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VP-71 Squadron (WWII)
VP-71 Squadron (WWII)
Active	July 1941 - November 1946
Disbanded	1945 (renamed, disbanded as VP-24 in 1995)
Country	United States
Branch	Navy
Type	Amphibious Patrol Bomber
Part of	FAW-2, FAW-1, FAW-17
Garrison/HQ	Pearl Harbor, Hawaii
Nickname(s)	"Black Cats" (1944-1945)
Engagements	Pacific
Decorations	PUC 15Aug1943-19Mar1944, 6Nov1944-7Jun1945
Aircraft flown
Bomber	PBY Catalina

The U.S. Navy Patrol (VP) 71 saw action flying the amphibious PBY Catalina before and during WWII in the Pacific Theater of Operations. About half of this Squadron was re-assigned to VPB-104 flying B-24 Liberator land-based bombers on 1 October 1944. ^[1]

History

CHANGE - The squadron was established April 10, 1943 at NAS Kaneohe Bay, Hawaii flying the four-engine PB4Y-1 Liberator with personnel from the VP-71 Squadron^[2] who had been flying a similar mission in the two-engine amphibious PBY Catalina. Flight operations began immediately and were eventually conducted from bases including Midway, Canton, Johnston Atoll, Guadalcanal, Munda, Morotai, Tacloban, and Clark Field.

CHANGE IN INFO BOX? - Commander Harry E. Sears was awarded the Navy Cross for heroic actions while leading the new squadron in the destruction of several enemy aircraft and ships. The squadron was relieved by VB-115 on 29 March 1944, and returned to the U.S. for rest and rehabilitation. By then the squadron was credited with destruction of 30 enemy aircraft and 51 ships, with 1,252 sorties flown in seven months. By Nov 1943 they also began flying some missions detecting enemy radar installations with specially-equipped Liberators for Lt. Lawrence Heron of the "Cast Mike" team, inspired by what became "Section 22" using the similar USAF B-24 "Ferret" aircraft. ^[3]

References

CHANGE

^ http://www.history.navy.mil/avh-vol2/chap3-5.pdf !!CHANGE TO CORRECT DOCUMENT REF!! U.S. Navy Dictionary of American Naval Aviation Squadrons, Volume 2, page 152 (VP-24, PDF page 20)
^ http://www.history.navy.mil/avh-vol2/chap3-7.pdf U.S. Navy Dictionary of American Naval Aviation Squadrons, Volume 2, page 212 (VP-33, PDF page 15)
^ http://www.coldwar.org/Histories/HistoryofUSNavyFleetAirReconnaissance.htm The Cold War Museum, A History of US Navy Fleet Air Reconnaissance, Launch, Capt. Don C. East, USN

Bibliography

CHANGE

Three references cited at http://www.history.navy.mil/biblio/biblio2/biblio2i.htm:
Cruise Books of the United States Navy in World War II - A Bibliography
NAVAL HISTORY BIBLIOGRAPHIES, NO. 2
DEPARTMENT OF THE NAVY -- NAVAL HISTORICAL CENTER
805 KIDDER BREESE SE -- WASHINGTON NAVY YARD
WASHINGTON DC 20374-5060

Buccaneers of Bombing Squadron 104: The Story of Its First Tour, 10 April 1943-15 April 1944. Anon. Wichita: McCormick-Armstrong Co., 1944. 38 leaves, 28 cm, photos, ports. Dornbusch 1950: 1061. No known copy location.
The Second Tour of Patrol Bombing Squadron 104, 1 June 1944-1 June 1945 (cover). Anon. N.p., [1945?]. 26 leaves, cover shows a four-engine plane flying over a map of the Pacific Ocean with title in black, 26.5 x 19.5 cm, photos, ports., roster. Dornbusch 1950: 1062. PNAM (photocopy).
Short History of Patrol Bombing Squadron 104 on Its Third Tour, June 1945-October 1945. Anon. Baltimore: Schneidereith, [1945?]. 24 leaves. Controvich 1992. No known copy location.

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History

References

Bibliography

External links

See also