CV-38 Shangri-La  1944 | 1945
Date	Operation / Location	Squadron	Aircraft Type	# of A/C	Camouflage & Markings	Notes
1944/11/15	Shangri-La tests new aircraft off the coast of virginia. Carrier trials of the F7F-1 Tigercat start, are followed by the P-51D-5-NA serial number 44-14017 of "Project SeaHorse" and finish with PBJ-1H (a Navalized version of the B-25 Mitchell) serial number 43-4700.
1944/11/20	Carrier Air Group 85 loaded on to ship for shakedown
1944/11/21	Norfolk	CAG-85	F4U-1D	1		Commander Air Group's Aircraft
		VB-85	SB2C-4	24
		VF-85	F4U-1D	49
		VF-85	F6F-5P	2
		VT-85	TBM-3	18
			Total	94
1944/21-5	Trinidad	CAG-85	F4U-1D	1		CAG Aircraft
		VB-85	SB2C-4	22
		VF-85	F4U-1D	49
		VF-85	F6F-5P	2
		VT-85	TBM-3	18
			Total	92
1944/12/12	Trinidad	CAG-85	F4U-1D	1		CAG Aircraft
		VB-85	SB2C-4	21
		VF-85	F4U-1D	48
		VF-85	F6F-5P	2
		VT-85	TBM-3	18
			Total	90
1944/11/20	Course set for Norfolk
1944/12/19	Enroute Norfolk	CAG-85	F4U-1D	1		CAG Aircraft
		VB-85	SB2C-4	21
		VF-85	F4U-1D	48
		VF-85	F6F-5P	1
		VT-85	TBM-3	18
			Total	89
1944/12/27	Norfolk	CAG-85	F4U-1D	1		CAG Aircraft
		VB-85	SB2C-4	21
		VF-85	F4U-1D	48
		VF-85	F6F-5P	1
		VT-85	TBM-3	18
			Total	89
1944/12/31	Norfolk	CAG-85	F4U-1D	1		CAG Aircraft
		VB-85	SB2C-4	14
		VF-85	F4U-1D	44
		VF-85	F6F-3	1
		VF-85	F6F-5	2
		VT-85	TBM-3	18
			Total	80
1945
1945/1/2	Norfolk	CAG-85	F4U-1D	1	37	CAG Aircraft
		VB-85	SB2C-4	18	70 to 84
		VBF-85	VBF-85 Established, no aircraft attached officially
		VF-85	F4U-1D	63	1 to 36 - 38 to 67
		VF-85	F6F-5P	2	68 and 69
		VT-85	TBM-3	18	85 to 99	#86 and one other in tri-color camouflage
			Total	102
1945/1/9	Norfolk	CAG-85	F4U-1D	1	37	CAG Aircraft
		VB-85	SB2C-4	15	70 to 84
		VBF-85	F4U-1D	37	1 to 36
		VF-85	F4U-1D	30	38 to 67
		VF-85	F6F-5P	2	68 and 69
		VT-85	TBM-3	15	85 to 99
			Total	100
1945/1/16	Norfolk	CAG-85	F4U-1D	1	37	CAG Aircraft
		VB-85	SB2C-4	15	70 to 84
		VBF-85	F4U-1D	37	1 to 36
		VF-85	F4U-1D	32	38 to 67
		VF-85	F6F-5P	2	68 and 69
		VT-85	TBM-3	15	85 to 99
			Total	102
1945/1/17	CV-38 and Carrier Air Group 85 depart for Pacific Theater
1945/1/23	Canal Zone	CAG-85	F4U-1D	1	37	CAG Aircraft
		VB-85	SB2C-4	15	70 to 84
		VBF-85	F4U-1D	37	1 to 36
		VF-85	F4U-1D	32	38 to 67
		VF-85	F6F-5P	2	68 and 69
		VT-85	TBM-3	15	85 to 99
			Total	102
1945/1/24	CV-38 and Carrier Air Group 85 transit the Panama Canal
1945/1/30	Enroute San Diego	CAG-85	F4U-1D	1	37	CAG Aircraft
		VB-85	SB2C-4	15	70 to 84
		VBF-85	F4U-1D	37	1 to 36
		VF-85	F4U-1D	32	38 to 67
		VF-85	F6F-5P	2	68 and 69
		VT-85	TBM-3	15	85 to 99
			Total	102
1945/2/2	CV-38 and Carrier Air Group 85 arrive at North Island, San Diego
1945/2/6	San Diego	CAG-85	F4U-1D	1	37	CAG Aircraft
		VB-85	SB2C-4	15	70 to 84
		VBF-85	F4U-1C	36	1 to 36	VBF-85 transitions to cannon-equipped F4U-1Cs
		VF-85	F4U-1D	32	38 to 67
		VF-85	F6F-5P	2	68 and 69
		VT-85	TBM-3	15	85 to 99
			Total	102
1945/2/7	CV-38 and Carrier Air Group 85 leave the west coast and head towards Hawaii, arriving on 2/13.
