HISTORY OF COMPOSITE SQUADRON SIXTY-SIX

[HISTORY OF VC-66]

21 JUNE 1943 – 3 NOVEMBER 1944

                                                        Part 1 - The Beginning

COMPOSITE SQUADRON SIXTY-SIX (VC-66) was established and commissioned on 21 June 1943 at Naval Air Station (NAS), Seattle, Washington.  Lieutenant Commander (LCDR) Herbert K. Bragg, USN – a Pearl Harbor attack survivor and veteran naval aviator who had entered the Navy in 1935 - was assigned as Commanding Officer (CO).  The Executive Officer (XO) was Lieutenant (LT) Gerald O. Trapp, USNR.   LT Trapp had been in the Navy since 1939.  Prior to being assigned to VC-66, he was a flight instructor at NAS Pensacola, Florida.       

The squadron was designated “composite” because it was composed of two different type aircraft: single seat F4F “Wildcat” fighters and three man TBF “Avenger” torpedo bombers.  In fact, VC-66 was to become the first squadron composed exclusively of the newer model “Avengers” and “Wildcats” built by the Eastern Aircraft Division of General Motors and known as TBMs and FMs rather than the earlier TBFs and F4Fs which were built by Grumman Aircraft.

Of the original 65 men assigned to the squadron, 15 – including the CO and XO – were fighter pilots, 12 were torpedo bomber pilots, 1 was an Engineering and Materiel Officer, 1 was an Air Combat Intelligence Officer, and the rest were enlisted Petty Officers – including 4 Chief Petty Officers.

With the exception of the CO, XO, and the few veteran Chief Petty Officers and Lieutenants, virtually all squadron personnel were new to the Navy, new to combat – and very young.  Some were teenagers, most were in their early twenties.  The oldest man in the squadron was thirty.   He was called “Pop.” Some were married, most were not.  They came from all over the country.  In civilian life, they had been students, factory workers, forest rangers, semi-pro baseball players, biologists, engineers, artists, fishermen, college football players, musicians, cowboys, farmers, and reporters.  Now, they were pilots, gunners, radiomen, or mechanics.

                                                  Training

            After initial familiarization training at NAS Seattle, VC-66 began several months of squadron training at various west coast bases.  Their first stop was the recently commissioned Naval Auxiliary Air Station (NAAS) Shelton, Washington.  They arrived at Shelton on 23 August 1943.  NAAS Shelton was in a rural part of Washington known as the “Gateway to the Olympic Peninsula.”  There was wildlife in abundance on and around the air station – deer, rabbits, raccoons.  One of the squadron’s Chief Petty Officers who enjoyed hunting, shot and killed a bear on board the base.

At Shelton, the squadron began work in earnest on the combat team flight training syllabus.  Training included formation flying, gunnery, and tactics for the “Wildcats;” and formation flying, torpedo drops, and glide bombing for the “Avengers.”  Additionally, everyone got to participate in navigation flights and aircraft recognition training.

On 21 September, VC-66 suffered its first loss.  TBF pilot Ensign (ENS) Ben Davis was killed when the small plane - similar to a Piper Cub - that he was flying stalled, went into a spin, and crashed into the water of the Strait of Juan de Fuca.  Davis and a passenger had been spotting TBF practice torpedo drops.  The passenger, who was actually flying the plane at the time of the accident, was able to get out after it hit the water.  Davis could not.  Davis was well liked.  His death was a shock to the young squadron – and unfortunately it would not be the last.    

The squadron detached from NAAS Shelton on 31 October and was sent next to NAAS, Holtville, California for operational training - including night flying, gunnery, navigation, instrument flying, and skip bombing.  Holtville, California was a big change from Shelton, Washington.  Holtville is in California’s Imperial Valley, 115 miles east of San Diego on the border with Mexico. 

Instead of the moist, lush, and green of the Pacific Northwest, the men of VC-66 were now refining their flying and combat skills in the California desert where summer temperatures averaged over 100 degrees – but the flying weather was outstanding – 360 days a year of clear skies.  The squadrons training at Holtville were able to make good use of the two 4,500 by 200 feet runways.  The desolate area around the base provided good space for gunnery and bombing practice.  Skip bombing could be practiced in the Salton Sea, and an outlying landing field eight miles away had a catapult and arresting system where carrier landings could be practiced.    

