“Naval Liberators Over Biscay”: Patrol Bombing Squadron ONE ZERO THREE’s Actions Over France’s Largest Bay

Author’s Note: During this 80^th anniversary cycle of World War II, I hope to correct, at least in some small way through multiple weblog posts, the incomplete historical scholarship given to the U.S. Navy’s missions and activities in the European and Mediterranean Theaters of Operation, compared with those in the Pacific Theater. By utilizing little known records in collections of the NHHC’s Archives Branch, the stories of the men that served and fought aboard ships and aircraft will be honored––while simultaneously allowing the reader to gain a better insight into the richness, breadth, and depth of our textual holdings. Hopefully these entries will ignite a spark of desire to conduct historical research here at the Navy’s official archives, using the same collections I cite as documentary evidence.
 
Eighty years ago this December, the war in Europe was quite different from that of just a few months prior. In Italy, Soldiers of the U.S. 5th Army and U.K. 8th Army tried daily to break through the German Wehrmacht’s heavily fortified “Winter” or “Gustav” Line to capture Rome ––without success. In England, planning to execute the largest, most complex, and consequential amphibious assault ever undertaken in human history––Operation Overlord––was underway. In France, the occupation ground on, leaving citizens wondering daily when, if ever, they would be freed from their captors.[1]

Amidst this, a daily battle continued over, on, and under the ocean between the American and European shorelines. It was one few people not onboard ships and aircraft saw. However, this Battle of the Atlantic was central to Allied victory. It has been called by historians as World War II’s longest battle. Lasting the entire war, it saw the defeat of the deadly German Unterseeboote (U-Boat) conflict against Allied lines of communication and supply. May 1943 was considered the battle’s turning point––but the Germans still continued to fight, either alone or in “wolf packs.” They operated from ports in occupied countries, most notably from their pens in Lorient and Saint Nazaire in France. Joint U.S. and U.K. anti-submarine warfare (ASW) operations soon began to eliminate the U-Boat menace. The American efforts were mostly performed by little-remembered land-based U.S. Navy bombing squadrons operating from southern England. One particular unit––Patrol Bombing Squadron ONE ZERO THREE (VPB-103)––had an extensive war record. Its early history, particularly their actions in December 1943, revives the fascinating history of the unit’s––and other squadrons’––ASW mission.[2]

VPB-103 began its service life as Bombing Squadron ONE ZERO THREE (VB-103) upon commissioning at Naval Auxiliary Air Station at Camp Kearney in San Diego, California, on 15 March 1943.[3] Most of their officers and men had just returned from combat duty in the Pacific Theater. From that date until 24 April the unit, commanded by LCDR William T. Easton, USN, was based at Camp Kearney. There the aviators and aircrewmen underwent rushed training for service in the Atlantic and European theaters.[4] Although they were familiar with their former airplane, the PBY-5A “Catalina,” at Camp Kearney they quickly became familiar with their new weapon of war, the PB4Y-1 Consolidated Vultee “Liberator.”[5]

The PB4Y-1 was the Navy’s version of the U.S. Army Air Forces (USAAF) B-24 “Liberator” bomber. In the Archives’ Aviation History Subject Files collection––one of many assembled over a long period by historians and archivists of the NHHC’s former-named Aviation History Branch––author Hank Searls vividly described the aircraft in a one page article this way: "[it] was strangely menacing: an underslung, split-tailed monster squatting on huge main tires and a nose-wheel. Its four big engines were mounted so low on the wings . . .Loaded, it weighed over thirty tons. Its cockpit was one of the most complicated in aviation’s history. . . .the plane taxied in a liquid, bobbing motion not unlike that of a seaplane on calm water, but when unburdened, it was so over-powered on takeoff that
. . . it must have seemed like a fighter. It was a stable plane in firm hands, but in uncertain ones it flew like a boxcar and landed like a weary truck."[6]
 
A beautiful black- and-white photograph found in the same collection as Searl’s article––of a “Liberator” flying over the Bay of Biscay in November 1943––reinforces his description:


Further specifications of a typical “Liberator” were listed in the November 1944 Bureau of Aeronautics Form 1519A: Airplane Characteristics & Performance. It weighed a gross 63,000 pounds; had a service ceiling of 31,000 feet; a range of between 1,255 and 3,260 statute miles; could carry bombs, depth bombs / charges, or mines; and mounted eight .50 caliber machine guns supplied with 3,770 total rounds of ammunition.[7] While to the non-aviator the PB4Y-1 was intimidating, in the hands of a skilled pilot it was the right weapon to bring the war close to U-boats. Soon, the men of VPB-103 would have the chance to test it in action.