1945/2/13	Pearl Harbor	CAG-85	F4U-1D	1	37	CAG Aircraft
		VB-85	SB2C-4E	15	70 to 84
		VBF-85	F4U-1D	36	1 to 36
		VF-85	F4U-1D	30	38 to 67
		VF-85	F6F-5P	2	68 and 69
		VT-85	TBM-3	14	85 to 99
		VT-85	TBM-3P	1	85 to 99
			Total	98
1945/2/14	Air Group 85 transfers to Naval Air Station Barbers Point while CV-38 remains at Pearl Harbor.
1945/2/20	Pearl Harbor	CAG-85	F4U-1D	1	37	CAG Aircraft
		VB-85	SB2C-4E	15	70 to 84
		VBF-85	F4U-1D	36	1 to 36
		VF-85	F4U-1C	30	38 to 67
		VF-85	F6F-5P	2	68 and 69
		VT-85	TBM-3	14	85 to 99
		VT-85	TBM-3P	1	85 to 99
			Total	99
1945/2/24	Pearl Harbor	CAG-85	F4U-1D	1	37	CAG Aircraft
		VB-85	SB2C-4E	15	70 to 84
		VBF-85	F4U-1D	36	1 to 36
		VF-85	F4U-1D	30	38 to 67
		VF-85	F6F-5P	2	68 and 69
		VT-85	TBM-3	15	85 to 99
			Total	99
1945/3/2	Air Group 85 transfers to Naval Air Station Pu'unene, Maui for continued training and remains through April.
1945/3/10	Pearl Harbor	CVG-85	CAG-85	1	37	CAG Aircraft
		VB-85	SB2C-4E	15	70 to 84
		VBF-85	F4U-1D	37	1 to 36
		VF-85	F4U-1C	30	38 to 67
		VF-85	F6F-5P	2	68 and 69
		VT-85	TBM-3	15	85 to 99
			Total	99
1945/3/17	Pearl Harbor	CAG-85	F4U-1D	1	37	CAG Aircraft
		VB-85	SB2C-4E	15	70 to 84
		VBF-85	F4U-1D	37	1 to 36
		VF-85	F4U-1C	30	38 to 67
		VF-85	F6F-5P	2	68 and 69
		VT-85	TBM-3	15	85 to 99
			Total	99
1945/3/24 to 1945/4/7		No	Air	Group	Assigned
1945/4/10	Shangri-La and Air Group 85 depart Pearl Harbor and head west towards Ulithi to join Task Force 58.
1945/4/14	West Central Pacific	CAG-85	F4U-1D	1	37	CAG Aircraft
		VB-85	SB2C-4E	15	70 to 84
		VBF-85	F4U-1D	31	1 to 36
		VBF-85	FG-1D	6	1 to 36
		VF-85	F4U-1C	28	38 to 67
		VF-85	F6F-5N	6	101-104	Night fighters added to air group
		VF-85	F6F-5P	2
		VT-85	TBM-3	15	85 to 99
			Total	104
1945/4/21	WestCentPac	CAG-85	F4U-1D	1	37	CAG Aircraft
		SB2C-4E	VB-85	15	70 to 84
		VBF-85	F4U-1D	31	1 to 36
		VBF-85	FG-1D	6	1 to 36
		VF-85	F4U-1C	28	38 to 67
		VF-85	F6F-5N	6
		VF-85	F6F-5P	2
		VT-85	TBM-3	15	85 to 99	Plane #86 in tri-color shot down 4-29 and replaced with GSB airframe.
			Total	104
1945/2/7	CV-38 and Carrier Air Group 85 Join Task Force 58, joining with the carriers Yorktown, Independence, and Langley.
1945/4/25	First combat: Air Group 85 attacks the group of islands of Okidaitojima, Southeast of Okinawa and occupied by Japanese forces for its phosphate deposits. Radar and radio facilities are targeted, no aircraft are lost. Shangri-La logs her 7,000th landing that evening.
1945/4/26-27	Shangri-la splits her large airgroup up to attack two separate targets. Asama Airfield on Tokuno Shima is attacked to stop it from being used as a staging field for Kamikaze and Army aircraft to attack forces operating in the area and near Okinawa. Targets on Okinawa are also struck in support of ground forces attempting to wrest the island from Japanese control.
