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CVL-22 Independence
 1943 | 1944 | 1945
Date Operation
/ Location
Squadron Aircraft
Type
# of
A/C
AC Location Camouflage & Markings Notes
1943/4/21   Trinidad VC-22 SBD-4 9 Aboard  
Shakedown VC-22 TBF-1 9 Aboard  
    VF-22 F4F-4 12 Aboard  
1943/4/28 Trinidad VC-22 SBD-4 9 Aboard  
Shakedown VC-22 TBF-1 9 Aboard  
  VF-22 F4F-4 12 Aboard  
1943/5/31 NYD Philly VC-22 SBD-5 9 Quonset  
  VC-22 TBF-1 9 Quonset  
  VF-22 FM-1 12 Willow Grove  
VF-22 changes from Wildcats to Hellcats
1943/6/15 Enrt Pacific VC-22 SBD-5 9 Aboard  
  VC-22 TBF-1 9 Aboard  
  VF-22 F6F-3 12 Aboard  
1943/7/6 San Francisco VC-22 SBD-5 9 Aboard  
  VC-22 TBF-1 9 Aboard  
  VF-22 F6F-3 12 Aboard  
1943/7/28 Pearl Harbor VC-22 SBD-5 9 Aboard  
    VC-22 TBF-1 9 Aboard  
  VF-22 F6F-3 12 Aboard  
At this time the Navy decided to remove the SBD Dauntless from CVLs and change the airgroup composition due to difficulties with the dauntless' size on the narrow deck. VF-6 became a bit of a test subject, being split up and assigned to different CVLs in different sizes. Eventually, the Navy setled on 24 F6F Hellcats, up from the previous 12.
1943/8/5   VF-6 F6F-3 34 Aboard All-fighter CVL test.
1943/8/22   VF-6 F6F-3 24 Aboard
    VC-22 TBF-1 9 Aboard  
Marcus Island Raid September 1st
Originally, CVL-22 was tasked as the "Duty Carrier" to provide CAP (Combat Air Patrol) and Air Search missions. The Hellcats of VF-6 have nothing to do against Japanese aircraft, however, as the island's "Betty" bombers are destroyed on the ground and a flight of Zeros launched later Later, the Hellcats and Avengers were launched and headed towards Marcus. Near the island they located and attacked No. 15 Jitai Maru, sending it to the bottom with the combination of strafing and a bomb strike from a VT-5 Avenger from USS Yorktown.
1943/9/19 Pearl Harbor VC-22 TBF-1 9 Puunene  
  VF-6 F6F-3 12 Puunene  
  VF-22 F6F-3 12 Pearl Fake wheel wells painted to resemble F4Fs
1943/9/21 Pearl VC-22 TBF-1 9 Puunene  
VC-22 SBD-5 9 Puunene  
  VF-22 F6F-3 12 Pearl  
1943/9/28 Pearl VC-22 TBF-1 9 Puunene  
  VC-22 SBD-5 9 Puunene  
  VF-22 F6F-3 12 Aboard CVL-24  
Wake Attack October 5/6
1943/10/12 Pearl Harbor VC-22 TBF-1 9 Aboard  
  VC-22 SBD-5 9 Aboard  
  VF-22 F6F-3 12 Aboard  
    SBDs removed from Air Group
1943/10/19 Pearl Harbor VC-22 TBF-1 9 Kahului  
  VF-22 F6F-3 12 Aboard CVL-24  
1943/10/26 Pearl Harbor VC-22 TBF-1 8 Hilo  
  VF-22 F6F-3 12 Aboard CVL-24  
1943/11/2 VC-22 TBF-1 17 Aboard  
VF-22 F6F-3 24 Aboard  
1943/11/9 At Sea VC-22 TBF-1 17 Aboard  
  VF-22 F6F-3 24 Aboard  
Rabaul raid November11
1943/11/16 At Sea VC-22 TBF-1 15 Aboard  
SoPac VF-22 F6F-3 24 Aboard  
Tarawa Attack November 19
Torpedoed November20
1943/11/23 At Sea VC-22 TBF-1 15 Aboard  
SoPac VF-22 F6F-3 24 Aboard  
1943/11/30 At Sea VC-22 TBF-1 15 Aboard  
SoPac VF-22 F6F-3 24 Aboard  
1943/12/7 At Sea VC-22 TBF-1 15 Aboard  
SoPac VF-22 F6F-3 24 Aboard  
1943/12/14 At Sea VC-22 TBF-1 15  
Enroute Pearl Harbor VF-22 F6F-3 24 Aboard  
