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The Diary of a Naval Aviator
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Category: January, 1942

Jan. 31, 1942 (Saturday)

January 31, 2017 1271941

Surabaya, Java Was mistaken about the number of planes lost. VP-101, -102, and -22 are now ALL VP-101. VP-101 and…

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Posted in: January, 1942

Jan. 30, 1942 (Friday)

January 30, 2017 1271941

Surabaya, Java Reported to the skipper and exec this morning. VP-101 is all that is left of VP-101 and VP-102…

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Posted in: January, 1942

Jan. 29, 1942 (Thursday)

January 29, 2017 1271941

Surabaya, Java Reported to head of naval forces here along with the rest of the fellows from the Polk. While…

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Posted in: January, 1942

Jan. 28, 1942 (Wednesday)

January 28, 2017 1271941

Surabaya, Java Past rather shallow entrance into Surabaya in afternoon. Saw following planes around harbor Koolhaven seaplane, Dorniers (17, 20,…

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Posted in: January, 1942

Jan. 27, 1942 (Tuesday)

January 27, 2017 1271941

SS President Polk, Bali Straits Started through the Bali Straits (between Bali and Java) about 0630. They proved to be…

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Posted in: January, 1942

Jan. 26, 1942 (Monday)

January 26, 2017 1271941

SS President Polk, Indian Ocean Heavy overcast all day. Unable to see Island of Sumbawa to northward. Frequent rain squalls.…

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Posted in: January, 1942

Jan. 25, 1942 (Sunday)

January 25, 2017 1271941

SS President Polk, Timor Sea Heavy overcast all day. Position toward evening 20 or 30 miles south of the Dutch…

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Posted in: January, 1942

Jan. 24, 1942 (Saturday)

January 24, 2017 1271941

SS President Polk, Timor Sea Rumor says we are supposed to stop at Timor today for water — but I…

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Posted in: January, 1942

Jan. 23, 1942 (Friday)

January 23, 2017 1271941

SS President Polk, Timor Sea Pick up another American freighter similar to this one and a slow (12 knots) Navy…

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Posted in: January, 1942

Jan. 22, 1942 (Thursday)

January 22, 2017 1271941

SS President Polk, Arafura Sea Running east, north of the Gulf of Carpenteria. Weather warm with brilliant son. Have been…

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Posted in: January, 1942

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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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