My High School Chemistry teacher was Norman " Dusty" Kleiss .We knew him as Jack. He scored two hits on carriers at the battle of Midway and was the last surviving dive bomber.He passed away about 6 years ago.
I had the very good fortune to speak with an older gentleman months before his passing, who was a factory floor foreman tasked daily with the construction of the Dauntless at the Douglas factory. Failing and in his 90s, he was surprised -- almost shocked -- that anyone remembered the plane he worked tirelessly on for several years during the 1940s. When I mentioned accurately "it was one of the truly great aircraft of World War II", his eyes welled with understanding and pride. I was a thrill to thank a man who helped bring this airplane to the war effort.
The man you interviewed would love to see and I´d love to show him a letter my mother-in-law received dated september 16, 1945, Tokyo Bay, Japan. She had inquired about the loss of her cousin and this fellow pilot answered as best he could. In part her cousin had flown a SBD2C from carrier Ticonderoga. On July 24, 1945, his last mission was over Hiroshirma Bay against the battleship Hyuga (my spelling may not be correct but close enough for you to understand). Her cousin, Lt. Vaughn was the 3rd plane to make its run and everything seemed normal. The gunner in the back seat showed no distress. The letter explains the plane should have pulled out of his dive at 3,000 ft. but at 1,000 her cousin (pilot of the plane) tried to pull out but failed. Lastly, his plane hit the water about 25 ft from the battleship. The letter explains a little more but this is basically what happened. I suppose he was either wounded and that is possibly why he did not pull out in time or he was absolutely determined for his bomb to hit its target. Either way he was listed as missing but in a glide (dive) of over 400mph there is no doubt he was killed. The writer of the letter said the carrier dock at Norfolk, Va but he advised that the boy´s mother NOT meet the ship as the air group would not be on the ship and so there would not be anyone with further information. The writer advised to write to C.O. of Air Group 87 %FPO San Francisco. As far as I know no one ever pursued this any further. One more interesting thing about this is the man that answered my mother-in-law did not know her but somehow he received her second inquiry which is what I have. Perhaps he flew the same mission or maybe he was a close friend also on the ship with him. In any case its a fine piece of history, sad but true. I can´t imagine knowing your son´s ship is returning without him and knowing he is gone, never to be seen again.
Proud our Uncle Lt. Armond DeLalio flew with VMSB 241 that day on Midway. One of the aircraft that made it back he lost his gunner. Later became 1st certified helicopter pilot in the USMC. DeLalio elementary school in Cherry Point is named for him.
I remember building a model of the SBD and also the USS Hornet when I was a kid. Also the Avenger torpedo bomber. I love these old planes and the brave men who flew them.
My Dad trained with the SBD on Lake Michigan, he ended up training other airmen during the war in this same plane . He passed away last year at 96 . He was a very humble man , and never talked about his days as a pilot , unless you drug it out of him haha I miss him every day , he was amazing for sure
My grandfather trained off the USS Wolverine training carrier. At various times he flew a Dauntless, Wildcat, and Corsair. Became a flight instructor at Pensacola. I don't think he saw combat, but he knew guys who went on to be Corsair pilots who were killed in Korea. My mother told me one day, he was in the process of looking up old Navy friends and found out and was sad about it all. I have a picture of him and his squadron standing in front of a Wildcat, somewhere.
My father flew an SBD during WWII. He flew at the Battle of Midway off the USS Hornet (CV-8). Four months later at the battle of Santa Cruz, he hit the IJN carrier Shokaku with a 1000 pounder Unfortunately, it didn't sink, but the Shokaku was out of action for almost a year. The Hornet was lost as a result of that battle. After being reassigned to the USS Lexington (CV-16) my father flew a SBD at the Battle of the Philippine Sea in June of 1944 and was awarded the Navy Cross. There is a book titled "Mission Beyond Darkness" that documents this battle and tells the stories of these pilots and what they went through. Available on Amazon and highly recommended.
Swede Vejtasa shot down 3 Zeros in one mission flying an SBD! He used the planes ability to pull tremendous G's in a turn to outmaneuver even the A6M and used the planes single 50 caliber gun to shoot them down. Amazing!
I remember that episode of Dogfights! Vejtasa was an amazing pilot who dogfought in an aircraft that wasn't even designed for it! It's just like how Jim Lovell, Fred Haise and Jack Swigert had to push the lunar module Aquarius to do things it wasn't designed to do in order to return to earth. Douglas and Grumman were true innovators.
I served in the Navy & was a non flying mechanic on A6 Intruder. Having been an avid reader of Navy history I knew about the SBD. The A6 did spectacular dive bombing like the SBD. I often thought of the SBD when we launched the A6's on bombing missions.