Composite Squadron 22 redesignated Torpedo Squadron 22, 12/15
21-12-43 Pearl Harbor VF-22 F6F-3 23 Hawaii  
  VT-22 TBF-1 8 Hawaii  
  VT-22 TBF-1C 1 Hawaii  
1943/12/29 Enroute San Francisco for overhaul & repair, no aircraft permanently assigned until May, 1944
  Overhaul, no aircraft
1944/1/5   San Fran VF-22 F6F-3 23 Hawaii  
    VT-22 TBF-1 8 Hawaii  
    VT-22 TBF-1C 1 Hawaii  
1944/1/11 NYD MI VF-22 F6F-3 1 Kaneohe  
    VT-22 TBF-1 3 Kaneohe  
1944/1/18 NYD MI VF-22 F6F-3 1 Hilo  
    VT-22 TBF-1 4 Hilo  
    VT-22 TBF-1C 1 Hilo  
1944/1/25 NYD MI VF-22 F6F-3 1 Hilo  
    VT-22 TBF-1 4 Hilo  
    VT-22 TBF-1C 1 Hilo  
8/2/44 NYD MI Air Group Reforming
15/2/44 NYD Mare Island overhaul
23/2/44 NYD Mare Island overhaul
29/2/44 NYD Mare Island overhaul
7/3/44 NYD Mare Island overhaul
14/3/44 NYD Mare Island overhaul
21/3/44 NYD Mare Island overhaul
29/3/44 NYD Mare Island overhaul
4/4/44 NYD Mare Island overhaul
11/4/44 NYD Mare Island overhaul
18/4/44 NYD Mare Island overhaul
25/4/44 NYD Mare Island overhaul
2/5/44 NYD Mare Island overhaul
9/5/44 NYD Mare Island overhaul
16/5/44 NYD Mare Island overhaul
23/5/44 NYD Mare Island overhaul
30/5/44 NYD Mare Island overhaul
6/6/44 NYD Mare Island overhaul
13/6/44 NYD Mare Island overhaul
20/6/44 NYD Mare Island overhaul
27/6/44 NYD Mare Island overhaul
1944/7/4 Pearl VF-22 F6F-5 24 "Hawaii"
    VT-22 TBF-1C 8 "Hawaii"  
1944/7/11 Pearl VF-22 F6F-5 24 "Hawaii"  
    VT-22 TBF-1C 8 "Hawaii"  
1944/7/18 Pearl VF-22 F6F-5 24 "Hawaii"  
    VT-22 TBF-1C 8 "Hawaii"  
1944/7/24 Pearl VF-22 F6F-5 22 "Pearl Harbor"  
    VT-22 TBF-1C 9 "Pearl Harbor"  
8/1/1944 Pearl VF-22 F6F-5 22 "Hawaii"  
    VT-22 TBF-1C 9 "Hawaii"  
1944/8/8 Pearl VF-22 F6F-5 22 "Hawaii"
    VT-22 TBF-1C 9 "Hawaii"  
  Aircraft numbers & camouflage for the next two months may be blank due to lack of information in US Navy reports
8/15/1944 ?? VF-22 F6F-? 23 Barbers Point Bad Logs
    VT-22 TBF-? 8 Barbers Point Bad Logs
  Air Group Change
1944/8/22 ?? VFN-79 F6F-? 19 Aboard Bad Logs
    VFN-79 TBF/M? 8 Aboard Bad Logs
  Air Group 79 redesignated CVLG(N)-41
  "Dark sky, black sea: aircraft carrier night and all-weather operations" By Charles H. Brown states that VF(N)-41 originally operated 14 F6F-5Ns and five F6F-5s withour radars and received more -5Ns from VF(N)-78 "before sailing." The exact data and number was not listed, however. By the time the USN logs return to normal the -5Ns were listed as gone and the squardon was operating a mixture of -3Ns and -5s, but only for one report. At this point the -3Ns are gone and replaced by -5Ns, and it is un known if the -3Ns were a typo or no. So, for now I have left the exact type completely blank and only included the number of "VFs" listed on the Navy reports. Additionally, VT(N)-41 is described as having 12 TBM-1Ds, but the reports for this time, while lacking the type of airframe, only list nine "VTs" assigned to VT(N)-41. No reason for this difference is known at this time and this is the best information available at this time.
