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 VMSB131 Vindicator Dive Bomber, the type Jones flew in as a Radio Op/Gunner in 1941 at Quantico. Va. His friend Norman Pearson, seen here in the rear seat of 131-S-7, was killed in a crash at Espiritu Santo, Solomon Islands. Charlie got this photo from a flying magazine. |
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Pilot Brothers in Law
Charles D. Jones, husband of Mrs. Martha Jones (nee Jenkinson) of 112 Dow avenue, Mineola, has been commissioned a second lieutenant in the Marine Air Corps and is now on fighter pilot duty somewhere in the Pacific. He was a master sergeant before going to Pensacola, Fla., for training.
The brother of Charles' wife, Frank F. Jenkinson, son of Mr. and Mrs. George Jenkinson of 112 Dow avenue, Mineola, has received his wings and commission as second lieutenant and is now stationed at Roswell Field, N. M.
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Tells How Marines Strafed 10,000 Japs
'Gave Them Hell,' Says Mineola Lieutenant, And 60 Zeros Raced Home to Avoid Fight
(Special to the Brooklyn Eagle) Mineola, 4 Nov. 1943 — How his fighter division "strafed hell out of 10,000 Japs" on an island in the Pacific was described in a letter written by 2d Lt. Charles David Jones to his wife, Martha Jones of 112 Dow Ave., on Oct. 12. Tells of Downing Zero |
 Lt. Charles Jones |
60 Japs Flee Marines
A letter dated Oct. 7 told of how 60 Jap Zeros fled when attacked by marine fighter planes. "The radar picked up a large bogie and we had to land and refuel," he wrote. "We hurried but by the time we climbed to 25,000 feet and arrived at the scene of the scrap the Japs had run home. That was the worst thing that happened today. The bogie was 60 Zeros and seven of our F-4U's (Corsairs) downed six of them."
Jones was born in Tampa. Fla., and for several years lived at Smithtown. There he met and married Martha Jenkinson. He is 26 and his mother is Mrs. W. H. Sherouse of Reddick, Fla. He enlisted in December 1940, and won his wings in Miami, Fla., in December, 1942.
Mrs. Jones has a brother, Frank F. Jenkinson, who is a flight officer in the army air corps.
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FLIER FROM MINEOLA BAGS TWO JAP ZEROS
AN ADVANCED SOUTH PACIFIC BASE, 18 Dec. 1943 — (AP. Delayed—via airmail) — In an engagement over Rabaul today Second Lieutenant Charles D. Jones, Mineola, shot down two Zeros. Eighty-five fighter planes escorted bombers in the attack upon Rabaul. The kill gave the flier a total of three Japanese planes.
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138 MISSION FIGHTER PILOT 'ALWAYS LOOKS FOR TROUBLE'
Nine Zeros Blasted By Flying Deuces Man Now at Miramar
"Always looking for trouble" is the fighting slogan of 1st Lt. Charles D. Jones, 27, a marine fighter pilot with the Flying Deuces, who recently returned from Southwest Pacific combat and now is stationed at the Miramar air depot. Credited with shooting down six Zeros, destroying three more on the ground, and blasting 12 troop barges, Jones flew 138 missions out of Munda, Vella Lavella and Bougainville. Zero hunting was best over Rabaul. He downed five enemy planes over the Jap base, and holds the Air Medal for "excellent airmanship" while neutralizing enemy power there. |
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 Major Donald Sapp |
"The skipper and I could never resist a Jap target," Jones said yesterday, referring to his teammate, Maj. Donald H. Sapp, of Miami, Fla. "On one flight over the Kahili airdrome on Bougainville last September, we saw seven planes warming up for a take-off, and dove down after them. The major got four, and I got the others." There were four pilots involved in the attack which also involved strafing a destroyer on the way home. (Nine Zeros and one Jap bomber fell before the flaming guns of Marine Maj. Donald H. Sapp, 27, son of Mr. and Mrs. G. M. Sapp of Bowling Green, shown at Marine Corps air depot, Miramar, Calif. The flier served as executive officer of the "Flying Deuces" fighter squadron in operations from Guadalcanal, Munda and Cape Torokina, Bougainville. He holds the Distinguished Flying Cross. He was formerly employed by the Federal Bureau of Investigation at Miami.) |
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Flying Crippled Plane Tampan Bags Two Zeros
Lieut. Charles D. Jones, Forced to Abandon Formation, Enters Ranks of Marine Aces
 Jones in the cockpit of his F4-U Corsair |
(The following story was written by First Lieutenant Penn T. Kimball, New Britain, Conn., a Marine Corps public relations officer) BOUGAINVILLE, 15 Feb. 1944 — (AP Delayed) — Engine trouble forced him out of formation and he came home late from Rabaul today, but Second Lieut. Charles D. Jones of Tampa, Fla., Marine fighter pilot, didn't complain. Is “Flying Deuce" |
"I throttled back to drop on top of them, picked out the one in the rear, and whipped on its tail. Firing, I could see the pieces fly off every part of the Zero. The Jap faltered in a slow glide to the left, started smoking, and continued straight into the ocean.
