Jack Petit was a member of VMF 215. During this dangerous tour they flew out of the Russell Islands up the slot to Bougainville. VMF 215 was based in Vela Lavella and was covering the invasion of Bougainville from the south shore island for an area where they were building a U. S. base. The distance between Vela LaVella and Bougainville was about 90 miles. (about a 45-minute trip). In October of 1943 Deets, O’Dell, Williams and Petit were on a straffing mission in Bougainville. The 8 member squadron (VMF 215) would sometimes fly from 4 in the morning until 8 at night in 4-hour shifts. Each group would circle and patrol at around 10,000 feet. After each 4-hour patrol they were ordered down to machine gun an area with Japanese (straffing mission). Each corsair had 6 machine guns, 3 in each wing. The planes would come down and strafe on the north side of the river, and then return to circle at 10,000 feet until the relief crew arrived. Then the formation would head back to Vela LaVella. It was very difficult and treacherous work, and took a great deal of intense concentration. Although the Corsair, or “Whistling Death,” as is was known by the Japanese, was very powerful and fast, the planes were not always in good condition. In fact, many of them had not been in good condition when the Navy started having the Marines fly them. Jack Petit and Lincoln Deets were wingmen in the small formation headed back to Vela LaVella on October 18, 1943. Deets was covering Williams on the left and Petit covering O’Dell on the right. The skies were clear and no one had been hit. Although seemingly ideal conditions for flying, the pilots were flying at 250 mph and constantly on the look out for Japanese. They also had to be sure to stay off the radios for fear of bringing attention to their mission. They had no real instruments other than a compass and fuel gauge. About ¾ of the way back to Vela LaVella, the small group noticed that Jack Petit was no longer with them. He was nowhere in sight and had not radioed in. Low on fuel from a lengthy and difficult mission, they returned as quickly as possible to the base and reported to Major Robert Owens that only 3 men had made it back from the mission. Granting permission to refuel and search, the crew went back and could not find a trace of their friend. The next morning they fueled up and returned again, but still found no trace. Petit was not shot or hit, not a word said, and not a cloud in the sky. His friends made the difficult call to return without him. Often downed pilots were picked up by ships or found on islands, but this was not to be the case for Jack Petit. Remembered by his squadron as a good man and a good pilot, he would become one of the 36,000 missing in action in the War in the Pacific. Some friends would remember his humor, dancing around the fire at night to ward off mosquitoes; some would remember him playing poker, a little sharper than they were comfortable with! Most all would agree, Jack Petit was a good man and a good pilot. As one squadron member said, “I can’t think of anyone I would rather have be my wingman.” Jack Petit died a First Lieutenant for the United States Marines. Approximately one year after his disappearance, Mrs. C.W. Petit was visited on a Friday afternoon by Charles S. Andes of the Marine Corps. Although listed by the Navy as “presumably dead”, he had been attached to the Marine Corps as a fighter pilot. The Air Medal he had been awarded by the President was signed by Frank Knox, former Navy Secretary. Petit won this for an attack on a flight of 40 bombers escorted by Zeros while flying with 3 other Marine pilots. Subsequent citations for two Gold Stars were for action July 18, 1943 in the New Hebrides Island and for action in the Solomon Islands. The website by the American War Dead Commission lists him as a Captain and also as having received the Purple Heart." Jack Petit was credited with shooting down three Japanese planes. He was a good man and and a good pilot." - O. Keith Williams, September 19, 2002.

PETIT, Jack W, CAPT, O-014413, USMC, from Ohio, location Solomon Islands, date of loss October 20, 1943 + PETIT, Jack W., 1st Lieutenant, USMCR. Mother, Mrs. C. W. Petit, 2423 11th St., NW., Canton, Ohio + PETIT, Jack Wardell, 14413, VMF-215, MAG-14, 1st MAW, FMF, Solomon Islands, October 21, 1944, killed in action + PETIT, Jack Wardell, Captain, O-014413, USMC, from Ohio, Manila American Cemetery

**Capt Jack Wardell Petit, pilot, was declared Missing In Action on 20 Oct 1943.

Body Not Recovered**