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HistoryVP-24 HistoryHistory

Circa 1948

HistoryA BIT OF HISTORY: UNIT: VP-24 PREVIOUS DES: VP-HL-4 NAME: Batmen TAIL CODE: HA/LR ACTIVATED: 8-19-48 DEACTIVATED: VA(HM)-13 TYPICAL LOCATION(S): NAS Norfolk, Virginia / Chincoteague / NAS Jacksonville, Florida
Books"Title: Lockheed P2V Neptune An Illustrated History by Wayne Mutza wmutza@wi.rr.com...A Schiffer Military History Book...ISBN: 0-7643-0151-9...286 pages full of pictures and history!


Circa 1945

HistoryA BIT OF HISTORY: "...Patrol Squadron TWENTY-FOUR (VPB-24) - War Diary - May 1945..." Official U. S. Navy Documention [23OCT2013]

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HistoryA BIT OF HISTORY: "...Patrol Squadron TWENTY-FOUR (VPB-24) - War Diary - April 1945..." Official U. S. Navy Documention [23OCT2013]

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HistoryA BIT OF HISTORY: "...Patrol Squadron TWENTY-FOUR (VPB-24) - Aircraft Action Report - 02MAR45..." Official U. S. Navy Documention [23OCT2013]

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HistoryA BIT OF HISTORY: "...Patrol Squadron TWENTY-FOUR (VPB-24) - Aircraft Action Report - 02MAR45..." Official U. S. Navy Documention [23OCT2013]

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HistoryA BIT OF HISTORY: "...Patrol Squadron TWENTY-FOUR (VPB-24) - War Diary - March 1945..." Official U. S. Navy Documention [23OCT2013]

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HistoryA BIT OF HISTORY: "...Patrol Squadron TWENTY-FOUR (VPB-24) - War Diary - Februrary 1945..." Official U. S. Navy Documention [23OCT2013]

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HistoryA BIT OF HISTORY: "...Patrol Squadron TWENTY-FOUR (VPB-24) - War Diary - January 1945..." Official U. S. Navy Documention [23OCT2013]

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HistoryA BIT OF HISTORY: "00JAN45--First combat mission for the PB4Y-2 was in January 1945. One squadron (VP-24) had Privateers equipped with an ASM-N-2 Bat anti-shipping glide bomb with radar homing. By the end of the war, seven Navy squadrons had been equipped with the Privateer and one time or another...." http://listserv.acsu.buffalo.edu/cgi-bin/wa?A2=ind9408A&L=wwii-l&D=&H=&T=&O=&F=&P=7558


Circa 1944

HistoryA BIT OF HISTORY: "...Patrol Squadron TWENTY-FOUR (VPB-24) - War Diary - November 1944..." Official U. S. Navy Documention [23OCT2013]

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HistoryA BIT OF HISTORY: "...Patrol Squadron TWENTY-FOUR (VPB-24) - War Diary - October 1944..." Official U. S. Navy Documention [23OCT2013]

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HistoryA BIT OF HISTORY: "...History of FAW-14 - History from 15OCT42-01DEC42 - Submitted December 22nd, 1944. Squadron's Assigned: VP-1, VP-2, VP-4, VP-11, VP-12, VP-13, VP-14, VP-15, VP-21, VP-23, VP-24, VP-33, VP-44, VP-53, VP-54, VP-71, VP-72, VP-81, VP-91, VP-101, VP-102, VP-103, VP-104, VP-106, VP-109, VP-111, VP-115, VP-117, VP-118, VP-119, VP-121, VP-122 and VP-202..." Official U. S. Navy Records (National Archives and Records Administration) via Fold3 http://www.fold3.com/ [06DEC2012]

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HistoryA BIT OF HISTORY: "...FAW-14 - VP-24 War Diary - March 1944..." Official U. S. Navy Records (National Archives and Records Administration) via Fold3 http://www.fold3.com/ [02NOV2012]

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HistoryA BIT OF HISTORY: "...FAW-14 - VP-24 War Diary - February 1944..." Official U. S. Navy Records (National Archives and Records Administration) via Fold3 http://www.fold3.com/ [02NOV2012]

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HistoryA BIT OF HISTORY: "...FAW-14 - VP-24 War Diary - January 1944..." Official U. S. Navy Records (National Archives and Records Administration) via Fold3 http://www.fold3.com/ [02NOV2012]

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HistoryA BIT OF HISTORY: "...Location of U. S. Naval Aircraft - Dated 11 Jan 1944..." WebSite: Naval Historical Center http://www.history.navy.mil/ [29SEP2006]

VP SQUADRONS MENTIONED

VD-1, VD-2, VD-3 and VD-4

VJ-1, VJ-2, VJ-3, VJ-4, VJ-5, VJ-7, VJ-8, VJ-9, VJ-10, VJ-11, VJ-12, VJ-13, VJ-14, VJ-15, and VJ-16

VP-6 Coast Guard

VP-11, VP-12, VP-13, VP-14, VP-15, VP-16, VP-17, VP-18 and VP-19

VP-20, VP-23 and VP-24

VP-32, VP-33 and VP-34

VP-43, VP-44 and VP-45

VP-52 and VP-54

VP-61 and VP-62

VP-71, VP-72, VP-73 and VP-74

VP-81 and VP-84

VP-91, VP-92 and VP-94

VP-101, VP-102, VP-103, VP-104, VP-105, VP-106, VP-107, VP-108 and VP-109

VP-110, VP-111, VP-112, VP-113, VP-115, VP-116 and VP-117

VP-126, VP-127, VP-128 and VP-129

VP-130, VP-131, VP-132, VP-133, VP-134, VP-135, VP-136, VP-137, VP-138 and VP-139

VP-140, VP-141, VP-142, VP-143, VP-144, VP-145, VP-146, VP-147, VP-148 and VP-149

VP-150 and VP-151

VP-201, VP-203, VP-204, VP-205, VP-208 and VP-209

VP-210, VP-211, VP-212, VP-213, VP-214, VP-215 and VP-216


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HistoryA BIT OF HISTORY: VPB-24 Thumbnail Contributed by John Lucas john.lucas@netzero.net [28JUL2002]


Circa 1943

HistoryA BIT OF HISTORY:  History ThumbnailCameraVP-24 Towel "...The man I was named after, CDR Kenneth M .Blake, flew PBYs in the Solomon Islands in 1943 with VP-24. The attached photo shows a towel that was found in an old footlocker of memorabilia after he died. The towel was given to me by his sole surviving daughter..." Contributed by CW4 Kenneth H Fritz, USA (RET) kenhfritz@sbcglobal.net [15AUG2020]

After WWII Kenny Blake named his first son after my dad, an Army Air Corps B-17 pilot who flew out of England with the 92nd Bomb Group. My dad named me after his best friend, Kenny Blake. They were lifelong friends and I’m proud to say that Kenny was friend of mine, too.

