Captain James B. Cain

Navy Hellcat Ace

The story of James Cain excited me when I first read about him. I met James in South Carolina at the Yorktown aircraft carrier museum. We were there for an ace reunion. I had just published Urban Drew’s P-51 Mustang print along with one of Robert Johnson’s P-47 Thunderbolt. After the meeting in South Carolina I continued on my way north to North Carolina where I met Johnson to sign the limited edition prints. Robert did not attend the reunion other wise I would have had him sign the print in South Carolina . But that’s another story.

I was there to line up aviators for future prints. Here I met Guy Bordelon who agreed to work with me right away. I was also able to talk with James Cain and he too agreed to be part of my series. I made a mistake however. I chose to do Cain’s print one year later after I released the prints of Guy Bordelon and Cook Cleland. I was grieved that James passed away just as we got down and started the research for his print.

I was able to interview him on the phone and the following is the transcripts of our conversations. I hope you enjoy the following story as much as I did. James I believe was one of our top aces. His exploits portrayed his confidence and his abilities plus his mastery of his aircraft, and then add pure bravery. If he had a few more opportunities James could have been one of our top Navy Aces.

James B. Cain was born on April 23, 1920 in a rural part of Georgia known as Charlottesville . This was near Plains, Georgia . He was the youngest of eight children. His father died when James was three and the family then moved to Cramerton. You know from their stories why some people became successful. James at the age of seven was earning $1.00 a day in a local mill. This is while he was trying to keep up in school and to help with his family. At that early age and with the weight of his responsibilities, James saved that $1.00 a day wage for his collage education. He knew that he did not want to spend the rest of his life sweeping a factory floor.

At the age of eleven he saw an airplane that was touring doing ‘Barn Storming.” The pilot had landed the bi-wing aircraft in a local farmer’s field for a stop. James just had to see the airplane and ran up to meet the pilot. The excitement of being right next to and to be able to touch an airplane was over whelming. Filled with enthusiasm, James was able to persuade the pilot to give him a free ride. James knew from that moment on airplanes would be his future.

His best friends in high school call James “Killer Cain” who had been a character in the science fiction movie, “Buck Rogers in the 25^th Century.” James was known for being very brave. He said in an interview I read, he told the newspaper reporter that he had to prove to himself that he could do it. Of course one of the stunts was to fly a Piper Cub under a bridge between the towns of Cramerton and Belmont on U.S. 74. In fact, James said that he was so thrilled that as he came out from under the bridge on the other side he did a couple of loops!

He graduated from college in 1940 receiving an AA degree. James joined the Navy on April 12, 1941 and was sent for training at Pensacola Naval Air Station. He was designated on October 16, 1941 an Ensign, Naval Aviator. His first assignment was as a flight instructor at Jacksonville Naval Air Station. This is where it was bad to be a good pilot. James was recognized as an exceptional aviator, so the Navy used him as a flight instructor. I do understand the reasoning for this decision based purely on management and the best use of his skills was to train others, but this kept James out of combat in the early years of the war. He served in Jacksonville for over a year gaining the satisfaction that he helped train Navy and Marine aviators. James also gained hundreds of hours of flight time in the aircraft that he would eventually be flying in combat.

Ben Drew and other aviators I talked to that were held back to be instructors after their training and before they experienced combat were far better qualified once they reached the front lines than the new recruits fresh out of flight training. By the time James reached the Japanese in the Pacific he was perfectly proficient with his fighter aircraft.

By chance MGM studios needed a highly qualified pilot to fly an airplane with a camera during movie filming. They contacted the Navy for a pilot and it was James who was selected to be loaned to the studios. He flew with MGM for seven months. At the end of December 1944, James had accumulated 1,730.1 flying hours.

After his movie career ended he was promoted to Lt (jg). Itching for combat duty James was finally going to war and was assigned to VF-45 in March 1945. At this point the end of the war was 18 months away. Of course no one knew that at the time. In fact the United States was under the impression that the war would take no less than two plus more years at best. Military planners were arranging the eventual logistics for the invasion and occupation of Japan . The carrier James and VF-45 was assigned to was the USS San Jacinto, CVL-30.

James was aggressive and flew every chance he got. Compared to the others in his squadron, James flew 107 more sorties than the rest totaling a whopping 350 hours of combat flight time. That is a lot more flying than the rest.

His group started attacking enemy positions in Southeast Asia at Saigon and followed the Asian coast all the way north to the Island of Japan itself. The Air Group used rockets, bombs, torpedoes and bullets against the Japanese. The final total for the squadron was 285 Japanese aircraft destroyed or damaged, they sank 10,500 tons of shipping and damaged many others during 3,000 combat sorties.

