Lt. Ozaki was shot
down by Lt.Cdr.Dick Harmer, the CO of VF(N)-101 flying an F4U-2 (not an F6F as in the Japanese account). It was just a lucky shot that barely damaged the plane but a shell fragment must have wounded Ozaki. He attempted to return to Agana Airfield where he was on temporary duty from 343rd NAG stationed at Tinian.He was unable to land at the airfield so he bellied it in about a mile and a half from the runway. The action took place in the afternoon (between 1600-1800) on Monday the 19th of June 1944, the first day of the infamous "Marianas Turkey Shoot".
It seems Lt.Ozaki and his wingman were trying to strafe an SOC that had landed and was rescuing a downed pilot. Harmer and Lt. H.C.Clem (the XO of VF-10) were flying top cover and went to help the SOC, but Clem stalled out and before he could recover Lt.Ozaki turned on him and shot him down and he crashed into the Ocean. Lt.Cdr.Harmer got a few hits on Ozaki and he was last seen heading toward Guam trailing smoke.
Lt.Clem was not rescued and presumably died in the crash, Lt.Ozaki was recovered at the location of his plane but he died on the way to the hospital, he is buried somewhere on Guam. Now if I could just find out the markings and paint scheme for the F4U-2 from VF(N)-101 and the F6F from VF-10 during June of 44 I could build models of all three aircraft.
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