On 23 April, Easton took time out of his busy schedule to type a one-page letter to the Chief of the Bureau of Aeronautics, the Navy’s top aviator. In it he requested the chief to authorize the squadron’s proposed official insignia, with a drawing of it enclosed. That letter and drawing, pictured below––discuss and illustrate, respectively––what the men wanted their unit to be known for and represented by. Once approved in later months, it certainly enhanced their espirit de corps when the realities and fog of war settled upon them.[8]


One day later, men and machines moved east across the country to Naval Air Station Quonset Point, Rhode Island. Arriving on 1 May, additional training was conducted for two weeks. During this time the unit was transferred from the command and control of Fleet Air Wing FOURTEEN, U.S. Pacific Fleet, to Fleet Air Wing NINE, U.S. Atlantic Fleet (LANTFLT). Soon orders were issued from LANTFLT to move to Naval Air Station Argentia, Newfoundland, to begin their ASW mission. On 15 May, the first six PB4Y-1 airplanes flew to the base, while the remaining eight arrived on 1 June. VPB-103’s ground crews were transported to Newfoundland in two trips aboard the seaplane tender USS Barnegat (AVP-10).[9]

Upon arrival, the men immediately began to enjoy their time at Argentia. Their living conditions were “excellent,” the “chow tops,” and “recreational facilities . . . well managed, with athletics, smokers, dances, and several movie theatres to choose from.”[10] Trout and salmon fishing were also favorite pastimes. Commissioned men dined and drank at the well-supplied officers club or at a nearby restaurant. These opportunities for relaxation were welcomed by the squadron’s personnel, who for three months maintained a steady pace of “convoy escort, anti-submarine sweeps, and coastal and harbor patrol [operations]. During [their] stay at Argentia, the squadron flew 268 missions with a total of 2003 operational hours, in addition to continual training flights.”[11] During one such mission, on 12 August, LTJG Theodore S. Thueson, USN, spotted a surfaced U-Boat and attacked it with machine gun fire and depth charges. The Germans fought back for over twenty minutes before submerging, when Thueson attacked again. In an after-action assessment, the boat was classified as “probably slightly damaged”––VPB-103’s first victory against the Kriegsmarine. For this action, Thueson and his eight crewmen were awarded the Air Medal.[12]

Soon after that early August battle, orders were issued directing the squadron and its new superior in command, Fleet Air Wing SEVEN, to the U.K. to conduct ASW over the Bay of Biscay. This was welcome news to VPB-103’s personnel. By 17 August, all thirteen PB4Y-1 aircraft arrived safely at their new home in Saint Eval, England, on the Celtic Sea coast. One day later, flight crews began specialized training to identify different types of aircraft and honed their bombing and gunnery skills. They also sat through lectures given by Royal Air Force (RAF) Coastal Command officers––the U.K. higher headquarters unit the squadron was now attached to––on operational procedures. Then on 20 August, LCDR William G. von Bracht, USN, properly relieved Easton of command of the squadron.[13]
 
