A BIT OF HISTORY: "...PBM flying boat squadron VPB-208 photos from WW II. My father, F. David Daum, was a Chief Aviation Machinists Mate (Plane Captain / crew chief / flight engineer -- ACMMF) aboard Martin Mariner PBM-1, PBM-3C, PBM-3S, and PBM-5 flying boats serving in the South Pacific theater. He was in VPB-208, and was assigned to Combat Aircrew "Dog" (emblem attached). VPB-208 was the eighth of 25 PBM squadrons formed by the Navy in World War II. I was lucky to find all this detail in a hard-bound book specifically dedicated to the history of VPB-208, compete with names, hometowns, and photos of all the crewmembers, along with emblems for all 16 combat aircrews in VPB-208. My dad was awarded both the Distinguished Flying Cross and the Air Medal for bravery in aerial combat against the Japanese enemy..." Contributed by Drake A. Daum drake.daum@wpafb.af.mil [05AUG2002]

"...Attached is final version of the paver brick honoring my dad's Navy service in WWII (PBM flying boats): F. David Daum. The USN logo and the VPB-208 Combat Aircrew "D" logo have been considerably enhanced from the draft version..." Contributed by Drake A. Daum drake.daum@wpafb.af.mil [10JUN2003]

"...Draft paver brick honoring my dad's Navy service..." Contributed by Drake A. Daum drake.daum@wpafb.af.mil [10SEP2002]

A BIT OF HISTORY: "...VPB-208--1942--1945..." Contributed by CALLEN, AMM1 Ed ecall755@aol.com [30NOV2002]

On the 15th of December 1942, at the Naval Air Station,in Norfolk,Va. Patrol Squadron 208 was born with appropriate ceremonies. The compliment at the time consisted of 21 Officers and 83 enlisted men. The personnel were divided into 18 combat air crews (CAC) and some non-flying personnel, but there were no aircraft assigned. By the 6th of Feb. the squadron had received 5 Martin Mariners PBM3c. and an increase in officers and enlisted men The squadron was then assigned to Corpus Christi,Texas for shakedown training. After a very extensive couple of months of training, the squadron was then assigned to Key West Naval Air Station as home port in the early part of June 1943.I joined the squadron in the early part of August, '43 from Transitional Training Squadron Atlantic, stationed at Banana River, Fl. While in Key West we flew anti-sub patrols day and night,in the Gulf of Mexico,Atlantic and Caribbean. We also operated out of advanced bases,Grand Cayman Island, (BWI) Cuba, Great Exuma and Nassau in the Bahamas. In January of 1944 the squadron was anticipating an assignment and transfer to the Pacific theater of operations, it did'nt happen. We figured we were going to spend the rest of war in Key West,

Then on the 5th of July 1944 orders finally came through for the squadron to transfer to Norfolk,Va. to receive new PBM model 5 aircraft, this was it ,we were finally going to the Pacific Theater. Departure from Key West was delayed for 3 weeks due to rumors of sub sightings in the Caribbean. We finally departed Key West in groups of five and all landed safely in Norfolk. In our time in Key West,we had many mishaps,planes damaged or sunk,some injuries, but fortunatly we did not have any fatalities.

After we received our new planes, we transfered to Naval Air Station Harvey Point,N.C. for more extensive training in aircraft and ship recognition,survival,gunnery etc. Finally on the 4th of Nov. we departed Harvey Point for Alameda,Calif. All planes arrived safely in spite of some minor mishaps. While in Alameda, we did some simulated long distance flying to familurize the pilots for the cross Pacific flights to come. While in Alameda, one of our crews ( Crew Baker) had engine trouble,one of their engines caught fire and attempting to make a single engine night landing in San Francisco Bay,crashed with loss of 3 crew members. These were the first fatalities suffered by the squadron since our commissioning in December of 1942. Some of the other crew members suffered severe injuries and were hospitalized.

On the 30th of Nov. the squadron departed the Alameda Air Station for Kaneohe Bay, Hawaii at 2100hrs.We were to fly in groups of three, but another tragic accident shocked the squadron. Crew "C" while flying to rendezvous with their group crashed into a mountain north of San Francisco with the loss of all hands. The rest of the squadron arrived with no more accidents or mishaps,but with heavy hearts with the loss of their shipmates.

We spent 2 months in K Bay, as it was called, doing more extensive training. It was unbelievable the training we had to go through,we thought we knew everything there was to know, but we found out later we did'nt know everything. While in K Bay, a new Crew "B" (Baker) was formed to replace the crew that crashed in San Francisco Bay. The crew was made up of members who were taken from other crews in the squadron. Lt. Michaels was Patrol Plane Commander and I was taken from Crew "I" (Item) and made Plane Captain of Crew "B".

