Richard Bull (aviator)

Last updated
Richard Bull
Born(1914-07-14)July 14, 1914
New York City, New York
Died February 5, 1942(1942-02-05) (aged 27)
Shot down near Ambon Island
Allegiance United States of America
Service/branch United States Navy
Years of service 1938-1942
Rank Ensign
Battles/wars World War II
Awards Distinguished Flying Cross

Richard Bull (14 July 1914 – 5 February 1942) was a United States Navy aviator during World War II.

United States Navy Naval warfare branch of the United States Armed Forces

The United States Navy (USN) is the naval warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven uniformed services of the United States. It is the largest and most capable navy in the world, with the highest combined battle fleet tonnage and the world's largest aircraft carrier fleet, with eleven in service, and two new carriers under construction. With 319,421 personnel on active duty and 99,616 in the Ready Reserve, the Navy is the third largest of the service branches. It has 282 deployable combat vessels and more than 3,700 operational aircraft as of March 2018, making it the second largest and second most powerful air force in the world.

World War II 1939–1945 global war

World War II, also known as the Second World War, was a global war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. The vast majority of the world's countries—including all the great powers—eventually formed two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis. A state of total war emerged, directly involving more than 100 million people from over 30 countries. The major participants threw their entire economic, industrial, and scientific capabilities behind the war effort, blurring the distinction between civilian and military resources. World War II was the deadliest conflict in human history, marked by 50 to 85 million fatalities, most of whom were civilians in the Soviet Union and China. It included massacres, the genocide of the Holocaust, strategic bombing, premeditated death from starvation and disease, and the only use of nuclear weapons in war.

Contents

Biography

He was born in New York City on 14 July 1914. He enlisted in the Navy on 16 July 1938 at Miami, Florida, and underwent flight training at the Naval Air Station Pensacola, Fla., before winning his wings on 12 October 1939. Appointed ensign on 21 November 1939, he was assigned to Patrol Squadron 22 (PatRon 22) on that date. On 28 November 1940, Ens. Bull was designated a patrol plane commander.

New York City Largest city in the United States

The City of New York, often called New York City (NYC) or simply New York (NY), is the most populous city in the United States. With an estimated 2017 population of 8,622,698 distributed over a land area of about 302.6 square miles (784 km2), New York City is also the most densely populated major city in the United States. Located at the southern tip of the state of New York, the city is the center of the New York metropolitan area, the largest metropolitan area in the world by urban landmass and one of the world's most populous megacities, with an estimated 20,320,876 people in its 2017 Metropolitan Statistical Area and 23,876,155 residents in its Combined Statistical Area. A global power city, New York City has been described as the cultural, financial, and media capital of the world, and exerts a significant impact upon commerce, entertainment, research, technology, education, politics, tourism, art, fashion, and sports. The city's fast pace has inspired the term New York minute. Home to the headquarters of the United Nations, New York is an important center for international diplomacy.

Naval Air Station Pensacola airport

Naval Air Station Pensacola or NAS Pensacola, "The Cradle of Naval Aviation", is a United States Navy base located next to Warrington, Florida, a community southwest of the Pensacola city limits. It is best known as the initial primary training base for all U.S.Navy, Marine Corps and Coast Guard officers pursuing designation as Naval Aviators and Naval Flight Officers, the advanced training base for most Naval Flight Officers, and as the home base for the United States Navy Flight Demonstration Squadron, the precision-flying team known as the Blue Angels.

Ensign is a junior rank of a commissioned officer in the armed forces of some countries, normally in the infantry or navy. As the junior officer in an infantry regiment was traditionally the carrier of the ensign flag, the rank acquired the name. This rank has generally been replaced in army ranks by second lieutenant. Ensigns were generally the lowest ranking commissioned officer, except where the rank of subaltern existed. In contrast, the Arab rank of ensign, لواء, liwa', derives from the command of units with an ensign, not the carrier of such a unit's ensign, and is today the equivalent of a major general.

Transferred with his squadron to the East Indies early in World War II, Ens. Bull took part in the gallant efforts of Patrol Wing 10 [1] (PatWing 10) as its slow, ungainly PBY Catalina flying boats hunted for elements of the Japanese fleet.

East Indies connote parts of Asia that came under Indian cultural influence, including South, Southeast Asia and the islands of Southeast Asia, especially the Malay Archipelago (except Vietnam which is in the Chinese cultural sphere).