On 21 November, after finishing their training at NAAS Holtville, the squadron reported to NAAS Brown Field, Otay Mesa, California for completion of the training syllabus.  Otay Mesa is near Chula Vista approximately 16 miles southeast of San Diego.  It is five miles from the coast and thus subject to less ocean fog and as a result, fewer reduced flying hours than other San Diego air fields.  The station had only been in commission since March 1943, but with its three runways ranging from 3500 to 6000 feet, it was already a key composite squadron training facility.  By the time VC-66 arrived, two Link instrument flight simulator trainers and an aircraft recognition training building had been added to the training facilities.  The ability to recognize both friendly and enemy aircraft and ships quickly was critical.  The aircrews practiced it often.

In early December 1943, after successfully completing their training syllabus, the squadron detached from NAAS Brown Field and reported to NAS, San Diego, California for further assignment.  NAS San Diego was located on Coronado between San Diego Bay and the Pacific Ocean.  It was one of the Navy’s biggest and busiest air stations.  When VC-66 was there, the training command was in full operation.  With the world’s largest paved landing area, the station logged an average of 1400 – 1800 takeoffs and landings per day.  On any given day, it was home to an average of 1200 aircraft.  It also had large piers where the aircraft carriers could tie up.  During the war, among others, an estimated 4,000 pilots and 16,000 enlisted gunners trained at NAS San Diego.  VC-66, however, was not to remain there long.

                                                  To the Carriers    

On 8 December 1943, the squadron went to sea for the first time as they embarked aboard the USS MANILA BAY (CVE-61) in San Diego for carrier qualifications – an important event for naval aviators.  They had to demonstrate that they could successfully land their planes aboard an aircraft carrier while underway on the ocean. 

MANILLA BAY was the first of several escort or so-called “jeep” carriers that VC-66 would operate from during the next year.  Escort carriers were designated by the letters “CVE.”  Over a hundred were built during the war.  They turned out to be very versatile.  Their original intended purpose was to act as anti-submarine platforms and to escort convoys, but as the war progressed they took on additional roles and did them well – as when they were organized into Task Groups to provide air support for amphibious invasions.  They won Fleet Admiral Nimitz’s respect and gratitude.  In a 24 September 1945 letter to CVE crews, he wrote:  “…the escort carriers of the Pacific Fleet bore a heavy responsibility for the safety of our beachheads and the air support of our forces ashore during the critical days after the landings.  To the officers and men who made such success possible, I send a hearty “Well done.”  It was a nice “atta boy” from the boss.   

Compared to 21^st century aircraft carriers, the CVEs were small.  The typical CVE was just over 500 feet long.  Their flight decks were only 108 feet wide with one aircraft launching catapult.  With a full load, they displaced 10,400 tons.  They had an 860 man crew and carried one 60 man squadron with its approximately 25 - 28 aircraft.  CVEs burned oil and were steam propelled.

By comparison, the late 20^th century carrier named after Fleet Admiral Nimitz - the nuclear powered USS NIMITZ (CVN-68) - and her modern sister carriers are 1,092 feet long with a flight deck width of 252 feet and four catapults.  With a full load, NIMITZ class carriers displace 97,000 tons.  They have crews of 3,200 with an additional 2,480 when an air wing is on board with its 85 aircraft. 

Moreover, while the CVEs had one straight, short deck on which to launch and land aircraft, the carriers of the late 20^th and early 21^st century are not only twice as long and twice as wide as a CVE, but also have a side angled flight deck.  This angled deck allows landing aircraft that miss the arresting cables to go to full power and take off again – hence the nickname “bolters.”  If a landing plane’s tailhook missed the arresting cable on a World War II CVE, there was no place to go but straight ahead into the emergency barriers set up on the flight deck to protect the other aircraft likely to be parked there.  It was a dangerous – and not uncommon occurrence.    

In short, landing on a CVE was no easy thing to do – especially after returning from a four hour mission during which people were trying to kill you, visibility was poor, and the flight deck was pitching and rolling because of the sea and winds.  The men who flew from the CVEs had to have nerves of steel and know what they were doing.               

