Submitted by
Name: Janet Woten Wells
From: Bellingham, WA
E-mail: Contact

Comments:
I'd like to contact Mrs. Parks-McKay, as Parks, her father, was one of my Dad's best friends.

Added: October 25, 2016

Submitted by
Name: Janet Woten Wells
From: Bellingham, WA
E-mail: Contact

Comments:
My father, Major Robert C. Woten was a pilot who flew the B-25's on Emirau during WWWII. He must have earned his Distinguished Fylying Cross there, as it is on his uniform and his DD214. He lived until Oct. 2009, and passed at 94 1/2 years from old age. He retired in 1962 and took his family over to Germany, where we lived for 10 years. Mom, Lee Woten, preceded him in 2003. He was a great pilot. He was recruited right out of Flight School in Corpus Cristi to be an instructor, so he got into the So. Pacific theater a little late. RIP, and SEMPER FI! Dad

Added: October 25, 2016

Submitted by
Name: Nancy Synold Largent
From: Potlatch Idaho
E-mail: Contact

Comments:
Hello, my dad Donald J. Synold was a part of this group. He was a staff Sargent mechanic turret gunner with Bill Parks as pilot. He didn't talk a lot about his time in the pacific but he was so proud to be a marine. He only learned about reunion after he was to sick to travel. Love this page.

Added: October 23, 2016

Submitted by
Name: Virginia Hall Plunkett
From: San Antonio, TX
E-mail: Contact

Comments:
I just learned about this site a few minutes ago. Sure enough, my father, James David Hall, is listed. All of the info you have is correct, but I would love to offer more info if you're interested. He spoke tirelessly about his time in VMB433; his tales have become family lore. I took great efforts to record as much as I could before his passing at the age of 88 in 2013.

Added: June 24, 2016

Submitted by
Name: Joanna Warrens
From: San Francisco
E-mail: Contact

Comments:
I just realized that my father was a pilot in this squadron. He was Capt Joseph Adamson and I was thrilled to see him in the second row of the picture of pilots. Thanks so much for having this site. A family mystery solved!

Added: May 28, 2016

Submitted by
Name: Catherine Hensley McMullen
From: Tallahassee, Florida
E-mail: Contact

Comments:
My Dad, Mordecai Walter Hensley, served as a radio gunner in Marine Aircraft Group 61 - Squadron VMB 433 on Emirau during WWII. Some of the men in his squadron were John Dunaj, Donald Keefe, Philip Viehmann, Paul Dudley, Bob Bohanon, Gerald Merz, Pilot Jim Butler, and Pilot ? Smith. Dad passed away January 29, 2016 at the age of 91. He was buried with full military honors. It was a beautiful ceremony and so wonderful to see the young Marines in their dress blues who so faithfully serve. Dad would have been pleased and so very proud! Thank you to all who have served and who are serving our country! Semper Fi!

Added: February 27, 2016

Submitted by
Name: Jane Parks-McKay
From: Santa Cruz, CA
E-mail: Contact

Comments:
Carol Ann McDaniel: I am now just seeing your post from 2014 about wanting to donate your Dad's VMB433 logbook. I'd be happy to have it or perhaps I could direct it to someone, one of the "kids" who perhaps has some of the scrapbooks. Contact me on the contact me button and I can see what I can do.

Robert O'Reilly: I am so sorry for the loss of your Dad. I remember him well and enjoyed him. My Dad was Bill Parks who helped put on some of the reunions. We are definitely all family even as Marine "kids". Thanks for posting!

Jane Parks-McKay

Added: February 12, 2016

Submitted by
Name: Jane Parks-McKay
From: Santa Cruz, CA
E-mail: Contact

Comments:
Carol Ann McDaniel: I am now just seeing your post from 2014 about wanting to donate your Dad's VMB433 logbook. I'd be happy to have it or perhaps I could direct it to someone, one of the "kids" who perhaps has some of the scrapbooks. Contact me on the contact me button and I can see what I can do.

Robert O'Reilly: I am so sorry for the loss of your Dad. I remember him well and enjoyed him. My Dad was Bill Parks who helped put on some of the reunions. We are definitely all family even as Marine "kids". Thanks for posting!

Jane Parks-McKay

Added: February 12, 2016

Submitted by
Name: Jane Parks-McKay
From: Santa Cruz, CA
E-mail: Contact

Comments:
Alex: thank you so much for sharing such lovely memories about your Grandfather. Your Grandaddy and my Dad, William R. Parks, served in WWII together. I would love to see a photo of your Grandfather if you don't mind? I am not sure how you can get it to me but my email should be on the Squadron posts.

Colonel Hsyes: I really enjoyed reading about the memories of your Dad. Thank you for following your Dad in the service and Semper Fi. I, too, enjoyed seeing the Sqaudron photos and albums so much.

Semper Fi!

Added: January 7, 2016

Submitted by
Name: Alex Escalante
From: Texas
E-mail: Contact

Comments:
Hello,

I can't believe I'm just now discovering this website. For many long years I knew my grandfather had been a Marine during the Pacific campaigns and knew he had flown in the PBJ variant of the B-25. It was because of him that I developed a childhood fascination for the B-25 and most things military. He was always a cheerful and gentle fellow and the greatest friend I had ever had.

Hall, James D.
Sergeant
Radio-Gunner, Aviation

Left us on October 20th 2013, a few days shy of his 57th wedding anniversary, a victim of pancreatic cancer. A few months prior to his passing, after the hospital had told us that he only had 6 months to live, we took him down to the National Museum of the Pacific War in Fredericksburg, TX. I have a picture of him posing next to the plaque dedicated to VMB-433. If you would like to receive it, please let me know.

Thank you all for your service, and God bless.

Added: October 26, 2015