On one attack by the carrier group on Japan , the target was the Ota aircraft plant located northwest of Tokyo . The bombers in the group were the TBM Avenger. There were some Hellcats armed with rockets but most of the fighters were to cover the bombers. The area was defended by several Japanese air groups and with a target close to Tokyo like the aircraft plant brought up the defenders. The Japanese were alerted as the American air group was spotted approaching the Island . The attack was a success with key parts of the installation destroyed and 28 enemy fighters shot down.

During an attack on Saigon the air group destroyed seventy percent of three different oil-tank farms. While attacking Okinawa , sixteen Hellcats including Cain shot down twenty one enemy aircraft.

To review the aerial victories James claimed the first ones were on February 16, 1945 when he shot down two enemy fighters a Tojo, and a Tony. He shared a third fighter, a Zero with another. This showed how all types of Japanese aircraft were brought together with groups broken up and new units pieced together. Eventually logistics caught up with some of these squadrons with lack of parts for the many varied types of aircraft. This air battle was near the Katori Airfield, Japan .

His next victory was on March 19^th by shooting down a Jill torpedo bomber as it was approaching the Task Force. On April 6^th his group was in the ready room to be briefed for a combat air patrol when they received information that the Japanese were heading towards the invasion fleet at Okinawa . After they took off James sent his second group to a contact point controlled by one destroyer and he proceeded to another destroyer for a vector when a lone Japanese aircraft was spotted about seven miles away. James increased his power and raced towards the enemy.

James said that once he got close enough to identify the enemy he saw that it was a Val dive bomber. The distance was too far but James fired off a short burst only to watch his rounds fall short. After another minute the distance had shortened very little. He fired again and still the enemy was out of range. After what seamed like many minutes passes he saw that the Val was in range according to his gun sights. He fired a two second burst from all six of his fifty caliber machine guns. The Val staggered and flames erupted from the cowling back to the tail. The enemy turned over and went straight down with the pilot bailing out. James said that someone suggested over the intercom that someone should shot the Jap in his parachute, James sternly cut in saying no one better not!

After the shoot down James and his other three pilots reported back to their check point. Another enemy bogie was reported by the destroyer and the location was given. Again James poured on full military power and raced towards his next combatant. The enemy this time was a Tony. The Tony was an excellent fighter and it turned into a race between the Tony and the hungry Hellcats. Finally the Tony dove and James fell in after him leaving his flight. He chased the Tony down to the island following it through valley, over hill and dale before he finally broke off the chase and flew back towards his group. James had fired on the Tony twice but did not know that he had hit the enemy until he saw the gun camera footage played back. There were several strikes on the fighter but only enough for it to be classified as a probable.

A funny thing happened on the way back to his flight of three fellow pilots. He was heading in the direction that they were orbiting in. James was checking over his instruments and was turning in order slide in with the group. He called in that he would be coming into the number four spot and then they would shift and James would take the number one position. As he came closer and was about to throttle back he looked closer to see that the fighters he was about to join up with were Zero’s!

James checked his guns and they were charged from the flight with the Tony. The Zero’s either had not seen him or they may believe that he is one of their fighters. Full power and lining up the three Zero’s at the same time James could not believe his luck. He told me that they were flying close enough together that all three fit in the gun sights from right to left. He said that he really did not have to aim, they were right there waiting to be shot. James calculated the spread of the fire from his guns and once he reached his most effective range he pulled on the trigger and held it down. From two hundred yards away he watched his tracers reach out and shower on all three of the Zero’s.

The Zero on the left blew up right away followed by the leader which was in the center James did not stop firing knowing that he would be melting his guns shortly. Then the third Zero exploded. With the Zero’s exploding in front of James he was forced to fly right through the fireball. That’s all he said he was really worried about was if he were to run into the airframe or engine of the enemy fighter. His fighter was showered with bits and parts of the enemy airplanes causing minor damage.

The Zero’s must have been in between James and his flight of three Hellcats. As James attacked the Zero’s his men had also seen the enemy and was racing towards them from the opposite direction. As of one the disabled enemy fighters tumbled into the sea one in his flight fired rounds into the burning wreck and was able to claim half the victory.

After rejoining his flight he learned that some of the others had shot down several more enemy aircraft. Another pilot named Nida had used up his ammo shooting down a Jill and an Oscar. With no working guns they came upon a Judy and proceeded to try to knock it down by cutting off its rudder with their propellers. They were unsuccessful but I am sure they caused the Japanese pilot and gunner to soil their trousers. James’s Hellcat actually collided with the Judy but James and Nita turned back to the carrier.

James had a few bullets in his fighter from the rear gunner but it took a lot more than that to bring down a Hellcat. The following morning James shot down a Val near Le Shima for his last victory.

