Title

Valencia's Flying Circus

Description
A black and white photo of Harris Mitchell, Eugene "Gene" Valencia, James French, and Clinton Smith of Fighting Squadron Nine (VF-9) in flight gear. The group of pilots nicknamed "Valencia's Flying Circus" stand under the wing of an F6F Hellcat on the USS Yorktown (CV-10)'s flight deck celebrating their combined 50 victories against Japanese aircraft.
Collection
Warren Tucker Collection
Context
Warren "Bill" Tucker was a Photographers Mate in the Naval Aviation Photographic Unit aboard the USS Yorktown (CV-10) during World War II.

Transferred aboard the USS Yorktown in 1944 with no photography experience, Seaman Tucker was assigned to the photo lab and found he had a talent for the work. Tucker received his promotion to Photographers Mate 3/c in 1945 with most of his work documenting the final days of World War II and the beginnings of Occupied Japan.

From the Collection of Warren Tucker.
Accession #
2024.3
Primary Image of Valencia's Flying Circus