Article

Bill Maris VP-43 Flight Logs

Bill Maris’ flight logs from January 1943 to June 1944, including details about his first date with his future wife Marie (Marietta) Erickson on Valentine's Day 1944 and in June 1944, gaining permission from her father to marry Marie.
See I Held Up My Hand and Became a Sailor to learn how he volunteered for the Navy and his flight logs from 1939 to December 1942.
End of War and Post-War Life details his life after World War II. He continued in the military through the Korean War.
Group of 6 men posing on hill in front of two story white buildings, the ocean, and snowy mountains.
[Lower row, left to right] The “Greek” Stratos AMM 1/c, AMM 1/c Harry Edmonson, [back row, left to right] AMM 1/c Mike Mandella, AMM 1/c Bill Maris, Unknown, Unknown. Dutch Harbor 1942

Bill Maris

Flight Logs January 1943 - December 1943

JANUARY 1943 HAPPY NEW YEAR FROM DUTCH HARBOR, Territory of Alaska

  • Jan 1, 1943 Ltjg Decker (2)/7 PBY-5A Bu#04401 6.0hrs Search returned to Dutch Harbor. New Navigator. Had dry cheese sandwiches for Flight Rations. Jan 7, 1943 Ltjg Hanson (2)/10 PBY-5A Bu#05011 3.6hrs Moved to Hotel Adak, Suite 301, with shower house over the hill and radio in a riveted tent and with cots and sleeping bags, Army coal stove for heat. “Seabee” mess hall for 3 meals a day. Oatmeal and Beef stew for Breakfast, Corned beef and cabbage for lunch, and Beef stew again for dinner. Then just the opposite the next day. Had good home made bread and pies also.
  • Our crew got flooded out of our tent about 0230 one morning due a “Silver Thaw” Snow water was running down the steps in to the “Reveted” tent and was almost deep enough to run into the crews sleeping bags, Chief Bill Dunn put his feet over the side to go to the “Head” and let out a screen as he went knee deep in snow water, waking the rest of us up. I turned on the light and was the only one dry as I was sleeping on the “Food” locker, Clothes were floating and wet. So I was detailed to stop the flow of water since I was the only one dry.
  • Water receded finally, so we missed our flight that morning, Leading Chief Stinson got us another tent temporarily for a few hours, and then we were moved in to a Quonset Hut over in the Valley with the rest of the Gang latter that day. Then spent a couple of days drying out our gear.
  • Jan 15 1943 Ltjg Decker (2)/6 PBY-5A Bu#04418 5.3hrs Search south sector-nice and warm. 1st patrol hop from Adak, returned to Adak We almost always had to wade to our planes as the Runway was made in a drained lake(lagoon) dike off from the creek that feed it and there was always water in the parking area. The runway was a foot or so higher and covered with Marston Matting. to keep it dry . At night when we would enter the Runway/Plane parking area there were Army Sentries Patrolling, they would challenge us with a “Halt Who Goes There”, and we were supposed to answer with the proper pass Word ID. Some time we didn’t get it right so they would ask us questions so that they knew we weren’t the “Enemy”
  • Jan 18 1943 Ltjg Decker (2)/5 PBY-5A Bu#04401 5.1hrs Search sec 19, 37 miles from Kiska, good WX except for Fog. The Men (3 crews) who lived in our Quonset started scavenging lumber, doors, window, roofing and concrete blocks and built a “lean-to” addition on the end of our “hut” so we could have a place to play cards, installed a stove so we could cook or heat our left over flight rations or what ever we could pilfer from the “Galley, such as bacon and eggs, coffee, potatoes etc. Ma Chandler and I rigged lights in the “hut” from a near by light pole with telephone wire. The CB’s had two 5KVA generators running just over the hill from us. We always shared our “Sneaky-Pete”(190 Proof Alcohol) with all who were generous to us such as the “Cooks” and Army Supply people. We would sneak into the Army Supply Area and barrow all kinds of chow, a couple of the guys set up a Bakery in a tent and we would swap our canned fruit and meat for fresh made pies and other goodies. They were caught and the Supply Officer said to let then go and keep up the good work as they were doing better than the cooks in the galley.
  • Jan 21 1943 Ltjg Decker (2)/5 PBY-5A Bu#04991 3.0hrs Search Sec 20, turned around due to bad WX. Watched a B-17 land with his vertical stabilizer and rudder sheered off caused by a mid-air collision with another B-17 in a flight of B-17s coming in from Umnak in the fog or clouds.
  • Jan 24 1943 Ltjg Decker (2)/6 PBY-5A Bu#04401 5.5hrs Search Sec K, Iced up, returned to Adak and landed in light snow
  • Jan 28 1943 Ltjg Decker (2)/5 PBY-5A Bu#08119 8.2hrs Search Sec 20, Not too cold, closing in around Adak when we returned. Mr. Decker had some beer for us
  • Jan 30 1943 Ltjg Decker (2)/5 PBY-5A Bu#04418 4.6hrs Search Sec K-2, had to clean snow off wings before take-off.
  • Jan Flt Time 41.3 TFTTD-1062.1