  Operation "KING II."- Leyte Landing - 8/29 to 9/21(?) as part of TG 38.2
8/29/1944 ?? VFN-41 F6F-5N ?? Aboard Bad Logs
    VTN-41 TBF/M-1D? 9 Aboard Bad Logs
1944/9/5 ?? VFN-41 F6F-?N 19 Aboard Bad Logs
    VTN-41 TBF/M? 8 Aboard Bad Logs
  Attacks on Mindanao airfields, September 9-10
  Attacks near Visayas in central Philippines September 12-14
  VF(N)-41 night interception of 'Dinah' on 9-12
1944/9/12 ?? VFN-41 F6F-?? 19 Aboard Bad Logs
    VTN-41 TBF/M? 8 Aboard Bad Logs
  Atacks on airfields near Manila & around Luzon, Septeber 21-22, & Visayas on September 24
1944/9/19 ?? VFN-41 F6F-?? 19 Aboard Bad Logs
    VTN-41 TBF/M? 8 Aboard Bad Logs
  Return to non-crappy US Navy logs for two weeks <3
  The log below reported F6F-3Ns, but the log immediately after has the exact same numbers of -5Ns. it is possible the -3Ns are a typo.
1944/9/26   VFN-41 F6F-3 3 Aboard  
    VFN-41 F6F-3N 14 Aboard  
    VFN-41 F6F-5 2 Aboard  
    VTN-41 TBM-1D 8 Aboard  
1944/10/3 Fwd Pacific VFN-41 F6F-3 3 Aboard  
    VFN-41 F6F-5 2 Aboard  
    VFN-41 F6F-5N 14 Aboard -5N returns
    VTN-41 TBM-1D 8 Aboard  
1944/10/10 ?? VFN-41 F6F-?N 19 Aboard Bad Logs
    VTN-41 TBF/M? 8 Aboard Bad Logs
  Attacks on Formosa airfields, October 2-13
1944/10/17   VFN-41 F6F-?N 19 Aboard Bad Logs
    VTN-41 TBF/M? 8 Aboard Bad Logs
  Attacks on Western Vizayan Islands, October 21
  VT(N)-41 spots Admiral Kurita's fleet in Surigao strait and carriers near Cape Engano before battle of Samar (separate patrols)
1944/10/24 Fwd Pacific VFN-41 F6F-3 3 Aboard  
    VFN-41 F6F-5 2 Aboard
    VFN-41 F6F-5N 14 Aboard  
    VTN-41 TBM-1D 8 Aboard  
  Attacks on Manila-area airfields October 29
1944/10/31 WestCenPac VFN-41 F6F-5 11 Aboard  
    VFN-41 F6F-5N 11 Aboard  
    VTN-41 TBM-1D 7 Aboard  
  Attacks on Luzon, November 5-6
1944/11/7 WestCenPac VFN-41 F6F-5 11 Aboard  
    VFN-41 F6F-5N 12 Aboard  
    VTN-41 TBM-1D 7 Aboard  
  Attacks on Luzon, November 13-14, & 19
1944/11/14 WestCenPac VFN-41 F6F-5 11 Aboard  
    VFN-41 F6F-5N 9 Aboard  
    VTN-41 TBM-1D 7 Aboard  
1944/11/21   VFN-41 F6F-?N 23   Bad Logs
    VTN-41 TBF/M? 7   Bad Logs
1944/11/28 WestCenPac VFN-41 F6F-3N 1 Aboard  
