1887-1947 |
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Library of Congress Collection, 11-10-07 |
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The History of North Island, San Diego, California By Elretta Sudsbury |
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via email from Steve Sumsky, 4-15-07 Lt. Marc Andrew "Pete" Mitscher was one of the pilot’s of the Navy’s NC4 "Nancy’s" that attempted to fly the Atlantic in 1919! The wings of his plane were blown off by a storm the night before and they worked all the next day to repair the plane using water for ballast in order to be able to take off with the other 3 planes! He never made it across and went down in the sea about 200 miles west of the Azores! He and his crew spent a week or more in shark infested water in rough seas with no radio or any communication with ships or land When a passing Greek steamer saw them and picked them up! What do you think he felt like in the Plane’s Gondola with his crew? I suppose they did a lot of praying and were grateful someone came to their aid! 25 years later Admiral "Pete" Mitscher commanding task force 38.8 8 groups of ships in task force group 38 Made up of an Essex class carrier, 1 or 2 Battleships, 4 heavy cruiser’s and 8 screening destroyers in June 1944 took on the entire Jap fleet at the battle of the Philippine sea outgunned 6 to 1 with only one task force group! Admiral Halsey took the other 7 task force groups and sank 8 diversionary Jap destroyers north of the Battle! Admiral Mitscher outgunned and undermanned stopped the Jap fleet cold! In the ensuing battle a Kamikaze was headed straight for Mitscher’s flagship the carrier "Bon Home Richard" when out of nowhere one of his pilot’s Lt. Roy Gee put his F6F "Hellcat' between the carrier and the enemy plane eventually shooting it down and saving his ship but he himself was hit and bailed out and landed in the water less than 500 yards from a Jap gun emplacement! Mitscher sent a Destroyer to pick him up! 3 years earlier Mitscher grounded him for taking 7 wave-offs trying to land his F4F "Wildcat' on the "Hornet' In May 1941! Lt. Gee was paying him back and Mitscher was paying back Lt. Gee for saving his ship! He knew exactly how he felt! All I would like to know is how come Pete Mitscher is never mentioned in the Ancient Aviators or any of the other 3 pilots who made the attempt to fly across the Atlantic for the Navy in 1919! Can you help me? Thank you! Sincerely! Steve Sumsky |
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Library of Congress Collection, 11-10-07 |
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You will find a concise biography of Admiral Mitscher on the ALLSTAR Network website. To read the whole story, just click on: Marc Mitscher |
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You will find a nice biography of Admiral Mitscher, along with several pictures, on the website of the USS Mitscher. To read the whole story, just click on: Marc Mitscher To find the biography, look on the left side of the page, immediately under "HOME" and click on "ADM MITSCHER." You will be taken directly to the page on which you can read the biography which is illustrated with several photographs. |
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with Capt. Leonard F. Burrage, III, (SC) USNR |
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Collection of Alan P. Burrage, 8-16-03 |
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You will find a very nice biography of Admiral Mitscher, including a picture of him and his headstone, on this website of the Arlington National Cemetery.. To access the site, just click on: Editor's Note: If you have any information on this Early Bird, please contact me. E-mail to Ralph Cooper Back 
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