| Original caption: “Pilots aboard a United States Navy aircraft carrier receive last minute instructions before taking off to attack industrial, and military installations in Tokyo.” “Tokyo Bound” Fighter Bombing 9 (VBF-9) Pilots aboard USS Lexington (CV-16) assemble in the ready room for a final briefing for a mission before taking off to attack the Japanese home islands to minimize Japanese reaction to the Iwo Jima landings. Pilots here are, left to right: front row, Lieutenant John Wesolowski (March 8, 1919 – February 8, 2009), Detroit, Michigan; Lieutenant Milton C. Jacobs (October 15, 1917 – April 9, 1945), Freeport, Indiana; 2nd row, Ensign Roy G. Koeller (November 28, 1923 – September 28, 2008), Marion, Wisconsin; Lieutenant John P. Snyder (June 2, 1920 – June 1, 2019), Ishpeming, Michigan; back row, Ensign Frederick Bright (February 7, 1923 – May 1, 2009), Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania; and Ensign Joseph Fadely (November 20, 1923 – October 24, 1988), Denver, Colorado. Lieutenant Jacobs was lost when his aircraft was shot down near Okinawa on April 9, 1945. He was Executive Officer of VBF-9, then flying from USS Yorktown (CV-10). Interesting to note that during Vietnam, Lieutenant Snyder’s naval aviator son, Paul J. Snyder (December 23, 1942 – August 4, 2017), landed on this same carrier, USS Lexington (CV-16). He was also a Major in the United States Army. Lieutenant John P. Snyder earned 2 Distinguished Flying Cross Medals and an Air Medal and 6 gold stars. Lieutenant Wesolowski was a Navy ace, credited with shooting down 7 Japanese aircraft in aerial combat. He earned the Distinguished Flying Cross for shooting down 5 Japanese planes while a Fighting 5 (VF-5) pilot during the Guadalcanal Campaign, September 11-19, 1942. | |
| Image Filename | wwii1640.jpg |
| Image Size | 649.01 KB |
| Image Dimensions | 2932 x 2091 |
| Photographer | |
| Photographer Title | United States Navy |
| Caption Author | Written or Adapted by Jason McDonald |
| Date Photographed | February 17, 1945 |
| Location | |
| City | |
| State or Province | |
| Country | Japan |
| Archive | National Archives and Records Administration |
| Record Number | NWDNS-208-N-38374 |
| Status | Caption ©2026 MFA Productions LLC Please Do Not Duplicate or Distribute Without Permission; Image in the Public Domain |
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