World War II Database

1.  BILLl says:
11 May 2009 04:51:56 PM

In the 1970 movie Tora, Tora, Tora the film showed the dogfight both Taylor and Welch were in, great flying shots of the P-40. However that model of the P-40 shown in the film, was not the aircraft Taylor and Welch flew. The aircraft they flew on Dec.7,1941 were P-40B's.

2.  Bill says:
27 Aug 2010 09:52:04 AM

The first kill by 2nd Lt. Taylor on 12/7/41 was a D3A1 Val dive bomber BII-233 flown by
PO2C Koreyoshi Sotoyama and Radioman/gunner
Flyer 1C Hajime Murao, from Carrier Hiryu.

2nd Lt. Welsh Shot down a D3A1 Val dive bomber 12/7/41 flown by Lt.Saburo Makino and Radioman/gunner Sueo Sukida.
Aircraft crashed at 711 Neal Avenue, Wahiawa

3. Bill says:
27 Aug 2010 10:38:33 AM

Pilots 2nd Lt. George Welsh, together with 2Lt. Kenneth Taylor were the lone defenders
over Pearl Harbor 12/7/41.
Both pilots claimed 2 and 4 Japanese aircraft
each. Both pilots were assigned to the
47th PS, 15th PG, USAAC, Flying P-40B's

Welsh flew three combat tours, for a total
of 348 combat missions, with 16 kills.
He retired as a Major in 1944 due to malaria

After the war he worked as a test pilot for
North American Aircraft, and died in a
aircraft accident testing the new F-100 SuperSabre on Oct 25, 1954. He is buried at
Arlington National Cemetery.

Taylor continued to fly combat missions and
shot down a total of 6 Japanese aircraft.
Injuried at Guadalcanal he was sent back to
the U.S. He retired as a Colonel from the
USAF after 27 years of service.

He later served with the Air National Guard
and retired as a Brigadier General in 1971.
He died on Nov. 25, 2006 and he is also buried at Arlington National Cemetery.