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| RCAF S/L Kenneth Boomer, DFC, AA |
1- 1- 1943
Henley, E., A.F.M. “A”, and Mitchinson, T.C. Armourer (guns), “A”
appointed Acting Sergeants (Paid). LAC’s Blow, C.A., Armourer (guns)
“A”, Kellet, R. S., Armourer “A” and Fordham, J.G. A.F.M. “A”, appointed
Acting Corporals (paid). Trade test results published. Majority
airmen on strength now have “A” grouping. LAC Paquet, J.W. was admitted
to post hospital at 2000 hours. At 1500 hours LAC Molar, N.J. and
Tomkinson, F. and fifteen other airmen who are returning to Canada to
proceed on leave, boarded the “USS Wallace”. Flying Officer R. Lynch
has been appointed officer responsible the daily diary. W.O.2. Merkely,
E.A., made a reconnaissance flight to determine the best locality for a
bomb sight. The officers accepted an invitation to attend a steak
dinner in the Airmen’s Mess and during that meal the news was received
that Squadron Leader K.A. Boomer had been invested with the D.F.C. by
his Majesty, King George VI. This was greeted with hearty applause.
Local training flights and one A & E test carried out. Total flying
time 6:10 hours.
Summary of Operational Mission on Kiska
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| 4-RCAF Kittyhawks over Umnak en route to Fireplace (Adak), 22-9-1942 |
Pilot Officer H.O. Gooding departed from Fort Glenn at 1330 hours,
22-9-42 to refuel at Fireplace, then to strafe Kiska. The mission
consisted of 9 B-24’s, 12 P-39’s and 20 P-40’s. The aircraft landed at
Fireplace at 1600 hours, 22-9-42, refueling by all crews was carried
out, and the following morning at 0900 hours the aircraft took off to
complete the mission. Heavy rainstorms and poor visibility was
encountered for approximately one hour’s flying, and the aircraft
were forced to turn back, weather necessitating the aircraft ascending
to 17,000 feet on the return trip. One American aircraft was lost,
supposedly due to weather, and the planes landed at 11:45 hours.
Continued bad weather prevented the operation from being carried out
until the morning of the 25th. At 0800 hours, 25-9-42 the aircraft again
took off, and the weather was good throughout the trip. We arrived at
Kiska harbour at approximately 10:00 hours. The Canadian Flight
crossed Little Kiska Island, experiencing little fire from that point.
Crossing the north head of the Harbour they heavily attacked naval gun
emplacements and also several 50 caliber guns, continuing they attacked
the main camp area and Squadron Leader Boomer with Pilot Officer Gooding
also attacked enemy Radar Stations. Turning right the formation
re-crossed the north head again attacking gun emplacements. Inside
the Harbour area one enemy zero fighter float plane was encountered and
destroyed by Squadron Leader Boomer. After circling the harbour, an
enemy submarine was discovered also being attacked by American pilots.
Canadians joined in this and made several attacks each. The formation
then joined the B-24’s, five miles east of Segula Island and returned to
the base at Fireside (sic), landing at 11:50 hours.
The
Canadian Pilots expended their full load of ammunition and returned
safely with no damage to the aircraft. The time of the trip was 3 hours
and 50 minutes.”
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| L-R- P/O Bob Lynch, General Corlett, P/O Hal Gooding and an American airman. |
Three other Canadian pilots who participated in that joint mission also received American Air Medals making them, in all likelihood, the very first Allies (and definitely the first Canadians) to receive American Air Medals during WWII. Yet another interesting factoid that this campaign provides. Photo’d above, on the left is my grandfather P/O Lynch and his squadron-mate P/O Hal Gooding who is receiving his Air Medal ribbon from General Corlett. General Corlett is the American Army commander who lead the joint landing on Kiska which was the final push to reclaim the territory and officially end the campaign. Corlett must have been stationed at Fort Greely as he appears several times in the squadron diary, hosting dinners for the Canadian officers, conducting inspections and as you see him here, pinning ribbons.
SIDE NOTE: Incidentally, the zero that S/L Boomer shot down was in pursuit and actively firing at an American P-40 flown by Major Al Aiken. Just weeks before I discovered the American account of this mission that listed Major Al Aiken as the pilot in that troubled Warhawk, my good buddy- Aleutian WWII P-40 pilot Lt. Col (RET) Bob Brocklehurst, just happen to be telling me a wartime story about when his not so happy Major had to rescue him from a farmers cub sized air strip in Grant’s Pass, Oregon where he had accidentally landed his new P-40 (instead of the intended strip in Medford, Oregon). The next day, the Major showed up in a staff car and much to the dismay of Bob, flew the P-40 out of there while Bob watched from the back seat of the auto. This Major was none other than Al Aiken! It took me all of a hot minute to get Bob on the phone so I could tell him that the Canadian Squadron Leader (who was also flying with my grandfather) saved Major Aiken’s life during a mission over Kiska!
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| Canadian artist, Rich Thistle paints his version of the battle over Kiska Harbor. |
It is stories like these that continually demonstrate how the pieces of this journey keep connecting itself to one another. One would think I would be used to these happenings by now but nope- I am still awestruck by it with every single occurrence and find it most reassuring to keep on this path.
Here is another- from the first day I met Bob he would recount several stories about his good friends, American airmen Lt. Bacon and Lt. Crisp and how during roll call they would make jokes about crispy bacon… (get it..?). And just the other day when researching the Canadian squadron diaries I came across an entry that actually had these two lieutenants, Crisp and Bacon, listed as being on patrol duty with our 111 Squadron pilots, Jim Gohl and Hal Gooding while on Umnak! Love love these connections.
And so I write…