The first of 74
My first operational flight was called by the Americans a "Fox Green". Anti-Sub.Anti-Shipping and/orWX Recce if flown at night,when a American Met. Officer was added to the crew. These flights were flown for Task Force 76 positioned in the Yellow Sea.Usually flown by the Sunderlands,as the Chinese had a nasty habit of shooting at the Mariners.They would attack from astern with 37mm cannon and break off before in machine gun range.At least one Mariner was shot down and several damaged.Why a Sunderland....the only explanation I was ever given why we were not attacked,Mariners are painted dark blue,Sunderlands are white.Which just happens to be a Chinese funeral colour...bit like shooting at a hearse!!
0400.hrs.early call.get dressed.some pulled their long johns and shirts over their pyjamas,remember no heating on board. Into the crew coach to Briefing,grab a cup of coffee.no breakfast,the Messes were not open,perhaps the reason we were in married quarters, Get latest weather,task and any pertinent info from the Briefing Officer and with his cheery"Life expectancy in the sea today 2 minutes " ringing in our ears,back on the crew coach for the journey down to the pier, Check F700,quick word with Chiefy and onto the launch and out to the trots.Let me remind you again,no heaters,no warm air blowers,just a cold soaked aircraft.The temperature usually minus something.It could be raining/snowing.The crew had to handle chains and shackles without gloves.The engineer had a particularly hazardous job of lowering the leading edge of the wing to start the APU.It could all be very cold and dodgy.Start up,taxy out into the bay,runup,check in with Control,the seaplane tender,USN "Salisbury Sound" moored in the bay,mother ship for the VP Sqdns. It provided the pinnace and was our communication centre throughout the flight.Although apart from "On Task" and "Off Task" messages we maintained radio silence,the frequency was monitored for broadcasts every 30 mins. which could give change of task or diversion.
Airborne at 0600 hrs. we headed for the Shimonaseki Gap.the passage between the two main Islands,leading to the Tsushima Straits.which divide Japan from Korea. We were equipped with ASV VI.C centrimetric radar, designed for detecting periscopes,snorkels,small targets.Consequently it had a wide pulse width,find a tin can in a calm sea at 5nm.But it wasnt much use for map reading,it bridged over inlets and gaps. We therefore used to get the radar operator to practise taking us thro at 500ft..The passage was W shaped,with HT cables at 200ft,with high ground either side.We always out of preference flew 1000ft. or below.The alternative was to climb to 7000ft. and letdown blind the other side.No Area Radar in those days. Once clear of Shimonaseki,one headed north for Task Force 77 south of Vladivostock,or continued West around Korea before heading North into the Yellow Sea for Task Force 76.Depending where they were a 3 to 4 hour transit.All navigation was DR,we had no aids apart from radar.We did have a D/F loop but there were no M.F.beacons.
Once airborne,Tea/Coffee,Bacon sandwiches all round and the Meat/Veg prepared for the inevitable stew.
Entering the Patrol Area,it was Lock and Load,which I believe is the current phraseology,all guns were tested,Bomb racks run out and circuits checked,we carried 250 lb, depth charges,turrets and beam .5's manned,ready for action we started our patrol.The one thing we tried never to do,was overfly the Task Force,Navy gunners have notoriously twitchy fingers! and I dont think their aircraft recognition was all that good.
Depending on task given,we could be on patrol between the TF and Chinese Mainland looking for subs. and fast patrol boats.All Sunderlands carried the callsign "Watchman,we guarded a VHF channel .If the trip was a weather recce,we would have come on task at midnight,carried out the same patrols,but at dawn passed weather observations to the TF for that days missions.Occasionally when flying between the TF and the Korean coast,we would get a call from observors on off shore islands for relay to the TF.Must have been the equivalent of todays Navy Seals.It was so cold,it was normal for ice to form on the galley roof from condensation.We could plug in up to four positions so that crewmembers could use electrically heated socks and gloves,more than four ,blew the fuse,so it was the nose and tail turrets plus the beam .5's.
After six hours on task.we would depart.bomb racks run in,guns stowed hatches closed and the long transit back. Once approaching Tsushima the weather socked in,the radar was on the blink. so we had to climb to 8000ft. to clear high ground.we subsequently flew into a embedded CuNim Tropical CuNims are BIG B****RDS!! we dropped like a brick,full power ,went down like an elevator.we finally came out,fortunately over the sea at 1000ft. and crept back to Iwakuni.After refuelling,debriefing,you had had a long cold 18 hour day.ALL I wanted was a hot bath and bed.
As an aside,for that flight I was awarded two Medals!! British Korean Campaign and United Nations Medal.seeing as Seletar was an operational posting my first flight entitled me to the General Services Medal[Malaysia] So I had earned three campaign medals in six days.Commonly referred to as the"Easy Three"