Those busy days of training and education were put to good use when VPB-103 pilots began combat operations on 30 August. That day, two patrols were sent out to fly over the bay, which started “the beginning of a rugged week. On September 2nd Lt. [Keith W.] WICKSTROM’s plane failed to return to base, and on the 4th Lt(jg) [James H.] ALEXANDER was forced to ditch his flaming plane after a combat with 6 [German] JU-88 [bombers] . . . In the encounter . . . ALEXANDER’s gunners shot down one enemy plane and damaged two others. The entire crew boarded the lift raft and reached land 36 hours later.”[14] For his daring actions in this dogfight, Alexander received the Navy Cross––the service’s second highest award for combat valor––and the Purple Heart medal. German Luftwaffe pilots also gave America’s friends a beating, when an RAF squadron stationed at Saint Eval lost two airplanes shot out of the sky. The enemy’s pilots flew different models of long-range fighters, but large formations of bombers were most commonly spotted as they worked to protect U-boats entering and leaving French ports. The result, as VPB-103’s third commanding officer wrote, “was that a vigilant watch had to be kept against attack, and the crews were subjected to a constant nervous strain.”[15] Unfortunately, more attacks occurred against “Liberators” in the middle of September, further rattling the men’s nerves.
 
However on 24 September, nerves began to calm when the unit moved from Saint Eval to Dunkeswell. This move to the RAF base on the English Channel coast occurred quickly, even though the distance travelled was over 100 miles. VPB-103, along with VPB-105 and VPB-110, relieved four USAAF squadrons stationed at Dunkeswell that flew ASW missions. The timing of the move was not ideal, as approaching winter weather made flying difficult, with its low ceilings and visibility. Having the airfield built 800 feet above sea level added to flight problems. All of this contributed to pilots diverting to other locations when returning from patrols.[16]
 
Upon arriving at Dunkeswell, the men found their living conditions “far inferior to Argentia. Officers and enlisted personnel alike were crowded into damp Nissen huts with inadequate heating facilities. The water supply was always low, and baths were a treat. However, the Navy chow was good, especially compared with the meager meals supplied by the R.A.F. at St. Eval.”[17] Very quickly, however, improvements began to be made––whether that was effected by the men’s probable complaining is unknown. Kerosene stoves were installed in the huts and Seabees covered the muddy, dirt roads with hard surfacing. In March 1944, the Navy acquired the base from the RAF and designated it a naval air facility. This change brought new buildings, money, and resources––even ice cream was available daily at the ship’s service / base exchange. These improvements led to Dunkeswell becoming “the best station in England.”[18]

Once established, VPB-103 and her sister units––still under the operational control of RAF Coastal Command––increased their temp from two daily ASW missions to three. In their downtime rigorous training was conducted, including with British submariners. Throughout October and November, at least two U-boats were attacked and presumably sunk by VPB-103 “Liberators.” A milestone was reached on 23 November when five of the unit’s airplanes were in the air simultaneously, albeit conducting different missions. As November turned to December, operations continued, but with an increase in severity and notability. The individual actions in the last month of 1943 would be unlike any the squadron’s men and machines had experienced before.[19]

The chronicle began on 3 December, when––as winter weather set it, making flying even more difficult––a “Liberator” piloted by LT Tony A. Lucas, USNR, crashed into a high ridge while on a training exercise. All ten men aboard died. One day later, ENS Lance F. Ellis, Jr., USNR, and his crew were attacked by four JU-88 bombers while over the bay. After damaging one German aircraft, he escaped unharmed into the clouds. One week later, another pilot had to crash land his PB4Y-1 in a small field north of Exeter, England, after one engine ceased working and the fuel gauge to another read empty. Thankfully, no crewmen were killed and only three suffered minor injuries. A lull in assignments occurred soon afterwards, giving the men an opportunity to spread Christmas cheer to local British children at a party they hosted. Smiles on their faces are seen in the photograph below, taken from the Archives’ issue of Naval Aviation News, the Navy’s oldest official periodical.[20]

Christmas Eve Day 1943––the last week in December––“was the start of an exciting time with German surface vessels.”[21] It was an all-out fight against the Kriegsmarine that VPB-103 along with her sister units, VPB-105 and VPB-110, participated in. That day LTJG Fred W. Felkel, Jr., USNR, and another pilot, sighted and followed a German blockade runner. She was escorted by eight destroyers and three minesweepers. Both pilots ran into flak from the ships’ anti-aircraft guns, but thankfully no damage occurred.[22] Then on Christmas Day, LT Charles F. Willis, Jr., USN, and LT George A. Enloe, USNR, spotted the same convoy that Felkel did the day before. With their "depth charges set for contact explosion . . . Both went in to attack at different times, in the face of heavy flak from all the ships. Lt. WILLIS’s bomb bay doors failed to open fully, despite efforts of members of his crew to complete the operation manually. Lt. ENLOE ran into similar difficulty, as his bombs hung up. He made 4 runs in all, at 800 feet altitude, and estimated damage to a number of ships through strafing. His aircraft sustained hits in the fuselage and wings from the enemy flak, with no injury to personnel."[23] For their efforts in this fight, Enloe and his ten-man crew received the Air Medal.[24]
 