After finishing carrier qualifications, VC-66 detached from the MANILLA BAY on 14 December and went directly to the USS TRIPOLI (CVE-64) – which had been commissioned just six weeks before - for a ten day shakedown cruise.

The shakedown cruise proved costly.  On 23 December, there was a mid-air collision between two of the squadron’s “Wildcats.”  One of the fighter pilots was able to bail out safely, but the other - ENS E.B. “Deg” Degankolp, who was relatively new to the squadron, was killed.

Its training complete, on Christmas Eve 1943, the squadron detached from the TRIPOLI and returned to NAS San Diego.  They detached NAS San Diego on 29 December and embarked aboard USS WHITE PLAINS (CVE-66) for transportation to the then Territory of Hawaii - and the Pacific Theatre of Operations.  All of the training of the last six months would now be put to good use during the new year of 1944.  The squadron looked forward to it.

                                                  The Marshalls

After six days at sea, on 4 January 1944, VC-66 arrived at NAS Ford Island, Pearl Harbor, Oahu, Hawaii.  The squadron detached from the WHITE PLAINS and reported aboard USS NASSAU (CVE-16) for their first combat deployment.  At the time, VC-66 was composed of 31 officers and 38 enlisted men with LCDR Bragg still CO and LT Trapp still XO.

Life aboard ship was not bad for the squadron’s enlisted aircrewmen.  They were berthed in “officers’ country” where they had more room and bigger bunks than the enlisted men in the ship’s crew.  And because they were often away from the ship at unusual hours flying and thus precluded from eating with the ship’s crew, they had their own mess cook.  He was good for providing sandwiches and coffee at all hours.  When they were not flying, athletic contests were a popular way to pass time.  Sometimes they were against the pilots and sometimes against the ship’s crew.  Volleyball games were held in the flight deck elevator – which they positioned halfway between the hanger deck and flight deck so that the ball would not go into the sea.  Touch football was played on the hanger deck.  Pistol shooting from the carrier’s fantail was also popular- and occasionally movies would be shown on the hanger deck.

The 5th through the 7^th of January was spent at sea for training and flight operations aboard NASSAU.  Right away on the morning of the 5^th, there was some excitement when a plane reported that an unidentified submarine crash dived eight miles dead ahead of NASSAU.  The plane acting as anti-submarine patrol dropped a smoke flare where the submarine went down and dove toward the flare which was now only four thousand yards directly ahead of the carrier.  NASSAU changed course to avoid the possible enemy submarine.  A couple of minutes later, the submarine was reported as friendly and NASSAU and her escorts got back to training.  The carrier test fired her guns while a TBF towed a sleeve as a target. 

When the training was finished, NASSAU returned to Pearl Harbor and moored at NAS Ford Island where she and the squadron remained from 7 through 12 January.  On the 11^th, the squadron’s aircraft for the deployment - 14 FM-1s, 4 TBM-1s, and 5 TBM-1Cs - were loaded aboard.  

VC-66 got underway again aboard NASSAU on 13 January for more pre-deployment training.  This time it was for a multi-day exercise with the ships of Task Group 52.9.  The exercise involved practicing surface ship shore bombardment, amphibious landings at the Maui and Koohoolawe, Hawaii training ranges, air support, and anti-submarine patrols. 

Squadron aircraft flew a lot during the exercise.  In addition to flying combat air patrol (CAP), and anti-submarine patrol (ASP) missions, they practiced making dummy bombing runs and strafing runs ahead of the landing troops.  The TBMs also practiced making live bomb drops while the FMs practiced strafing with live ammunition.  The planes also made simulated attacks on the ships of the Task Group. 

The exercise served as a good dress rehearsal for the invasions of the Japanese held islands yet to come.  And while this time it was only practice, there was always danger involved.  On the 14^th, while two of the FMs were attempting to land on NASSAU, their tailhooks missed the arresting cables strung across the flight deck and the planes crashed into the emergency barrier designed to stop them as a last resort.  The propellers and tail wheels of both planes were damaged, but there were no injuries to the pilots or ship’s personnel.   

On 18 January, Task Group 52.9 concluded its training exercise and returned to Pearl Harbor.  NASSAU moored at NAS Ford Island where she and the squadron remained for the next several days loading supplies and making final preparations to deploy. 