I’m sure the towel will be of interest to someone in the VP community.

HistoryA BIT OF HISTORY:  History ThumbnailCameraVP-24 Towel "...Towel that measures 42 1/2 inches across by 21 1/4 inches tall. The border is done in two different shades of Olive Drab Green. "SOLOMON ISLANDS 1943" is at the top in a maroon color. The upper left hand corner has "VP-24" and "DUMBO" right above a deco stylized PBY Catalina flying boat in black. The right side has the U.S. eagle in maroon color with "U.S. NAVY" screened below. There are three palm trees lower middle with the names of the various places this Squadron was stationed or went in the war. MIDWAY, NEW GEORGIA, RUSSELL, SANTA ISABEL, NEW CALEDONIA, HAWAII, PALMYRA, CANTON, FIJI, NEW HEBRIDES, VANIKORO, FLORIDA, GUADALCANAL, STEWART, and SWALLOW..." [22JAN2000]

HistoryA BIT OF HISTORY: "...Location of U. S. Naval Aircraft - Dated 16 Jan 1943..." WebSite: Naval Historical Center http://www.history.navy.mil/ [01OCT2006]

VP SQUADRONS MENTIONED

CASU and PATSU

VJ-1, VJ-2, VJ-3, VJ-4, VJ-5, VJ-6, VJ-7 and VJ-8

VP-6 Coast Guard

VP-3

VP-11 and VP-12

VP-23 and VP-24

VP-31, VP-32, VP-33 and VP-34

VP-41, VP-42, VP-43 and VP-44

VP-51, VP-52, VP-53 and VP-54

VP-61, VP-62 and VP-63

VP-71, VP-72, VP-73 and VP-74

VP-81, VP-82, VP-83 and VP-84

VP-91, VP-92VP-93, and VP-94

VP-101, VP-102, VP-103, VP-104, VP-105, VP-106, VP-107, VP-108 and VP-109

VP-110

VP-127, VP-128 and VP-129

VP-131, VP-132, VP-133 and VP-134

VP-200, VP-201, VP-202, VP-203, VP-204, VP-205, VP-206, VP-207, VP-208 and VP-209

VP-210, VP-211, VP-210, and VP-216


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HistoryA BIT OF HISTORY: "...Location of U. S. Naval Aircraft - Dated 09 Nov 1943..." WebSite: Naval Historical Center http://www.history.navy.mil/ [01OCT2006]

VP SQUADRONS MENTIONED

CASU and PATSU

VD-1, VD-2, VD-3 and VD-4

VJ-1, VJ-2, VJ-3, VJ-4, VJ-5, VJ-15, and VJ-16

VP-6 Coast Guard

VP-1

VP-11, VP-12, VP-13, VP-14, VP-15 and VP-16

VP-23 and VP-24

VP-32, VP-33 and VP-34

VP-43, VP-44 and VP-45

VP-52, VP-53 and VP-54

VP-61, VP-62 and VP-63

VP-71, VP-72, VP-73 and VP-74

VP-81 and VP-84

VP-91, VP-92 and VP-94

VP-101, VP-102, VP-103, VP-104, VP-105, VP-106, VP-107, VP-108 and VP-109

VP-110, VP-111, VP-112, VP-113, VP-114, VP-115 and VP-116

VP-125, VP-126, VP-127, VP-128 and VP-129

VP-130, VP-131, VP-132, VP-133, VP-134, VP-135, VP-136, VP-137, VP-138 and VP-139

VP-140, VP-141, VP-142, VP-143, VP-144, VP-145, VP-146, VP-147, VP-148 and VP-149

VP-150

VP-201, VP-202, VP-203, VP-204, VP-205, VP-206, VP-207, VP-208 and VP-209

VP-210, VP-211, VP-212, VP-213, VP-214, VP-215 and VP-216


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HistoryA BIT OF HISTORY: "...Location of U. S. Naval Aircraft - Dated 09 Feb 1943..." WebSite: Naval Historical Center http://www.history.navy.mil/ [28SEP2006]

VP SQUADRONS MENTIONED

VJ-1, VJ-2, VJ-3, VJ-7 and VJ-8

VP-11, VP-12, VP-13 and VP-14

VP-23 and VP-24

VP-31, VP-32, VP-33 and VP-34

VP-41, VP-42, VP-43 and VP-44

VP-61, VP-62, and VP-63

VP-71, VP-72, VP-73 and VP-74

VP-81, VP-82, VP-83 and VP-84

VP-91, VP-92, VP-93 and VP-94

VP-101

VP-127, VP-128 and VP-129

VP-130, VP-132, VP-133 and VP-134

VP-201, VP-202, VP-203, VP-205, VP-206, VP-207, VP-208 and VP-209,

VP-210, VP-211 and VP-212
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Circa 1942

HistoryA BIT OF HISTORY: "...Op-40-A-KB - (SC)A6-4/VZ - January 6, 1942 - Location of U. S. Naval Aircraft..." WebSite: Naval Historical Center http://www.history.navy.mil/ [23SEP2006]

VP SQUADRONS MENTIONED

VP-11, VP-12 and VP-14

VP-23 and VP-24

VP-31, VP-32, VP-33 and VP-34

VP-41, VP-42, VP-43 and VP-44

VP-51, VP-52, VP-53 and VP-54

VP-61, VP-62, VP-63

VP-71, VP-72, VP-73 and VP-74

VP-81 and VP-83

VP-91, VP-92 and VP-94

VP-101

VP-201, VP-202, VP-203, VP-204, VP-205, VP-206, VP-207, VP-208, VP-209, VP-210, VP-211 and VP-212


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HistoryA BIT OF HISTORY: "...Heroics of Battle of Midway Veterans Honored in San Francisco, June 3, 2000 - Cdr., Douglas Davis..." WebSite: Military-Network http://www.military-network.com/midway.htm [28DEC2005]

Commander Doug Davis, then a Lieutenant, was a Patrol Plane Commander flying a PBY-5A amphibious plane out of VP-24. His formation flew from Pearl Harbor's Ford Island to Midway on June 3, 1942, and it was not long after arriving on Midway that he was called to a dugout for a briefing on a mission that would put them in the air for 12 and a half hours.

