A BIT OF HISTORY: Naval Historical Center, Department Of The Navy, Washington, D. C http://www.history.navy.mil/branches/dictvol2.htm [28APR2001]

VPB-44 364KB

Squadron History:  VPB-44

Chronology of Significant Events

3 Jun 1941: VP-44 was established at NAS San Diego, Calif., under the operational control of PatWing-1, as a seaplane squadron flying the PBY-5A Catalina. Ground and flight training was conducted at San Diego.

Dec 1941–Mar 1942: VP-44 received advanced operational training at NAS Alameda, Calif., from 14 Halavo Beach, Florida Islands, for Dumbo searches only. Many of the missions flown from Halavo went deep into enemy territory. For those flights fighter escorts often accompanied the Catalinas. While based at Espiritu Santo during the months of February and December 1941 until the squadron began preparations for transpac to Hawaii at the end of March 1942. While at Alameda, the squadron came under the operational control of PatWing-6.

26 Mar 1942: VP-44 flew its transpac to NAS Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, coming under the operational control of PatWing-2. Operational and combat training was conducted in conjunction with patrols over the waters off Oahu.

22 May–Jun 1942: VP-44 transferred to Midway Island to provide combat patrols, joining Catalinas from VPs 14, 23, 24, 51, 72, 91 and 44. There were 32 PBY-5 and 5A aircraft at Midway awaiting the arrival of the Japanese due to decoded intercepts detailing their plans to attack Midway Island. The aircraft were split into two groups—one operating with 22 aircraft from Sand Island, the other with 10 aircraft operating from Eastern Island. Sector searches were flown out to 700 miles from Midway commencing at 0415 each morning. The squadrons were handicapped at this stage of the war by the lack of radar on the aircraft. All sightings had to be done by the "Mark I eyeball." On 3 June, Ensign Jewell H. Reid and his crew were the first to spot the Japanese task force approaching Midway. On the night of 3–4 June, four squadron aircraft conducted an attack with obsolete Mark XIII torpedoes on a portion of the Japanese task force, causing damage to the Japanese tanker Akebono Maru. On 6 June, Lieutenant (jg) R. S. Whitman and his crew were attacked by three Japanese floatplanes and forced down. Whitman and ACRM C. Adams were killed in the attack. The aircraft was successfully ditched by the copilot, Ensign L. H. Camp, who then died of his wounds. AMM1c Virgil R. Marsh remained in the burning Catalina while his crew exited the sinking aircraft, holding off the attacking Japanese aircraft. The survivors were picked up later that day. The squadron returned to Pearl Harbor on 9 June. The other squadrons remained at Midway through the 25^th conducting SAR missions for dive-bomber aircrews shot down during the Battle for Midway.

9 Jun–Sep 1942: VP-44 continued its patrols from NAS Pearl Harbor over the waters of Oahu, with a detachment at Johnston Island. On 26 September, the Pearl Harbor section of the squadron, including the headquarters staff, relocated to the recently completed NAS Kaneohe Bay facility. Two VP-44 aircraft were transferred to other squadrons reducing the complement to 10 aircraft.

21 Dec 1942: VP-44 turned in its 10 PBY-5A aircraft in return for 12 PBY-5 Catalinas. These aircraft were then equipped with twin 30-caliber guns and Mark IX gunsights.

22 Dec 1942–May 1943: The squadron received orders to deploy to the combat zone at Espiritu Santo Island, New Hebrides, under the operational control of FAW-1. A detachment of two aircraft was sent to March 1943 the squadron carried numerous Dumbo missions and transported equipment and personnel during the Solomons campaign. In May 1943, the squadron received two aircraft from VP-72, increasing the complement of Catalinas to 14 PBY-5s. Attacks on the Catalinas during this period were frequent. No less than 12 attacks by Mavis flying boats and Nell bombers were recorded on squadron aircraft, but with no losses.

26 Jun 1943: VP-44 was relieved for return to NAS Kaneohe, Hawaii, and then on to the U.S. By 20 July 1943 VP-44 had arrived at NAS San Diego, Calif., coming under the operational control of FAW-14. All hands were given orders and home leave.