1945/4/29	Air Group 85 attacks Wan Field on the island of Kikai Jima and patrols over Asama Airfield again. A Betty bomber is shot down by VF-85, the air groups first aerial kill of the war. One Avenger, one Corsair, and one Helldiver are lost, with the Helldiver crew missing in action.
1945/5/1	Patrols are flown over Okinawa and the previously attacked Amami islands of Kikai Shima and Tokuno Shima are flown to keep Japanese forces from interferring with the invasion.
1945/5/4-5	After several days of inaction due to bad weather and refueling, Air Group 85 runs into their first serious aerial opposition of their war on May 4th. VF-85 claims thirteen enemy aircraft shot down; two Corsairs are lost, but the pilots rescued later. Kikai Shima is also attacked by the Avengers, Helldivers, and fighter-bomber Corsairs.
1945/5/5	WestCentPac	CAG-85	F4U-1D	1	37	CAG Aircraft
		VB-85	SB2C-4E	15	70 to 84
		VBF-85	F4U-1D	31	1 to 36
		VBF-85	FG-1D	6	1 to 36
		VF-85	F4U-1C	28	38 to 67
		VF-85	F6F-5N	6
		VF-85	F6F-5P	2
		VT-85	TBM-3	15	85 to 99
			Total	104
1945/5/10	Air Group 85 returns to the Amami islands for more attacks. Two Corsairs of VF-85 are shot down over Kikai Shima. One pilot is recovered by PBM but Lt. Kincannon is captured and later executed by the Japanese.
1945/5/11	VF-85 runs into Japanese aerial forces again while on patrol over Tokuno Shima and claim eight Zeke fighters shot down and two probables. A B6n Jill torpedo bomber is later claimed by air patrok over the fleet force. One Corsair is shot down, but the pilot rescued by PBY Catalina flying boat.
1945/5/12	Shangri-La turns for Ulithi for replenishment, repair, and regrouping.
1945/5/18	Vice Admiral John S McCain hoists his flag on Shangri-La, elevating her to flagship of the Second Carrier Task Force. Shangri-La and the fleet depart Ulithi on the 24th and head back towards Okinawa.
1945/5/19	WestCentPac	CAG-85	F4U-1D	1	37	CAG Aircraft
		VB-85	SB2C-4E	15	70 to 84
		VBF-85	F4U-1D	15	1 to 36
		VBF-85	FG-1D	22	1 to 36
		VF-85	F4U-1C	27	38 to 67
		VF-85	F6F-5N	6
		VF-85	F6F-5P	2
		VT-85	TBM-3	15	85 to 99
			Total	103
1945/5/26		CAG	F4U-1C	1	37	CAG Aircraft
		VB-85	SB2C-4E	13	70 to 84
		VBF-85	FG/F4U-1D	37	1 to 36
		VF-85	F4U-1C	27	38 to 67
		VF-85	F6F-5N	6
		VF-85	F6F-5P	2
		VT-85	TBM-3	14	85 to 99
			Total	100
1945/5/28	Air Group 85 returns on force to the Battle of Okinawa. VF-85 claims nine Japanese aircraft shot down for no losses.
1945/6/2-3	Shangri-La turns her attention to the Japanese homeland with attacks on Kyushu, the southernmost island. Bad weather hampers operations, and one Corsair and pilot are lost on take off. Chiran and Izumi airfields are attacked with no losses, but over Kagoshima two Corsairs are damaged. While providing protection for two CV-10 Yorktown pilots who had landed in the waters of Kagoshima Wan, the fighters are jumped by Japanese Army fighters and one shot down outright. Two later make water landings due to damage, two more due to fuel starvation, and onlyb one of the four pilots was rescued due to storm weather. Of the 33 Corsairs launched, nine are lost or written off due to damage. Four more are lost the next day.
1945/6/8	Shangri-La returns to Kyushu after doging a typhoon with an attack on Kanoya Airfield. Two Corsairs are lost when their engines seize due to rust in the Belly tanks.
1945/6/10	Eight aircraft are launched to attack Minami Field with Napalm. Another Corsair is lost at take off due to engine failure.
1945/6/10	Shangri-La sets course for Leyte for reprovisioning and rest. Another Corsair is lost due to engine failure on the cruise down and all have their carburetors and belly tanks inspected and cleaned of rust.
