VC-66 Chronological History

VC-66 Chronological History Part 2

5 August 1944: Detached from NAS Kahului and assigned to USS FANSHAW BAY (CVE-70), NAS Ford Island. FANSHAW BAY departed Ford Island for training at sea. Landed VC-66 aircraft (7 TBM-1Cs and 14 FM-2s) onboard. VC-66 now commanded by former Executive Officer LT Gerald O. Trapp.

5 –

8 August 1944: Training at sea with FANSHAW BAY and escorts. Flew anti-submarine patrol (ASP) and combat air patrol (CAP) sorties. Flew simulated attacks on ships.

6 August 1944: Training at sea. TBM crashed barrier while landing. Minor damage to plane. No injuries to personnel.

7 August 1944: Training at sea. FM crashed barrier while landing. Plane moderately damaged. No injuries to personnel.

8 August 1944: 0603, began flight operations for ASP and to search for pilot from another squadron lost during carrier qualifications on USS MARCUS ISLAND (CVE-77). 0921, secured from flight ops. Pilot not found. 1356, FANSHAW BAY moored Pearl City Peninsula, Pearl Harbor.

9 –

11 August 1944: Aboard FANSHAW BAY moored as before. Ship loaded stores, gasoline, and fuel oil.

12 August 1944: Underway aboard FANSHAW BAY as part of Task Group 32.4 en route from Pearl Harbor to Guadalcanal, Solomon Islands approximately 3300 miles southwest of Pearl Harbor, and ultimately on to Moluccas Islands half way between Philippine Islands and New Guinea.

12 –

24 August 1944: En route to Solomon Islands. Flew ASP sorties. Made simulated attacks on Task Group ships.

22 August 1944: 9 FMs participated in fighter scramble exercise. While landing, FM crashed barrier. Slight damage to plane. No injuries to personnel. FANSHAW BAY crossed Equator. Uninitiated became “shellbacks.”

23 August 1944: Flew ASP sorties. Made simulated attack on Task Group. 1542, while landing, FM crashed barrier. Moderate damage to plane. No injuries to personnel. 1612, while landing, TBM crashed barrier. Slight damage to plane. No injuries to personnel. Exceptionally light winds – not exceeding 2.5 knots at time of recovering planes, may have contributed to barrier crashes.

24 August 1944: Arrived and anchored Gavutu Harbor, Tulagi Island, Florida Islands, Solomon Islands.

25 August 1944: FANSHAW BAY refueled. Departed Tulagi en route to Admiralty Islands.

26 –

27 August 1944: Underway aboard FANSHAW BAY. No flight ops because of light air.

28 August 1944: Launched VC-66 aircraft (11 TBMs and 14 FMs) to land at Ponam Field, Manus Island, Admiralty Islands. While taking off in FM, ENS William J. “Bill” Johnson crashed off FANSHAW BAY’s starboard bow and killed.

29 August 1944: Launched 11 TBMs and 11 FMs from Ponam Field for simulated attacks on FANSHAW BAY underway in training area north of Manus Island. Training in preparation for invasion of Morotai Island, Moluccas Islands, Dutch East Indies. Morotai to be final island invasion in Dutch New Guinea before liberation of Philippines. Planes returned to Ponam Field after training exercises.

29 August –

4 September 1944: At Ponam Field, Manus Island, Admiralty Islands. FANSHAW BAY anchored Seeadler Harbor, Manus Island while loading stores, fuel oil, aviation fuel, and making minor repairs to ship.

4 September 1944: Launched VC-66 aircraft (10 TBM-1Cs and 12 FM-2s) from Ponam Field for landing aboard FANSHAW BAY underway for plane recovery. While landing, FM crashed barrier. Plane moderately damaged. No personnel injuries. After plane recovery, FANSHAW BAY anchored Seeadler Harbor, Manus Island.

5 –

9 September 1944: Anchored Seeadler Harbor, Manus Island, Admiralty Islands.

10 September 1944: Underway aboard FANSHAW BAY with Task Group 77.1 comprised of 6 CVEs and 8 destroyer escorts en route to objective area east of Morotai Island to provide air support for invasion of Morotai. Flew ASP and CAP sorties.

11 –

13 September 1944: Steaming as before. Flew ASP sorties.

14 September 1944: Steaming as before. No flight operations.

15 September 1944: D-Day for invasion of Morotai Island. FANSHAW BAY operating in area east of Morotai Island 10 to 30 miles off shore in company with 5 other CVEs: USS SANGAMON (CVE-26), USS CHENANGO (CVE-28), USS SUWANEE (CVE-27), USS SANTEE (CVE-29), USS MIDWAY (CVE-63), and 8 destroyer escorts. 0516, began flight operations. TBMs flew air support over Morotai. FMs flew combat air patrol. TBMs hit Gotalamo village on south coast dropping 4 tons of bombs. While returning to carrier to land, FM crashed barrier. Plane damaged moderately. No injuries to personnel. Infantry forces landed on beaches adjacent to Pitoe Airfield, southern Morotai. Japanese troops fled to hills.

