CATERPILLAR CLUB , GOLDFISH CLUB , SEA SQUATTERS CLUB

[GAZOO]

Just noticed this WRITTEN QUOTE from 1945

"has to FLOAT upon the sea for a considerable period"
they were picked up almost immediately sooooo

[Thrifter_01]

Bought a scrapbook recently that belonged to an naval air crewman from VPB-135. Still waiting for it to arrive, but did see that he had the Sea Squatters Club card.

 

[KASTAUFFER]

On 1/5/2025 at 11:25 AM, GAZOO said:

  

This is ANOTHER GOLDFISH PATCH
Without WAVES
Issued for a Pacific Theater DITCH.

I have seen 3 without the WAVES and all were from the Pacific theater, is this a CLUE


 

I recently picked up a Group with this STYLE (NO WAVES) Goldfish patch. When purchased it ha NO History
just the soldiers name on the back of his DFC (script style, privately done)

  After some research through FOLD & ANCESTRY
I have Found
Samuel L. Burch was a WWII Army Air Corps, Flight Engineer
Assigned to Aircrew 84-04, 484th Bomb Squadron, 505th Bomb Group (VH), 313TH Bomb Wing Command, 20th Air Force
at North Field on TINIAN in the Mariana Islands; PACIFIC Theater of Operations
as Flight Engineer aboard the B-29 Superfortress Named "THE DEACON'S DELIGHT" serial # 42-24818

Flight Officer BURCH Flew 35 B-29 Combat strikes against the Japanese
homeland as a flight engineer Master Sergeant, and subsequently commissioned a Flight Officer.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The Event that earned him the Goldfish I assume was as follows

History of the DITCH.
Please Note the B-29 Needed to be RAMMED by the "USS Bering Strait"



A few reasons for this different style come to mind
MAYBE
1) this style was issued for pilots in the PACIFIC by a different goldfish organization (US Based maybe)
2) this style for NO RAFT or Life support equipment used
3) for immediate rescue
4) or maybe simply because they did not have enough materials to add the waves ?? war time rationing of materials
 





BOTTOM LEFT ROW

 

Believe it or not that is actually official script engraving on that DFC. It was done in the 1946-1947 time period. 

[GAZOO]

12 hours ago, KASTAUFFER said:

 

Believe it or not that is actually official script engraving on that DFC. It was done in the 1946-1947 time period. 

  Awesome, Thanks. I assumed it was privately done (sold as such), liked it anyway. Now very excited to hear

its official, + the time period for that style script +++.

  Thanks very much for taking the time to post that very important information, for me anyway 🤩

Much appreciated

[GAZOO]

14 hours ago, Thrifter_01 said:

Bought a scrapbook recently that belonged to an naval air crewman from VPB-135. Still waiting for it to arrive, but did see that he had the Sea Squatters Club card.

 

I Now find it VERY INTERESTING they made a POINT to include the time in the Raft +++++

[Thrifter_01]

13 hours ago, GAZOO said:

I Now find it VERY INTERESTING they made a POINT to include the time in the Raft +++++

The couple i have seen on this thread also had the time marked on the card. Once it gets here I hope to see if it had his plane numbers

[Thrifter_01]

On 1/27/2025 at 9:05 AM, Thrifter_01 said:

Bought a scrapbook recently that belonged to an naval air crewman from VPB-135. Still waiting for it to arrive, but did see that he had the Sea Squatters Club card.

 

 

Got the scrapbook in today, and it had more than i had hoped for. The book not only had the card, but the incident report signed by the VPB-135 commanding officer and newspaper clipping describing it as the first rubber craft rescue in the Aleutians. 

 

[AxolotlHelmet]

Amazing find! These clubs and its’ members always have interesting stories!