On the 1st. of Feb.1945 the Squadron received orders to report to Commander, 5th Fleet at Saipan. On the 5th of Feb. the first section of three planes departed "K" Bay for Saipan,with overnight stops at Johnston Island and Kwajalein Atoll in the Marshall Islands before reaching Saipan on the third day. The remaining flights of three planes each departed on successive days with all 15 planes settled in Tanapag Harbor by the 12th of Feb. The first planes to arrive at Saipan were already sent out to do anti-sub patrols and "Dumbo" ( air-sea rescue) flights to Iwo Jima and Chichi Jima in support of Army B-24s and B-29s that were bombing Iwo in advance of the invasion. These flights were assigned even before our last planes arrived in Saipan. The squadron continued to do anti-sub patrols and Dumbo operations up to the invasion of Iwo Jima.

While at Saipan the enlisted men lived in tents,( Called tent city) and the officers lived in Quanset huts, it didn't last too long because at the end of Feb. the squadron was ordered to the island of Ulithi to await further orders. In the meantime we did fly anti sub patrols both day and night even though Ulithi was considered a secure island used for R & R for the Pacific Fleet. Even though Ulithi was secured we were attacked by three Jap kamikaze planes. One of the planes hit and severely damaged the aircraft carrier USS Randolph,one crashed into the island and the third one dove into the harbor. While at Ulithi the squadron was assigned to three small tenders, the USS Castle Rock,Suisun and Casco from which to operate. Being an R&R Island Ulithi harbor was cluttered with all kinds of ships and it made it difficult for the sea planes to maneuver,consequently there were many mishaps and accidents but non serious. While on patrol some of our planes did encounter several Japanese merchant ships at different times, these were attacked in bombing and strafing runs, some were sunk and others were damaged, in some of these attacks there was return fire but no fatalities. There were several raids on the Jap Island of Yap, one of the raids was to take out the radio communications and the other was to bomb the airfield to disrupt the Kamikaze planes from taking off, on these raids heavy anti-aircraft fire was encountered.

On the 1st of April the squadron left Ulithi for Kerama Retto which is a small group of islands off the southern end of Okinawa. This was the same day the invasion of Okinawa started. When we arrived at Kerama Retto we hooked up with the seaplane tender USS Hamlin which was to be our home for the remainder of the campaign. The day after we arrived at Kerama Retto some of our planes were out on day and night patrols. There were many instances were our planes encountered Japanese aircraft and in some of these encounters we chased and shot down or left their planes trailing smoke. Most of the Japanese planes were on Kamikaze missions to dive bomb the ships at Okinawa and they would not be deterred from that mission, so we rarely received any return fire from them. In one instance the ships at Okinawa did not pick up on their radar,a flight of eight Jap Kamikaze that were headed for Okinawa. Our pilot radioed ahead that the planes were on the way and the ships gunners were waiting for them with guns ablazin. Our crews also encountered Jap merchant ships which were attacked with bombs and strafed, some of which were sunk and others heavily damaged.

Some crews attacked escorted convoys and received heavy return fire,the captains crew was one who was heavily damaged in one attack and was forced to land and abandon his plane. Another squadron plane broke off the attack and landed to pick up the Captains crew.

On July 14th the Hamlin and the Squadron moved to Chimu Wan,Okinawa as a new operating base. The next day in an attempt to take off in rough water,split the hull and sank. Attempts to save the plane by the Hamlins crew were unsuccessful

Then on the 28th of July Crew G in an attempt to take-off with JATO crashed killing nine members of the crew and severely injuring three others. This was our worst loss of the Okinawa campaign, we also had 14 members of the squadron who were wounded by enemy fire and received the Purple Heart.

In August of 1945 2 Atomic bombs were dropped on the cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki which pretty much ended the war. On the 2nd of Sept. as the peace treaty was being signed VPB-208 flew into Tokyo Bay from Okinawa. The war was over for us

All in all it was a very successful campaign for VPB-208, Our Captain received the Silver Star and the Bronze Star, the crews were awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross and the Air Medal and the Squadron received several Commendations from Commander ,Fleet Air Wing 1.

This has been a condensed version of the exploits of Patrol Bombing Squadron-208, this also happens to be the title of a book that was written by one of 208's crew members who gives a more precise and detailed version of 208's exploits. If you are interested in one of his books his name is: Walter Schurman, 2400 S. Ocean Dr. #6124, Ft.Pierce, Fl. 34949

Circa 1941-1944

A BIT OF HISTORY: "...History of FAW-8 - History from 08JUL41-31DEC44 Submitted April 12th, 1945. Squadron's Assigned: VP-16, VP-18, VP-19, VP-20, VP-21, VP-22, VP-25, VP-26, VP-27, VP-28, VP-43, VP-61, VP-62, VP-63, VP-72, VP-81, VP-82, VP-83, VP-84, VP-92, VP-118, VP-123, VP-133, VP-137, VP-140, VP-142, VP-144, VP-148, VP-150, VP-153, VP-198, VP-205, VP-208 and VP-216..." Official U. S. Navy Records (National Archives and Records Administration) via Fold3 http://www.fold3.com/ [01DEC2012]

---

"VP-208 History Summary Page"

---

---