Float Plane Aircrews USS Denver CL-58 & USS New Jersey BB-62

National Air & Space Museums Kingfisher with the crew compartment and guns clearly visible.
Work In progress..

During the Second World War there were a small group of aircrew that served longer than many of their better known contemporaries in larger units and airforces. The reconnisance floatplane aircrews flew lone missions in aircraft that could not outrun or outgun their adversaries. Their job was to search out the enemy, either on sea or land, at times spotting for shore bombardment or defending against possible submarine attack. The ship could not come to a stop to pick them up, so the piloting skills of both the ships captain and the pilot of the aircraft were critical as well as the efficient operations of the crane and catapult crews.

I started looking for some of the scout float plane aircrews some time ago as there is little written about these units. Ships histories often mention them only in passing. With the arrival of the New Jersey back to her home state I decided to try it again and got the help of Mr. Ed Campbell in contacting some of the vets. I hope this page will soon have several members of the USS Denver CL-58 avaition unit who served as gunners/radio men and launch/recovery crews as well as one of their pilots. A member of the New Jerseys BB-62 unit who served on board and also tested the last new float plane developed for the Navy (the SC1 Sea Hawk)may also be helping with these profiles.



ARM2 -Andrew Tucker CL-58 USS Denver.

ARM2/C - Travis Ivy CL-58 USS Denver.

Lt Don Hartlaub - CL-58 USS Denver.

Lt Don Carroll - CA-69 USS Boston & BB-62 New Jersey.

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The Japanese flew float aircraft from their Cruisers and Battleships as well.
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The Aichi E13A - Jake & the Mitsubishi FM1 - Pete. Both types and their highly trained crews ended their careers in Kamikaze missions at wars end


A Few Links
Cruiser Scout the only story of life in these units on the web that I have found.

Links to most of the New Jersey sites on the web

Enlisted men grades and pay scales. USS Enterprise web page.

USS DENVER CL-58 Brief history

USS DENVER deck log


WWII MEMORIES Web site of other Air and ground crews memories