FEBRUARY 1943

  • Feb 3 1943 Ltjg Decker (2)/6 PBY-5A Bu#04418 7.0hrs Search Sec 18 Went down to Semichi Island on Photo, to much snow. Came back seen 2 Cans and 1 Cruiser (IF) Feb 10 1943 Ltjg Decker (2)6 PBY-5A Bu307294 8.5hrs Went to Amchitka, Patrol, 4 -P38’s and 1 B-25 with us. Have runway almost leveled. Returned to Adak-
  • Feb 14 1943 Ltjg Decker 2)/6 PBY-5A Bu# 7270 1.4hrs Practiced landings CNAP Bill Dunn took out a landing light, sent P-40 Fighter Ground crew running for cover.
  • Feb 18 1943 Ltjg Decker (2)/5 PBY-5A Bu#7281 4.1hrs Search Sec 17
  • Returned WX, Boy did I do some Praying, almost spun in on wave off due to snow squall that caught us just as we were landing, went around and climbing out in snow storm, we stalled on right side and lost 600ft of altitude, Dunn took over and pulled us out over Andrews Lagoon, I watched altimeter go through ZERO as we bottomed out and climbed back in to the sunshine. We made another approach and landed ok this time.
  • Decker said to wait at the Plane so we did, Decker returned with a bottle of Scotch and said “Bill Decker Born, Died, Born again same Day” Happy Birthday, Scotch made two rounds and was a dead soldier.
  • Feb 20 1943 Ltjg Grisko (5)/17 PBY-5A Bu#04412 1.7hrs Adak to Amchitka,
  • Established first “P-Boat” Base on Amchitka, landed on runway made in the dry lake-bed behind beach -- P40’s and 38’s were also operating there. We lived in a double tent, slept on cots and ate in the Army/Seabee galley at the head of the line. We ate Flight rations (ham and eggs, hot cakes , milk etc brought in by NATS from Anchorage) and what was left over was feed to the next people in line, that way they didn’t get mad at us for having “head of the line privileges” We always made sure that the Flt Crew Cooks had plenty left over. We rigged lights in our tent from a power pole with telephone wire/battery clamps and light bulbs we carried with us. It was easy to “Shinny up a short power pole”. We then heated Snow that had blown in to the tent during the night for hot water in our electric hot cup we carried with us for shaving water and washing up. It didn’t seem to matter which way we tied the tent entrance flaps, the wind always changed during the night and we always had fresh snow in our tent in the morning. It didn’t make any difference which way we tied off the tent flaps the wind always shifted so it could blow some fresh snow into our tent for our morning water source.
  • Feb 20 1943 Ltjg Decker (2)/6 PBY-5A Bu#02958 2.8hrs First Anti-sub patrol out of Amchitka by us, returned to Amchitka, Soldiers, living in Tents on the west approach moved out, didn’t like us dragging our landing gear and wing tip floats right over their tents.
  • Feb 21 1943 Ltjg Decker (2)/6 PBY-5A Bu#02958 2.0hrs Anti-sub patrol over to Semisopochnoi Island area and return to Amchitka Feb 22 1943 Ltjg Decker (2)/6 PBY-5A Bu#02958 3.0hrs Anti-sub patrol
  • Feb 23 1943 Ltjg Decker (2)/6 PBY-5A Bu#02958 0.7hrs Anti-sub patrol came back in due to storm approaching
  • Feb 24 1943 Ltjg Decker 2)/6 PBY-5A Bu#7294 4.5hrs Anti-sub patrol, 30 Boat (PBY-5A Bu#7294) came in from Adak and took PBY-5A Bu#02958 back to Adak
  • Feb 25 1943 Ltjg Decker (2)/6 PBY -5A Bu#7294 2.8hrs Anti-sub patrol returned to Amchitka
  • Feb 28 1943 Ltjg Decker (2)/6 PBY-5A Bu#7294 2.2hrs Anti-sub-patrol.
  • Bad Wx seemed to be clearing When ever the WX was bad/foggy and the P40/38’s were flying and couldn’t find /the Runway, We would go up and led them in with our Radar or if there was adequate visibility they would fire “Star Shells” to burst just above the clouds right over the runway and they would then let down until they could see the water and/or Amchitka and then land Watched a crippled B-24 make an emergency landing after being shot up over Kiska on a bombing run. He had no brakes, so he ran off the end of the 3200 ft runway, crushing the nose around the wounded Bombardier. The bombardier was critically wounded from anti-aircraft ground fire while over Kiska and died, but the other wounded survived and were taken to the Base Hospital. The B-24 Crew Salvage Chief let us salvage some “SparkPlugs” that we needed for our engines, the B-24 used the same type of Pratt and Whitney 1830 engines the PBY-5A did, just a different dash number.
  • Feb Flt Time 40.0 hrs TFTTD-1102.1 hrs
Men in winter gear on a boat in the water
Andrews Lagoon at Adak, May ’43. Returned from Kodiak with VP-45. [Men on boat, left to right] Unknown, [next two standing close together] boat crew, AMM 2/c Barnett, CNAP Bill Dunn

