MCVG-2 combat leadership team.	Casey watches Capt. Worlund get a humorous 'award' from Col. Campbell.	Lt. Kelvern 'KO' Misamore, KIA in the Sakishima Islands.
USS Gilbert Islands	USS Gilbert Islands

The TBMs raided Okinawa in late May in direct support of the ground troops... the missions they were trained for in Santa Barbara.  This set of photos was taken over Okinawa in the last 2 weeks of May.
 

Bombed out houses.	Cleveland class cruiser.	Katina field.
US troop bivouc.	US merchant ships.	Naha's knocked out radio station.
Naha airfield.	Naha city - only a few buildings remain standing.	Orbiting.
A main thoroughfare through Naha.	Circling waiting for orders.	TBMs, armed and dangerous, await strike orders.
No rockets - must be after the strike.	Smoke rises from Japanese positions being bombed.

Starting in June the carrier was sent to attack airfields in the Sakishima Islands between Formosa and Okinawa.
 

Probably Ishigaki City.	Miyako Retto Airfield	Miyako Shima and its 2 airfields. KO Misamore and his crew Sgts.Hall and Schaefer were killed here.

On June 16 a contingent was sent to Okinawa and assigned to bomb Kyushu.  This was probably to get the men familiar with the Japanese homeland in preparation for the invasion of Japan in the fall.

The Loose Goose and a TBM from the Block Island.	Detail of Block Island markings.	Before takeoff for Kyushu.
Sgt. Frank Henning was Capt. Stalnaker's turret gunner.	Close up of Henning.	Sgt. Henning was in the Solomons with VMSB-232 before joining VMTB-143.

The Air Group attacked targets in Borneo in July to support of the Australian troops landing at Balikpapan but there were no photos of these attacks in Casey's books.  The next event in Casey's scrapbooks is formation flying over Okinawa in late September.  It looks like it was a fun time!  P81 'The Loose Goose' is featured prominently here and in the June 16 section.  It's possible this was Casey's plane, i.e., he got to name it but not always fly it. 

The Loose Goose

The next group of pictures was taken over Formosa.  US forces made a 'Show of Strength' in mid-October 1945 as the Chinese army sent troops ashore.  No one wanted any incidents that would break the truce and the higher ups figured a heavy air cover would discourage any fighting.  The photos are of various points of interest.

Cruising off the coast of Formosa.	Factory.	Flak tower.
Japanese shrine.	Harbor, view 1.	Harbor, view 2.
Railway trestle and bridge.	Over Northern Formosa.	Somewhere over the island.

Evidently Capt. Stalnaker enjoyed life in the Marine Corps.  However he was in the reserves, as were 90% of the men who served on the USS Gilbert Islands and staying on active duty as a reservist was perhaps not an option.  In any event, he resigned his commission and joined the regular Marines.  This enlistment started Dec 1946 when he was made a Staff Sergeant.  Two years later Sgt. Stalnaker lost his life when the airplane he was riding in spun out and crashed from low altitude December 2, 1948.  There were no survivors.  This gallery starts with awards and certificates from the end of the war and concludes with his obituary. 

Three battle stars and medals awarded for service in VMTB-143 aboard the USS Gilbert Islands.	President Truman's 'Thank You' letter.	Air Medal award document.
Star added to the Air Medal.	Casey resigns the reserves and joins the Marine Corps.	Side 2.
Appointment as Tech Sgt.	A sad ending for a courageous pilot.

In 2007 I visited Mike Geremia and was able to copy some of Casey's pictures and photograph some personal gear.  I was moved by handling the WW2 Mae West, the one he wore flying combat.

Casey's ID card as a 1st Lt.	Photo from the ID card as a Captain	LSO bats, Mae West and head cover
Underside of the Mae West	US Army stamp Mae West	LSO bat
In the cockpit, 1945	Studio portrait	USMC Honorable Service Certificate, given at death