    VFN-41 F6F-5 1 Aboard  
    VFN-41 F6F-5N 11 Aboard  
    VTN-41 TBM-1C 3 Aboard  
    VTN-41 TBM-1D 4 Aboard  
12/5/1944 WestCenPac VFN-41 F6F-5 2 Aboard  
    VFN-41 F6F-5N 11 Aboard  
    VTN-41 TBM-1D 7 Aboard  
  Attacks on Luzon airfields in support of Mindoro landings, December 14-16
1944/12/12 WestCenPac VFN-41 F6F-3N 1 Aboard  
    VFN-41 F6F-5N 15 Aboard  
    VFN-41 F6F-5P 1 Aboard  
    VTN-41 TBM-1C 3 Aboard  
    VTN-41 TBM-1D 4 Aboard  
1944/12/19 WestCenPac VFN-41 F6F-3N 1 Aboard  
    VFN-41 F6F-5N 15 Aboard  
    VFN-41 F6F-5P 1 Aboard  
    VTN-41 TBM-1C 3 Aboard  
    VTN-41 TBM-1D 4 Aboard  
1944/12/27 WestCenPac VFN-41 F6F-3N 1 Aboard  
    VFN-41 F6F-5N 15 Aboard  
    VFN-41 F6F-5P 1 Aboard  
    VTN-41 TBM-1C 3 Aboard  
    VTN-41 TBM-1D 4 Aboard  
  Attacks around Luzon Jan 3-10
1945/1/2  WestCenPac VFN-41 F6F-5N 16 Aboard  
    VTN-41 TBM-1C 1 Aboard  
    VTN-41 TBM-1D 4 Aboard  
    VTN-41 TBM-3D 4 Aboard probably tri-color
1/9/1945 WestCenPac VFN-41 F6F-5N 9 Aboard  
    VTN-41 TBM-1D 4 Aboard  
    VTN-41 TBM-3D 4 Aboard Probably Tri-color
  Attacks in Indochina area, January 12
1945/1/16 WestCenPac VFN-41 F6F-5N 9 Aboard  
    VTN-41 TBM-1D 4 Aboard
    VTN-41 TBM-3D 4 Aboard Probably Tri-color
1945/1/23 WestCenPac VFN-41 F6F-5N 9 Aboard  
    VTN-41 TBM-1D 4 Aboard
    VTN-41 TBM-3D 4 Aboard Probably Tri-color
1945/1/30 WestCenPac VFN-41 F6F-5N 15 Aboard  
    VTN-41 TBM-1D 4 Aboard
    VTN-41 TBM-3D 5 Aboard Probably Tri-color
1945/2/6 Enrt Pearl VFN-41 F6F-5N 15 Aboard  
    VTN-41 TBM-1D 4 Aboard
    VTN-41 TBM-3D 5 Aboard Probably Tri-color
1945/2/13 At Pearl - - - -    
1945/2/20 At Pearl - - - -    
1945/2/24 At Pearl - - - -    
1945/3/10 WestCenPac - - - -    
  Attack on Kyushu airfields, March 18
  Attack on Inland Sea/Kure, March 19
  Air Group 49 listed aboard only one week
1945/3/17 WestCenPac VF-49 F6F-5 24 Aboard  
    VT-49 TBM-3 9 Aboard
  Air Group 46 embarks
1945/3/23 WestCenPac VF-46 F6F-5 24 Aboard  
    VF-46 F6F-5P 1 Aboard  
    VT-46 TBM-3 8 Aboard  
  Okinawa Invasion March 30 to June 10
1945/3/31 WestCenPac VF-46 F6F-5 24 Aboard  
