WIX Archives

Collings -5NL Combat Info

Posted by Ryan Harris on Fri Sep 26, 2003 01:23:54 PM

In reply top Re: Not the end of the world, no... posted by Rob Mears on Fri Sep 26, 2003 11:53:30 AM

Well we are fairly certain you can add the Collings machine to the list of surviving vets. The history cards we have for her, show her to be aboard the Essex with VC-3 from 12-51 to 2-52. I just checked the Essex history page and she was on a Korean cruise from 8-51 to 4-52 and we fall right in the middle of that. Last I heard we have no pictures of her on board the ship and that the 5 painted on her is a guess because we don't know what her real ID number was. She was also with VC-4 aboard the Leyte from 5-52 to 8-52 but from the Leyte history I can find, this was not a combat cruise.

Scott has her listed as going to Honduras but this is first I have seen anywhere of this. Her US military records stop at Quonset in 2-54 after a cruise aboard the Tarawa with VMFN-114 from 12-52 to 5-53. The Tarawa history I've found seems to suggest that this wasn't a combat cruise either. The only civilian history I have is with the foundation. Even in the first edition of Paul Coggan's WW directory, the only listing for her at all is with us. There is no mention of Honduras or anything. Maybe you can shed some light Rob. I'm sure you know but she is Bu. 124692.

It would be great if a radome could be located. From what I understand it is going to be expensive to build one from scratch. The actual radar unit to install would be awesome too. Would complete her just that much more. I think we still need guns for her too.

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