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VB-102, VPB-102, & VP-102 | WestPac, EastPac, SoPac WWII | 5 patches


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VB-102, VPB-102 & VP-102

 

VP-18 Established: 01SEP37
VP-13 Redesignated: 01JUL39
VP-26 Redesignated: 11DEC39
VP-102 Redesignated: 16DEC40 | Disestablished: 18APR42
VB-102 Established: 15FEB43
VPB-102 Redesignated: 01OCT44
VP-102 Redesignated: 15MAY45
VP-HL-2 Redesignated: 15NOV45
VP-22 Redesignated 01SEP 48 | Disestablished: 31MAR94

 

 

The first insignia for the squadron was designed while the unit was based NAAS Kearney Field, Calif. (later known as MCAS Mirimar), and was approved by CNO on 29 June 1944. The central figure of the design was a dragon breathing fire and smoke, poised on a cloud with a bomb held in its claws overhead, framed in a downward pointing triangle. Its nose, belly and tail were equipped with ERCO gun turrets. According to legend, the fiery dragon was the scourge of the Japanese people in the far-distant past of that nation. It was felt fitting, therefore, to symbolize the return of the dragon as an omen of fury marking the end of Imperial Japan, just as surely as it had marked its beginning. Colors: outer circle, chocolate brown; inner circle, forest green; field, bright yellow; triangle, light gray-blue; cloud, white; dragon body, forest green; dragon stomach, face, claws and wings, olive green outlined in black; head with black top, white eye, white teeth, black mouth; scaly tail, pale yellow; bomb, black; ball turret guns, forest green with white openings. The design was used by VB-102, VPB-102, VP-102 and VP-HL-2.

When VP-HL-2 was redesignated VP-22, its primary mission as a squadron was changed from that of patrolling/bombing to long-range overwater search combined with ASW. A new insignia was approved on 9 Oct 1951.

 

 

VB-102

 

Chainstitch embroidery on twill. [Enlarged to highlight the exquisite detail of its chainstitch embroidery.]

 

 

VPB-102-jP1120242-800.jpg

 

 

The patch is sewn to a pilot's jacket.

 

VPB-102-P1120241-1000.jpg

 

 

 

VPB-102 & VP-102

 

Silkscreened on canvas

VPB-102-21a-1000.jpg

 

 

 

Embroidered on twill.

VPB-102-21b-1000.jpg

 

 

 

The PB2Y Coronado was a four-engine patrol bomber manufactured in San Diego by the Consolidated Aircraft Company. Patrol Squadron Thirteen (VP-13) received its first production model very late in 1940 at NAS North Island.

 

vp102pby_01.jpg

 

 

vp102pb2y_03.jpg

 

 

vp102pb2y_06.jpg

 

 

This big brother of the PBY Catalina introduced some radical changes that made it distinctly different from the PBY. In addition to the four engines, (P&W 1830-92's), she had twin .50 cal. power turrets in the bow, tail and top just aft of the wing and two single 50's in the waist hatches. Four bomb bays were integrally contained in each wing just outboard of each wing root. The Coronado had four electric props, with the inboard ones capable of reversing pitch to facilitate mooring maneuvers. Unlike the PBY, the PB2Y had wing flaps which could be lowered to 40 degrees. It also had a great deal of freeboard and was excellent to handle both on the water and in the air. It was an extremely stable aircraft to fly on instruments. The overall length was 85 feet, it had a wingspan of 102 feet and drew four feet of water.

 

vp102pb2y_04.jpg

 

 

By February of 1942 VP-13 had established a detachment of four PB2Y's on NAS Ford Island, Pearl Harbor, Hawaii that was responsible for flying mail, codes and supplies to Sydney, Australia, where LT Dennis Szabo was in charge of a detachment that further routed mail and material to fleet units. As the early PB2Y-2B carried no radar, all flights to Australia were made during daylight with stops at Palmyra Island, Canton Island, Suva, Fiji, Auckland, N.Z. and on to Sydney where they landed in Rose Ray.

Considering that the first flights were made only four to five weeks after the Pearl Harbor attack, it is amazing that logistics were in place or available for these (at that time) extended flights. There were U.S. Naval facilities available on Palmyra, Navy and Pan American Airways facilities on Canton and commercial or military facilities at Suva, Auckland and Sydney. Our cargo was as diverse as what would fit into the hull of the 2Y's. Among other things, I can distinctly recall carrying self-sealing fuel tanks for U.S. carrier aircraft and degaussing gear cable that was strung fore and aft through the hull in the passageway which prevented securing the internal watertight hatches. Mail was a mainstay and there was always plenty of it. Records indicate that VR-2 made a flight on 15 May, 1941 from Alameda to Honolulu, the first transoceanic flight by NATS aircraft, initiating air transport service in the Pacific. Therefore, historically,VP-13 with her PB2Y's should be given credit for establishing lines of communication between Pearl Harbor and Sydney until the Naval Air Transport Service could get its substantial resources on the line. Needless to say, with the allied forces being driven back from several "last ditch stands," the Australian people were most warm in the welcoming of our crews and for the security they felt in seeing U.S. forces in military uniform on their soil.

As NATS, which was also flying the transport version of the PB2Y, took over the air transport mission in the Pacific, theVP-13 detachment at Pearl Harbor returned to San Diego to augment the squadron. Patrol Squadron 13 was being split up so that the nuclei of four PB2Y squadrons could be formed.