At 1156 on 23 January 1944, NASSAU and VC-66 got underway from Pearl Harbor heading southwest for combat operations in conjunction with the invasion of the Marshall Islands – code named “Operation Flintlock.”  The Marshalls are approximately 2200 miles from Pearl Harbor.  They were the next objective in the American “Island Hopping” strategy designed to secure forward operating bases in the Pacific while pushing the Japanese back and bringing the war closer to Japan. 

NASSAU was part of the Majuro Atoll attack group - designated as Task Group 51.2.  Also in that Task Group were the attack transport USS CAMBRIA (APA-36); the cruiser USS PORTLAND (CA-33); the escort carrier USS NATOMA BAY (CVE-62); the destroyers USS BULLARD (DD-660), USS KIDD (DD-661), USS BLACK (DD-666), USS CHAUNCEY (DD-667), and USS KANE (DD-235); the mine sweepers USS CHANDLER (DMS-9), USS SAGE (AM-111), and USS ORACLE (AM-103); and Landing Ship Tank (LST) 482.  The Task Group also carried an infantry battalion and reconnaissance company – together about 1600 troops.

En route from 23 January until 30 January, the squadron flew CAP, ASP, and training sorties for the Task Group.  The anti-submarine patrol missions were generally considered boring with many uneventful hours flown over the water.  But again, danger was always present.  On 30 January, one of the squadron’s TBMs flown by Lieutenant Junior Grade (LTJG) William A. “Ernie” Bennett was waved off while attempting to land on NASSAU.  After the wave off, the plane turned to the left, but could not gain altitude and suddenly dived into the sea.  Two destroyers raced to the scene, but the TBM and its crew went under.  In addition to LTJG Bennett, turret gunner Aviation Machinist’s Mate Second Class Edward J. “Ed” Hebert, and radio operator Aviation Radioman Third Class Martin T. “Lav” Lavin were lost.

31 January 1944 was D-Day for the invasion of the Marshall Islands – including Majuro Atoll.  VC-66’s assigned mission was to provide anti-submarine patrols in the Majuro lagoon area, fly combat air patrols, and fly strikes against targets as directed by the Commander Support Aircraft.  During D-Day, the squadron flew 31 ASP and CAP sorties - 17 by the TBMs and 24 by the FMs.   

While Majuro Atoll was captured quickly, fighting continued on, over, and around other atolls and islands for days – Kwajalein, Roi, Namur, Wotje, Maloelap, Eniwetok, Jaluit, Mili, and Arno.  During the period 1 through 21 February, the squadron continued to fly CAP, ASP, and strike missions - as well as photographic reconnaissance, and spotting missions for the invasion forces.

Flying everyday from 1 to 4 February, the squadron had a total of 93 ASP and CAP sorties - 35 by the “Avengers” and 58 by the “Wildcats.”  On 5 February, NASSAU was anchored in Majuro lagoon and there were no flight operations.

On 6 February, the squadron flew 34 ASP, CAP, and air support sorties - 10 by the TBMs and 24 by the FMs.  Squadron planes acted as spotters for cruiser gunfire support. They also strafed Japanese planes, buildings, a boat, and the source of anti-aircraft fire coming from Taroa Island, Maloelap Atoll.  Taroa was a major Japanese airbase.  It had two runways – with a third being built, two hangers, a service apron, fuel farms, power stations, a pier for large ships, several ammunition bunkers, a large barracks area, and over three hundred buildings.  It also had two radar stations and two squadrons of planes assigned.

In order to confuse the Japanese radar operators, VC-66 became one of the first squadrons to use chaff – small strips of aluminum that were thrown out the side door of the TBMs.  It would show up on radar as multiple contacts that would be confused as incoming aircraft.  The Japanese would not know how many aircraft were approaching or from what direction. 

Notwithstanding the Japanese radar, aircraft, and the many coastal defense and anti-aircraft guns surrounding the island, Taroa was to be hit hard and often.  In addition to the pounding it took from the air and sea, all of its supply lines were cut off.  Of the 3000 Japanese troops on the island, about 1000 survived.  Many had starved.     

