VF-81 Hellcat Pilot
KIA February 16, 1945 over Tokyo Bay
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During the Famous 2 day Battle of Tokyo Bay Feb 16 - 17, 1945
Gage shot down one Japanese plane before being shot down himself
His service number is 0-84159
Lt.Gage was a Flight Leader in VF-81 scoring two air victories
Dec 14th, 1944 h08.40: type: Frances- location: over
Batengas A/F
Feb 16th, 1945 h15.55 - 17.00: type: Oscar- location: Tokyo
Bay
See
more of Lt Gage's history from the WWII Memorial web site
also
More
from the National Archives
Extremely RARE Engraved Posthumous Awarded Navy Medal Group
Late in the afternoon of February 16th, 1945, the aviation
assets of
The USS WASP were engaged in a furious struggle for supremacy of the
skies over Tokyo, Japan. The air battle had raged since the early part
of the day, and as the day wore on the US Navy Fighter Pilots of VF-81
found themselves locked in a life or death contest with the best
remaining pilots that the Empire of Japan could muster at this late
stage of the war. The American Naval and Marine pilots were the hardened
tip of a spear that comprised the largest Combat Naval Fleet ever
assembled in the history of warfare, an awesome armada that streched
from horizon to horizon, and it is doubtful that the likes of such
a
fleet will ever be seen again. The Americans were fighting for a quick
end to a war that could only have one outcome, and the Japanese were
fighting to a level born of desperation; to keep the Americans off
the
soil of their beloved Home Island.
Into this setting flew one brave American Naval Officer from
Austin Texas,
Lt. John William Beverly Gage. "Bill" Gage, a 6 year US Navy Veteran
and a Flight Leader in VF-81, would ultimately bring down a Japanese
aircraft
on that afternoon of February 16, 1945 over Tokyo Bay. Only minutes
later he would
be shot down himself by enemy aircraft thus making the supreme sacrifice
for his country.
I would like to thank Amy C, a pretty young housewife from
Austin, Texas for finding this group for me. She truly found a piece
of history!
Also I want to thank the VF81 Veterans I spoke with as well as their
family members
for all their invaluable information they provided me on VF81 and Lt.Gage.
VF81 was such a small fighter squadron that on Feb 16, 1945 it only
consisted of
36 Hellcats so information on VF81 is very hard to come by. I would
like to thank
Walter Grant who sent me his fathers (William Grant) printed diary
called 'The Sting Of The WASP
Memoirs Of A Navy Fighter Pilot WWII'. Walters father Wiliam, also
in VF-81,
flew Hellcats over Tokyo Bay the day Gage was KIA. Next I want to thank
MD Miller of VF-81 for the information he sent me on the squadron and
Glen
Edwards another
VF81 Vet who loaned me his logbooks and citations which greatly have
assisted me in my research of Lt.Gage.
Edwards was awarded the Air Medal for meritorious achievment for his
efforts on Feb 16, 1945 with Gage
during the Battle of Tokyo Bay. He went on to fly fighters in Korea
with VF781 and earned the DFC.
Also a big thank you to Herman Wiesensee of Struthers Ohio for sending
me info on Gage's Burial site
as well as some other valuanble information including Gage's service
number
Lastly I would like to thank Larry Stone for his countless hours in
assisting me in finding
the real story behind "Bill" Gage and these engraved medals that Amy
C found laying
on a blanket at a yard sale in Austin, Texas one hot summer day.
see larger of above scan here
Distinguished Flying Cross Cased with Gold Star Hand Engraved
Purple Heart Cased Hand Engraved
Air Medal Cased Hand Engraved
Navy Pilot Wings "Amico" 10K Sterling Silver - Early WWII Type
WWII Victory Medal
American Defense Medal
Note the box addressed to his Mother and postmarked July 19 1945
Navy records show his next of kin (wife) was Mrs. Miriani Quick Gage
Address at time of death, 2423 Park Street Houston, Texas
The same address that is on the box addressed to his mother!
The cases for the Defense and Victory medal were added to the
group by
us and are not original to the group but they are authentic real period
cases
see larger scan of above here
Paper that came with his engraved DFC
The back of the Cased DFC is engraved exactly to what is printed on
this official paper
Photo of Gage out of "Prep Charlie"
The official 1945 Cruise Book of the USS Wasp
which VF-81 was stationed on
VF81 was a very small squadron with only 36 Hellcats and 55 Pilots
scan of the extremely rare "Prep Charlie" which
I found and is now part of this group
scan of inside "Prep Charlie" here
VF-81 which consisted of aprox 55 Pilots and 36 Hellcats on Feb 16,
1945
were know as the "FREELANCERS".
Lt.Gage was one of the first members of this
elite group which was the first attack strike squadron on Japan. Actually
it was the second strike EVER on the Japanese homeland, the first being
the
Doolottle Tokyo Raid. Task Force 58 pilots, which the Freelancers were
a part of,
swept airfields in Tokyo and the surrounding regions. They claimed
344 victories
Confidential Memorandum instructing Task
Force Fifty-Eight Pilots
as dictated by M.A. Mitscher Vice Admiral US Navy
...........