16 September 1944: TBMs flew air support over Morotai landing area. FMs flew CAP sorties. 0653, flying as part of CAP, LTJG Reynold “Rod” Rodriquez in FM, made overhead pass at Japanese Zero fighter from approximately 1000 feet above water. LTJG Rodriquez failed to pull out and struck water. FM exploded. LTJG Rodriquez killed. 0655, LTJG George W. “Brownie” Brown shot down the Zero 10 miles south of Cape Gila, Morotai. Zero burst into flames on striking water. 0900, TBMs flying air support fired on by U.S. LSDs and destroyers off southern Morotai beaches. No damage sustained by planes or personnel. 1447, launched special strike group of 7 TBMs and 8 FMs to provide air cover for ENS Harold Thompson of FIGHTER SQUADRON TWENTY-SIX (VF-26) shot down within a few hundred feet of Japanese held Wasile Bay, Halmahera Island 12 miles south of Morotai Island. TBMs and FMs bombed and strafed enemy gun positions and destroyed 1 Japanese Sally aircraft and 2 Zeroes in dispersal area south of Lolobata, Halmahera. Dropped 3.75 tons of bombs. Planes laid down smoke screen. Heavy anti-aircraft fire. ENS Thompson wounded in hand; stayed in life raft near beached Japanese cargo ship until two PT boats approaching within 50 feet of shore, rescued him under heavy fire from beach. Skipper of PT boat awarded Congressional Medal of Honor. Several in PT boat crew got Navy Crosses. VC-66 personnel commended by Commander Task Unit 77.1.2 for part in rescue operation.

17 September 1944: Flew ASP and CAP sorties.

18 September 1944: 0526, began flight ops. Flew CAP and ASP sorties. Flew strikes against targets on Morotai. Strafed two beached oilers. While landing, FM crashed barrier and overturned on top of another FM. Both planes seriously damaged. No injuries to personnel. 1829, secured from flight ops. Total of 27 sorties.

19 September 1944: 0527, began flight ops. Flew ASP and CAP sorties. Flew strikes against targets on Halmahera Island - at least three Japanese air bases and 30,000 Japanese troops on Halmahera. Bombed, strafed, and fired rockets at wooden barracks. While landing, FM crashed through barrier and overturned. Plane seriously damaged. No injuries to personnel. 1808, secured from flight ops. Total of 29 sorties.

20 September 1944: 0525, began flight ops. Flew CAP and ASP sorties. Flew strikes against targets on Morotai. Dropped 1.6 tons of bombs and fired 16 rockets in area behind Gorango Beach, Morotai in preparation for placing radar equipment there. 1208, mid-air collision between two TBMs near Morotai. Pilot LTJG Francis J. M. “Moose” McCabe, turret gunner AMM3c Robert L. “Nose” Keough, radioman ARM2c Hyram L. Shaffer, and turret gunner AOM3c Manuel V. Calderon killed. Pilot ENS Robert E. “Gizmo” Holley and radioman ARM2c Roger L. Plouffe parachuted into water south of Morotai without injury. Picked up by Patrol Craft (PC- 1134). 1812, secured from flight ops. Total of 29 sorties.

21 September 1944: Flew air support, ASP, and CAP sorties. Total of 25 sorties.

22 September 1944: Flew air support, ASP, and CAP sorties. Total of 25 sorties.

23 September 1944: Flew air support, ASP, and CAP sorties. While landing, TBM crashed barrier sustaining serious, but repairable damage and demolishing another TBM which had been spotted forward of barrier. Total of 21 sorties.

24 September 1944: Flew ASP and CAP sorties. Total of 12 sorties.

25 September 1944: No flight ops. FANSHAW BAY moored Woendi Mios Harbor, Schouten Islands. Loaded fuel oil and aviation gasoline.

26 September 1944: Underway for return to Morotai Island area. Flew ASP and CAP sorties. Total of 8 sorties.

27 September 1944: Flight operations suspended from 1100 – 1455 because of bad weather. Launched one TBM with three TBM pilots as passengers to land aboard SANGAMON and fly off replacement TBMs. Launched another TBM with three FM pilots as passengers to land aboard SANTEE and fly off replacement FMs. Replacement aircraft for VC-66.

28 September 1944: 0529, began flight ops. Flew CAP and ASP sorties. Flew strikes against Galela air strip on Halmahera. Dropped 3 tons of bombs. Rendered runway temporarily unserviceable. Strafed and damaged two single engine planes on the ground. While landing, TBM crashed barrier. Plane sustained serious, but repairable damage. No injuries to personnel. 1756, secured from flight ops. Total of 38 sorties.

29 September 1944: 0538, began flight ops. Flew air support, ASP, and CAP sorties. TBM and 2 FMs flew photo reconnaissance mission over Halmahera airfields. Recon planes dropped 500 pounds of bombs on anti-aircraft position at Galela and strafed gun positions. Recon mission TBM turret gunner AMM3c James A. “Jim” Rathbun killed near Halmahera when Japanese anti-aircraft round pierced turret. TBM pilot LT Martin J. “ Lucky” Stack landed on unfinished air strip on Morotai in effort to aid Petty Officer Rathbun. LTJG George W. “Brownie” Brown in FM escort also landed on Morotai. Petty Officer Rathbun buried on Morotai. Stack and Brown temporarily unable to take off from Morotai due to condition of air strip under construction. Remained overnight. While landing on FANSHAW BAY, FM crashed barrier. Plane sustained serious, but not irreparable damage. No injuries to personnel. 1808, secured from flight ops. Total of 38 sorties.

