Barry Justin Arnold
Private Barry J. Arnold was a Marine aviator who flew with VMSB-232.
He died in a crash offshore of Lunga Point, Guadalcanal, Solomon Islands, on 14 September 1942.
Branch
Marine Corps Reserve
Service Number 331529
Current Status
Remains Not Recovered
Pursuit Category
The DPAA has not publicized this information.
Capsule History
Pre-War Life
Birth*
October 2, 1922
at Winnipeg, Manitoba, CA
Parents
Elgin Larry Arnold
Leona (Premack) Arnold
Education
North High School (1940)
University of Minnesota (ex-1944)
Occupation & Employer
College student
*Note: most civilian records give this Marine's name as Justin Barry Arnold.
Service Life
Entered Service
December 13, 1941
at Minneapolis, MN
Home Of Record
1526 Newton Avenue North
Minneapolis, MN
Next Of Kin
Mother, Mrs. Leona Arnold
Military Specialty
Aviation Radioman / Gunner
Primary Unit
VMSB-232
Campaigns Served
Solomon Islands / Guadalcanal
Individual Decorations
Purple Heart
Additional Service Details
—
Loss And Burial
Circumstances Of Loss
Private Arnold was a radioman and gunner serving with VMSB-232, a Marine dive-bombing squadron stationed at Henderson Field, Guadalcanal. He frequently flew with Second Lieutenant Yale W. Kaufman at the pilot’s controls.
On 14 September 1942, Kaufman and Arnold were assigned to a routine sector search in company with another SBD.* The patrol passed without incident, and the two aircraft were returning to base at about 1800 hours, when Kaufman’s plane suddenly went into a steep glide at an altitude of 200 feet. The bomber hit the water with a great splash about half a mile from Lunga Point and disappeared immediately.
Both airmen were killed in the incident, and neither man’s body was recovered. The cause of the crash was never known for certain, though fellow airmen speculated that Kaufman and Arnold were distracted by planes passing overhead, and crashed before correcting their glide.
* Note: Arnold’s SBD is alternately reported as Bureau Number 04667 (AviationArchaeology.com) or 03347 (OQMG Form 371).
03347 may have been flown by Second Lieutenant Leland E. Thomas.
Burial Information or Disposition
Remains lost at sea.
Memorials
Next Of Kin Address
Address of mother, Mrs. Leona Arnold.
Location Of Loss
Kaufman and Arnold crashed at sea about half a mile offshore of Lunga Point.