His was one of a four-plane PBY night torpedo strike flight taking off the evening of June 3 1942 from the airstrip on Midway's Eastern Island. His orders were to find and attack an enemy force of ships, number and composition uncertain, estimated at 600 miles from Midway. These were enemy forces that our B-17 bombers attacked that afternoon, and it turned out to be about 20 Japanese ships in neat columns, comprising the Midway occupation force. Lt. Davis' plane and one other PBY had radar, which helped located the enemy force.

After the lead PBY turned off its tail light—the signal to attack--, Lt. Davis chose his target—the largest ship he could see. It appeared to be an aircraft until the last minute when it was determined to be a large transport ship. Lt. Davis dropped his PBY down in a position to attack up the brilliant moon path so that the Japanese ships were crisply silhouetted. Lt. Davis worked rudder and torpedo director, and told his gunners to hold fire until the ships fired first. They didn't have to wait long. As the PBY leveled off at 40 feet, heavy fire came from the ships and the PBYs. Their target ship began a turn away to starboard and to increase speed. Lt. Davis dropped his torpedo nearly dead astern at 200 yards. The ship's screw and rudders were clearly visible, and had to pull the PBY up to get over the transport ship. Lt. Davis' gunners were strafing, and they could see the Japanese gunners on the ship returning fire. The PBY sustained damage with numerous bullet holes. Bullets came through the PBY's bow gun enclosure, and shot the goggles off an otherwise lucky crewman, and other bullets wrecked the PBY's Norden bombsight. Most of the destroyers and about half the transports had his PBY under fire, so he circled back to 1500 feet to assess damage. That's when three unobserved destroyers directly beneath them took him under fire.

Lt. Davis' PBY used violent evasive measures and then headed the plane toward Midway. They arrived just as the Japanese began their attack on the island--which the PBY observed as they passed to the south. The crew was busy plugging bullet holes in the hull. With no clouds to hide in, they flew close to the water until out of danger, until they ran into a storm with ceiling and visibility zero and a 30-knot wind. They flew on instruments for 30 minutes and finally landed at sea near a vessel pre-positioned at Alyson Island east of Midway, for just such an emergency. They had five minutes of fuel left when they arrived. Lt. Davis later said, "I could not have asked for a more daring, efficient or cooperative crew with which to fly." Ladies and gentlemen—Cdr. Doug Davis.

HistoryA BIT OF HISTORY: "...24JUN42 - PBY2 (VP-24) bomb Japanese base at Tulagi..." HyperWar WebSite: http://www.ibiblio.org/hyperwar/USN/USN-Chron/USN-Chron-1942.html [16SEP2005]

HistoryA BIT OF HISTORY: "...21JUN42 - PBY (VP-24) recovers two-man crew from Enterprise (CV-6) TBD (VT 6) 360 miles north of Midway. Their plane had to land in the water on 4 June; these are the last survivors of the Battle of Midway to be recovered..." HyperWar WebSite: http://www.ibiblio.org/hyperwar/USN/USN-Chron/USN-Chron-1942.html [16SEP2005]

HistoryA BIT OF HISTORY: "...04JUN42 - Battle of Midway opens as PBYs attack Occupation Force northwest of Midway; one PBY (VP-24) torpedoes fleet tanker Akebono Maru..." HyperWar WebSite: http://www.ibiblio.org/hyperwar/USN/USN-Chron/USN-Chron-1942.html [16SEP2005]

HistoryA BIT OF HISTORY: VP History ThumbnailCameraVP-24, VP-44, and VP-51 History "...Battle of Midway, June 1942. Pilots of the four VP-24 and VP-51 PBY-5A \"Catalina\" patrol bombers that flew the torpedo attack mission against the Japanese fleet\'s Midway Occupation Force during the night of 3-4 June 1942. Those present are (left to right): Lieutentant (Junior Grade) Douglas C. Davis, of VP-24; Ensign Allan Rothenberg, of VP-51; Lieutenant William L. Richards, Executive Officer of VP-44, who flew in a VP-24 aircraft on this mission; and Ensign Gaylord D. Propst, of VP-24. Official U.S. Navy Photograph - Submitted by Steve & Cori Galeener, Bellflower California USA - 5354/5352..." [26MAR2003]

HistoryA BIT OF HISTORY: VP-24 Towell Thumbnail
VP-24 Towell Thumbnail "...Sends You Christmas Greetings And All Good Wishes for the New Year...November18, 1942 ..." [07JUN2000]

HistoryA BIT OF HISTORY: "XXJUN42--...Also on that afternoon four amphibious-type PBY-5As were flown in from Pearl Harbor to try their luck. None of the pilots knew what was happening at Midway nor were they told aboLT the task that lay before them. Lieutenant (j.g.) Charlie Hibberd, plane commander of 24-P-12, remembers his arrival on Eastern Island, one of the two tiny sandbar islands of the Midway Atoll..." BlackCat Raiders of WWII by Richard Knott

HistoryA BIT OF HISTORY: "06JUN42--"BATTLE OF MIDWAY-RESCUES PERFORMED BY PBYS (by Jim Sawruk) VP-44 PPC ENS. Richard V. Umphrey - rescued VP-24 ENS. Gaylord D. Propst, ENS. Bernard L. Amman, CAP Haillard C. Smathers, AMM3 Daniel M. Zech, AMM3 G. C. Harrison, AMM3 Elmer L. Kline, ARM3 Vicent Abate Jr, ARM3 J. F. Dwyer, and ARM3 Ewing W. Hix..."