    VF-46 F6F-5P 1 Aboard  
    VT-46 TBM-3 8 Aboard  
1945/4/7 WestCenPac VF-46 F6F-5 24 Aboard  
    VF-46 F6F-5P 1 Aboard  
    VT-46 TBM-3 8 Aboard  
1945/4/14 WestCenPac VF-46 F6F-5 24 Aboard  
    VF-46 F6F-5P 1 Aboard  
    VT-46 TBM-3 8 Aboard  
1945/4/21 WestCenPac VF-46 F6F-5 24 Aboard  
    VF-46 F6F-5P 1 Aboard  
    VT-46 TBM-3 8 Aboard  
1945/4/28 Report Missing          
1945/5/5 WestCenPac VF-46 F6F-5 22 Aboard  
    VF-46 F6F-5P 2 Aboard  
    VT-46 TBM-3 9 Aboard  
1945/5/12 Report Missing          
1945/5/19 WestCenPac VF-46 F6F-5 22 Aboard  
    VF-46 F6F-5P 2 Aboard  
    VT-46 TBM-3 9 Aboard  
1945/5/26 WestCenPac VF-46 F6F-5 22 Aboard  
    VF-46 F6F-5P 2 Aboard  
    VT-46 TBM-3 9 Aboard  
  Raid on Kyushu airfield Kamikazes had been operating from June 2-3
1945= /6/2 Report Missing          
1945/6/9 Report Missing            
1945/6/16 WestCenPac VF-46 F6F-5 24 Aboard  
    VT-46 TBM-3 9 Aboard  
1945/6/23 WestCenPac VF-46 F6F-5 24 Aboard  
    VT-46 TBM-3 9 Aboard  
  Air Group 27 replaces Air Group 49
1945/6/30 WestCenPac VF-27 F6F-5 25 Aboard Same A/C?
    VT-27 TBM-3 9 Aboard  
1945/7/7 SoWestPac 38 VF-27 F6F-5 25 Aboard  
    VT-27 TBM-3 9 Aboard  
1945/7/14 Report Missing          
  Tokyo airfield attacks, July 10
  Attacks on N. Honshu & S Hokkaido July 14
  Attacks in Tokyo/Yokohama are July 17/18
1945/7/21 WestCenPac 36 VF-27 F6F-5 24 Aboard  
    VF-27 F6F-5P 1 Aboard  
    VT-27 TBM-3 9 Aboard Possibly some GSB
1945/7/28 WestCenPac 36 VF-27 F6F-5 24 Aboard  
    VF-27 F6F-5P 1 Aboard  
    VT-27 TBM-3 6 Aboard Possibly some GSB
    VT-27 TBM-3E 3 Aboard  
1945/8/4 WestCenPac 36 VF-27 F6F-5 24 Aboard  
    VF-27 F6F-5P 1 Aboard  
    VT-27 TBM-3 6 Aboard Possibly some GSB
    VT-27 TBM-3E 3 Aboard  
August reports missing            
1945/9/7 WestCenPac 36 VF-27 F6F-5 24 Aboard  
    VF-27 F6F-5P 1 Aboard  
    VT-27 TBM-3 4 Aboard Possibly some GSB
    VT-27 TBM-3E 3 Aboard  

Sources:
"Fateful Rendezvous: The Life of Butch O'Hare" By Steve Ewing, John B. Lundstrom
"Location of U.S. Naval Aircraft" Department of the Navy - Navy Historical Center

 

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