The split up of VP-13 resulted in four PB2Y squadrons . . . the original VP-13, VP-102, VP-1 and VP-15. VP-1 and VP-15 went to the Atlantic Fleet and flew out of the Caribbean, South America and Coco Solo. VP-13 and VP-102 were assigned to the Pacific Fleet and would eventually take part in campaigns that would take them all the way to the coast of Japan. The splitting up and reforming of the new squadrons commenced in December of 1942 and carried on well into 1943 during the intensive training of new pilots and crews.

Most of the members of Patrol Squadron 14, as well as appropriate equipment, was transferred to the newly commissioned Bombing Squadron 102 (VB-102). The squadron was commissioned on 15 February 1943 at NAS Kaneohe Bay, T.H., LCDR Bruce Van Voorhis Commanding. The Navy had acquired an allotment of B-24 aircraft and assigned them a designation of PB4Y-1. VB-102 would be the first Navy operational squadron to receive the aircraft.

The squadron operated out of NAS Kaneohe Bay until transition training was completed. On 19 April 1943 aircraft and crews proceeded to Carney Field, Guadalcanal via Espiritu Santo. For heroic action as Commanding Officer of Bombing Squadron 102, operating out of Carney Field, Guadalcanal, Solomon Islands, Lieutenant Commander Bruce Avery Van Voorhis (1908-1943) was awarded the U. S. Navy Congressional Medal of Honor. He and his entire crew were lost while on a bombing mission over the Japanese held island, Kapingamarangi.

"For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life, above and beyond the call of duty as Squadron Commander of Bombing Squadron ONE HUNDRED TWO and as Plane Commander of a PB4Y-1 Patrol Bomber operating against the enemy on Japanese held Greenwich Island during the battle of the Solomon Islands, 6 July 1943. Fully aware of the limited chance of surviving an urgent mission, voluntarily undertaken to prevent surprise Japanese attack against our forces, Lieutenant Commander Van Voorhis took off in total darkness on a perilous 700 mile flight without escort or support. Successful in reaching his objective, despite treacherous and varying winds, low visibility and difficult terrain, he fought a lone but relentless battle under fierce antiaircraft fire and overwhelming aerial opposition. Forced lower and lower by pursuing planes, he coolly persisted in his mission of destruction. Abandoning all chance of a safe return, he executed six bold, ground-level attacks to demolish the enemy's vital radio station, installations, antiaircraft guns and crews with bombs and machine-gun fire, and to destroy one fighter plane in the air and three on the water. Caught in his own bomb blast, Lieutenant Commander Van Voorhis crashed into the lagoon off the beach, sacrificing himself in a single-handed fight against almost insurmountable odds, to make a distinctive contribution to our continued offensive in driving the Japanese from the Solomon's and, by his superb daring courage and resoluteness of purpose, enhanced the finest traditions of the United States Naval Service. He gallantly gave his life for his country."

 

With its deployment completed, on 14 October 1943 VB-102 arrived back at Alameda NAS. All personnel were issued orders for leave and reassignment. Many of personnel would receive orders to report to NAAS Camp Kearney in San Diego, California. The combat experience of these officers and men would be valuable in the reforming of VB-102 for deployment on a second tour.

 

 

VPB-102

On 14 February 1944 Bombing Squadron 102 began to reform for a second tour of duty at NAAS Camp Kearney, north of San Diego, California. The squadron designation was still Bombing Squadron 102 (VB-102), but that was to change later. The second week of August the squadron deployed to Eniwetok atoll, in the Marshall Islands, to fly long range patrols as the invasion of Saipan and Tinian commenced. On 1 October 1944 the squadron designation was change to Patrol Bombing Squadron 102 (VPB-102). All squadrons flying the PB4Y-1 and the PB4Y-2 were redesignated VPB.


Major Overseas Deployments During World War II
Date of Departure | Date of return | Wing | Base of Operations | Aircraft | Area of Operations

28 Feb 1943* 22 Apr 1943 FAW-2 Canton PB4Y-1 WestPac
28 Feb 1943* 22 Apr 1943 FAW-2 Midway PB4Y-1 WestPac
28 Feb 1943* 22 Apr 1943 FAW-2 Johnston Island PB4Y-1 EastPac
Apr 1943* 1 Nov 1943 FAW-1 Guadalcanal PB4Y-1 SoPac
Apr 1943* 1 Nov 1943 FAW-1 Espiritu Santo PB4Y-1 SoPac
9 Jul 1944 12 Aug 1944 FAW-2 Kaneohe PB4Y-1 EastPac
12 Aug 1944 27 Aug 1944 FAW-1 Eniwetok PB4Y-1 SoPac
27 Aug 1944 1 Apr 1945 FAW-1 Tinian PB4Y-1 SoPac
1 Apr 1945 19 Sep 1945 FAW-18 Iwo Jima PB4Y-1 WestPac
23 Apr 1945 3 May 1945 FAW-18 Peleliu PB4Y-1 SoPac
3 May 1945 19 Sep 1945 FAW-18 Tinian PB4Y-1 SoPac

 

* Split deployment to two sites during the same dates.

 

 

Consolidated PB2Y Coronado

http://youtu.be/2QyIV_Cvcv4

 

VP/VPB-102 Video, From Crew #9, July 44- May 45, HW, Enewetok, Saipan, Iwo Jima, Peleiu

http://youtu.be/5RQjtSoTuHs

 

VP-14/VP-102/VPB-102 Photo Collection at San Diego Air and Space Museum (1,409 photos)

 

 

 

Sources

Roberts, Michael D. Dictionary of American Naval Aviation Squadrons. Vol 2. p 133-139.

VP-102 History
VP-102 | VP Navy.org

 

 

 

VB-102

VPB-102

VP-102

 

 

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