Bill Maris

MARCH 1943

  • Mar 1 1943 Ltjg Decker (2)/6 PBY-5A Bu#7294 1.5hrs Anti-Sub Fog so returned to Amchitka
  • Mar 4 1943 Lt Pearson (2)/15 PBY-5A Bu#7296 1.5hrs Returned to Adak for duty
  • Mar 5 1943 Lt Pearson (2)/6 PBY-5A Bu#7297 4.0hrs Search King 3 came in early due to WX
  • Mar 7 1943 Ltjg Decker (2)/5 PBY-5A Bu#04419 7.3hrs Search D7/8 down to Agattu and south of Kiska, clear all day, had strong winds Mar 10 1943 Ltjg Decker (2)/6 PBY-5A Bu#04977 4.7hrs Army WX Hop
  • Mar 30 1943 Ltjg Decker (2)6 PBY-5A Bu#04415 10.0hrs Search Sec 9, My first hop as PC of a 5A from a land base at Adak
  • Mar Flt Time 29.0 hrs TFTTD-1131.1hrs

APRIL 1943

  • Apr 2 1943 Ltjg Decker (2)/4 PBY-5A Bu#04401 3.9hrs Army WX Hop No East of Atka 60 No 50 Home rtn Adak
  • Apr 9 1943 Ltjg Decker (2)/4 PBY-5A Bu#04400 3.3hrs Adak to Dutch-Run in to Ed Milskowski, (Ed was in the USA), from Anacortes at Dutch Harbor.
  • Apr 10 1943 Ltjg Decker (2)/4 PBY-5A Bu#04400 5.3hrs Dutch to Kodiak Flew down North side of Kodiak Island Beautiful trip,
  • April Flt Time 12.0hrs TFTTD-1143.1hrs