30 September 1944: 0534, began flight ops. Flew air support, ASP, and CAP sorties. LTJG Brown landed on board FANSHAW BAY from Morotai. First pilot to land and take off from Morotai. 1804, secured from flight ops. Total of 31 sorties.

1 October 1944: 30 miles east of Morotai Island in support of invasion as part of Task Unit 77.1.2 (FANSHAW BAY and MIDWAY plus destroyer escorts EVERSOLE, ROWELL, EDMONDS, AND SHELTON). 0534, began flight ops. Flew air support, CAP, and ASP sorties. LT Stack landed on FANSHAW BAY returning from Morotai. 1804, secured from flight ops. Total of 26 sorties.

2 October 1944: 0545, began flight ops. Flew ASP and CAP sorties. Flew strike against land based torpedo tubes at Galela, Halmahera. 1807, secured from flight ops. Total of 32 sorties.

3 October 1944: 0528, began flight ops. Flew air support, ASP, and CAP sorties. 0806, TBMs and FANSHAW BAY lookouts reported torpedo wake visible on FANSHAW BAY’s port quarter. Ship turned hard right, all ahead flank speed, and went to general quarters. Torpedo fired by Japanese submarine RO-41 passed astern of FANSHAW BAY and forward of MIDWAY, striking rear of USS SHELTON (DE 407) causing large explosion and fire. SHELTON sank. 13 men killed. 210 survivors rescued by USS ROWELL (DE 403). 1711, secured from flight ops. Total of 37 sorties.

4 October 1944: Aboard FANSHAW BAY en route from Morotai Island area, Moluccas Islands to Seeadler Harbor, Manus Island, Admiralty Islands. 0528, began flight ops. Flew ASP and CAP sorties. 1749, secured from flight ops. Total of 16 sorties.

5 October 1944: 0512, began flight ops. Flew CAP and ASP sorties. 1718, secured from flight ops. Total of 16 sorties.

6 October 1944: 0439, began flight ops. Flew ASP sorties. 1453, secured from flight ops. Total of 8 sorties.

7 October 1944: 0423, began flight ops. 4 TBMs flew ASP. 0524, launched remaining VC-66 aircraft for transfer to Pityilu Island Field, Admiralty Islands. VC-66 detached from FANSHAW BAY awaiting replacement squadron and transport to Hawaii.

15 September -

7 October 1944: VC-66 flew 2109 hours of combat flying against Morotai Island and Japanese airfields at Galela, Miti, Kaoe, and Lolobata on Halmahera Island as well as conducting reconnaissance flights in the strait of Molucca. VC-66 awarded Presidential Unit Citation for “extraordinary heroism against enemy Japanese forces in the air, ashore, and afloat” during participation in Western New Guinea operation from 15 September to 12 October 1944.

17 October 1944: Detached from Pityilu Island Field and transferred to USS MAKASSAR STRAIT (CVE-91). Departed for Pearl Harbor.

26 October 1944: MAKASSAR STRAIT with VC-66 and 70 damaged aircraft on board, arrived Pearl Harbor. Billeted at Royal Hawaiian Hotel. Commenced rest and recreation.

29 October 1944: Departed Hawaii aboard USS GENERAL COLLINS (AP-147), troop transport ship.

3 November 1944: Arrived NAS Alameda, San Francisco, California. Officers and men detached for leave and reassignment elsewhere in Navy.

Effective “disestablishment” of VC-66 (T-1) as squadron later became officially known.

21 June 1943 –

3 November 1944: Original COMPOSITE SQUADRON SIXTY-SIX (VC-66) amassed 14,891 hours of flight time including 5866 flight hours at sea; 2075 carrier landings; numerous combat bombing and strafing missions as well as spotting, photographic, and long range fleet patrol missions - and 618 anti-submarine patrol and combat air patrol missions. During this period, VC-66 was credited with destroying or doing significant damage to Japanese aircraft, ships, and airfields where it flew. In addition to the Presidential Unit Citation, its personnel earned 3 combat stars. The squadron lost 12 men.

5 December 1944: VC-66 re-formed with new personnel at NAS Alameda, California as VC-66 (T-2). See Joe A. Mussatto’s history of VC-66 (T-2) at:

<http://www.geocities.com/muzzo2/My_Page.html?20077>.

7 May 1945: Germany surrendered. War in Europe over.

6 and 9

August 1945: Atomic bombs dropped on Hiroshima and

Nagasaki, Japan.

15 August 1945: Japan surrendered. World War II over.

12 October 1945: VC-66 decommissioned.

Compiled by Stephen A. Banks

CDR, JAGC, USN (Ret.)

Springfield, Virginia

E-mail: Runner4evr@aol.com

May 2007