The Great Marianas Turkey Shoot (June 19th) and long-range attack on the Japanese fleet (June 20th)

Loading bombs in the bomb bay

VT-1 aircraft about to launch June 20th. Both planes in this photo were shot down and their crews killed.

Ltjg Kimbrel flew on the historic long-range strike against the Japanese fleet during the Battle of the Philippine Sea. Along with Bob was his gunner "Bird Dog" manning the 50-caliber turret gun and radioman "The Reverend" manning the 30-caliber gun. His mission was to drop his bombs on Japanese ships, preferably an aircraft carrier.

Eight VT-1 torpedo bombers participated in the strike. Five carried torpedoes (a single 2200-pound torpedo each) and three armed with four 500-pound bombs (2000 pounds each) in the bomb bay. They launched late in the day knowing full well that they would test the limits of their fuel range and probably return after dark.

After spotting the Japanese fleet the three VT-1 aircraft with bombs maneuvered to make dive runs on an aircraft carrier (either Hiyo or Junyo). They commenced their bomb runs through extremely intense anti-aircraft gun fire. At release altitude Bob dropped his four 500 pounders and during the recovery from his dive Horace Harris sprayed the carrier's deck with his 30-caliber gun. Robert Yount "could see seven distinct columns of smoke rising up".

In the dark and low on gas their return flight was harrowing. It became hectic and chaotic as nearly 200 returning TF-58 planes flying on fumes looked for a carrier to land on. About 80 planes ran out of gas and ditched. Some in desperation crashed trying to get aboard. They were one of the lucky ones as they finally made it aboard the USS Enterprise. "Kimbrel in his TBM took so many waveoffs from one carrier that he changed traffic circles in frustration and landed aboard the Enterprise." Of the eight VT-1 planes flown that day none made it back to the USS Yorktown.

Two planes shot down - killed were Nelson, Lantron, Young (in #82) and Carlson, Shea, Trau (in #95)
Three lost to fuel starvation & forced to ditch at night - all crew members picked up safely
Three landed on other carriers

Yorktown War Diary (pg 1 of 6)

"Aircraft Action Report" June 20th 1944 (pg 1 of 5)

USS Yorktown War Diary entry for June 20th (6 pages above) provides a good general overview of the action. VT-1 aircraft involvement highlighted in yellow.

VT-1 "Aircraft Action Report" for 20 Jun 1944 (5 pages above).

Robert Kimbrel (1920)