MAY 1943

  • May 1 1943 Ltjg Evans (5)/8 PBY-5 Bu#08863 6.5hrs Kodiak to Dutch Harbor with VP-45
  • May 2 1943 Ltjg Evans (5)/8 PBY-5 Bu#08863 4.8hrs Dutch to Adak, landed on Andrews Lagoon, I stole a 5th of scotch from the cases of booze for Capt Gerhes and gave it to the Boat Crew at Andrews Lagoon, boy did that raise a stink. Capt Gerhes was pissed off but no one knew anything about it.
  • May 4 1943 Ltjg Decker (2)/5 PBY-5A Bu#04411 11.8hrs Search-Attu was clear-seen Komandorskiye Ostrova (Commander Islands) Russia- for the first time perfect WX
  • May 6 1943 Ltjg Decker (2)/5 PBY-5A Bu#02958 7.1hrs Search Sec 8 South returned to Adak
  • May 9 1943 Ltjg Decker (2)/5 PBY-5A Bu#04420 3.9hrs Search Fog came in returned to Adak-up at 0430 yesterday and 0145 today
  • May 12 1943 Ltjg Decker (2)/7 PBY-5A Bu#04413 11.2hrs Search Sec 8 down south side and west good WX returned to Adak
  • May 13 1943 Ltjg Decker (2)/11 PBY-5A Bu#04420 1.8hrs Adak to Amchitka for Duty This time we lived in a Quonset Hut this time, chow in the Mess Hall, bathed in our helmets then washed our cloths with the remain water and slept in bunks. We were really living. Would watch the B-24’s take off with a full load of bombs for Kiska and almost run off the end of the new 10,000ft Marston matting runway, dropping a little down in to a gully as they climbed for altitude and headed west. Seen a PV-2 run off the runway on take off , catch fire and burn, all were saved and air evacuated o Anchorage for treatment. Latter in the spring of 1944 I seen a pilot at NAS Corpus Christi and asked him how he got his face so scared up, and he told me about his crash on Amchitka in May of 43, so I told him I seen it happen as we were preparing to take off in our PBY-5A. We had quite a chat about the Aleutians
  • May 14 1943 Ltjg Decker (2)/7 PBY-5A Bu#08071 11.5hrs Search Sec 4 2miles off Komandorskiys landed at Ogliuga Island Emergency field in the fog as we couldn’t find Amchitka. The Runway ran almost from beach to beach, a small round flat island, had 37 Soldiers stationed there, They feed us in their Chow hall, slept in A/C that night and refueled from 50gal Drums with hand pump next morning after breakfast.
  • May 15 1943 Ltjg Decker (2)/7 PBY-5A Bu#08071 0.8hrs Ogliuga to Amchitka
  • May 17 1943 Ltjg Decker (2)/7 PBY-5A Bu#08106 10.6hrs Search Sec 5 looked into Holtz Bay Attu on way back seen nothing
  • May 21 1943 Ltjg Decker (2)/6 PBY-5A Bu#08813 1.3hrs Search Sec 3 RADAR was out so came back in -was sick so didn’t go back out
  • May 22 1943 Ltjg Decker (2)/7 PBY-5A Bu#7284 4.3hrs Search Sec 4 Evening Patrol Landed at Holtz Bay Attu seen some Destroyers firing at Japanese Troops high up in the mountains. Went ashore for awhile and seen remnants of Japanese life-cans of food etc;
  • May 23 1943 Ltjg Decker (2)/13 PBY-5A Bu#7284 2.5hrs Ferried 5 Army Officers from Attu to Amchitka 2 Marine Colonel Scouts. Remember it is still daylight at this time of night
  • May 25 1943 Ltjg Brant (5)/17 PBY-5A Bu#2481 1.6hrs Amchitka to Adak for Duty May 30 1943 Ltjg Decker (2)/9 PBY-5A Bu#08113 10.0hrs Patrol-last hop returned to Adak
  • May Flt Time 89.8 TFTTD-1232.9hrs
Water, snow-covered mountains, and some buildings in distance
Heading west on patrol in the fog with a friend, VP-43. [PBY-5 is the dark shadow in the image]

Bill Maris

June 1943

  • Squadron left A/C at Adak, packed up personnel gear and rode Sea Plane Tender USS Teal to Dutch Harbor, don’t remember how long we were at Dutch before we loaded aboard the USS Cherokof and headed for Seattle WA. Reported in to NAS Sand Point, were interviewed by “Shrinks, sent on leave and reported back in to VP-43 at NAS Tongue Pt. OR
  • Recieved orders to NAS Corpus Christi, TX where I remained for the rest of WW ll.

