In november of 1940 Earl was sent to England for 'operational combat training' -- flying night fighters twin engine 'beaufighters'.
The Bristol Beaufighter (photo left) had two 1,000 H.P. engines liquid cooled Rolls Royce or Merlin engines! Could fly 340mph at 19,000 ft, - which is faster than the Germin bombers.
Specially trained for radar interception, his code word was MOTHER. Beaufighters carried six 20mm cannons and eight machine guns, bore sighted at 150 meters. A two second burst would slow the aircraft 40 mph. If one were lucky enough to intercept the enemy and then get into the 150 meter range, it was almost impossible to miss.
January 1941 he was transferred from the Royal Canadian Air Force to the British Royal Air Force. Because of radio silence, night fighters flew preprogrammed timed grid coordinates. Nightfighter pilots had ot make their turns at the exact time and direction. If not, they were considered to be the enemy and were fair game for all other Allied pilots and ground anti-aircraft gunners. Earl flew with the Royal Air Force Combat Squadrons 42 and 42 Beaufighters (night); three confirmed kills and two probables.
In London in 1943 he was transferred the the United States Navy and commissioned as Ensign. He reported to the Naval Air Station in Alameda, California, to 'Air Group Eleven': day and night aircraft carrier landings, night low level skip bombing training. Then Air Group Eleven was sent to Santa Rosa, California for three months of training. thereafter to Pearl harbor for four months of carrier combat training and then an assignment to the aircraft carrier Lexington and into carrier combat in the South Pacific. Earl stated that he did not feel comfortable discussing the air combat operations fron the Lexington and I did not press him.
Those were murderess and violent air combat operations frm both the carriers Lexington and Hornet with an extremely hith combat loss of pilots and aircraft. I respected Earl's desires of not wanting to relive tose violent days with the constant loss of friends and comrades. Those of you who have been in violent combat will understand; those of you who have not, may never understand.
(lbs note 11/2010 - Earl Transfered 410 Squadrin RAF jan 28, 1943 to USNAS and started flying in Corpus Christi, Texas, April 1943 with 1300 hrs.
October 1943 went to NAS Alameda with 205hrs (he couldn't bring the RAF hours forward),
Dec '43 went to NAAS Santa Rosa w/305hrs (SBD-5, Helldiver),
October 1944, had 600hrs, joined the USS Hornet! Flying the SB2C-3, Bombed Okinawa, Formosa, Luzon, and on the 26th he bombed the Jap Fleet! Nov 5, Luzon, Clark Field, tail hook shot off, landed OK, 13th, bombed Manila Harbor, again on the 14th,and 17th, 19th was "Moose Trap", 30th Luzon again, and on the 31st was "SHOT DOWN!, picked up same day by Dolphin submarine & returned to the USS Hornet." he noted in his log book.
Dec 1944, Fighting Sq. 99. Orote, Aquna, Guam, flying the F6F3. -- 31st, 51hrs for the month, total to date: 712.6 hours.
Jan 1945, Fighting Squadron 100, F6F5, F6F3, SNJ-4...
May 1945, Carrier Aircraft Service Unit 54, flying SB2C4E Helldiver again. Alameda to Fallon. "...Search for Jap Ballons!"
April 1946, 1129 hrs, 8 refresher landings aboard USS Lexington!
May 1946, To Ford Island, Ret. Naska, then to Honolulu, then Ret. Naska, SB2C-5,
Aug 15, 1946, last entry in log book. 1233.1 hours.
End of lbs notes - back to Fred's letter.
After the war Earl returned to Cleveland and became a Moving Picture Macnine Operator (junior) in Local 160 at $40.00 per week for a seven day week. He earned his flight instrument license, married Pepper and bought a war surplus Stearman for $600.
They then decided Houston Texas was the place to be so, with a letter from Local 160 agent Harlem Holden to agent Eddie Miller of Houston Local 279, they jumped in the open cockpit Stearman and flew to Houston. (note from lhb: Pepper told me they hitch hiked to the airport, in the snow, a couple of candy bars for breakfast, and $4. between them, they took off heading west. They landed in farmers fields and slept in barns along the way.)
He became a member of Houston Operations Local 279, earning $80 per week for six shifts. One could usually do six shifts in four days, so Earl attended the University of Houston to get his aircraft and engine license. (A&P) Then into aerial banner towing with the Stearman, and crop dusting. (lhb note: Pepper said they bought the first set of banner letters and then she learned how to make the 6 foot high letters. They got paid $100/hr, but after expenses there was not a lot left, she said.) As Ears says 'I learned more about flying from crop dusting than all the combined training received from RCAF, RAF and the Navy. How to safely do all the no-no's, day after day -- overweight, down wind turns, stall turns, short field heavy load take-offs, and no compass.
After years of crop dusting, Earl felt he was starting to lose his edge and they decided to come farther west to Las Vegas and Local 720. Earl worked many years as a front light operator and head electrician at the Desert Inn. He thanks Forrest Mich'l for getting him qualified as front light operator. Earl also did some head electric on yellow card road shows. I remember som wonderful days flying about in Earl's Navion and his v-tail Bonanza. Dick Welsh remembers the flying trip to Puerto Vallarta, Mexico.
Earl and Pepper bought some land on the Applegate River outside Grants Pass, Oregon. He finished up his Stagehand career as front light and board operator at MGM (Bally's), and retired in 1983 to Applegate River.
Tally Ho, Earl
Fred Davis
IPO: December 12th 2006