Most enjoyable to watch. My dad was a Marine radioman on one of these when he was seventeen. He always joked about being a radioman on a SBD. I asked him once if he was ever scared while being on a mission. He said yes, many times. When it went into a dive the wings would start flapping and he was sure they were going to come off. Musta been going 800 mph he would say.😀
The SBD is one of my favorite planes. I was three years old in December 1941. As a teenager I started a life long "affair" with World War II. I think I have read nearly every book written about the Battle of Midway. The SBD won that battle. Love the plane.
I too was born in 1938 and grew up in Detroit with 2 Uncles in the war, one in the Navy in the Pacific and one in Europe with the Army. My Mother was a Rosie the Riveter at Hudson Motor Car Co.
John - mad respect to your dad and all the other brave pilots and gunners who flew this airframe. BTW, the photo of your dad - has anyone ever mentioned the extraordinary resemblance to actor Ryan Reynolds?
My wife and I were at the museum in May of 2019 and just loved the SBD display and the diorama about the planes being recovered from the lake. It was awesome! I really like hearing this story about the history of this particular plane.
Its the only one that lets you touch the exhibits. I,ve opened panels on aircraft to see the inside color and the staff's only comment was they were glad I got the info I needed...the Grumman Tiger in the Museum is a repainted Blue Angel alumni . I was able to verify the blue color from inside a small door.
What an awesome aircraft history of the Dauntless, having been involved in the WWII Pacific Theatre. The Pilots that flew these bombers was truly dedicated courageous and determined. Truly some of the Greatest Generation! Thank you so much, for honoring these Pilots and aircraft by this excellent Presentation! God bless you all!
My aircraft is in my avatar with me standing next to it after it was recovered when we were shot down. That was mid December 1971. That was the last time I got to fly her. Fast forward, my aircraft 65-12962 was rebuilt and continued to be in the Army until she was retired. About 12 or 15 years ago I found out it was in fact restored, and put on display on a 12 ft stick, at the main entrance to the U.S.Army Aviation Museum at Fort Rucker Alabama. When I sent them my pic of our last mission in the Vietnam war, the curator asked me if I had any memorabilia from my ship 962. All I had was a few more pics taken before the shoot down, and my scout scarf with my aircraft number on it. So I sent it to them, and they framed it and it is on display inside the museum. It has NEVER been washed. Once you earned your Cavalry scarf, you never took it off except for when we were able to actually take a shower. So it is still stained with original sweat and Vietnam dirt and dust.
15 years ago, I was out in California, at the Planes of Fame Museum. They had an SBD on the pad for take off. When it started, it didn't sound crazy loud. (somewhat like a car without a muffler) It idled over to the runway that was a quarter mile away. When the pilot went to full throttle for take off, it was deafening. If you were within 250 yards, you would need ear protection.
Mr Goodspeed for president! Boy I really appreciate this, my pops was WW II navy fighter pilot from carriers, I've admire all those flyers and sailors. I've learned something here.
This aircraft, this Dauntless. What a national treasure! If you knew this aircraft and its history, if you could touch it im sure you would feel a tingle. Of its past, and passing it on to you.
I have touched it and I did feel a tingle , it is very moving and I will never forget it . I have also touched the USS Arizona (when they weren’t looking )
The name of the company that found this aircraft is A & T Recovery out of Chicago. My grandfather, Francis “Bud” Brain, would dive for the company and was involved in the recovery of these planes for years. Bud was a WW2 veteran of the D-Day landings at Omaha beach as an infantryman. He survived the war and worked a handful of jobs, but found a love for scuba diving that lasted until the age of 89, when he traveled to California and assisted A & T Recovery in the recovery of a WW2 plane. Bud passed away at the age of 94 in January 2017, but his memory lives on for me thankfully in these videos in which he played a part. Thank you.
My name is Cornelius P. Brice Jr. My father, Cornelius "Con" Brice. He died on April 20, 1944, eleven days after I was born. Unfortunately, he went down in the South Pacific flying the SBD and I have little to no information except that, he was a Marine Aviator on a training mission. I would like to get more information but I don't know where to get started. Thank you for your presentation. I learned a lot. BTW, my uncle, George Brice, was a Crew Chief with the "Flying Tigers", Second Squadron, " Panda Bears" in China.
Just watched the 2019 movie Midway and it reintroduced my interest in this aircraft. As a modern retired Sailor, who was stationed at pearl harbor, the war in the pacific has always fascinated me
Thanks so much for sharing this. My son Avi and I have truly enjoyed knowing more about this SBD dive-bomber. Amazing the work you do at this museum. We'd love to visit it one day soon ..
Can not imagine flying something with no radar, no gps, a map on a clipboard, and a compass flying out over an open ocean, amazing any of them found their way back.
