Lawrence Marion Faulkner
Captain Lawrence M. “Cloudy” Faulkner was a Marine fighter pilot with VMF-216.
He failed to return from an escort mission to Rabaul on 19 December 1943.
Branch
Marine Corps Reserve
Service Number O-7129
Current Status
Remains not recovered
Pursuit Category
The DPAA has not publicized this information.
Capsule History
Pre-War Life
Birth
December 26, 1917
at Pleasant Hill, MO
Parents
Earl Faulkner
Marie Alvira (Mooney) Faulkner
Education
Pleasant Hill High School
University of Missouri
Occupation & Employer
College student
Service Life
Entered Service
November 14, 1940 (enlisted)
October 17, 1941 (commissioned
Home Of Record
Greenwood, MO
Next Of Kin
Wife, Mrs. Margaret (Moss) Faulkner
Military Specialty
Pilot
Primary Unit
VMF-216
Campaigns Served
Guadalcanal (with VMF-212)
Solomon Islands
Individual Decorations
Distinguished Flying Cross
Air Medal
Purple Heart
Additional Service Details
Captain Faulkner was credited with three kills.
Loss And Burial
Circumstances Of Loss
Captain Lawrence Faulkner – called “Cloudy” by fellow fliers – was a decorated Marine Corps fighter pilot. During a tour of duty with the “Hell Hounds” of VMF-212, Faulkner was credited with shooting down three Japanese aircraft and participating in dozens of missions with the “Cactus Air Force” at Guadalcanal. In 1943 he transferred to VMF-216, a new squadron forming at El Centro, California, as a division leader. When the squadron deployed to the northern Solomons in December, Faulker was one of the few combat veterans on the flying roster.
On 19 December 1943, VMF-216 was assigned an escort mission to accompany USAAF B-24 Liberators on a Rabaul strike. Two divisions – including Captain Faulkner’s, with 1Lt. Guy H. Kemper, 1Lt. Robert M. Marshall, and 1Lt. Thomas W. Hancock – took off from Torokina and rendezvoused with the bombers at 1130 hours. When one of the lead division’s planes developed engine trouble, Lt. Hancock replaced him, leaving Faulkner with only two wingmen.
The strike was successful, and the formation heading home when Faulkner’s division broke off to engage a handful of Japanese planes. Suddenly, a force of 20-30 A6M-32 “Hamp” fighters appeared out of the sun and ambushed the three Corsairs. In the ensuing dogfight, Lieutenant Marshall saw Faulkner’s plane (F4U-A1 17806) go down, with Kemper flying in tight circles to keep away the Japanese. Moments later, Marshall was wounded in the head, but managed to escape into a cloud and fly his wrecked plane back to Torokina. Faulkner and Kemper did not return.
For an excellent and well-illustrated account of this mission, visit guykemper.com
Lieutenant Robert Marshall, only survivor of Faulkner's division on 19 December, inspects his Corsair and receives medical treatment.
Burial Information or Disposition
Captain Faulkner and Lieutenant Kemper were both reported as missing after the mission. Area searches failed to turn up any trace of their whereabouts, and both men were eventually declared dead on 11 January 1946.
A rumor circulated that Captain Faulkner’s voice was heard in a radio broadcast after his disappearance, but these were never substantiated and only served to raise false hopes in his wife and parents.
Next Of Kin Address
Address of wife, Mrs. Margaret Moss Faulkner.
Location Of Loss
Faulkner and Kemper were last seen over St. George’s Channel, south of Rabail.