29 Sep 1943–Feb 1944: VP-44 was reformed at NAS San Diego, Calif., and conducted training in preparation for its second tour in the combat zone. It is interesting to note that, unlike the other Black Cat squadrons in the South Pacific, VP-44 was designated as such from the start. Its aircraft came from the factory with a flat-black finish instead of Navy blue, as was the normal practice. Training was completed in January 1944 and the squadron conducted its transpac to NAS Kaneohe, Hawaii. It was discovered that the new amphibious PBY-5A with wheels did not have the range of its predecessor the PBY-5, and could not fly all the way to Hawaii with its wheels attached. The squadron found some PV-1 drop tanks at San Diego that they were able to fit to the wings of the Catalinas that gave them the range needed to make it to Hawaii. This then became standard procedure for the squadrons that followed. From 18 January to 13 February, the squadron departed NAS San Diego in pairs bound for Kaneohe.

1 Feb 1944: The squadron remained at Kaneohe, under the operational control of FAW-2, for five weeks of intensive training with emphasis on ASW techniques.

11 Mar 1944: VP-44 was deployed to Luganville Airfield on Espiritu Santo, New Hebrides, under the operational control of FAW-1. A detachment of aircraft was maintained for convoy coverage at Nausori. ASW training resumed at Luganville Airfield, with the addition of two new technical aids: the sonobuoy and a searchlight with 80 million candlepower. Antishipping searches, ASW patrols and rescue missions were the primary missions at both locations.

15 Jun 1944: VP-44 moved to Green Island, halfway between Bougainville and Rabaul, only 150 miles from the enemy stronghold. A PATSU was available for maintenance of squadron aircraft and the berthing and feeding of unit personnel. Patrol missions involved flying daily search sectors extending in a northerly direction to within 200 miles of Truk. ASW operations were discontinued. Patrol missions ceased after 18 August when the primary mission of the squadron was changed to keeping 17 nearby enemy airfields neutralized and to prevent shipping at night from getting to the bypassed Japanese garrisons. Nightly Black Cat raids were conducted and the squadron maintained standby aircraft for ASW and Dumbo missions during the day. Nightly hunts were usually coordinated with one of the PT boat squadrons stationed on Green Island. The Cats would spot the target at night with their radar, then illuminate the scene for the PT boats. Both would then join in on the kill. Attacks were usually made with 4 500-pound ANM-64 bombs and 40 20-pound fragmentation bombs. On one nighttime mission over Rabaul, an enemy floatplane fighter attacked Lieutenant Lloyd Garrison and his crew. In the ensuing combat they managed to shoot down the fighter. Upon return, the jubilant crew was informed that confirmation was needed before credit could be authorized. Undaunted, the crew returned early the next morning and took pictures in broad daylight of the smoking wreckage still floating in the bay at Rabaul. They were duly given credit for the deed.

4 Sep–Dec 1944: VP-44 operational control was changed from FAW-1 to FAW-2. By this stage of the war, Japanese resistance had been broken and Rabaul neutralized. It was the squadron’s job to see that 17 enemy airfields were regularly bombed to prevent their use and to intercept resupply ships and barges attempting to reinforce Japanese troops on Bougainville and New Ireland. A detachment of three aircraft was maintained for a few months at Torokina airstrip on Bougainville for Dumbo work with Marine air units. This group was nearly overrun during a Banzai attack by the last remaining Japanese troops on Bougainville in December 1944.

1 Dec 1944: VPB-44 operational control was shifted from FAW-2 to Commander Air Seventh Fleet (ComAir7thFlt). Six squadron aircraft were utilized for passenger and mail runs between Hollandia, New Guinea and Leyte, Philippines. The squadron also conducted resupply for the Australian coastwatchers, flying to such remote islands as Pinipel, Feni, Nuguria, Lehir and Ontong Java.

Jan–Feb 1945: The squadron remained based primarily on Green Island, with one aircraft at Hollandia and two at the Seaplane Base Repair Base #1 on Manus Island. Black Cat missions were officially terminated on 10 February with the complete neutralization of Rabaul and the primary mission of the squadron shifted to Dumbo work.

Mar 1945: A three-aircraft detachment was located at Manus and a two-aircraft detachment at Emirau Island for Dumbo work. The squadron at Green Island was primarily assigned air freight, ASW standby and Dumbo missions.

