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The Diary of a Naval Aviator
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Author: 1271941

March 1, 1944 (Wednesday)

March 1, 2019 1271941

“Cactus,” Carney Field, Guadalcanal MacArthur, the “Little Napoleon” (so termed by Adm. Fitch) moved into the Admiralties yesterday to the…

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Posted in: March, 1944

February 29, 1944 (Tuesday)

February 28, 2019 1271941

Henderson Field, Guadalcanal Saw a P-38 catch fire about 2,500 feet over Lunga Pt. this afternoon. By the time he…

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Posted in: February, 1944

February 28, 1944 (Monday)

1271941

Henderson Field, Guadalcanal Rain. Overnight visitor housing thoroughly fouled. Am reorganizing. 

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Posted in: February, 1944

February 27, 1944 (Sunday)

February 27, 2019 1271941

Henderson Field, Guadalcanal Brought the PB4Y back this afternoon. On four engines this time though.  Got in a little sunbathing…

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Posted in: February, 1944

February 26, 1944 (Saturday)

February 26, 2019 1271941

Henderson Field, Guadalcanal A USO troop from Nouméa gave a very sad performance this evening. Their reputation had preceded them.…

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Posted in: February, 1944

February 25, 1944 (Friday)

February 25, 2019 1271941

Koli Field. Guadalcanal Flew the PB4Y over to Koli Field on two engines this afternoon so that Herby Hope and…

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Posted in: February, 1944

February 24, 1944 (Thursday)

February 24, 2019 1271941

Henderson Field, Guadalcanal Return with Admiral and staff to Henderson. After landing found that plane had burned out part of…

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Posted in: February, 1944

February 23, 1944 (Wednesday)

February 23, 2019 1271941

Piva Field, Bougainville Beautiful weather and nights, and no mosquitoes. Artillery pounding all night. Dive bombers working over Jap patrols…

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Posted in: January, 1944

February 22, 1944 (Tuesday)

February 22, 2019 1271941

Piva Field, Bougainville Took Adm. Halsey and staff to Treasury, where they were picked up by our DC and taken…

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Posted in: February, 1944

February 21, 1944 (Monday)

February 21, 2019 1271941

Piva Field, Bougainville Took Admiral Halsey, Admiral Fitch and the staff officers around Bougainville this morning. Took a good look…

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Posted in: February, 1944

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A secret for 75 years

Kailua resident James Claire Nolan kept a secret most of his life. A Navy pilot during World War II, he kept a detailed diary and drew pictures throughout the conflict, a practice frowned upon by security-minded authorities. When he died in the early 1990s, he entrusted the pages to his friend and military historian Burl Burlingame of the Honolulu Star-Bulletin. Burlingame is now Historian at the Pearl Harbor Aviation Museum.

Trained as a navy bomber pilot, Nolan was rushed to the Dutch East Indies as war broke out and returned to Pearl Harbor, where he was pressed into service flying PBY “Catalina” flying boats on patrol.

Later, Nolan served with distinction at the battle of Midway, on Guadalcanal and became the personal pilot for Vice Adm. Aubrey Fitch. Nolan said his proudest moment came when in the summer of ’43 he discovered the slowly sinking bow of USS Helena, sheared off by a Japanese torpedo several days before and covered with desperate survivors. He stuck with the ship until help arrived.

After the war, Nolan joined the US Air Force and continued to fly. In civilian life, he was a historian at Hickam Air Force Base.

We are publishing these diary entries exactly 75 years to the day after these pages were written. Except for very minor spelling and grammatical updates, they are as written — including observations that may seem not “politically correct” these days. It is a look into the mindset of a young man fighting a war across a vast ocean.

This site will remain active for five years. It is sponsored by historical-interpretation company Pacific Monograph.

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