During air operations on 7 February, VC-66 flew 31 ASP, CAP, and air support sorties - 11 by the TBMs and 20 by the FMs.  Wotje Island, Wotje Atoll was one of the targets.  The TBMs dropped 350 pound bombs there.  Wotje Atoll is made up of 72 small islands with Wotje Island being the largest – a thousand yards wide and three thousand yards long.  Like Taroa Island, Wotje Island was a major airbase for the Japanese – and like Taroa, Wotje was to be bombed, strafed, and shelled regularly.  The Wotje airfield had two runways, two hangers, a service apron, seaplane ramp, large pier, and hundreds of wooden buildings.  Wotje was defended by coastal defense batteries, some 90 anti-aircraft guns, a radar unit, and up to two squadrons of aircraft.  About 3300 Japanese troops were stationed on Wotje – and as on Taroa, only about a third of them survived the fighting and lack of supplies. 

Squadron planes also went back to Taroa Island on the 7^th.   They dropped seventeen 500 pound bombs on runways and buildings; four 1000 pound bombs on a runway; and thirty-two 100 pound bombs on runways, anti-aircraft positions, and barracks areas.  They also strafed buildings serving as the source of anti-aircraft fire coming from both Wotje and Taroa.  A radio shack and other buildings were also strafed.  In addition to the bombs dropped, 11,200 rounds of .50 caliber ammunition were expended.  The squadron reported considerable damage to its targets.  On the negative side, an FM was hit by anti-aircraft fire and crashed into the water near Taroa.  Thanks to what was called “a highly creditable performance” by the pilot of a float plane from the cruiser USS SALT LAKE CITY (CA-25), the FM pilot was rescued after spending about an hour and a half in the water.

During the next two days, the squadron flew 41 ASP and CAP sorties - 25 by the TBMs and 16 by the FMs.

On 10 February, only the TBMs flew.  They flew 11 sorties and dropped thirteen 325 pound bombs on targets of the pilots’ choice on Taroa and Wotje.  Targets picked were mainly runways.  The goal was to keep the enemy aircraft from using them.  They also spotted targets for cruiser shore bombardment of Taroa. 

At 0700 on the 10th, ENS Franklin T. “Steve” Stephens’ TBM was hit in the port wing by anti-aircraft fire while on a low level bombing and photographic reconnaissance mission 1000 feet over Wotje.  With the wing on fire and .50 caliber ammunition cooking off sending tracers by the cockpit, Stephens remembers that at that moment, he “was a young pilot scared out of his wits.”  He was 21 years old.  Being too low to bail out, he had his aircrew prepare for a possible crash landing in the water while he pointed the plane toward an unoccupied atoll 20 miles away.  Notwithstanding his initial fear, Stephens was able to regain control of the plane, turn it back toward Wotje, and complete the mission.  Meanwhile, his 20 year old turret gunner - Aviation Metalsmith Third Class Donald A. “Don” Banks, hung out of the turret during the rest of the mission and the two hour flight back to the NASSAU holding on to the life raft which had come loose from its exterior compartment while radioman Aviation Radioman Third Class Thomas D. “Tom” Stoops hung on to Banks’ leg.  It was good that Stoops had the strength of a college football lineman – which he had been.  In any case, they were successful in preventing the life raft from breaking free and damaging the plane’s tail.  Arriving back at the carrier with no hydraulic fluid, Stephens made a difficult no flaps landing – something that he had not practiced and something that probably was a first for the squadron.  It had been a mission to remember.  For it, Stephens was given an Air Medal and Banks was written up in his hometown newspaper. 

During the 11^th and 12^th, VC-66 aircrews flew 36 ASP, CAP, and air support sorties - 20 by the TBMs and 16 by the FMs.  They spotted for surface ship shore bombardment of Wotje.  They also dropped twelve 325 pound bombs on Taroa, and six 325 pound bombs on Wotje – mainly on runways which were the primary targets and anti-aircraft positions which were the secondary targets.  There were no flight operations on 13 February as NASSAU was anchored in Majuro lagoon  

NASSAU got underway again on 14 February.  During flight ops on the 14^th and 15^th, 40 ASP, CAP, and air support sorties were flown - 28 by the TBMs and 12 by the FMs.   Squadron planes spotted for cruiser shore bombardment of Wotje.  They also dropped twenty-two 500 pound bombs on Wotje runways; fourteen 500 pound bombs on Taroa runways; and twelve 100 pound bombs on Taroa runways, a hanger, and apron area.