The East Indies or the Indies are the lands of South and Southeast Asia. In a more restricted sense, the Indies can be used to refer to the islands of Southeast Asia, especially the Indonesian Archipelago and the Philippine Archipelago. The name "Indies" is derived from the River Indus and is used to connote parts of Asia that came under Indian cultural influence.

Flying boat aircraft equipped with a boat hull for operation from water

A flying boat is a fixed-winged seaplane with a hull, allowing it to land on water, that usually has no type of landing gear to allow operation on land. It differs from a floatplane as it uses a purpose-designed fuselage which can float, granting the aircraft buoyancy. Flying boats may be stabilized by under-wing floats or by wing-like projections from the fuselage. Flying boats were some of the largest aircraft of the first half of the 20th century, exceeded in size only by bombers developed during World War II. Their advantage lay in using water instead of expensive land-based runways, making them the basis for international airlines in the interwar period. They were also commonly used for maritime patrol and air-sea rescue.

Imperial Japanese Navy Naval branch of the Empire of Japan

The Imperial Japanese Navy was the navy of the Empire of Japan from 1868 until 1945, when it was dissolved following Japan's defeat and surrender in World War II. The Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force (JMSDF) was formed after the dissolution of the IJN.

On 21 January 1942, a temporary appointment as lieutenant (junior grade) was sent to Bull, but no record of his execution of the oath of office has been found. While on patrol off the coast of Borneo on 23 January 1942, Bull discovered a transport and two destroyers. Driven off by antiaircraft fire, he persistently remained in the vicinity and, as a result, sighted 26 ships a short time later. During another reconnaissance flight in the vicinity of the island of Ambon in the Netherlands East Indies on 5 February 1942, Bull searched for an enemy aircraft carrier group reported to be nearby. He ran afoul of enemy fighters and was never seen again. For his "extraordinary flying achievement, courage and devotion to duty" in carrying out this mission, Bull received the posthumous award of the Distinguished Flying Cross.

Lieutenant (junior grade) Junior commissioned officer rank in the United States

Lieutenant , commonly abbreviated as LTJG or, historically, Lt. (j.g.), is a junior commissioned officer rank of the United States Navy, the United States Coast Guard, the United States Public Health Service Commissioned Corps, and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Commissioned Officer Corps. LTJG has a US military pay grade of O-2, and a NATO rank code of OF-1a. The rank is also used in the United States Maritime Service. The NOAA Corps's predecessors, the United States Coast and Geodetic Survey Corps (1917–1965) and the Environmental Science Services Administration Corps or ESSA Corps (1965–1970), also used the rank.

Borneo island

Borneo is the third-largest island in the world and the largest in Asia. At the geographic centre of Maritime Southeast Asia, in relation to major Indonesian islands, it is located north of Java, west of Sulawesi, and east of Sumatra.

Destroyer Type of warship

In naval terminology, a destroyer is a fast, maneuverable long-endurance warship intended to escort larger vessels in a fleet, convoy or battle group and defend them against smaller powerful short-range attackers. They were originally developed in the late 19th century by Fernando Villaamil for the Spanish Navy as a defense against torpedo boats, and by the time of the Russo-Japanese War in 1904, these "torpedo boat destroyers" (TBDs) were "large, swift, and powerfully armed torpedo boats designed to destroy other torpedo boats". Although the term "destroyer" had been used interchangeably with "TBD" and "torpedo boat destroyer" by navies since 1892, the term "torpedo boat destroyer" had been generally shortened to simply "destroyer" by nearly all navies by the First World War.

Namesake

In 1943, two ships were named USS Bull in Lt. Bull's honor.

Two ships of the United States Navy have been assigned the name Bull, in honor of Lieutenant Richard Bull (1914–1942).

See also

Related Research Articles

Fleet Air Arm aviation branch of the British Royal Navy

The Fleet Air Arm (FAA) is one of the five fighting arms of the Royal Navy. and is responsible for the operation of naval aircraft. The Fleet Air Arm recently started operating the F-35 Lightning II in a Maritime Strike Role, the AW159 Wildcat and AW101 Merlin in both Commando and Anti-Submarine roles, and the BAE Hawk. Helicopters such as the Lynx and Westland Wasp were previously deployed on smaller vessels since 1964, taking over the roles once performed by biplanes such as the Fairey Swordfish.

