Son of Harold K. Emerson and Esther H. (Ransden).
MISSING IN ACTION
A Man Named Silver
"Silver" Emerson was the executive officer of Fighter Squadron (VF)-72, which was part of the Hornet's
air group. He was lost on 4 February 1943 the day after the squadron arrived on Guadalcanal while leading a strike against Japanese destroyers coming down "the Slot."
After seeing Tom Lea's painting of Emerson on the cover of the April 1995 issue of the Naval Institute's Naval History magazine, Claude R. Phillips Jr., a squadron mate, wrote a letter to the editor that was published on page 3 of the magazine's June 1995 issue: "No one in the strike group saw Al go down. It was our best guess that he took a direct hit from one of the destroyers' AA fire. There was a swarm of Zeros around, but Al was too good a pilot to be caught from behind. His charisma was evidenced by
reason of Tom Lea having selected him for a portrait out of all our squadron pilots. It was a terrible shock to all of us in VF-72, because Silver was surely the most competent pilot in our squadron. . . . Seeing the cover picture flushed memories that lay dormant or suppressed these many, many years along with wonder of why it all had to be so."
—Lieutenant Colonel Brendan Greeley Jr., USMC (Ret.)
Note:
For more information on Luit. Emerson and sketches by combat artist Tom Lea:
https://www.usni.org/userfiles/file/%20Sept/Lea%20Sept%2008.pdf
Births Registered in the Town of Plymouth
June 17, 1909
Alberto C. Emerson
Place of birth: Plymouth
Full name of father: Harold K. Emerson
Maiden name of mother: Esther H. Ransden
Residence of parents: Plymouth
Occupation of father: Grocer
Place of birth of father: Addison, ME
Place of birth of mother: *Elmwood, MA
item 1 p. 215
GS film #2315253
Digital folder #4401711
Mother's birth transcript has
"East Bridgewater."
Town of Plymouth has Lt. Emerson's date of interment as :
Name: ALBERTO CHARLES EMERSON
Interment Date: 2/4/1948
Cemetery: MANOMET
Section:
Plot: 9D (9D )
Memorial at Manila American Cemetery and Memorial
Son of Harold K. Emerson and Esther H. (Ransden).
MISSING IN ACTION
A Man Named Silver
"Silver" Emerson was the executive officer of Fighter Squadron (VF)-72, which was part of the Hornet's
air group. He was lost on 4 February 1943 the day after the squadron arrived on Guadalcanal while leading a strike against Japanese destroyers coming down "the Slot."
After seeing Tom Lea's painting of Emerson on the cover of the April 1995 issue of the Naval Institute's Naval History magazine, Claude R. Phillips Jr., a squadron mate, wrote a letter to the editor that was published on page 3 of the magazine's June 1995 issue: "No one in the strike group saw Al go down. It was our best guess that he took a direct hit from one of the destroyers' AA fire. There was a swarm of Zeros around, but Al was too good a pilot to be caught from behind. His charisma was evidenced by
reason of Tom Lea having selected him for a portrait out of all our squadron pilots. It was a terrible shock to all of us in VF-72, because Silver was surely the most competent pilot in our squadron. . . . Seeing the cover picture flushed memories that lay dormant or suppressed these many, many years along with wonder of why it all had to be so."
—Lieutenant Colonel Brendan Greeley Jr., USMC (Ret.)
Note:
For more information on Luit. Emerson and sketches by combat artist Tom Lea:
https://www.usni.org/userfiles/file/%20Sept/Lea%20Sept%2008.pdf
Births Registered in the Town of Plymouth
June 17, 1909
Alberto C. Emerson
Place of birth: Plymouth
Full name of father: Harold K. Emerson
Maiden name of mother: Esther H. Ransden
Residence of parents: Plymouth
Occupation of father: Grocer
Place of birth of father: Addison, ME
Place of birth of mother: *Elmwood, MA
item 1 p. 215
GS film #2315253
Digital folder #4401711
Mother's birth transcript has
"East Bridgewater."
Town of Plymouth has Lt. Emerson's date of interment as :
Name: ALBERTO CHARLES EMERSON
Interment Date: 2/4/1948
Cemetery: MANOMET
Section:
Plot: 9D (9D )
Memorial at Manila American Cemetery and Memorial
Inscription
IN MEMORY OF
ALBERTO CHARLES EMERSON
BORN JUNE 17, 1909
FIGHTER PILOT
UNITED STATES NAVY
ATTACHED:
U.S.S. YORKTOWN
U.S.S. HORNET
U.S.S. ENTERPRISE
MISSING IN ACTION IN FLIGHT FROM
GUADALCANAL. FEBRUARY 4. 1943
Gravesite Details
Memorial for U.S. NAVY - Fighter Pilot 1st LT. Alberto Charles Emerson that went missing in action on February 4, 1943 During the Battle Of Guadalcanal . World War II.
