Title

The Diary of Elisha "Smokey" Stover October 13, 1943 through February 13,1944

Description

This green government record book was used by Elisha "Smokey" Stover as his diary from October 13, 1943, to February 13, 1944. During this period he recounts some flying he made in Hawaii with passengers, his concern for Ret Gaynier, his service as a Fighter Director officer, the emergency landing of Cmdr. Crommelin after the Mille raid, the crash of a fighter from the USS Liscome Bay and the death of five Yorktown flight deck crewmen, and his return to flying status with VF-5. Flying with VF-5 he describes his Combat Air Patrol (CAP) experiences and laments that going in on the second wave of an attack doesn't give him much of an opportunity to add to his score. He dreams about going on leave stateside, expresses no regret about returning to dangers of combat flying and expresses his excitement about going in with the first wave for the raid on Truk.

Collection

Smokey Stover Collection

Context

Elisha Terrill "Smokey" Stover was a F4F Wildcat pilot with VF-8 on the USS Hornet (CV-8) and VF-5 aboard the USS Saratoga (CV-3) and later at Guadalcanal in 1942 where he downed 4 Japanese planes earning the Air Medal. Transferred aboard the USS Yorktown (CV-10) as a Fighter Director Officer in CIC in 1944, he appeared in scenes of "The Fighting Lady" and later returned to flight status with VF-5 when he was shot down over Truk Atoll on February 16, 1944.

Accession #

2017.26

Lexicon

Nomenclature 4.0

Secondary Object Name

Journal

Primary Object Name

Book

Sub-Class Name