July 1943

  • July 4 1943 VR-70 Pilots/21 DC-3-VR-70 A/C 4.0hrs Seattle to Sacramento CA We were headed for Oakland but couldn’t find it in the fog-seen a lot of fruit trees as we made a couple of approaches and decided to go to the Army Air Base at Sacramento CA.
  • July 4 1943 VR-71 Pilots/21 DC-3-VR-71 A/C 0.7hrs Sacramento to Oakland CA
  • July 4 1943 VR-71 Pilots/21 DC-3-VR-71 A/C 3.5hrs Oakland to Burbank CA
  • July 4 1943 VR-71 Pilots/21 DC-3-VR-71 A/C 0.5hrs Burbank to San Pedro CA
  • July 4 1943 VR-71 Pilots/21 DC-3-VR-71 A/C 1.2hrs San Pedro to Sand Diego CA
  • July 5 1943 Ltjg Wheaton (2)/4 PBY-5 Bu#08488 0.5hrs Test Hop July 6 1943 Ltjg Wheaton (2)/4 PBY-5 Bu#08488 3.3hrs San Diego to Alameda
  • July 7 1943 Ltjg Wheaton (2)/4 PBY-5 Bu#08488 3.1hrs Alameda to Astoria OR (Tongue Pt)
  • July Flt Time 16.8hrsTFTTD 1249.7hrs
  • July 10 1943 Transferred to NAS Corpus Christi TX. Went by train from Portland, OR to NAS Corpus Christi, TX via Los Angles CA and San Antonio TX Spent night in Los Angles due to delay caused by freight train wreck south of Bakersfield CA We spent hours waiting buses so along with some Girls we went wading in a near by river and made dates for when we got to LA. Porter made us a real neat cool drink to help solve our thirsty tongues. We were bussed in to LA. Missed scheduled Train, Stayed over night in Los Angles.
  • Departed next evening for Corpus Christi, TX. Stopped some where in Texas to pick up one of my Sailors in our Draft who had caught a Troop Train out the night before to his home town in Texas, his Folks asked if we could stay overnight, so we decided to stay over night again, and a kind Station Master made arrangements for us to catch next train to San Antonio next day. Partied all night. Caught train next day and were on our way. Got into San Antonio in time to catch mid-night train to Corpus Christi, arriving at 0600. Took Taxi to NAS Corpus Christi just in time to make our check in time.
  • I was assigned to NAS Operations VM-Unit. Became Plane Captain on Admiral C. Masons A/C (R4D.R5O and JRB). After being assigned the Mid-watch in the Hanger, I went to the Leading Chief and found out I was the Senior 1st Class in the Unit. Told the LCPO that due to my seniority I was the new Section Leader of Section ONE. He agreed. So I didn’t stand any more Mid-watches!
  • Started flying again to maintain my CAC status and of course the Flight Pay that went with it.
  • July 28, 1943 Cdrs Jandrect & Truslow /1 R4D4 Bu#33819 1.0hrs Local bounce NASCC
  • July 43 Total Flt Time 17.8 hrs TFTTD-1267.5hrs