On 16 February, the squadron flew 26 ASP, CAP, and air support sorties - 11 by the TBMs and 15 by the FMs.  Seven 500 pound bombs were dropped on Wotje and Taroa runways; three 1000 pound bombs on Taroa runways; eight 100 pound bombs and eight incendiary clusters on anti-aircraft positions and buildings on Taroa; and thirteen 100 pound bombs on gun positions, buildings, and an ammunition dump on Wotje – which blew up.  6,800 rounds of .50 caliber ammunition were used to strafe gun positions and installations on Taroa lagoon.  Two Japanese boats were strafed and seriously damaged.

From the 17^th through the 19^th, 58 ASP, CAP, air support, and gunnery practice sorties were flown - 38 by the TBMs and 20 by the FMs.  2850 rounds of .50 caliber ammunition were expended strafing a Japanese ship in Wotje lagoon and a large boat that had beached at Ollot Island, Maloelap Atoll.

20 and 21 February 1944 were the squadron’s last two days of combat operations in conjunction with the invasion of the Marshalls.  They again flew ASP, CAP, and air support sorties – 10 by the TBMs and 17 by the FMs.  They spotted for a battleship shore bombardment of Taroa; strafed gun positions and buildings on Taroa; strafed targets on Ethel Island, Maloelap Atoll; and dropped incendiary clusters on building areas on Wotje and Taroa with the desired result of starting fires.  They also dropped seven 100 pound bombs on Wotje gun positions and ammunition dumps and eight 100 pound bombs on a Taroa ammunition dump.  In addition to the bombs that were dropped, 11,060 rounds of .50 caliber ammunition were fired in the strafing runs.

During the Marshalls campaign, VC-66 flew a total of 23 days of combat missions - supporting the invasion of Majuro and Arno atolls; protecting the fleet anchorage in Majuro lagoon; attacking and neutralizing Japanese airfields on Wotje and Taroa islands in preparation for the invasion of Kwajalein and Eniwetok atolls; and conducting long range patrols to Jaluit and Mili atolls spotting enemy installations for shore bombardment by surface ships.  The squadron was commended several times for its work.  During this period, VC-66 flew nearly 1500 combat hours. 

The invasion of the Marshall Islands was a success.  While a thousand Marines and Army troops died in sharp fighting during the various landings, overall there was much less loss of life than suffered during the earlier invasion of the Gilbert Islands – especially Tarawa.  As a result of the Marshalls campaign: the Americans demonstrated that they had learned valuable lessons in amphibious tactics, firepower, and mobility; Japanese bases and forces in the area were battered; the Japanese perimeter had been pushed back hundreds of miles closer to Japan; and American naval forces now had use of the Marshalls for advance bases to push further west. 

On 22 February, there were no flight operations as NASSAU was at anchor in Majuro lagoon.  On the 23rd, all VC-66 aircraft that were still operational – only 6 TBMs and 10 FMs - were transferred from the NASSAU to the USS NATOMA BAY (CVE-62) for use by another squadron.  Damaged planes were retained aboard NASSAU for return to Pearl Harbor.  17 Japanese prisoners of war were also brought aboard NASSAU to be taken back to Pearl Harbor.

VC-66 left the Marshall Islands aboard NASSAU for the return trip to Hawaii on 25 February 1944.  They reached Pearl Harbor on the 3^rd of March and after mooring at NAS Ford Island, the damaged aircraft and prisoners were unloaded.

                          Rest and Recreation – and Training in Hawaii

On 5 March, squadron personnel disembarked from NASSAU for transfer to the Naval Air Facility (NAF), Barking Sands, Kauai, Hawaii for some well earned rest and recreation (“R and R”) after what had been an intense two months aboard the carrier.  Facing enemy fire and the rigors of a combat tempo of operations for the first time, VC-66 had performed well and made a significant contribution to the success of “Operation Flintlock.”  