11 Apr 1945: VPB-44 was relieved by VPB-53 for return to the United States. The squadron arrived at NAS Kaneohe on 21 April and boarded Cape Esperance (CVE 88) for return to San Diego, Calif. Upon arrival on 1 May, the squadron was given orders reassigning all personnel.

20 Jun 1945: VPB-44 was disestablished at NAS San Diego, Calif.

Commanding Officers

 

Aircraft Assignment

Type of Aircraft	Date Type First Received
PBY-5A	Jun 1941
PBY-5	Dec 1942
PBY-5A	Sep 1943

 

Major Overseas Deployments

Date of Departure	Date of Return	Wing	Base of  Operations	Type of Aircraft	Area of Operations
26 Mar 1942	22 May 1942	PatWing-2	Pearl Harbor	PBY-5A	WestPac
22 May 1942	22 Dec 1942	PatWing-2	Midway	PBY-5A	WestPac
22 Dec 1942	20 Jul 1943	FAW-1	Espiritu Santo	PBY-5	SoPac
18 Jan 1944	*	FAW-2	Kaneohe	PBY-5A	WestPac
11 Mar 1944	*	FAW-1	Espiritu Santo	PBY-5A	SoPac
15 Jun 1944	1 May 1945	FAW-1/2	Green Island	PBY-5A	SoPac

• Continued combat deployment in the Pacific, moving from base to base.

 

Wing Assignments

Wing	Tail Code	Assignment Date
PatWing-1		3 Jun 1941
PatWing-6		14 Dec 1941
PatWing-2/FAW-2	†	26 Mar 1942
FAW-1		22 Dec 1942
FAW-14		Jul 1943
FAW-2		18 Jan 1944
FAW-1		11 Mar 1944
FAW-2		4 Sep 1944
ComAir7thFlt		1 Dec 1944
FAW-14		1 May 1945

† Patrol Wing 2 (PatWing-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.

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Circa 1941

A 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]

Hearings Before The Joint Committee On the Investigation Of The Pearl Harbor Attack 333KB

A BIT OF HISTORY: "22DEC41--While still attached with VP-44 at the start of the war we were making patrols from NAS Alameda, California up and down the coast. On 22 December 1941, "Pappy" Cole, (he later picked up Ens Gay during battle of Midway), Dick Mather, the enlisted crew and I were flying near the California and Oregon border. We spotted a ship dead in the water and saw people going over the sides and getting into lifeboats. As we approached we saw a Japanese submarine on the surface. We started an attack, the submarine dove and we dropped depth charges. We never knew if we were successful with our attack. We circled the ship, the tanker EMIDIO. We continued on our patrol and never heard any more about the incident. Last week I went to the State Library and looked back into the archives. From the Oregonian and the Statesman newspapers of 23 December, I found that the EMIDIO had been attacked by the submarine on the 22nd with both gun fire and torpedo. Captain Farrow of the ship said that the torpedo went into the engine room and killed two men. One shell knocked three men from a lifeboat being launched. He further stated that a bomber made an attack and that there was a big blast and plenty of smoke after the depth charges were dropped. He did not know if the submarine was hit or not. The crew was rescued and taken into Eureka, CA..." Contributed by David Walkinshaw djwinor@cp.com

A BIT OF HISTORY: "31DEC41--PATROL WING FOUR (VP-44) Patrol Squadron FORTY-FOUR (6 PBY5)..." http://omni.cc.purdue.edu/~pha/pha/hart/xha-029.html

A BIT OF HISTORY: "00DEC41--Order of Battle December 1941 Patrol Wing Four - NAS Seattle, Washington VP-41 - 6 Catalinas PBY5, VP-42 - 6 Catalinas PBY5, VP-43 - 6 Catalinas PBY5, and VP-44 - 6 Catalinas PBY5..."

