1943-1944 USMC VMF-111 Makin Island MARINES with Butaritari Native Islanders WW2

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1943-1944 USMC VMF-111 Makin Island MARINES with Butaritari Native Islanders WW2 (No Book)4 1/2" x 2 1/2"Photos Only - Book Not IncludedMakin Island or Kwajalein RoiAbout this photo and the lot of items from VMF-111I purchased the VMF-111 War Tour 43-44 book along with many *original* photos from a squadron member (Walter Charles (W.C.) Baltzell)) of VMF-111. The photos were printed via the covert photo lab (as mentioned in the PHOTO section of the book) that was in place on Makin Island. The book was put together for the squadron by Capt. Newell P. Weed Jr. - Pilot USMC. There are no other copies that I can find other than one that sold and was featured on Worthpoint. These books were only available to the squadron by writing to Newell Weed Jr. There are no other copies for sale in the whole wide world.This book is a story of the squadron from 1943-1944 - a running pictorial account of the life and work of the men and officers assigned to Marine Fighting Squadron 111 during the period of time from August 1943 to August 1944. The photos were taken by Capt. Weed and 2 other photographers in the squadron. I have many of the original photos of Japanese war dead, native headhunters, aircraft photos and daily life of the Marines. I also have photos of Bob Hope when he visited Makin Island along with Frances Langford and Jerry Colona.VMF-1 11VMF-111 was organized at Quantico on July 1, 1937 as VMF-1. The unit was re-designated as VMF-111 in July 1941 and was on maneuvers at New Bern when war was declared. The squadron arrived at American Samoa in March 1942 and remained there until January 1944. VMF-111 was based on Makin Island from March 1944 to November 1944. The unit operated temporarily from Roi-Namur in November 1944 before moving to Kwajalein.VMF-111 Commanding Officers:Major Thomas J. Walker Jr. - 01Jul41 to 28Feb42Capt. Daniel W. Torrey Jr. - 01Mar42 to 30Sep42Major Harold Mitchener - 01Oct42 to 04Oct42Major Donald K. Yost - 05Oct42 to 17Dec42Major Leonard K. Davis - 18Dec42 to 19Sep43Major J. Frank Cole - 20Sep43 to 06Apr44Major William E. Clasen - 07Apr1944 to 27Oct44Major William T. Herring - 28Oct44 to 01Mar45Major Robert D. Kelly - 02Mar45 to 18Jul45Major Thomas A. Todd - 19Jul45 to date of surrenderSquadron Pilots (F4U Corsair) with War Bios included in the book -Commanding OfficerMajor "J" Frank Cole (Later awarded the Silver Star in Korea as CO of VMF-312 and 2 Distinguished Flying Crosses)Major William E. ClasenLater commanded VF-111 from 20 Sept 1944 - 27 Oct 1944Leatherneck Magazine describes him:WILD BILL" CLASEN is a burly, barrel-chested Marine fighter/bomber pilot, the kind of personality and brand of flier that aviation legends are built around. Officially, he is Major William E. Clasen of Kansas City, Kans., commanding officer of a Fourth Marine Air Wing Corsair squadron. His combat record to date: 68 bombing and strafing missions against enemy atolls in the Marshalls group.Major R. L. Anderson Executive OfficerCapt. George Hollowell - FIGHTER ACE - 8 VICOTORIES (VMF-224) 7 DISTINGUISHED FLYING CROSSESGeorge Hollowell became a World War II Marine Corps ACE, credited with shooting down EIGHT enemy aircraft in aerial combat, before he was wounded himself and evacuated on October 16, 1942. He retired in 1968 as a U.S. Marine Corps Colonel.DFC CITATION:The President of the United States of America takes pleasure in presenting the Distinguished Flying Cross to Second Lieutenant George Lindley Hollowell (MCSN: 0-10182), United States Marine Corps, for heroism and extraordinary achievement while participating in aerial flight as Pilot of a Fighter Airplane in Marine Fighting Squadron TWO HUNDRED TWENTY-FOUR (VMF-224), in actions against enemy Japanese forces during the Solomon Islands Campaign, e0 August 1942 to 14 September 1942. Pressing home his attacks against hostile aircraft with courageous determination and utter disregard for his own personal safety, Second Lieutenant Holl... read more

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