Even the “R and R” times were not without their anxious moments.  One evening after attending a dinner party hosted by one of the local Kauai ladies at her estate, several of the squadron’s pilots decided to sleep in the estate’s bunkhouse rather than return to the base that evening.  At 0200, they were awakened by the squadron duty officer who rushed them back to the airfield and right to their planes on the flight line.  They were told that President Roosevelt was visiting Hawaii and that the Japanese were about to launch another sneak attack.  The information turned out to be wrong.  The VC-66 pilots were not amused.

On 15 March, the squadron detached from NAF Barking Sands and was sent to NAS Kaneohe Bay, Oahu, Hawaii for two weeks of anti-submarine warfare (ASW) training and training in use of the new Norden bombsight.  The Norden sight was so new and so secret that each one was guarded by an armed Marine.

                                                 Anti-Submarine Warfare

After their ASW training was completed, the squadron detached from Kaneohe on 30 March and embarked for duty aboard the USS ALTAMAHA (CVE-18) at NAS Ford Island.  By the time squadron personnel reported aboard, their aircraft - 11 TBM-1Cs, 1 TBF-1, and 14 FM-2s - had already been loaded on the ship.  By late afternoon, ALTAMAHA was ready and got underway for an emergency anti-submarine Hunter–Killer mission in an assigned operating area 300 miles east of the Marshall Islands.  The objective was to find and destroy Japanese submarines that had been operating against the Pearl Harbor – Marshall Islands supply lines.  Accompanying ALTAMAHA were the destroyer escorts WILEMAN, H.C. THOMAS, ELDEN, and CABANA.  They were designated Task Group 11.1 with ALTAMAHA serving as Flagship.

30 March through 2 April was spent en route to the assigned operating area.  Time was passed by doing carrier refresher landings and gunnery practice – as well as practice firing the relatively new Mark (Mk.) 7 wing mounted rockets.

The Task Group arrived at the operating area on 3 April.  VC-66 began flying anti-submarine patrol (ASP) sorties in addition to doing more carrier refresher landing practice.  During landing practice, the squadron’s lone TBF crashed into the port side of ALTAMAHA’s bridge.  There were no personnel injuries, but the port side wing of the bridge was smashed in, a signal searchlight was damaged, and various signal halyards and radio antennas were cut loose and insulators broken.  The TBF was damaged beyond repair.

On 4 April, the squadron flew more ASP sorties.  At 1408, TBM pilot LTJG Joseph N. “ Jobbo” Polski reported a Japanese submarine on the surface 108 miles west of ALTAMAHA.  The submarine had first been seen by FM pilot ENS Charles T. “Charlie” Edwards who was flying escort for the TBM.  Polski’s TBM attacked the sub with rockets and depth bombs while Edwards strafed it.  Oil was seen leaking from the sub as it settled straight down with no forward motion.  After the sub went down, a large bubble of air was seen reaching the surface.  The submarine was not seen again.  A few minutes later at 1420, TBM pilot LTJG John L. “Jack” Dwight reported another Japanese submarine cruising on the surface.  Dwight’s FM escort pilot LT John P. “J.P.” Fox strafed the sub while the TBM attacked with rockets.  The TBM also tried to launch Mk. 47 depth bombs, but they failed to drop when the release button was pushed.  The submarine submerged leaving a large oil slick.  After sorting out some communications and radar navigation problems, all planes returned to ALTAMAHA safely at 1800, but some had only a few gallons of fuel remaining.  VC-66 was credited with sinking one submarine and damaging the other.  It was a good day’s work.

From 5 through 9 April, the squadron continued patrolling the operating area. Several multiple plane submarine search missions were flown daily with search launches usually at or about 0700, 1130, and 1530.  Each TBM launched had a fighter escort.  On 6 April, while attempting to land, one of the TBMs crashed through the barriers on the flight deck and hit the carrier’s bridge.  The plane’s tailhook had missed the arresting gear wires on the deck.  The TBM’s motor, propeller, and right wing were damaged.  The pilot suffered general body bruises, a mild concussion, and possible fractured neck.  The turret gunner suffered a mild concussion, and general body bruises.  The radioman suffered general body bruises.          

