Territory Stories

Joseph Clifton Shuler

Details:

Title

Joseph Clifton Shuler,

Name

Joseph Clifton Shuler,

Also known as

Shuler, Joseph Clifton,

Collection

WWII Roll of Honour, HistoryNT, Second World War, 1939-1945,

Date

2021,

Place of birth

Oklahoma (USA),

Place of enlistment

Dallas, Texas (USA),

Date of enlistment

1939-05-13,

Nation of service

United States of America,

Service

United States Navy,

Unit

SS Florence D,

Rank

Aviation Metalsmith 2nd Class,

Service number

356-12-85,

Date of death

1942-02-19,

Memorial

Manila American Cemetery and Memorial,

Cultural heritage

American,

Honours and awards

Purple Heart,

Biographical notes

Joseph Clifton Shuler, Aviation Metalsmith 2nd Class (356-12-85). Shuler was the only member of the Patrol Wing 22 crew to die that day. His body was not recovered. Shuler's brother Ted survived the war.,

History

Enlisted on 13 May 1939 in Dallas, Texas. He was the son of Mrs F. N. C. Shuler of 742 Pine Street, Pacific Grove, California, and brother to Ted Shuler, also of Patrol Wing 22. Shuler was in the Catalina commanded by Lieutenant Thomas Moorer, which took off from Darwin at 8am on 19 February. The Catalina was attacked and shot down by nine of the Japanese Zeros that later attacked Darwin. Lieutenant Moorer managed to land the flaming Catalina on the open water but four of the crew members were wounded. Shuler helped Ruzak and Fairchild launch the raft through the navigator's hatch. The raft was picked up by the Florence D, but the ship was attacked later that afternoon by a second wave of carrier born aircraft. Joseph Shuler died when a bomb exploded almost on top of him.,

Notes

Metadata: Attribution International 4.0 (CC-BY 4.0) https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0,

Language

English,

Subject

Second World War, 1939-1945, Bombing of Darwin, Roll of Honour, Northern Territory history, Catalina,

File type

image/tiff,

Use

No known copyright,

Copyright owner

Library & Archives NT, Library & Archives NT,