United States Asiatic Fleet fleet

The United States Asiatic Fleet was a fleet of the United States Navy during much of the first half of the 20th century. Before World War II, the fleet patrolled the Philippine Islands. Much of the fleet was destroyed by the Japanese by February 1942, after which it was dissolved and incorporated into the naval component of the South West Pacific Area command, which eventually became the Seventh Fleet.

Karel Doorman Dutch admiral

Karel Willem Frederik Marie Doorman was a Dutch naval officer during World War II who commanded remnants of the short-lived American-British-Dutch-Australian Command naval strike forces in the Battle of the Java Sea. He was killed in action when his flagship HNLMS De Ruyter was torpedoed during the battle, having chosen to go down with the ship.

USS <i>Goldsborough</i> (DD-188) Clemson-class destroyer

USS Goldsborough (DD-188/AVP-18/AVD-5/APD-32) was a Clemson-class destroyer in the United States Navy during World War II. She was the second Navy ship named for Rear Admiral Louis M. Goldsborough (1805–1877). Entering service in 1920, the ship had a brief active life before being placed in reserve in 1922. Goldsborough was reactivated for World War II and was used as an aircraft tender, destroyer and high speed transport in both Atlantic and Pacific theaters. Following the war, the ship was sold for scrapping in 1946.

USS <i>Childs</i> (DD-241)

USS Childs (DD-241/AVP-14/AVD-1) was a Clemson-class destroyer in the United States Navy during World War II. She was named for Earle W. F. Childs.

Ralph M. Rich aviator of the United States Navy during World War II

Ralph McMaster Rich was an aviator of the United States Navy during World War II.

Norman Francis Vandivier was a United States Navy aviator during World War II. He was posthumously awarded the Navy Cross for action during the Battle of Midway.

Andrew Kenneth Waterman, enlisted in the United States Navy on 21 November 1932 at Buffalo, New York.

Frederick Thomas Weber was a naval aviator in the United States Navy during World War II.

VPB-91 was a Patrol Bombing Squadron of the U.S. Navy. The squadron was established as Patrol Squadron 91 (VP-91) on 1 December 1941, redesignated as Patrol Bombing Squadron 91 (VPB-91) on 1 October 1944 and disestablished on 2 April 1946.

VPB-105

VPB-105 was a Patrol Bombing Squadron of the U.S. Navy. The squadron was established as Patrol Squadron 10 (VP-10) on 29 May 1924, redesignated Patrol Squadron 2D-15 (VP-2D15) on 21 September 1927, redesignated Patrol Squadron 2-S (VP-2S) on 1 July 1931, redesignated Patrol Squadron 2-F (VP-2F) on 17 July 1933, redesignated Patrol Squadron 2 (VP-2) on 1 October 1937, redesignated Patrol Squadron 31 (VP-31) on 1 July 1939, redesignated Bombing Squadron 105 (VB-105) on 15 May 1943, redesignated Patrol Bombing Squadron 105 (VPB-105) on 1 October 1944 and disestablished on 27 June 1945.

VPB-24 was a Patrol Bombing Squadron of the U.S. Navy. The squadron was established as Patrol Squadron 9-S (VP-9S) on 7 January 1930, redesignated Patrol Squadron 9-B (VP-9B) on 1 October 1930, redesignated Patrol Squadron 9-F (VP-9F) on 26 October 1931, redesignated Patrol Squadron 9 (VP-9) on 1 October 1937, redesignated Patrol Squadron 12 (VP-12) on 1 July 1939, redesignated Patrol Squadron 24 (VP-24) on 1 August 1941, redesignated Patrol Bombing Squadron 24 (VPB-24) on 1 October 1944 and disestablished on 20 June 1945.

VPB-29 was a Patrol Bombing Squadron of the U.S. Navy. The squadron was established as Pacific Air Detachment on 17 January 1923, redesignated Patrol Squadron 14 (VP-14) on 29 May 1924, redesignated Patrol Squadron 1-Naval District 14 (VP-1D14) on 21 September 1927, redesignated Patrol Squadron 1-B (VP-1B) on 1 July 1931, redesignated Patrol Squadron 1-F (VP-1F) on 15 April 1933, redesignated Patrol Squadron 1 (VP-1) on 1 October 1937, redesignated Patrol Squadron 21 (VP-21) on 1 July 1939, redesignated Patrol Squadron 1 (VP-1) on 30 July 1940, redesignated Patrol Squadron 101 (VP-101) on 3 December 1940, redesignated Patrol Bombing Squadron 29 (VPB-29) on 1 October 1944 and disestablished on 20 June 1945.