HistoryA BIT OF HISTORY: "15OCT42--BLACK CATS--This operation, probably began with Patrol Wing 10 in Australia at the beginning of the war. At the battle of Midway, three planes from VP-24 and one plane from VP-51 made a night torpedo attack on Japanese ships. In the South Pacific on the night of 15 and 16 OCT, LTjg Haber of VP-24, LTjg Muchenthaler of VP-11, were search planes for LCDR Cobb of VP-11 and LTjg Rothenburg of VP-51 with torpodes. Torpodes run made with one hit...." George Winter pbycat@bellsouth.net

HistoryA BIT OF HISTORY: "...Air-to-Air Shoot Downs by Navy and Marine Corps Patrol Type Aircraft During World War II - This Squadron Mentioned...Naval Historical Center ADOBE Download File: http://www.history.navy.mil/avh-vol2/Appen4.pdf [12FEB2004]
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Open VP History Adobe FileAir-To-Air Shootdowns 118KB


Circa 1941 - 1945

HistoryA BIT OF HISTORY: Naval Historical Center, Department Of The Navy, Washington, D. C http://www.history.navy.mil/branches/dictvol2.htm [28APR2001]
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Open VP History Adobe FileVPB-24 264KB


Squadron History:  VP-24 / VPB-24

Lineage

Established as Patrol Squadron NINE-S (VP-9S) on 7 January 1930.
Redesignated Patrol Squadron NINE-B (VP-9B) on 1 October 1930.
Redesignated Patrol Squadron NINE-F (VP-9F) on 26 October 1931.
Redesignated Patrol Squadron NINE (VP-9) on 1 October 1937.
Redesignated Patrol Squadron TWELVE (VP-12) on 1 July 1939.
Redesignated Patrol Squadron TWENTY FOUR (VP-24) on 1 August 1941.
Redesignated Patrol Bombing Squadron TWENTY FOUR (VPB-24) on 1 October 1944.
Disestablished at NAS San Diego on 20 June 1945.

Squadron Insignia and Nickname

Patrol Squadron 9 adopted an insignia in keeping with the nature of its work, a wild goose flying in a sunlit sky. The goose was symbolic of the migratory nature of the species, flying from the arctic reaches to the temperate zones each year. It travels with unerring judgement to its destination, displaying great endurance and speed. It typifies the navigation necessary in patrol duties and is noted for flying in "V" formations like those flown by squadrons of patrol planes. Colors: light blue sky; goose, black and white; squadron letters superimposed on a yellow sun. Letters and numbers identifying the squadron changed each time the squadron designation changed, from VP-9F through VPB-24. Although no official letter of approval by CNO exists in the records, BuAer had sent the insignia to National Geographic to be included in the Insignia and Decorations of the U.S. Armed Forces, Revised Edition, December 1, 1944.

Nickname: none on record.

Chronology of Significant Events

(Squadron history from 7 Jan 1930 to WWII removed as not pertinent to this website.)

1 Oct 1941: VP-24 transferred from NAS Kaneohe to NAS Ford Island, Pearl Harbor, Hawaii.

7 Dec 1941: The squadron’s six aircraft were among the few spared during the attack on Pearl Harbor. Its planes were conducting joint submarine exercises off the coast of Hawaii when the attack came; the crews were subsequently given sectors by radio to conduct searches for the attacking Japanese forces. Having made no enemy contact, the squadron returned to NAS Ford Island to begin the cleanup and restoration of its devastated facilities.

31 May 1942: VP-24 was directed to send one PBY-5A and three crews in a detachment to Midway Island. The detachment was involved in the Battle of Midway, the next day. The group remained on Midway until 17 July 1942, when it returned to NAS Pearl Harbor.

21 Sep 1942: A three-plane detachment was sent to Espiritu Santo, with tender support by Curtiss (AV 4).

1 Oct 1942: VP-24 transferred it assets and personnel back to NAS Kaneohe. Five PBY-5A aircraft were traded to VP-23 for nonamphibian PBY-5s before the move, since the amphibian version would not be needed in the South Pacific, where VP-24 was soon to be sent. Most of the squadron’s coming operations would be based afloat, serviced by seaplane tenders. Many of the flight crews actually preferred the older PBY-5, as they felt that the retractable gear of the newer PBY-5A added to the weight of the aircraft, reducing power and range.

1 Nov 1942: Two additional aircraft were sent to Espiritu Santo to supplement the original detachment, bringing it up to six operational planes.

1 Feb 1943: The remainder of VP-24 began to transfer by detachments to Espiritu Santo. The transfers were completed by April.

30 Mar 1943: VP-24 conducted Dumbo missions for the forces taking part in the New Georgia campaign, concluding on 29 September 1943. This was the first time that an entire squadron had assumed Dumbo work as its primary duty. The squadron rescued or evacuated 466 men during the campaign.

29 Sep 1943: Preparations were made to depart the island of Espiritu Santo for return to NAS Kaneohe and eventual return to the United States.

7 Dec 1943: VP-24 was given home leave while administrative details covering reforming of the squadron and reassignment of personnel were undertaken. Training of new personnel and reforming of the squadron began at NAS San Diego, Calif., on 1 January 1944. In mid-March all of the squadron aircraft were given coats of flat black paint, droppable wing tanks were attached, and improvements in radar and flight instruments were made.

27 Mar 1944: VP-24 made its second transpac to NAS Kaneohe, Hawaii. Upon arrival combat patrols and training missions were conducted concurrently.

9 May 1944: Lieutenant (jg) Wade Hampton was lost with his entire crew while on patrol. His last reported message gave a position 150 miles from Midway.

11 Jun 1944: The squadron arrived at the island of Majuro in the Marshalls chain. Typical Black Cat night bombing missions were conducted, along with more mundane Dumbo and patrol missions.

27 Jun 1944: Lieutenant (jg) Mancini attempted to land in rough seas to rescue a downed fighter pilot one mile from a Japanese-held island. Both engines broke off on impact and the hull of the aircraft split in two. The entire crew managed to get into life rafts, and joined the fighter pilot in awaiting rescue. Fortunately, a destroyer had overheard the message from the aircraft and rushed to the scene in time to rescue the aircrews before they washed ashore on the island.

1 Oct 1944: VP-24 was redesignated VPB-24 while based at Majuro. Duties remained essentially the same during this period.

10 Oct 1944: A detachment of three aircraft and crews was formed and sent to Eniwetok to provide Dumbo coverage for air operations in the area. On 19 October the squadron was broken down into smaller one-and two-aircraft detachments that were sent to Apamama, Makin, Tarawa, Roi, Saipan and Guam. Through 1 December 1944, the squadron rescued 25 aircrew without surface assistance.

