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| Black Death - Night Fighters |
B.J. "Bud" Parke
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Acquisition Number: 1984.1604.1
Medium: Oil
The Grumman F6F-5N Hellcat night fighters of Marine Night Fighter Squadron 542 defended the night skies over Okinawa from April to August 1945. Flying from Yontan Airfield, VMF(N)-42 was credited with downing 18 Japanese aircraft. For three months, U.S. forces engaged in a hard-fought battle on Okinawa. From this large island, the U.S. could increase air strikes over the Japanese home islands and blockade the enemy. This painting was presented to the Marine Corps in 1984 by Grumman Aerospace Corporation and the Marines who had served with VMF(N)-542.
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