            There were no flight operations on 10 April.  VC-66 found itself back at Majuro Atoll lagoon in the Marshall Islands as ALTAMAHA and the Task Group anchored there to allow the destroyer escorts to refuel.  The ships got underway again on the 11^th to return to the anti-submarine operating area east of the Marshalls.  On the way to the operating area, the squadron flew strafing, rocket, and depth charge practice runs.  In the afternoon, a TBM attempting to land failed to hook the arresting gear wires and crashed through the barriers into two other TBMs.  All three planes were damaged, but there were no personnel injuries.

The Task Group reached the operating area on 12 April and resumed its Hunter-Killer mission.  The squadron began flying multiple plane anti-submarine patrol sorties again.  Late in the morning on the 12th, a landing TBM missed the arresting cables and crashed through both barriers into two other TBMs.  Once again, while all three planes suffered damage, there were no injuries to the aircrews or ship’s personnel.    

From the 13^th through the 18^th of April, ALTAMAHA and Task Group 11.1 were steaming as before in the anti-submarine operating area with the squadron continuing to fly multiple ASP sorties. 

While the daily routine was roughly the same, there was significant excitement on 15 April.  At 1844, while ALTAMAHA was zig zagging as required to make tracking her difficult for a submarine, two definite torpedo wakes and probably four were sighted 4000 yards southwest of ALTAMAHA.  The torpedoes were broaching indicating that they were probably fired from extreme range.  The torpedoes passed 400 yards forward of the destroyer escort ELDEN’s bow headed toward ALTAMAHA.  ALTAMAHA turned to starboard with full rudder and went to flank speed to avoid the torpedoes and comb their tracks.  At 1845, two torpedo tracks were sighted about 200 yards off ALTAMAHA’s port beam and parallel to her course.  All torpedoes missed.  ALTAMAHA began radical maneuvering to avoid other possible attacks.  None occurred.  The destroyer escorts picked up what they thought was a submarine contact and made a depth charge attack, but without any definite results.  To the amusement of the Americans, the incident was concluded when Japan’s female propagandist “Tokyo Rose” announced that ALTAHAMA had been sunk.  While this was the first time that a ship the squadron was “riding” was attacked by a submarine, it would not be the last – and the next time would not have an amusing ending.

There was more excitement on 17 April.  At 1000, while a TBM was landing, its tailhook gave way after catching an arresting gear wire.  The TBM continued down the flight deck, jumped the barriers and went over ALTAMAHA’s starboard bow into the sea.  A minute after the crash, the ship felt a severe impact, but there was no apparent disturbance in the water.  The thinking was that a depth charge probably fell off the TBM’s bomb rack when it went into the water and exploded somewhere below the ship.  There was no damage to the ship.  In the meantime, the “Avenger’s” crew: pilot ENS Richard F. “Dick” Krost, turret gunner Aviation Machinist’s Mate Third Class Vincent T. Ruthman, and radioman Aviation Radioman Third Class Charles S. Riffle were all rescued uninjured from the water thanks to some quick work by destroyer escort USS CABANA (DE-260).  The TBM had remained afloat for only four minutes before it sank.  It was a good thing that Krost, Ruthman, and Riffle did not waste any time in getting out of it. 

On 18 April, ALTAMAHA’s Commanding Officer turned over duty as Commander Task Group 11.1 to the Commanding Officer of the USS FANSHAW BAY (CVE-70).  ALTAMAHA and her escorts then left the anti-submarine operating area for return to Pearl Harbor.  From the 19^th through the 21^st, the ships were en route to Hawaii.  There were no flight ops.  On the 22^nd, at 0735, the squadron launched its still operational aircraft -5 TBMs and 13 FMs - to fly to NAS Ford Island.  In the afternoon, ALTAMAHA reached Pearl Harbor and moored there.  On 25 April, VC-66 officially detached from ALTAMAHA and was ordered to report to the Commander Naval Air Forces Pacific for further assignment.  The squadron’s damaged aircraft - 4 TBMs and 1 FM-2 - were unloaded and delivered to Ford Island.

The next few months - 25 April through 5 August 1944 - were devoted to rest and  recreation, squadron, and aircrew training in and around Hawaii.  The squadron spent time at NAS Ford Island, Oahu; NAS Barbers Point, Oahu (aerial photography and gunnery refresher training); NAAS Barking Sands, Kauai; and NAS Kahului, Maui  (gunnery refresher training) gearing up for their next invasion.

                            (Please See VC-66 Narrative History Part 2)