28 Oct 1944: Ensign Troy C. Beavers received a call to medevac a crew member of a ship (an LCI) who had a suspected case of acute appendicitis. Beavers landed near the ship and loaded the patient aboard. During the liftoff a rogue wave struck the starboard float, ripping off the wing. The crew and patient exited the aircraft before it sank and were picked up by the LCI. The patient turned out to only have constipation and it is believed that the crash cured him!

23 Jan 1945: The VPB-24 detachments were reformed with two aircraft at Eniwetok, four at Kwajalein, one at Tarawa and one at Roi.

1 Feb 1945: The various detachments of the squadron reformed on Majuro to conduct missions in support of the psychological warfare campaign against defending Japanese forces on the island of Wotje. Additional duties included continuing Dumbo and air-sea rescue missions.

25 Apr 1945: VPB-24 was relieved at Majuro Atoll by VH-5. Elements of the squadron proceeded to Kaneohe, Hawaii, for transport back to the United States.

1 May 1945: The personnel of the squadron loaded aboard Hollandia (CVE 97) for transport to NAS North Island, San Diego, Calif.

20 Jun 1945: VPB-24 was disestablished at NAS North Island, San Diego, Calif.

 

Home Port Assignments

Location Date of Assignment
NAS Kaneohe, Hawaii 1 Aug 1941
NAS Ford Island, Hawaii 1 Oct 1941
NAS Kaneohe, Hawaii 1 Oct 1942
NAS San Diego, Calif. Dec 1943
NAS Kaneohe, Hawaii Mar 1944
NAS San Diego, Calif. 1 May 1945

 

Commanding Officers

Name Date Assumed Command
LCDR A. E. Buckley 1941
LCDR J. P. Fitzsimmons 1942
LCDR E. Tatom Aug 1942
LCDR W. L. Richards Sep 1942
LCDR R. F. Wadsworth 7 Dec 1943
LCDR J. E. Tebbetts Mar 1945

 

Aircraft Assignment

Type of Aircraft Date Type First Received
PBY-5 1940
PBY-5A Apr 1942

 

Major Overseas Deployments

Date of Departure Date of Return Wing Base of  Operations Type of Aircraft Area of Operations
11 Jan 1939 10 May 1939 PatWing-1 Panama PBY-3 Carib
31 May 1942 17 Jul 1942 FAW-2 Midway PBY-5A WestPac
1 Feb 1943 29 Sep 1943 FAW-1 Espiritu Santo PBY-5A SoPac
11 Jun 1944 * FAW-1 Majuro PBY-5A SoPac
10 Oct 1944 * FAW-2 Marshalls PBY-5A SoPac
1 Feb 1945 25 Apr 1945 FAW-1 Majuro PBY-5A SoPac
  • Continued combat deployment in the Pacific, moving from base to base.

 

Wing Assignments

Wing Tail Code Assignment Date
PatWing-2/FAW-2 1 Aug 1941
FAW-1 Mar 1943
FAW-14 7 Dec 1943
FAW-2 27 Mar 1944
FAW-1 Sep 1944
FAW-2 10 Oct 1944
FAW-14 1 May 1945

† Patrol Wing 2 was redesignated Fleet Air Wing 2 (FAW-2) on 1 November 1942.

 

Unit Awards Received

Unit Award Inclusive Date Covering Unit Award

None on record.


Circa 1941

HistoryA BIT OF HISTORY: "...U.S. CONGRESS JOINT COMMITTEE ON PEARL HARBOR ATTACK, HEARINGS: EXHIBITS OF THE JOINT COMMITTEE, Pt. 16, pp. 2721-27..." WebSite: ibiblio Public Library http://www.ibiblio.org/pha/pha/misc/martin_1.html [16JAN2006]

From: U.S. CONGRESS JOINT COMMITTEE ON Pearl Harbor ATTACK, HEARINGS: 
EXHIBITS OF THE JOINT COMMITTEE, Pt. 16, pp. 2721-27.


                             EXHIBIT NO. 120

[1]          KIMMEL EXHIBIT 5 TO REPORT OF ACTION

                                            PATROL WING TWO
                                        U. S. NAVAL AIR STATION,
                                 Pearl Harbor, T. H., December 19, 1941.

Memorandum for Admiral H. E. Kimmel, U. S. Navy.

MY DEAR ADMIRAL: In accordance with our conversation of yesterday, I am 
forwarding to you the following information:

1. Availability and Disposition of Patrol Planes on morning of 7 
December, 1941:
                            Total
Squadron  In commission   available  Location   Under  Ready   In air
                          for flight            Repair at base
VP-11     12 PBY-5            12     Kaneohe      0      12         0
VP-12     12 PBY-5            11     Kaneohe      1      11         0
VP-14     12 PBY-5        [1] 10     Kaneohe      2       7     [1] 3
VP-21     12 PBY-3        [2] 11     Midway       1       4     [2] 7
VP-21      1 PBY-3 (spare)     1     Pearl Harbor 1       0         0
VP-21      1 PBY-3            12     Pearl Harbor 2      12         0
VP-22     14 PBY-3            12     Pearl Harbor 1      11         0
VP-24      6 PBY-5             5     Pearl Harbor 1       1     [3] 4

RECAPITULATION

                            Total
Squadron  In commission   available  Under  Ready   In air
                          for flight Repair at base

At Kaneohe     36          [1] 33       3       30     [1] 3
At Pearl       33          [3] 28       5       24     [3] 4
At Midway      12          [2] 11       1        4     [2] 7 
   Total       81              72       9       58        14

[2]                               NOTES

[1] 3 planes armed with two depth charges each conducting search of 
assigned fleet operating areas in accordance with U. S. Pacific Fleet 
Letter No. 2CL-41 (Revised) (Task Force NINE Operating Plan (9—1). 3 
planes in condition 2 (30 minutes notice).

