron insignia — just to show what a tough bunch of li’l kids we are!! Her’s a li’l hawk — Hugo the Hawk or something.

This is how my grandfather described the VB-16 squadron insignia in one of his letters home. I couldn’t verify that, does anyone on this thread know if that is correct?

[qmjones]

The insignia does portray a bird of prey wearing flight gear. Good to know the mascot had a name.