A BIT OF HISTORY: "...Local naval veteran recalls Battle of Midway by Bob Britton...The surprise Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor Dec. 7, 1941, cost America 2,000 lives and much of its Pacific naval fleet. The stunned nation vowed to rebuild its fleet, defeat the Japanese military forces and stop the enemy from capturing strategic Pacific islands. Retired Navy Cmdr. William Cullin, a World War II veteran of Patrol Squadron 44 and a Carmel resident, was the guest speaker at the monthly meeting of the Military Order of World Wars June 6 at Rancho Canada Golf Club. He described his aviator role in the Battle of Midway from June 3-5, 1942, which proved to be the decisive battle and turning point in the Pacific. Cullin, a living part of American history, helped preserve democracy during the critical World War II years. He flew PBY patrol aircraft while stationed at Hawaii and Midway Island. Cullin mentioned the Japanese took Guam Dec. 9, 1941, and that Bataan in the Philippines surrendered April 9, 1942. In the Battle of the Coral Sea, May 4, 1942, American forces stopped the Japanese from reaching Australia and New Zealand. In April 1942, he and his crew flew their PBY aircraft 21 hours nonstop from San Diego to Hawaii. Once settled, his squadron patrolled about 600 miles out daily from Hawaii. On May 22, the planes transferred to Midway Island, which consisted of Eastern Island with a runway, and Sand Island, where the PBY seaplane base was located. "We were informed on May 23 that the Japanese would attack Midway Island June 1 with a four-carrier task force," Cullin said. "American cryptanalysis and radio intelligence officers broke the Japanese code late in May, which indicated the letters 'AF' meant Midway Island. On May 23, we covered 700 miles on patrols around the island. Our squadron had 12 PBY patrol planes and we logged 120 hours of flight time within 10 days looking for any signs of the Japanese fleet. Besides our aircraft, additional Marine, Navy and Army pilots helped search the Pacific area." "On June 3, we patrolled a sector northwest of Midway Island 600 miles out and ran into a fog bank. We had no radar at the time, didn't spot anything and flew further out," Cullin continued. "During the patrols, we saw black specs on the horizon, and reported the information to our superiors. One of our pilots, then Ensign Jack Reid, was the first to spot part of the Japanese fleet consisting of troop transports and supporting ships. While we were patrolling, the American Task Forces Spruance and Fletcher were 200 miles further away from our search planes." The following day, the aviators had better luck tracking the approaching Japanese fleet and went out on patrol again. This time, one PBY-5 was hit by anti-aircraft fire and was lost in combat. "On June 4, one of our aircraft sighted about 120 Japanese torpedo planes, fighters and bombers headed toward Midway Island," he said. "We continued in our search for the Japanese fleet, found part of it and communicated back to naval headquarters. Although we had a smaller task force in numbers compared to the superior Japanese fleet, (The Japanese had 88 ships while the Americans had 28) our carrier planes and others wreaked havoc on the enemy, destroying or sinking four carriers, while we lost the carrier Yorktown on June 7. The Battle of Midway marked the turning point in the Pacific and the Japanese never recovered from this disastrous engagement." On June 5, the squadron went on short patrols, looking for more elements of the Japanese fleet and downed American aviators. Naval aviators found the rest of the enemy, consisting of two battleships, four heavy cruisers, four destroyers and a burning carrier. "The net result from the Battle of Midway was that America had good intelligence and teamwork among the different military services," Cullin said..." GLOBE Volume 19, No. 6 - August 1996 http://160.133.244.200/command/pao/august/midway.htm

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Circa 1940

A BIT OF HISTORY: "...VP-44 during the late 1940's was based at NAS Coco Solo, Panama, Canal Zone. I was attached to this squadron flying PBM-5 type aircraft. VP-44 was formerly a PBY squadron (VP-43) in FAW-4 during the late 1930's and was split off as VP-44 in the Pacific during WWII. VP-44 was later reformed during the Korea Crisis and was designated as VP-204; then VPMS-4; then in 1947 became VP-44. VP-40 (old VP-74/VP-56) was next hangar in NAS Coco Solo, Panama, Canal Zone. VP-3 one of the first P2V squadrons took up residence across from us in the same hangar. I departed in 1949 for NAS Operations, NAS Norfolk, Virginia. I lost track of VP-44 after that..." Contributed by ADC(AP) O'LAUGHLIN, Francis M. "Red" Retired FMOL2@AOL.COM [27JAN2001]

A BIT OF HISTORY: "...LOCKHEED PV VENTURA and HARPOON - by Jack McKillop..." http://www.microworks.net/pacific/aviation/pv_ventura.htm [23JUN2002]

Waiting for permission to post entire article.

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"VP-44 History Summary Page"

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