[2] 5 planes conducting search of sector 120 —170  radius 450 miles; 
departed Midway at 1820 GCT. 2 planes departed Midway at same time to 
rendezvous with U. S. S. LEXINGTON at a point 400 miles bearing 130  
from Midway to serve as escorts for Marine Scouting planes. Four planes 
additional plants armed with 2—500 pound bombs each were on the alert at 
Midway as a ready striking force. These four planes took off at about
2230 GCT upon receipt of information on the attack on Pearl Harbor and 
searched sector 060  to 100  radius 400 miles. One plane was under 
repair in the hangar at Midway. A spare plane was under overhaul at 
Pearl Harbor.

[3] Four planes conducting inter-type tactics in area C-5 with U. S. 
Submarine.

[4] All planes except those under repair were armed with machine guns 
and a full allowance of machine gun ammunition.

[3]  2. Material condition:

(a) Of the 81 available patrol planes 54 were new PBY-5's; 27 were PBY-
3's having over three years service. The PBY-5's were recently ferried 
to Hawaii, arriving on the following dates:

Squadron Number Arrival date   Squadron Number Arrival date
         Planes                         Planes
VP-11      12   28 Oct. 1941    VP-23     12    23 Nov. 1941
VP-24       6   28 Oct. 1941    VP-14     12    23 Nov. 1941.
VP-12      12    8 Nov. 1941

(b) The PBY-5 airplanes were experiencing the usual shake-down 
difficulties and were hampered in maintenance by an almost complete 
absence of spare parts. In additions a program for installation of 
leakproof tanks, armor, and modified

engine nose sections was in progress. They were not fully ready for war 
until these installations were completed, nor were extensive continuous 
operations practicable until adequate spare parts were on hand.

(c) The 12 PBY-3 airplanes at Pearl Harbor (VP-22) had returned from
Midway on 5 December after an arduous tour of duty at Midway and Wake 
since 17 October. This squadron was in relatively poor material 
condition because of its extended operations at advance bases with 
inadequate facilities for normal repair and upkeep. In addition 10 of 
its planes were [4] approaching 18 months service and were due for 
overhaul.

(d) It should be noted that the material situation of the patrol 
squadrons made the maintenance of continuous extensive daily searches 
impracticable. Under such conditions the PBY-5's were to be expected to 
experience numerous material failures which would place airplanes out of 
commission until spare parts arrived. The PBY-3's of Patrol Squadron 
TWENTY-TWO at Pearl were scheduled for a week of upkeep for repair and 
maintenance.

(e) Under the circumstances, it seemed advisable to continue intensive 
expansion training operations and improvement of the material military 
effectiveness at the same time preserving the maximum practicable 
availability of aircraft for an emergency. Under the existing material 
and spare parts situation, continuous and extensive patrol plane 
operations by the PBY-5's was certain to result in rapid automatic 
attrition of the already limited number of patrol planes immediately 
available by the exhaustion of small but vital spare parts for which 
there were no replacements.

(f) In this connection it should be noted that there were insufficient 
patrol planes in the Hawaiian Area effectively to do the Job required. 
For the commander of a search group to be able to state with  [5]  some 
assurance that no hostile carrier could reach a spot 250 miles away and 
launch an attack without prior detection would require an effective 
daily search through 360  to a distance of at least 800 miles. Assuming 
a 16-mile radius of visibility this would require a daily 16 hour flight 
of 84 planes. A force of not less than 209 patrol planes, adequate spare 
parts and ample well trained personnel would be required for such 
operations.

                                             (Signed) P. N. L. BELLINGER
                                             Rear Admiral, U. S. Navy,
                                             Commander Patrol Wing TWO.

PW2/A16-3/
016
Confidential

HistoryA BIT OF HISTORY: "...Hearings Before The Joint Committee On The Investigation Of The Pearl Harbor Attack - Congress Of The United States - Seventy-Ninth Congress...Squadrons mentioned: VP-11, VP-13, VP-14, VP-21, VP-22, VP-23, VP-24, VP-31, VP-32, VP-41, VP-42, VP-43, VP-44, VP-51, VP-52, VP-71, VP-72, VP-73, VP-74, VP-81, VP-82, VP-83, VP-84, VP-91, VP-92, VP-93, VP-94, VP-101, VP-102, CPW-1, CPW-2, CPW-3, CPW-4, CPW-5, CPW-7, CPW-8 and CPW-9..." WebSite: The public's library and digital archive http://www.ibiblio.org/pha/pha/misc/rainbow5.html [01APR2005]
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Open VP History Adobe FileHearings Before The Joint Committee On the Investigation Of The Pearl Harbor Attack 333KB

HistoryA BIT OF HISTORY: "07DEC41--Patrol Wing TWO (CPW-2), U. S. Naval Air Station, Pearl Harbor. T.H., War Diary Sunday, December 7, 1941...Prior to the sudden attack by Japanese aircraft on Oahu, the forces under the Commander Patrol Wing TWO were disposed as follows: VP-21 at Midway; VP-11, VP-12, and VP-14 at Kaneohe; VP-22, VP-23, and VP-24 at Pearl Harbor. All tenders except the WRIGHT were at Pearl Harbor, the WRIGHT was enroute Pearl from Midway. Following is the exact status of aircraft at the time of attack:

VP-21 7 planes in air conducting search 120 to 170 degrees to 450 miles from Midway. 4 planes on surface at Midway armed each with 2 five hundred pound bombs and on 10 minutes notice.

VP-11 12 planes ready for flight on 4 hours notice

VP-12 6 planes ready for flight on 30 minutes notice. 5 planes ready for flight on 4 hours notice.

VP-14 3 planes in the air on morning security patrol armed with depth charges. 3 planes ready for flight on 30 minutes notice. 4 planes ready for flight on 4 hours notice.

VP-22 12 planes ready for flight on 4 hours notice.

VP-23 11 planes ready for flight on 4 hours notice.

VP-24 4 planes in the air conducting inter-type tactics with submarines. 1 plane ready for flight on 30 minutes notice.

