VGF-28 | VF-28 | Fighting Squadron 28 | "Destroy To Defend"

[walika]

VGF-28 | VF-28 | Fighting Squadron 28 | "Destroy To Defend"

1 May 1942 Established at NAS
1 March 1943 VGF-28 was redesignated VF-28 [see Note 1 below]
6 November 1945 VF-28 Disestablished at NAS

Deployments
VGF-28
3 October 1942 - 24 November 1942 CVE-27 USS Suwannee Carrier Air Group 27 (CVLG-27) F4F-4 [see Note 2 below]
5 December 1942 - 18 January 1943 CVE-28 USS Chenango Carrier Air Group 28 (CVLG-28) F4F-4
18 January 1943 - 10 March 1943 CVE-28 USS Chenango Carrier Air Group 28 (CVLG-28) F4F-4
10 March 1943 - 15 April 1943 Guadalcanal Carrier Air Group 28 (CVLG-28) F4F-4 [see Note 3 below]

VF-28
25 April 1943 - November 1943 CVE-28 USS Chenango Carrier Air Group 28 (CVLG-28) F4F-4
11 June 1944 - 19 December 1944 CVL-26 USS Monterey Carrier Air Group 28 (CVLG-28) F6F-3 / F6F-5P
January 1945 - 1945 CVL-26 USS Monterey Carrier Air Group 28 (CVLG-28) F6F-3 / F6F-5P


Decal on leather.

 

 

Original artwork (Smithsonian Institution)

 

 

 

Combat record: 67 victories, 2 aces. Lost 4+ pilots deployed.

 

VGF-28 shared Suwannee with three other squadrons during Operation Torch for a total complement of 29 F4Fs and nine TBFs. However, no aerial combat was offered the Fighting 28 Wildcats, who had to await their chance at the war in the Pacific for air-to-air gunnery. Alternately flying from Guadalcanal, the Russells, and Chenango, VF-28 (redesignated 1 March 1943) claimed two Mitsubishi A6M "Zero" fighters, code-named by Allies "Zekes", in April and 10 during July. Top scorers were LT(jg)s J.H. Waring with four Zekes and Roy Reed with two.

 

 

 

Ten months later, equipped with Hellcats, VF-28 deployed in Monterey under the guidance of Lt.Cdr. Roger Mehle, a VF-6 alumnus. The skipper showed his new guys how it was done, claiming two Zekes and two probables over Tinian on 11 June 1944. Nineteen kills were credited on the day of the Turkey Shoot, 19 June, when Mehle splashed two kills. He thereby ran his wartime total to 5.66, while Us. Buck Bailey claimed four Zekes and Don Clements three.

 

 

Only three more victories were credited until the Philippine campaign heated up in mid-October. VF-28 splashed three snoopers from the 12th to the 14th, then bagged 10 bombers and fighters on the 15th. The second-best day of the cruise was 5 November when 14 assorted army and navy types were downed in the Clark Field area with Ens. R.L. Richardson claiming three. The squadron's final two victories of the war occurred on 11 November and 14 December, raising the tally to 67.

 

[Note 1]
On 1 March 1943 there was a major redesignation of US Navy squadrons.

A revision of the squadron designation system changed Inshore Patrol Squadrons to Scouting Squadrons (VS), Escort Fighting Squadrons (VGF) to Fighting Squadrons (VF), Escort Scouting Squadrons (VGS) to Composite Squadrons (VC) and Patrol Squadrons (VP) operating land type aircraft to Bombing Squadrons (VB). This revision also redesignated carrier Scouting Squadrons (VS) as VB and VC and as a result the types of squadrons on Essex Class carriers was reduced to three. In spite of this change, the aircraft complement of their Air Groups remained at its previous level of 21 VF, 36 VSB and 18 VTB.

[Note 2]
During Operation Torch, the invasion of North Africa (November 1942), 12 Wildcats from VGF-28 were lent to Centre Attack Group Casablanca/Fedhala, on Suwanee.

[Note 3]
Task Force 18 during the Battle of Rennel Island (the action between TF 18 and the G4Ms on 29-30 Jan 1943, Evacuation of Guadalcanal.

 

 

Source:

Tillman, Barrett. U. S. Navy Fighter Squadrons in World War II. 1997.

 

VGF-28

VF-28

 

[The Iron Brigade]

Rick's posts add a great deal of knowledge to this forum. I encourage everyone to read them.

[Salvage Sailor]

USN VF-28 DESTROY TO DEFEND

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