1945/6/16		CAG	F4U-1C	1	37	CAG Aircraft
		VB-85	SB2C-4E	15	70 to 84
		VBF-85	FG/F4U-1D	39	1 to 36
		VF-85	F4U-1C	25	38 to 67
		VF-85	F6F-5N	6
		VF-85	F6F-5P	2
		VT-85	TBM-3	15	85 to 99
			Total	103
1945/6/30	WestCentPac 38	CAG	F4U-1C	1	37	CAG Aircraft
		VB-85	SB2C-4E	15	70 to 84
		VBF-85	F4U-1D	11	1 to 36
		VBF-85	FG-1D	25	1 to 36
		VF-85	F4U-1C	17	38 to 67
		VF-85	FG-1D	7
		VF-85	F6F-5N	6
		VF-85	F6F-5P	2
		VT-85	TBM-3	15	85 to 99
			Total	99
1945/7/7	SouWestPac 38	CAG	F4U-1C	1	37	CAG Aircraft
		VB-85	SB2C-4E	15	70 to 84
		VBF-85	F4U-1D	11	1 to 36
		VBF-85	FG-1D	25	1 to 36
		VF-85	F4U-1C	17
		VF-85	FG-1D	7
		VF-85	F6F-5N	6
		VF-85	F6F-5P	2
		VT-85	TBM-3	15	85 to 99
			Total	99
1945/7/10	Offensive sweeps in the Tokyo area - nine airfields are worked over to destroy enemy aircraft in the air or on the ground. No aerial opposition is encounted and no aircraft are lost or damaged.
1945/7/14-15	Shangri-La shifts her attention to Japan's northern-most island with strikes planned for airfields on Hokkaido. Bad weather diverts them to targets of opportunity, and several ships are attacked. The Type C Escort ship "Iwo" is damaged by a bomb near miss, killing four sailors and wounding 61. An oiler, train ferry, and large merchant vessel are reported as attacked with varying results. One Corsair ran out of fuel and ditched on the return flight, but the pilot was recovered by a US NAvy Destroyer later in the day. Combat Air Patrol claims one Betty bomber shot down and a Corsair assigned anti-submarine patrol makes a wheels-up landing after attacking a small merchant ship and losing the hydralic system to anti-aircraft fire. On the 15th, bad weather again forces Air Group 85 to find targets of opportunity in the waters off southwest Hokkaido and six cargo ships and a tug boat are claimed as victims to the groups bombs, rockets, and guns to no losses or damage.
1945/7/18	Air Group 85 plans to attack the airfields at Kasumigaura and Yatobe, but a smoke screen shrouds the former and attention is diverted to Yatobe, where several aircraft are destroyed on the ground. Some of the air group joins in with aircraft from CV-9 Essex, CV-15 Randolph, and CVL-24 Belleau Wood to attack the camouflaged Japanese battleship Nagato. Two bombs hit the ship, killing her captain, Executive Officer, and several officers. One rocket also strikes the ship, but fails to explode. A tail gunner from a VB-85 Helldiver is mortally wounded by anti-aircraft fire and is buried at sea the next day. This is Shangri-La's only burial at sea during the war.
1945/7/21	WestCenPac 36	CAG	F4U-1C	1	37	CAG Aircraft
		VB-85	SB2C-4E	15	70 to 84
		VBF-85	F4U-1D	11	1 to 36
		VBF-85	FG-1D	24	1 to 36
		VF-85	F4U-1C	16
		VF-85	FG-1D	7
		VF-85	F6F-5N	6
		VF-85	F6F-5P	2
		VT-85	TBM-3	15	85 to 99
			Total	97
1945/7/28	WestCenPac 36	CAG	F4U-1C	1	37	CAG Aircraft
		VB-85	SB2C-4E	15	70 to 84
		VBF-85	F4U-1D	11	1 to 36
		VBF-85	FG-1D	24	1 to 36
		VF-85	F4U-1C	16
		VF-85	FG-1D	7
		VF-85	F6F-5N	6
		VF-85	F6F-5P	2
		VT-85	TBM-3	15	85 to 99
			Total	97
1945/8/4	WestCenPac 36	CAG	F4U-1C	1	37	CAG Aircraft
		VB-85	SB2C-4E	15	70 to 84
		VBF-85	F4U-1D	9	1 to 36
		VBF-85	FG-1D	24	1 to 36
		VF-85	F4U-1C	23
		VF-85	FG-1D	7
		VF-85	F6F-5N	6
		VF-85	F6F-5P	2
		VT-85	TBM-3	15	85 to 99
			Total	102
1945/9/7	WestCenPac 36	CAG	F4U-1C	1	37	CAG Aircraft
		VB-85	SB2C-4E	15	70 to 84
		VBF-85	F4U-1C	1	1 to 36
		VBF-85	F4U-1D	5	1 to 36
		VBF-85	FG-1D	30
		VF-85	F4U-1C	18
		VF-85	FG-1D	9
		VF-85	F6F-5N	6
		VF-85	F6F-5P	2
		VT-85	TBM-3	14	85 to 99
			Total	101

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SOURCES:
* USN Weekly reports of aircraft locations, 1944-45
* VBF-85.com