Total 72 in the air or ready for flight in 4 hours or less..." http://www.pby.com[14MAY2000]

HistoryA BIT OF HISTORY: "07DEC41--The units at NAS Pearl Harbor and their aircraft on 7 Dec 41 were: Patrol Squadron Twenty One (VP-21) based on Midway Island 1 Consolidated PBY-3 Catalina under repair...Patrol Squadron Twenty Two (VP-22) 14 Consolidated PBY-3 Catalinas (12 could be made ready on four hours notice; 2 under repair)...Patrol Squadron Twenty Three (VP-23)12 Consolidated PBY-5 Catalinas (11 could be made ready on four hours notice; 1 under repair)...Patrol Squadron Twenty Four (VP-24) 6 Consolidated PBY-5 Catalinas (4 in the air; 1 ready on 30 minutes notice; 1 under repair)..." World War II Discussion List WWII-L@UBVM.BITNET http://listserv.acsu.buffalo.edu/cgi-bin/wa?A2=ind9312A&L=wwii-l&D=&H=&T=&O=&F=&P=4270

HistoryA BIT OF HISTORY: "00DEC41--Order of Battle December 1941 Patrol Wing Two - NAS Pearl Harbor VP-22 -14 Catalinas PBY3, VP-23 -12 Catalinas PBY5, VP-24 -6 Catalinas PBY5, and VP-21 - 12 Catalinas on Midway..." http://www.halisp.net/listserv/pacwar/1314.html

HistoryA BIT OF HISTORY: "...PATROL WING TWO - U.S. NAVAL AIR STATION - PEARL HARBOR, T.H. - 20 Dec 1941..." http://www.ibiblio.org/hyperwar/USN/rep/Pearl/PatWing2.html [08JAN2001]

UNITED STATES PACIFIC FLEET AIRCRAFT
PATROL WING TWO
FLEET AIR DETACHMENT
MCAS/NAS Kaneohe Bay, Hawaii
1 January 1942.


From: The Commander Task Force NINE (Commander Patrol Wing TWO).
To: The Commander-in-Chief, United States Pacific Fleet.

Subject: Operations on December 7, 1941.

On Sunday morning, December 7, 1941, forces under my command were disposed as follows: Patrol Squadron TWENTY-ONE at Midway, Patrol Squadrons ELEVEN, TWELVE, FOURTEEN at Kaneohe, TWENTY-TWO, TWENTY-THREE and TWENTY-FOUR at pearl Harbor, all tenders except Wright at Pearl Harbor; Wright enroute to Pearl Harbor from Midway.

The condition of readiness in force was Baker 5 (50% of assigned aircraft on 4 hours notice) with machine guns and ammunition in all planes not undergoing maintenance work. In addition to the above, three squadrons (VP-21 at Midway, VP-23 at Pearl, and VP-11 at Kaneohe) were in condition Afirm 5 (100% of assigned aircraft on 4 hours notice). This was augmented by specific duty assignments on December 7 which required six planes from Patrol Squadrons FOURTEEN, TWENTY-FOUR, and TWELVE to be ready for light on 30 minutes notice.

The general orders listed above were modified by circumstances and planes actually ready for flight were as follows:

VP-21 7 planes - in the air conducting search 120° to 170° to 450 miles from Midway.
  • 4 planes - on the surface at Midway armed each with 2 five hundred pound bombs and on 10 minutes notice.

    VP-11 12 planes - ready for flight on 4 hours notice.

    VP-12 6 planes - ready for flight on 30 minutes notice. 5 planes - ready for flight on 4 hours notice.

    VP-14 3 planes - in the air on morning security patrol armed with depth charges.
  • 3 planes - ready for flight on 30 minutes notice.
  • 4 planes - ready for flight on 4 hours notice.

    VP-22 12 planes - ready for flight on 4 hours notice.

    VP-23 11 planes - ready for flight on 4 hours notice.

    VP-24 4 planes - in the air conducting inter-type tactics with submarines.
  • 1 plane - ready for flight on 30 minutes notice.

    Total 72 planes - in the air or ready for flight in 4 hours or less.

    In this connection it may be stated that the 4 hours notice was primarily set to permit rest and recreation of personnel and was in no wise a criterion of material readiness. For example, one plane of VP-23, theoretically on 4 hours notice, was actually in the air 45 minutes after the first bomb dropped.

    To summarize the foregoing, at the moment the first bomb dropped, aircraft of this command were in the following condition:
  • 14 - in the air (7 on a search from Midway).
  • 58 - on the surface ready for flight in four hours or less.
  • 9 - undergoing repairs.
  • 81 - Total.

    Illustrative of the efforts made by personnel, one of the nine planes undergoing repairs took off for a search at 1356, local time, loaded with 4 one thousand pound bombs.

    A narrative of events of the day follows:
  • TIME (LOT)
  • 0700 14-P-1 sank enemy submarine one mile off Pearl Harbor entrance.
  • 0715 Message coded and transmitted to base.
  • 0735 Message and decoded and information received by Staff Duty Officer.
  • 0737 Message relayed to Operations Officer.
  • 0740 Relayed by telephone to Staff Duty Officer of Commander-in-Chief.
  • 0750 Search plan drafted by Operations Officer.
  • 0757 First bomb dropped near VP-22 hangar.
  • 0758 Message ordered broadcasted to all ships present quote "AIR RAID PEARL HARBOR X THIS IS NO DRILL" unquote (An identical message was sent by CinCPac).
  • 0800 Search plan transmitted by radio and telephone (Received by some of the planes in the air at 0805).

    From this time on an accurate chronological account is impracticable.

    The Commander Patrol Wing TWO arrived at the Operations Office during the first attack and approved the orders that had been issued. Telephonic communication with the various squadrons at Pearl harbor was established in order to supplement and possibly accelerate the radio transmissions. As was usually the case, it was difficult to communicate with Kaneohe. The page printer had gone oLT of commission and it was quite difficult to obtain a telephonic connection. Immediately upon termination of the first attack, an endeavor was made to determine the sectors of the search actually being covered. it was determined, with some difficulty that, of all planes at the bases of Kaneohe and Pearl Harbor, only 3 were still in commission. These were dispatched to fill holidays in what appeared to be the most promising sectors for search. in addition, available planes from the Utility Wing were ordered out. The 2 planes still available for duty at Kaneohe were ordered by telephone to cover the sector between 280 and 300 degrees. The one plane still available at Pearl harbor had some difficulty in being launched due to the wreckage and fires of other planes in the way. Abut this time the second attack came in. Fire was opened by tenders of this command and from machine guns mounted in planes on the ground or removed from the planes to extemporized mountings with greater arcs of fire. As a result of this second attack, all communications, radio, telephone and page printer were knocked oLT of commission. Immediate steps to restore communications were taken while the second attack was still underway and communications personnel, who unfortunately have not yet been identified, proceeded to repair the radio antenna during the height of the attack. Before the end of the second attack, radio communications were established on the tenders of this command. Shortly thereafter, telephonic communication was reestablished and information was received that the 2 planes at Kaneohe previously reported as ready for service had been destroyed. Accordingly, orders were issued for the 1 plane at Pearl Harbor, which had somehow escaped uninjured during the second attack, to cover the sector from 280 to 300 degrees. The Commander Patrol Wing ONE at Kaneohe felt that the orders to cover the sector 280 to 300, which had been transmitted to him by telephone for the 2 planes on the ground, required his taking action and he accordingly diverted 14-P-1 and 14-P-3 from the sectors that they had been searching. Information of this action was not received by me.

