more on loyce deen .... a very thorough portrait of a quietly brave young man, and the plane he flew in combat ....

reader "h" submitted a comment, and a link to an article about loyce deen.    this evening i had time to read the article, and it is beautifully done.

loyce's boyhood and family life are set forth, as were his aspirations for a career in aviation.   and, it is noted, that before he was killed in combat he was also wounded in the foot by shrapnel   he may very well have sought treatment for the wound, but chose to stay with his group through the fight.

i would suggest that those who are interested in the sort of fighting that loyce deen was engaged in, and interested in the plane that carried him into battle, and brought him home for burial, go to the article by following the link sent in by "h."

the link & article.  --  "in memory of loyce edward deen, .... , and all who served aboard the uss essex."  

 http://www.loyceedeen.org/ .  

i might add that loyce and his plane were featured in the series "victory at sea," but he was not identified nor the circumstances of his death set forth.   the film that i linked in the article on loyce, and that was lined at ace of spades, apparently came from the victory at sea episode "the conquest of micronesia."

john jay @ 03.16.2017

p.s.   in stark contrast to the pissants now in hollywood, many hollywood types fought in wwii.  one of them, who flew in vt-100 in the same type of plane as loyce deen was the actor paul newman, a machinist mate 3rd class and belly gunner on the tbm avenger.

p.s.s.   odd, but typepad/google generated nary one single related thumbnail i might have used for this article, though a-rod and j-low were featured in one.   why is that, do you suppose?

Comments

[Paul Albers]

Ah, Victory at Sea. I sat spellbound during every episode. It chronicled with real videos of the U.S. Navy and the defeat of its enemies.
Also I can still hear the voice of Alexander Scorby's narration of the episodes.
Brave men both in the air at at sea.

[Paul Albers]

An update.
My memory was inaccurate.
Roger Graves did the Narration. Another great voice.

[Paul Albers]

An update update. As I understand it Mr. Scorby did do some narration on a condensed version of Victory at Sea. Credit given where credit due. My error does not diminish the bravery of Loyce.

[john jay]

paul:

nothing as stirring to watch as film of a great ship pounding through heavy seas.

i spent time aboard a fisher/crabber/processor in the bering sea, when younger and just out of law school. i think that the biggest seas i was ever in were running about 16' or so, and that was enough to convince you that any more would be in a realm above exciting and bracing.

the ocean is a big place. to fly across great expanses of it, and then to fly back looking for a very small carrier deck, to stalwart and brave men. to fight over it, ... , well, it took special men.

victory at sea captures this. i haven't seen it on the t.v. in a while, i should go out and get a dvd of the program(s). a wonderful series.

john

[Paul Albers]

John,
I can relate to your Bering Sea experience. Must have been cold as it comes. I spent some time in the North Sea and it made me think of all those poor souls that went down with their ships.