My great grandfather's plane he died in the Korean War after. Wallace Reid. Got to sit in that plane when I was 16 during the reveal in Pensacola. Held the purple heart earned in midway many times.
Mr. Justin there is a blog called Travel For Aircraft. We will be doing a post about VMSB-241 at Midway, we will mention Wallace Reid to honor what he and the men like him. They made our world a better place. Also, I colorized the pictures of your Grandfather's plane that was taken during the Battle Of Midway in June of 1942. Would you like to see the colorized versions? Best Wishes, Mickeen
I just found this video yesterday. A very nice presentation. Thank you for answering my question about BuNo 2111. I had heard it still rested in Lake Michigan. I have also seen an aerial photo of IJN Mogami showing the remains of Lt. Fleming's aircraft resting on one of the forward turrents. While Lt. Iverson was serving in the Pacific the Japanese were busy chasing his sister (a doctor missionary) around China.
Excellent presentation! What a generation. As a pilot myself I cannot imagine the senses of diving, being shot at multiple directions, hearing the hits all while the ground (sea/death) coming closer and closer. Heroes!
Something about the Dauntless always attracted me. Not the flashy fighter, but the rugged workhorse of the Pacific Theatre. What surprised me was after reading 'Mission Beyond Darkness' the SBD's and Avenger gunners claimed quite a few kills on their own without fighter cover.
What a marvelous presentation of the history of the Dauntless and of this one in particular. And what a marvelous restoration of this airplane, definitely worth preserving. I've been in the Naval Aviation Museum in Pensacola, and I am honored to have loaned a painting of mine of some TBF Avengers and their pilots to the Museum for exhibition in 1977 when Commander Davenport was the curator. It is a great Museum.
Capt. William Carter was as dive bomber pilot aboard Hornet, not sure what squadron, who taught me physics and chemistry at a small school on Wyoming. He was instrumental in getting me interested in Naval aviation. Unfortunately, I was medically discharged before completing the basic syllabus. Capt. Carter and his gunner are pictured on page 193 of the book US Naval Aviation. His gunner was interviewed in an issue of Air & Space magazine several years ago
Great informative video of a great plane. I bought an original Nov. 1943 SBD-5 pilot´s handbook for my collection last year, one of my favorite planes!
Thank you for a very well presented, very educational story about the SBD, and the guys that flew it. Please keep up the good work. I hope to visit the museum on my next visit to the States, when things return to normal!
Great discussion of the Dauntless and its features. I especially appreciate the unique history of this particular a/c and it is fitting that it survives to represent SBDs and their aircrew.
Thank you so much for these very well done tours. I am currently reading "Intrepid Aviators: The True Story of USS Intrepid's Torpedo Squadron 18 and its Epic Clash with The Superbattleship Musashi" by Gregory G. Fletcher. Your tours really help me understand what the men were doing at their stations.
My father trained with the SBD doing carrier landings in Chesapeake Bay. On his 13th landing attempt he bounced it off the carrier deck and went over the side into the bay. It went down 30 feet before he could get out and a helicopter picked him up. I have a Navy picture of that crash. The date was July 3, 1943 and the equipment number was 10662. It is probably still out there in the bay.
You might be right. I took the time to look up "WWII helicopter" and I saw a picture described as a helicopter aboard a ship in Luzon Philippines 1945. Saw another picture at a land base, B-29s in background and Army green Sikorsky helicopter in front.
This goes to show the importance of preserving aircraft with a significant combat record. They're not only vivid reminders of historical events, but also a powerful memento for all those involved in them. They literally bring people together, even one time enemies.
It would be even better if you could hear Mr. Goodspeed. It's amazing how many vids are posted with crummy audio. Hint: Listen to them before you post them.
Amazing plane and story. I can just imagine the crew as they sped away from their target with Zeros on their tail... the pucker factor must have been high!
Enjoyed the video and great history of a great airplane. One correction: the popular misconception is that the United States had 3 carries at Midway. According to Harold Buell in his book e actually had 4. Saratoga arrived after June 4th but according to Buell (who was a SBD pilot on the Saratoga at the time) her air group saw combat in the battle. The book is an excellent read.
I live in a south suburb of Chicago. When this aircraft was pulled from Lake Michigan there was a newspaper write up (Chicago Tribune if I recall) up that included a picture of the plane when it came out of the water. History guy that I am, I clipped that article which included the picture, and still have it today.
They have a few naval aircraft from lake Michigan. They pulled a F4F wildcat and a air museum formerly at Du page airport restored it to its former glory. This wildcat can now be seen at O'Hare international airport on display in terminal 2 dedicated to Navy pilot Butch O'Hare