    The Fleet Aviation Officer, Captain A.C. Davis, U.S.N., kept in constant touch by telephone and made many valuable suggestions. Various members of my staff maintained communications with Army information centers and requested that attempts be made to track the retiring Japanese planes by RADAR. Unfortunately, the Curtiss RADAR was placed oLT of commission by the damage sustained by that vessel. During the mid-afternoon, 14-P-2 reported being attacked by enemy planes and was thereafter not heard from for 2 or 3 hours. As it was felt that this plane had been shot down and a hole thus left in what appeared to be the most promising sector of the search, every effort was made, as additional planes from whatever source became available, to plug the gap.

    All hands exerted their utmost efforts to get more planes ready for flight and to arm them for offensive action. Three more patrol planes were reported ready at Pearl harbor and dispatched, each carrying 4 one thousand pound bombs. Thirteen SBD planes, loaded with 500 pound bombs, came in from Lexington and were pressed into service. Nine were dispatched to search a sector to the north, while the remaining 4 were ordered to attack 4 Japanese troop ships reported off Barbers point. This report proved to be unfounded.

    The accompanying charts indicate the search as actually conducted. The urgent necessity for conducting daily searches since December 7 and for putting all planes possible back in commission, together with urgency for immediate operations, have precluded an exhaustive analysis of the events of the day. Certain highlights however may be of interest:

    All planes in commission had guns on board together with full allowances of service ammunition. During the first attack, fire was opened from the guns as mounted in the planes, and when it was discovered that these were not effective for fire from the ground due to structural interference, many personnel removed these guns from the planes and set them upon benches in vises and opened up an effective fire against the second attack. As nearly as can be determined, a total of 4 Japanese planes were shot down by personnel of patrol plane squadrons by this method.

    Two planes or Utility Squadron One conducted an extensive search although these planes being of a non-combatant type were not equipped with machine guns. Despite the lack of defense against attacks by hostile aircraft, the pilots of these planes persisted in their search until the threatened exhaustion of their fuel forced their return to Pearl Harbor. The devotion to duty of these pilots will be made the subject of a special report.

    These and numerous other instances of distinguished conduct occurred which Commander Task Force NINE has not yet had time to investigate.

    Attention is invited to the following dispatches and mailgrams indicating the extensive searches conducted by units of this command during the period 30 November to 7 December, 1941, from Wake and Midway:

    CinCPac 280450
    280447 of November.
    040237 of December.

    ComTaskForce NINE 291124
  • 292101
  • 292103 of November.
  • 302359
  • 050323 of December.

    [signed] P.N.L. BELLINGER.

    Copy to: Comairscofor.

    HistoryA BIT OF HISTORY: "...NAS Pearl Harbor was on NAS Ford Island, Pearl Harbor, Hawaii in the middle of Pearl Harbor and served two functions; first, it was home for the four squadrons of Patrol Wing Two (PatWing Two) and second, it was the home base for the carrier based squadrons when the carriers were in port. Generally, the carrier based squadrons would fly off the carriers to NAS Pearl Harbor before the carrier reached port; subsequently, the aircraft would fly back to the carrier when the ship left port. Because it served as a home for carrier aircraft, there were seven spare carrier aircraft present during the Japanese attack. NAS Pearl Harbor was also the home of two utility squadrons flying non-combatant utility aircraft. The units at NAS Pearl Harbor and their aircraft on 7 Dec 41 were: atrol Squadron Twenty Four (VP-24) 6 Consolidated PBY-5 Catalinas (4 in the air; 1 ready on 30 minutes notice; 1 under repair)..." http://listserv.acsu.buffalo.edu/cgi-bin/wa?A2=ind9312A&L=wwii-l&D=&H=&T=&O=&F=&P=4270


    Circa 1940

    HistoryA BIT OF HISTORY: "...Circa 1940 AIRCRAFT SCOUTING FORCE - Rear Admiral Arthur L. Bristol - HULBERT (AVD-6) - LCDR J. V. Carney..." Contributed by John Lucas john.lucas@netzero.net [15DEC98]

    PATROL WING ONE - CDR W. K. Harrill

    TENDERS

    USS HULBERT (AVD-6) - LCDR J. V. Carney
    USS PELICAN (AVP-6) - LT H. J. Dyson
    USS AVOCET (AVP-4) - LT R. E. Dixon

    SQUADRONS

    VP-11 - LCDR J. W. Harris
    VP-12 - LCDR C. W. Oexle
    VP-13 - LCDR S. B. Cooke
    VP-14 - LCDR W. T. Rassieur

    PATROL WING TWO - CAPTAIN Patrick N. L. Bellinger

    TENDERS

    USS WRIGHT (AV-1) - CDR J. M. Shoemaker,
    USS WILLIAM B. PRESTON (AVD-7) - LCDR F. J. Bridget
    USS SWAN (AVP-7) - and LT A. R. Truslow, Jr.

    SQUADRONS

    VP-22 - LCDR W. P. Cogswell
    VP-23 - LCDR G. Van Deurs
    VP-24 - LCDR D. C. Allen
    VP-25 - LCDR A. R. Brady
    VP-26 - LCDR A. N. Perkins


    Patrol Aviation in the Pacific in WW II

    HistoryA BIT OF HISTORY: "...Patrol Aviation in the Pacific in WW II - Part 2 - By Capt. Albert L. Raithel, Jr., USN (Ret.)...This Squadron Mentioned...Naval Historical Center ADOBE Download File: http://www.history.navy.mil/download/ww2-20.pdf [25MAY2003]
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