He joined VF-62 in December 1950 then transferred to VF-172 aboard the Essex as the executive officer and finally assuming command in June 1952. During the Korean War James flew the Banshee jet fighter. He flew a total of 106 missions over Korea during two tours. He only had one engagement with Mig fighters when he and his wingman were flying at 45,000 feet and the Mig’s were flying at 50,000. The Banshee could not continue up and fight the Mig’s because the jet simply would not climb that much more. The Mig’s were taunting James because the Mig’s would not come down to fight. James told me that if they had the F-86 Saber they would have gone after the Mig’s.

Some of the air groups that James commanded were the VF-ATU-1 flying Corsairs. VF-172 flying the Banshee, JTTU flying Cougars and twin-engine Tiger Cats. He served as commander of the USS Regulas AF-57. James also commanded two notable carriers, the USS Yorktown from June 1965 to April 1966, and the USS Ticonderoga during Viet Nam . James only commanded the Ticonderoga for three months filling in for the Commander of the carrier at the time. His last combat tour was as Chief of Staff to Commander Carrier Division Three of the South China Sea .

James remembered fondly his time on the Yorktown . His dedication to his ship and crews were honorable. James visited the Yorktown museum in South Carolina one to two times a year during his last years. He would walk the ship with tourist, dressed like them. The tourist were impressed but they will never have the same feeling as James did as he walked again around the control tower, or standing on the deck with his hands in his pockets and wearing sun glasses. James didn’t see tourist walking in groups looking at the sights, James was back in Viet Nam when he was the Captain standing on the deck of a powerful warship with a deck full of jet Navy aircraft at his command.

He remembered the deck crews scrambling, the engines revving up in pitch. He once had complete control of that ship. He said he spent as many as twenty two hours in his Captains chair running his carrier as well as any corporate executive, as well as any who orchestrate human endeavors. The Yorktown ’s deck was a continuous choreography of men and machines. Prop’s spinning, jet engines roaring, gas lines and ammunition. Bombs and electrical wires, there was danger every where on the deck of a carrier during combat operations. The light from the instruments and the radar screens bathed his face in an eerie green glow during night operations as James watched from his command post.

One by one he watched airplanes rolled forward and launched into the night. Each deck crew had their jobs and they were well trained. The lighted batons were watched intently by the pilots. The jets were trailed by their red and yellowish white fire. James remembered himself being launched into the pitch black night sky where you could not even see your horizon at first.

These were his memories of the carrier as tourist walked by him in their summer cloths, amused by the airplanes parked on the flight deck for display. Not knowing that the man they passed on the flight deck was a past commanding officer of that very ship. He had been the commander. He remembered lying in his bunk listening to aircraft being launched and then he would not rest until he heard them retrieved. He remembered the throbbing of the ship itself. He knew when something was wrong by the sound of his ship. The throbbing of its engines, the grinding in the machine shops and the laughter in the chow line. The memories of James Cain are too numerous to list, and too many to tell anyone at one time.

James contributed to the Yorktown museum some of his favorite items. In the Captain’s quarters hang some of his uniforms and medals. There is even one of his smoking pipes and a small packet of his favorite tobaccos.

James Cain ended his military career with 10,000 flying hours in 100 different aircraft. After the war he served as a lobbyist for a Navy contractor. After he retired from that he was asked to help with a writer on a movie script and did help in the mini-series, War and Remembrance.

During a raid in the Pacific James was returning to the fleet low on fuel. Unable to locate the Jacinto he asked for a landing on the nearest carrier. After he landed he went to the tower and asked what carrier this was. Someone shouted out, “It’s the Yorktown .” James went up to meet the Captain and the Captain asked him what he though of their little ship? James told the Captain, I’d never been happier to be anywhere in my life.” Twenty years later James was the Captain of the very ship that saved his life.

James earned many medals and decorations totaling 37 during his long industrious career. The Silver Star, Legion of Merit and four different Distinguished Flying Crosses. He also earned thirteen different Air Medals, one Air Medal with 12 Golden Stars. He was credited with destroying 27 enemy aircraft on the ground. It takes a very brave heart with a steady hand to fly in low and fast and not only hit your target but make each pass devastating to the enemy.

James retired the same year that the Yorktown was decommissioned in 1970. James ended a thirty year career. I walked with James all over the Yorktown . We talked and I stood silent many times as I watched him drift off into a daydream. He walked up to the F6F Hellcat they have on display inside the carrier. I saw James stand by the side of the huge fighter and look up at the cockpit. I loved this airplane he told me as he patted the side of the Grumman. Other aces and their families were also among the tourist. I met many wonderful American aviators that weekend ending with me sitting across from famous Thunderbolt ace Robert Johnson. That is another great story.

I just appreciate the opportunity to have met James and to briefly get to know Navy Ace and Carrier Commander, James B. Cain.

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5-30-07