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| Lt Scobells handwritten report which gives details about Wally |
This handwritten report by Pilot Lt JG Scobell gives many more details about the final battle during which Wally was killed. It has now surfaced along with Lt. Scobells medals and pictures after being purchased at an estate auction by a collector. It reads as follows:
Torpedo Squadron #7, Plane #16; Bu No 45879
Pilot; Lt(jg) R.C. Scobell, AV(n) 250948
Turret gunner; C.D. Boyer AMM 1/c
Radio Man; Wallace A. Barney ARM 3/c
"Take off from carrier 1245 Oct. 25 - 1944
Over target 1610 to 1620 25 miles off NE coast Samar. Attacked formation of enemy war ships at 1620. After completing dive and drop on target the plane was hit several times by 20mm and at least once by 40mm. The starboard wing hit around wheel causing tire to blow out and tearing surface of wing panel and overlap fairing. Engine and accessory section hit several times by 20mm fire. Oil line hit causing plane to smoke and lose oil excessively along starboard side.
At 700 ft flew to join up area where an SB2C-3 and F6F-5 of air group 7 joined up. The fighter stayed well clear at all times but the bomber also flew over the top and asked to have his bombay checked and then wanted the course back to our task group. We flew for 5-7 minutes at 500 ft and 150 knots on a course of 70-75 degrees. As the oil pressure dropped steadily and other instruments indicated normal operations. It was decided to keep the plane in the air as long as practicable to enable us to fly as far from the enemy force as possible. The crew members tossed out all loose and heavy gear (ammo etc). The bombay was checked to be sure it was empty and doors closed. The crew returned to their station and awaited the forced landing. The flaps were lowered and wheel checked in the up position. The landing was made with power into the wind as the oil pressure gauge indicated 5 lbs pressure. The plane stayed afloat close to a minute. Pilot getting out of cockpit to the starboard side, pulled chute and seat type raft after him. Worked way back to plane raft compartment removing access door and pulling raft out with aid of a push by turret gunner from port side. Pilot held two rafts and chute until turret man climbed to the starboard side. Standing on the wing was not possible due to pitching of the plane and the waves washing over the wing. It was also hard to hold on to the plane which was covered with oil. The turret man opened the hatch to the second cockpit. The radio man did not come up in to the second cockpit*. The plane was beginning to settle. The crew men held on to the rafts and the pilot tried to open the turret door but the plane sank nose first and the pilot pushed clear of the tail as the plane slid down. Worked the little raft out of its container and inflated it. The gunner climbed in and the loose gear taken aboard. The big raft was then worked on and inflated, turned over and the pilot climbed in. The gunner then transferred to the large raft. About this time the fighter plane made a pass close by and we waved from the raft.
The first night was spent in 2 hour watches. The warm air would keep the raft as dry as possible and nosed in to the wind. The small drag from the raft was put out to help in holding position and the 1 man raft was played out on its bow line. The small sail cloths were used to cover the occupants and to help keep the water out that would lap in to the boat. One plane was heard to pass over neaby but not running with any lights. No attempt was made at signaling with flares or other means because the plane could not be identified (rain). As the sun came up we busied our selves about the raft getting the gear in order and taking a close check on what we had. We agreed to hold our position as best we could the rest of the day putting out the pilot chute from the parachute as ???? sea anchor. The sail cloths were used to keep the sun off but were rigged so as to let air slip under. As the day passed on we took our shoes and stockings off in order to dry our feet and to give the clothes a chance to drey. Several planes were seen and heard throughout the day. Attempts were made with the signal mirror, floating dye marker and the smoke flare was broken out but could not be fitted to the clamp and oar handle in time to be used. There after the smoke flare was left on the oar for instant use. With just 2 people in the raft all the various devices could not be used on just one plane. The pilot used the mirror and the smoke flare and the gunner used the dye marker and vary shell at dusk and early morning when they might be most easily seen, and since only 2 smoke flares were furnished it was felt we should not waste them on planes that might be too far away or to high.
The second night we rigged a sail out the 2 sail cloths and using an oar for a rudder sailed with the wind all night. The small raft was taken in to the large raft, some of the air released and used as a chushion to lay on. As several rain squalls came up through the night the small raft was used to cover over the boat and since the sea was fairly calm little water was taken aboard. The same 2 hour watches were maintained and the raft held on its course. This night I believe we each picked up some sleep.
As the sky began to lighten up a new sail was made out of a part of the parachute. The raft straightened about and the gear checked. The new sail worked well and now the smaller sail cloth could be used to keep the sun off. As the morning wore on several groups of friendly planes were seen at a distance and low search planes flying their sectors could be seen. In the early afternoon a TBF and PBM both on searches were spotted. The smoke can was released and dye marker put out. The PBM spotted us first and made a wide circle and then flew back 180' from its course. The TBF stayed with us and about 10 or 15 minutes later another TBF came over to take a look around. A destroyer was then seen coming up and the TBF helped in directing the DD to us. We put up another smoke can and soon the DD was along side. We climbed aboard with eager hands helping us and were treated like kings aboard destroyer 795 the USS Preston."
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*The Radio Man who "did not come up" was Wally. We can only speculate as to why. The tunnel gunner/radio operator compartment on the bottom of the aircraft was a very dangerous place to be during forced landings at sea. While the landing often felt relatively smooth to the pilot, to the radioman in the belly of the plane, the experience has been compared to that of running into a brick wall . There are stories of radiomen being killed on impact during ditching at sea (the stall speed on the Avenger was around 70 MPH and the pilot would have slowed the aircraft to just above that speed before contacting the water). For this reason, Wally may have been expected (if able) to have climbed up from the belly into the area behind the pilot and to face backwards during the landing because it was safer than remaining in the belly of the aircraft during the ditching process (and existing ditching reports from Avenger crews confirm that this was a common practice). Lieutenant Scobell's remark that "the radio man did not come up" may have been a veiled way of saying that something had happened to Wally because he had not come up to the expected location before the ditching at sea (he would have done so if he had been able). There was very little armor protection in the belly, putting the radioman/tunnel gunner in constant danger of shrapnel wounds from anti-aircraft fire. We know from Scobell's report that the aircraft had sustained a large amount of damage from anti-aircraft fire but the damage to Wally's area in the aircraft or the extent of wounds he may have received in battle is unknown. Based on Lieutenant Scobell's report, it appears that the other crew members were in the process of trying to reach Wally to determine his condition and evacuate him from the aircraft when it sank. As Lieutenant Scobell noted, the airplane only stayed afloat a total of about 60 seconds before sinking. That of course, leaves questions unanswered about Wally's exact condition at that time, especially for those who knew and loved him. President Abraham Lincoln perhaps responded best to the questions left by the fog of war when he wrote these words to another family regarding the loss of their sons in battle. He wrote, "I feel how weak and fruitless must be any word of mine which should attempt to beguile you from the grief of a loss so overwhelming. But I cannot refrain from tendering you the consolation that may be found in the thanks of the Republic they died to save. I pray that our Heavenly Father may assuage the anguish of your bereavement, and leave you only the cherished memory of the loved and lost, and the solemn pride that must be yours to have laid so costly a sacrifice upon the altar of freedom."-Yours, very sincerely and respectfully, A. Lincoln
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| Red circled area shows where Wally's station was located on the Avenger |
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| A downed Avenger at Sea |
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| The escape hatch on the side of Wally's compartment would have been be partially or totally submerged in the event of a ditching at sea. |
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