EDWARD PAGE "BUD" SOUTHWICK

Edward Page "Bud" Southwick, III landed once at Clover Field. He visited either August 19 or 20, 1931 (he did not record an arrival or departure date). He carried one unidentified passenger in an unidentified Douglas O-2. He arrived at Santa Monica from San Diego, CA, which was also identified as his home base.

"Hell Divers," 1931 (Source: Web)

 

Interestingly, about the time he landed at Santa Monica, Southwick was involved with MGM Studios as one of several naval aviators who supported the filming of "Hell Divers" in 1931. Filming took place at NAS North Island at San Diego, and at-sea aboard the U.S.S. Saratoga while it operated between San Diego and San Pedro, CA. The date of his landing fell within the period that filming was taking place, so his visit at Santa Monica could have been in association with the movie, which was described below from an online article about Frank Wead, who was the author of the manuscript pitched to MGM for the "Hell Divers" story.

"When the aerial photography was officially completed for the film, some of the participants commemorated this event by posing for MGM Studio and USN photographers. So, it was on that memorable day of 16 September 1931, that the USN photographer (a petty officer) took a group picture on the flightline behind the Aviation Administration building at NAS North Island. The actors and pilots were standing on the dirt, oil-stained flightline adjacent to a Navy fighter-bomber F3B-1 (Model 77) of VF-1 "Top Hat" squadron. The photo (L-R) showed Cliff "Ukulele Ike" Edwards (actor; wearing Navy enlisted trousers), LT(j.g.) John Smith "Jimmy" Thatch [sic](pilot), Clark Gable (actor; wearing Navy khaki & flight jacket), Wallace Fitzgerald Beery (actor; wearing Navy khaki & flight jacket), LT(j.g) Herbert Spencer Duckworth (pilot), and LT(j.g.) Edward Page "Bud" Southwick III (USNA- 1927; pilot)."

Incidentally, "Jimmy" Thach would become well-known during WWII as the aviator who introduced the "Thach Weave" as an offensive and defensive air combat tactic. The article goes on to suggest you can obtain a B&W copy of the photograph from: Defense Department photo, USN Negative 80-G-450865, NA11-9531 (16 September 1931). National Archives and Records Administration, Still Picture Branch, NWCS, Room 5360, 8601 Adelphi Road, College Park MD 20740-6001. That image is below. Southwick is at far right.

September 16, 1931, Defense Department Photo, E.P. Southwick (R) (Source: Web)

Bud Southwick entered the Navy July 6, 1923. He was a graduate of the U.S. Naval Academy, Class of 1927. Ancestry.com cites a departure by him and his wife from Honolulu, T.H on the S.S. Watsonia on May 28, 1938, bound for Los Angeles, CA. In June, 1938, he was assigned to the U.S.S. Chester. Chester remained on the west coast for fleet exercises and training cruises to Hawaiian and Alaskan waters from 1937. Other than his experience with "Hell Divers," and his Chester assignment, I have no other information about his activities or responsibilities during the 1930s. If you can help fill in the blanks, please let me KNOW.

What is clear, is he was about to "see the world." The U.S. Census, dated April 12, 1940, places him (age 37) and his family at 200 East 3rd St., Long Beach, CA. He lived with his wife, Audrey (39), daughter Jean (18) and son John (15). His occupation is listed as "Lieutenant" in the "U.S. Navy." His income was listed as $4,400 per year, and he paid $85 per month for rent. The location is now a shopping center.

A little over a year later, a ship's manifest dated June 6, 1941 has Southwick again sailing on the S.S. Watsonia from San Francisco, CA to arrive June 11, 1941 at Honolulu, T.H. His family was not listed with him.

About 6 months later, on December 7, 1941, he was in Hawaii during the attack on Pearl Harbor. At the time, he was Flag Secretary for Vice Admiral W. L. Calhoun, Commander, Service Force, Pacific Fleet.

The "Atlantic Clipper," NC18604 (Source: Link)

 

A year later, Southwick was promoted to Lt. Commander January 1, 1942. He was temporarily assigned as Commander on September 10, 1942.The rank was made permanent almost three years later on March 20, 1945, and he was simultaneously promoted to Captain.

Another Ancestry.com entry provides a passenger list that cites Southwick's April 9, 1943 flight from San Francisco, CA to Honolulu, T.H. on the Boeing 314 Clipper NC18604, right, from 1000aircraftphotos.com. Again, his family was not with him. Parenthetically, this proud airplane was delivered to Pan American Airways during March 1939. It was turned over to the U.S. Navy December 13, 1941 as Bureau No. 48225, where it was used for priority transport. After WWII, it went to Universal Airlines as NC18604 on August 20, 1946. It was salvaged for parts ca. 1950.

As of May 1, 1948, Southwick was, as Captain, a "fiscal director" for the national military establishment based at Washington, DC. And from the Foreign Service List, April 1, 1952 Southwick was Naval Attache and Naval Attache for Air in Chile.

According to the U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs Death File, Southwick was born October 14, 1903 and died August 2, 1972. His last residence was cited as Alexandria, VA. He lived a relatively short life of 68 years.

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