"I looked around for the second Jap ship, but he was streaking for home. I decided it was time for me to do the same."
Enlisting as a private in September 1940, Lieutenant Jones flew 300 hours as a dive bomber gunner before being selected for flight training. He won his Marine wings Nov. 29, 1942.
He is a graduate of Hillsborough High school, Tampa, where he played football, baseball, and basketball. His mother is Mrs. W. H. Sherouse of Williston, Fla., and his wife, Mrs. Margaret B. Jones, lives at Mineola, Long Island, N.Y.
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Jones Awarded Silver StarMarine First Lieutenant Charles David Jones, 27, son of Mrs. W. H. Sherouse of Williston, Fla., has been awarded the Silver Star Medal for "conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity in action against the enemy." Presentation of the award was made at El Toro, Marine Corps Air Station, Santa Ana, Calif., where he is an instructor in aerial combat. His wife is the former Martha E. Jenkinson of 112 Dow Ave., Mineola, N.Y. -------------------------------------- SOUTH PACIFIC AREA AIR FORCE
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Williston Flier is Decorated
Marine First Lieut. Charles David Jones, 27, whose aunt, Mrs. R. A. Norton, lives at 1087 Brown Street, has been awarded the Silver Star Medal for "conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity in action against the enemy," it was learned yesterday.
He is the son of Mrs. W. H. Sherouse of Williston. His wife is now living in Laguna Beach, Calif., near Santa Ana, where he is serving as an instructor in aerial combat.
An accompanying citation, signed by Vice Admiral J. H. Newton, extolled Lieutenant Jones for destroying five enemy aircraft in three missions. "He destroyed two Jap planes in December, 1943, while escorting a bomber raid against Rabaul, New Britain," continues the public relations dispatch from Marine Corps Headquarters, "and on February 5 and 15, while escorting bombers over Vunakanau airfield, New Britain, he destroyed three of the Jap fighters which attempted interception." Lieutenant Jones served for three months on Midway and 10 months in the Solomon Islands area. He returned to the States in April, 1944.
The Marine flier received flight training in Florida at Pensacola and Miami as an enlisted pilot. He was commissioned in July, 1943, at Hawaii and was promoted to his present rank in April, 1944. In addition to the Silver Star, he holds the Air Medal.
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S-E-C-R-E-T
Mentioned for his work with Corsair bomb racks
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Blood Chits
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Two Blood Chits belonging to Charlie. The one on the left instructs Chinese people to help and protect the wearer in any way they can. The one on the right shows the holder to be an American with a message written in French, Annamese, Thai, Chinese, Korean & Japanese. Unfortunately, the bottom has been cropped off the image but if you click on it you can see the French & Annamese text. |
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Victories Include :
6 / 1 / 1 plus 3 On The Ground
Charlie is on the right
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TWO POEMS FOUND IN CHARLIE'S SCRAPBOOK
BOTH TYPED ON FLYING DUECES LETTERHEAD
I’LL CALL THIS A LETTERI CAN'T WRITE A THING Author unknown (Charlie?) |
TROPICAL SERENADEDOWN WHERE THERE ARE NO TEN COMMANDANTS Phillips — USMCR |
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Post 1945
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US Marine Corps Phantoms In Formation
These four FH-1 PHANTOM jets are the first Marine jets to be photographed in formation anywhere, it is believed here. Photographed by SSgt Dagenais, PIO photographer, these four jets were piloted by 1stLt. Charles D. Jones, 1stLt. James McDaniel, 1stLt. William H. Bortz, Jr, and MSgt. Lytton F. Blass, all of VMF-122, during a local hop 23 January 1948. |
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Related Sites : Blood Chits |
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Thanks go out to
Daryl for the photos & infos !
On these pages I use Hugh Halliday's extensive research which includes info from numerous sources; newspaper articles via the Canadian Museum of Civilization Corporation (CMCC); the Google News Archives; the London Gazette Archives and other sources both published and private.
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