August 1943

  • Aug 8, 1943 Lt. O. B. Smith (1)/1 R4D4 Bu# 33819 0.8hrs Ferried 23 Ball Players
  • Aug 8, 1943 Lt O. B. Smith (1)/1 R4D4 Bu# 33819 0.7hrs Ferried 23 Ball Players
  • Aug 9. 1943 Lt. O. B. Smith (1)/1 R4D4 Bu# 33819 2.0hrs Parachute Sch Jump (16 Students)
  • Moved to Neueses Hotel in Corpus Christi, shared room with “Ma” Whitson Amm1/c (from VP-43). Saved wear and tear going on liberty and a place to entertain. Enjoyed some very entertaining young ladies for the next few months.
  • Aug 16, 1943 Lt Armbruster (3)/1 R4D4 Bu#33819 1.5hrs Bounce (T&G)
  • Aug 25 1943 Radm C. P. Mason (2)/1 JRB-2 Bu#4719 2.0hrs CC to NAS New Orleans Aug 25 1943 Radm C. Mason (2)/1 JRB-2 Bu#4719 2.8hra NASNO to NAS CC
  • Aug 1943 Total Flt Time 9.8hrs TFTTD-1277.3hrs

Sept 1943

  • Sept 13, 1943 Ltjg Coker (4)/1 JRB-2 Bu#4719 0.3hrs Test Flight
  • Sept 13, 1943 Radm C Mason/Ltjg Coker/1 JRB-2 Bu#4719 2.4hrs NASCC to FW
  • Sept 13, 1943 Radm C Mason/Ltjg Coker/1 JRB-2 Bu#4719 2.1hrs FW to NAS CC
  • Sept 16, 1943 Ltjg Day (2)/1 JRB-2 Bu#4719 1.9hrs NASCC to Del Rio, TX due to a Hurricane Evacuation. Had a great time pulling “Dungaree Liberty” in Vina Cunya, Mexico, Great Bars, Girls and food Capt Sam Houston, USA(MP OinC) Gave us a bad time as we were out of uniform.
  • Sept 18, 1943 Ltjg Day (2)/1 JRB-2 Bu#4719 1.2hrs Del Rio to NASCC
  • Sept 1943 Total Flt Time 7.9hrs TFTTD-1285.2hr

Oct 1943

  • Oct 5, 1943 Lt. B.F. Jones (1)/6 JRB-2 Bu#4719 1.3hrs. Mail to NAS Kingsville & NAS Beeville, TX and return.
  • Oct 14, 1943 Capt. McDonald (1)/5 JRB-2 Bu#4719 2.0hrs Monthly Flight time Oct 14 1943 Capt McDonald (1)/1 JRB-2 Bu#4719 2.0hrs Monthly Flight time
  • Oct 1943 Total Flt Time 5.7hrs TFTTD-1290.9hrs

Nov 1943

  • Nov 4, 1943 Lt Benning (2)/22 R4D4 Bu#33819 2.2hrs Eagle Mt Pass
  • Nov 4, 1943 Lt Benning (2)/22 R4D4 Bu#33819 1.8hrs EMP to Wichita Kansas, Beech Aircraft Plant. RON, Colder than hell on liberty, had a good time, very little sleep
  • Nov 5, 1943 Lt Lund(2)/4 SNB-2 Bu#51319 2.4hrs Wichita to Waco
  • Nov 5, 1943 Lt Lund)2)/4 SNB-2 Bu#51319 2.0hrs Waco to NAS CC
  • Nov 11, 1943 Lt Casselton(1)3 JRB-2 Bu#4719 1.0hrs Local Test Flight
  • Nov 15, 1943 Lt BF Jones(1)/3 JRB-2 Bu#4719 0.4hrs CC to Kingsville
  • Nov 15, 1943 Lt BF Jones(1)/3 JRB-2 Bu#4719 1.0hrs Kingsville via Beeville to NAS CC
  • Nov 17, 1943 Lt BF Jones(1)/6 JRB-2 Bu#4719 1.7hrs CC to Kingsville
  • Nov 17, 1943 Lt BF Jones(1)/7 JRB-2 Bu#4719 0,9hrs Kingsville via Beeville to NAS CC
  • Nov 18, 1943 Ens O’Neil(1)/5 JRB-2 Bu#4719 2.1hrs Mail Run
  • Nov 29, 1943 Lt Doyle(1)/4 JRB-2 Bu#4719 1.0hrs CC to San Antonio Load of freight-Engine parts for O & R at NAS CC.
  • Nov 29, 1943 Lt Doyle(1)/4 JRB-2 Bu#4719 0.8hrs San Antonio to NAS CC
  • Nov 30, 1943 Lt Coker/Capt Poppin, (1)/4 JRB-2 Bu#4719 2.0hrs CC to Dallas
  • Nov 30, 1943 Lt Coker/Capt Poppin (1)/4 JRB-2 Bu#4719 2.8hrs Dallas to KC RON-till 3 Dec, Capt Poppin, attended Medical Seminar. Lt Coker and I had a great time on liberty from the Mulebak Hotel. I brought along a quart thermos of “Sneaky Pete” (to help fight the cold weather.) the Desk Clerk could smell it as it has leaked into the sleeve of my “Pea Coat” With KC being dry, he knew we had something but couldn’t figure out where it was. At least he didn’t squeal on us.
  • Nov 1943 Total Flt time 22.1hrs TFTTD-1313.0 hrs

