Eye Sight Affidavits Posted 12-30-11

On or about October 3, 1943, Daddy was involved in an accident while on a training mission at the Marine Corps Air Station in Santa Barbara. I had no idea. There are only a few related affidavits, but there's enough information to allow us to piece together what happened. This would have been nearly 6 months prior to the Green Island crash.

*****

4 March 1946

To Whom It May Concern:

James MURPHY appeared at this station for physical examination with the intentions of reenlisting in the Marine Corps. The above named man failed to meet the necessary requirements for reenlistment. The reason for failure was due to defective vision. His application and examination show his vision as; Rt. eye, 9/20, Lt. eye 5/20, which is below the minimum requirement of 15/20.

R.D. KENNEDY
Major, USMC
Officer in Charge
United States Marine Corps
Eastern Procurement Division
Headquarters
Induction and Recruiting District of Boston

*****
March 14, 1946

To Whom It May Concern:

James Murphy was blinded by a slickbomb while flying from the Santa Barbara Air Base. The slickbomb dust was the cause of his blindness.

I know he was blinded due to the cause of the slickbomb for a week or more. This accident happened during the month of September or October, 1943.

I visited him several times while he was in the Santa Barbara Base Hospital.

Bob. D. Sutton

*****

September 30, 1947

During the period, between September or October of 1943, James Murphy, while attached to VMTB-134, was blinded for about a week. While he was on a gunnery hop the slick and smoke bombs broke in the radio compartment and he had to throw them out.

I, the undersigned, hereby swear that the above statements are to the best of my knowledge.

John F. Dumelle (392389)

*****

November 14, 1947

Affidavit:

I, James M. Justice swear that the following facts are true to the best of my knowledge. On or near the third (3) of October 1943, James Murphy was temporarily blinded by the breaking of a slick bomb in the radio compartment of his T.B.F. plane while operating in squadron Y.M.T.B. 134. This temporary blindness lasted for about a month. It completely blind [sic] him for three days.

The ingredients of the slick bomb were blown through the entire radio compartment, before he was able to get rid of it. His face, hands, and clothing were covered with the ingredients by the time he returned to the base, where he was sent to the hospital for treatment.

I know these facts to be so because I returned to the base at the same time in the same flight. I also visited him in the hospital.

I hereby swear these facts to be true.

James M. Justice

*****

October 20, 1947

I certify that on or about September or October of the year 1943, the eyes of James Murphy were injured in an accident, wherein a slick bomb was discharged while on a practice bombing mission.

John Kuzma (461438 USMCR)

April 1944 overhead photo of Marine Corps Air Station Santa Barbara