In honor of the upcoming VJ Day (Victory over Japan Day), Navy Night Fighter pilot Bill Watkinson will talk about his experiences in the Pacific Theater and the dramatic last day of conflict.
At the end of WWII, Bill Watkinson flew F6F Hellcats from the USS Yorktown. On the day of the Japanese surrender, six Hellcats were on a mission to destroy aircraft at a Japanese military airport. Upon receiving news that the war had ended, the American pilots turned to head back to their ship. Join us to find out what happened when the Japanese, in one final effort, set out in pursuit.
Following Bill’s lecture, we will hear from veteran Hank Kudzik as he details his experiences after Pearl Harbor, his 14 war patrols aboard the USS Nautilus submarine, and the Battle of Midway in June 1942.
Program is free with museum admission or $5 for program only.
The Japanese surrender was announced to the world on August 15, 1945. A formal surrender ceremony was held on September 2, 1945 and became the basis for VJ Day (September 2nd).
About Bill Watkinson
Bill Watkinson joined the Navy in 1942 and by 1943 he was a Navy test pilot, certifying aircraft and delivering them to the U.S. fleet abroad. He was certified as a fighter pilot in 1944 and soon after joined a squadron aboard the USS Yorktown CV-10. During his time on the Yorktown, Watkinson was one of a select few who were designated radar night fighters, qualified to take off and land in complete darkness.
Though his permanent residence is in New Jersey, he lives in the Mt. Pleasant, South Carolina area much of the year. When he is in town, he is returns to his beloved ship as a volunteer to share his stories with guests of all ages. The USS Yorktown is located at Patriots Point Naval and Maritime Museum, Charleston Harbor, South Carolina.
About Hank Kudzik
Hank Kudzik enlisted in the Navy when he was 17, shortly after the attack at Pearl Harbor. His first duty when he got to the naval base in Hawaii was to help remove all of the bodies from the stricken battleship USS Oklahoma. Kudzik was eventually assigned to the USS Nautilus, a submarine that sunk the fourth Japanese aircraft carrier in the crucial Battle of Midway.