Dec 1943

  • Dec 3, 1943 Lt Coker/Capt Poppin (1)/4 JRB-2 Bu#4719 2.7hrs KCK to NAS Norman OK Refueled
  • Dec 3, 1943 Lt Coker/Capt Poppin (1)4 JRB-2 Bu#4719 3.5hrs NAS Norman OK to NAS Corpus Christi TX Dec 7, 1943 Col. Mangreene, USMC (1)4 JRB-2 Bu#4719 0.6hrs Check Hop
  • Dec 1943 Total Flt Time 6.8hrs TFTTD 1276.8hrs
  • December 1943, Moved back aboard NAS and jointed my shipmates in the 1st Class PO Bunk Room, almost broke from living in the Hotel. Went on (15 day) Christmas leave to Anacortes, WA via train from CC to San Antonio TX to Los Angles to Seattle and Bus to Anacortes, Had a great time even if I had to be back to Corpus on the 30 of December.
  • Dec 31, 1943 and so ends another year----of all places Corpus Christi Texas
  • Dec 1943 Total Flt Time 6.8 hrs TFTTD-1319.8 hrs

Flight Logs January 1944 - June 1944

Jan 1944

  • A friend and shipmate of VM-Unit AMM2/C Sanders was being transferred to SEA and had a neat Room in a Boarding house in Corpus Christi, Sandy introduced me to his Land Lady at dinner one night and when Sandy left, I moved into his room. It was neat cause “Mom” was a real good cook and had Boiled Shrimp, Salad and beer for dinner every Friday night Then Sandy’s Girl Friend who had the room next to mine returned from her trip to the West Coast to see Sandy off. That set things to cooking and after a couple of dates we became very good friends. After studying for the CPO Exams coming up the 15th of January, I moved back aboard. About the end of the month I was informed that I had made the List for CPO.
  • As of 1 February 1944.
  • Jan 5, 1944 Ltjg O’Niel(2)/22 R4D4 Bu#33819 2.3hrs Parachute Jump for Parachute Riggers School Students. “Parachute Rigger Scotty Culp, a Student, was the First Wave in the USN to make a free fall jump in the chute she had packed.”
  • Jan 8, 1944 Ltjg O’Niel(2)/21 R4D4 Bu#33819 2.5hrs Parachute Jump for Parachute School Students
  • Jan 1944 Total Flt Time 4.8hrs TFTTD-1324.3 hrs
  • February 1, 1944 promoted to ACMM (T) USN A great day in my Naval career —4years and 51 days since becoming a Apprentice Seaman on 11 Dec 1939.
  • Feb 3, 1944 Ltjg O’Neil(2)/22 R4D4 Bu#33819 5.2hrs Ferry(to Where ???Probably took the Baseball team some where) .
  • Feb 14, 1944 received a “Valentine Day Card” in the Guard Mail, real “I’m willing how about you” and unsigned. Traced the Guard-mail envelope back to VM-Unit and finally found out it was from AMM2C Marie Erickson. From then on it was a lost cause—our first date was to the “Nickel Movie” on the Base After a few dates and the MAA raising Cain about Marie setting in the CPO Section of the Theater, another Chief and I went to the Command XO and requested XO Mast. Told the XO that we were tired of being discriminated by not letting us have our Enlisted Dates (Below the rating of CPO) set in the CPO Reserved section with us, that we could go ashore and bring some “Sleazy Broad” in as our guest, but couldn’t have one of our “WAVES” Ladies as our guest and many of us CPO’s were dating our Ladies in Uniform. The XO listened and issued an Order Changing the Seating instructions for the Theater. So the harassment stopped.
  • Feb 1944 Total Ft Time 5.2hrs TFTTD-1329.5hrs