VP-3 was a Patrol Squadron of the U.S. Navy. The squadron was established as Patrol Squadron 16-F (VP-16F) on 2 January 1937, redesignated Patrol Squadron 16 (VP-16) on 1 October 1937, redesignated Patrol Squadron 41 (VP-41) on 1 July 1939, redesignated Bombing Squadron 136 (VB-136) on 1 March 1943, redesignated Patrol Bombing Squadron 136 (VPB-136) on 1 October 1944, redesignated Patrol Squadron 136 (VP-136) on 15 May 1946, redesignated Medium Patrol Squadron (landplane) 3 (VP-ML-3) on 15 November 1946, redesignated Patrol Squadron 3 (VP-3) on 1 September 1948, and was disestablished on 1 November 1955. It was the second squadron to be designated VP-3, the first VP-3 was redesignated VP-32 on 1 July 1939.

VP-22 1928-1942 United States Navy aviation squadron

VP-22 was a Patrol Squadron of the U.S. Navy. The squadron was established as Patrol Squadron 4D-14 (VP-4D14) on 15 September 1928, redesignated Patrol Squadron 4-B (VP-4B) on 21 January 1931, redesignated Patrol Squadron 4-F (VP-4F) on 17 July 1933, redesignated Patrol Squadron 4 (VP-4) on 1 October 1937, redesignated Patrol Squadron 22 (VP-22) on 1 July 1939 and disestablished on 18 April 1942, with the squadron assets merged with VP-101.

VP-33 1935-1949 United States Navy aircraft squadron

VP-33 was a Patrol Squadron of the U.S. Navy. The squadron was established as Patrol Squadron 12-F (VP-12F) on 1 November 1935, redesignated Patrol Squadron 12 (VP-12) on 1 October 1937, redesignated Patrol Squadron 51 (VP-51) on 1 July 1939, redesignated Patrol Squadron 71 (VP-71) on 1 July 1941, redesignated Patrol Bombing Squadron 71 (VPB-71) on 1 October 1944, redesignated Patrol Squadron 71 (VP-71) on 15 May 1946, redesignated Amphibian Patrol Squadron 3 (VP-AM-3) on 15 November 1946, redesignated Patrol Squadron 33 (VP-33) on 1 September 1948 and disestablished on 15 December 1949. It was the third squadron to be designated VP-33; the first had been redesignatd from VP-5 on 1 July 1939 and was in turn redesignated as VP-32 on 1 October 1941. The second VP-33 was redesignated VPB-33 on 1 October 1944.

VPB-197 was a Patrol Bombing Squadron of the U.S. Navy. The squadron was established as Patrol Squadron 21 (VP-21) on 1 September 1938, redesignated Patrol Squadron 45 (VP-45) on 1 July 1939, redesignated Patrol Squadron 14 (VP-14) on 1 December 1939, redesignated Patrol Squadron 26 (VP-26) on 15 April 1941, redesignated Patrol Squadron 14 (VP-14) on 1 July 1941, redesignated Patrol Bombing Squadron 14 (VPB-14) on 1 October 1944, redesignated Patrol Bombing Squadron 197 (VPB-197) on 2 December 1944 and disestablished on 1 April 1946.

VPB-43

VPB-43 was a Patrol Bombing Squadron of the U.S. Navy. The squadron was established as Patrol Squadron 43 (VP-43) on 21 July 1941, redesignated Patrol Bombing Squadron 43 (VPB-43) on 1 October 1944 and disestablished on 15 September 1945.

VPB-52

VPB-52 was a Patrol Bombing Squadron of the U.S. Navy. The squadron was established as Torpedo Squadron 3D15 (VT-3D15) on 12 July 1928, redesignated Patrol Squadron 3-S (VP-3S) on 21 January 1931, redesignated Patrol Squadron 3 Base Force (VP-3F) on 17 July 1933, redesignated Patrol Squadron 3 (VP-3) on 1 October 1937, redesignated Patrol Squadron 32 (VP-32) on 1 July 1939, redesignated Patrol Squadron 52 (VP-52) on 1 July 1941, redesignated Patrol Bombing Squadron 52 (VPB-52) on 1 October 1944 and disestablished on 7 April 1945.

References

This article incorporates text from the public domain Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships .
  1. ↑ Alsleben, Allan (1999–2000). "US Patrol Wing 10 in the Dutch East Indies, 1942". Dutch East Indies Campaign website.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.