After returning to Dunkeswell, Lieutenants Enloe, Willis, Felkel, and their crews may have thought that they could finally enjoy a break in combat during the most wonderful time of the year. However, it was not to be. On the morning of 28 December, two VPB-105 pilots sighted eleven German destroyers steaming in the bay. They were probably sent out to escort the blockade runner Alstereufer back to port, having been severely crippled the previous evening by Czech-manned “Liberators.” The pilots quickly radioed the location of the destroyers to the crewmen of three nearby Royal Navy cruisers. Once identifying these targets of opportunity, the cruisers’ gunners commenced firing, sinking three German ships.[25] This small morning action was just one of many examples of the successful combined arms––and allied––operations on and over the Bay of Biscay.

Now, with only eight destroyers remaining, the Germans fled for a safe harbor. A decision was made to target and destroy them––so later that day, fifteen PB4Y-1’s, each loaded with ten 350-pound bombs, took off from Dunkeswell. Four VPB-103 aircraft were part of this force. One “Liberator,” flown by LTJG Kenneth L. Wright, USNR, exchanged short bursts of .50 caliber machine gun fire with six JU-88 bombers. Another aircraft, led by LTJG Richard C. Quinlan, USNR, became the only VPB-103 pilot to spot the fleeing ships upon reaching the bay. Sighting six of them, he “attacked the leading destroyer of 2 in a line. He made his run from stern to stern at 1000 feet altitude. A straddle with the bombs was observed as the destroyer took evasive action by swerving to port, and damage was estimated from the aircraft’s strafing. The aircraft suffered numerous hits from the enemy AA [anti-aircraft] fire, but no major damage” was done.[26] For his daring feat, Quinlan received the Distinguished Flying Cross (DFC), the nation’s top award for aerial combat.

The following day ENS Philip R. Anderson, USNR, and Felkel each attacked the remaining Kriegsmarine stragglers. Anderson "made a strafing run on a destroyer at 1000 feet altitude, but intense flak from the enemy ship damaged the bomb release mechanism, and prevented a bombing attack. The No. 2 engine’s gas tank was likewise punctured, and the crew was subsequently forced to bail out over Spain . . . Lt(jg) FELKEL dropped 5 bombs on another destroyer from 1800 feet altitude, and near misses were observed on the ships port beam. Smoke from the destroyer and a decrease in speed resulted from the bombs or the aircraft’s gunfire. AA  fire from the ship caused minor damage to the plane."[27] The entirety of Anderson’s crew received the Air Medal for their actions on 29 December. Felkel was awarded the DFC for his exploits, while most of his personnel were given the Air Medal.[28]

As Anderson, Felkel, and the rest of VPB-103’s men returned from these harrowing missions over the Bay of Biscay, the new year of 1944 was just over the horizon. They may have finally had a few days to rest to reflect upon––and be proud of––all they accomplished in such a short time. The past nine months had filled them with many emotions, undoubtedly most of which were excitement, joy, fear, grief, and sadness. But they could not dwell on the past for long, as the future held new assignments to complete. Then, beginning on 6 June––D-Day––the long-awaited and hoped-for invasion of the Continent commenced––and with that and the subsequent inland campaigns, the scope and method of Coastal Command’s and VPB-103’s operations changed.[29] But the daily accomplishments and victories, however small, of the aviators and aircrewmen did not. At war’s end, they could be even prouder for having received the Navy Unit Commendation––the service’s highest award given to an individual unit––for their actions in the European Theater from November 1943 to January 1944 and from March to April 1945.[30] However, VPB-103’s full history post-D-Day has yet to be understood––which can only be found in their official records held here in the Navy Archives.