March 1944

  • Mar 14, 1944 Ltjg Phipps (1)/5 R4D4 Bu#33819 1.5hrs Test Hop
  • Mar 15, 1944 Ltjg O’Neil(2)/21 R4D4 Bu#33819 3.0hrs Ferry ???
  • March 1944 Total Flt Time 4.5hrs TFTTD-1334.0hrs
  • April 1944
  • Apr 6, 1944 Ltjg Phipps (2)/21 R4D4 Bu#33819 1.4hrs Parachute jump.
  • Apr 7, 1944 Lt Hortin (1)/1 SNJ-4 Bu#27100 1.3hrs Test Hop
  • Apr 9, 1944 Lt Pallisier (1)/2 SNB-2 Bu#33900 2.0hrs Mail Run
  • April 1944 Total Flt Time 4.7hrs TFTTD-1338.7 0hrs
  • April 1944 transferred to VPB Air/Sea Rescue Unit, NAS Corpus, Became the Leading Chief Petty Officer of a 6 Plane PBY-5A Unit

May 1944

  • May 12, 1944 Ens Renne (2)/5 PBY-5A Bu#08121 1.5hrs Check Hop
  • May 13, 1944 1stLt Jankovic USMC (20/4 PBY-5A Bu#04976 1.4hrs CC to Alamo (San Antonio TX)
  • May 13, 1944 1st Lt Jankovic USMC (2)/4 PBY-5A Bu#04976 1.3hrs Alamo to CC
  • May 1944 Total Flt Time 4.2hrs TFTTD-1342.9 hrs
  • June 1944
  • Went to SOP LCDR and told him we need to get this Unit organized into a working unit. That we had no Chain-of-Command, No one knew who was running what. That we needed to have the Officers Assigned various Department/Division Officer responsibilities according to their Date of Rank, such as CO, XO, OPS, MO etc.
  • Lcdr held AOM (All Officers Meeting) outlining my remarks from the previous day and assigned each and every Officer to a Billet, made out POD and published it for the Unit. I remained the LCPO and ACMM Robert Milligan, USN became the Maintenance CPO. We Had 10 Officers and 45 Enlisted men assigned to fly and maintain the 6 PBY-5A Aircraft.
  • June 1, 1944, Became engaged to AMM2/C Marietta S. Erickson, USNR(W) Wrote Letter to Marie’s Father and requested his permission to marry Marie, received permission with his blessing.
  • June 5, 1944 1st Lt Lloyd, USMC (2)/4 PBY-5A Bu#04976 2.1hrs Beaumont, TX
  • June 5, 1944 1st Lt Lloyd, USMC (2)/4 PBY-5A Bu#04976 2.2hrs Beaumont TX To CC
  • June 1944 Total Flt Time 4.3hrs TFTTD-1347.2 hrs
After WW ll was over I was transfered back to NAS Kodiak, TA, August of 1947 at my request as my new family desired to travel and we did. My wife was a Wave AMM2c when we got married June of 44, had two sons when she arrived to enjoy all the wonderful things we could do, fishing, clam digging, hiking and sleding in the winter. Kodiak could be a winter wonderland resort for everyone to fly into and enjoy for a holiday.


Continue Bill's story in End of War and Post-War Life.

Part of a series of articles titled Bill Maris Flight Logs & Recollections.

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Aleutian Islands World War II National Historic Area

Last updated: August 24, 2021