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VF-6 | Fighting Squadron Six | WWII theater-made patch


walika
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VF-6 | Fighting Squadron Six | Enterprise Air Group

Shooting Stars

 

 

For the collector, there is some confusion about the designation/insignia of VF-3 and VF-6 in the period 1942-1944. The commanding officers of VF-3 and VF-6 swapped unit designations on 15 July 1943, resulting in a three year controversy as to which squadron owned the Felix the Cat name and emblem until VF-3 was re-designated VF-3A on 15 November 1946 and awarded the official approval to adopt Felix the Cat by the Chief of Naval Operations. For a time, VF-3 used the shooting star logo, but the following example clearly indicates it was from VF-6, Shooting Stars.

 

 

Theater made. Hand-painted on leather. Soft, dark brown leather was painted silver, over which the logo was painted.

 

VF-6-800.jpg

 

 

The Enterprise Air Group was established on 1 July 1938, encompassing all squadrons embarked upon the USS Enterprise (CV-6). The group was divided into four squadrons, each with eighteen aircraft dedicated to a particular role. The squadrons were designated according to their role, and all were given the unit number six, derived from the hull number of the Enterprise. Bombing Six (VB-6) was equipped with Douglas SBD-2 Dauntless dive bombers, Fighting Six (VF-6) with Grumman F4F-3 Wildcat fighters, and Torpedo Six (VT-6) with Douglas TBD Devastator torpedo bombers. The fourth squadron, Scouting Six (VS-6) also had the SBD-2 Dauntless, but was more focused on the scout bomber role. This air group was embarked on board the Yorktown-class aircraft carrier USS Enterprise (CV-6) at the time of the attack on Pearl Harbor.

Six VF-6 F4F-3 Wildcats attempted to land at Ford Island the evening of December 7 but were accidentally shot down by friendly anti-aircraft fire, killing three pilots and wounding two others. Decimated in the first months of the war, VF-6 was nearly entirely reconstituted, receiving F4F-4's for its second deployment, the Doolittle Raid.

Summary of Operations:

Aboard Enterprise (CV-6)
7 Dec 1941-10 Mar 1942 Pearl Harbor, Marshall islands, Wake Island and Marcus Island
8 Apr 1942-20 Apr 1942 Doolittle Raid
30 Apr 1942-26 May 1942 Efate Island
28 May 1942-13 Jun 1942 Battle of Midway
15 Jul 1942-25 Aug 1942 Guadalcanal Campaign, Battle of Eastern Solomons
10 Nov 1943-9 Dec 1943 Operation Galvanic

Aboard Intrepid (CV-11)
Dec 1943-22 Mar 1944 Operation Flintlock, Operation Hailstone

Aboard Hancock (CV-19)
9 Mar 1945-11 Apr 1945 Operation Iceberg
13 Jun 1945-20 Jun 1945 Wake Island
1 Jul 1945-15 Aug 1945 air raids on Japan

 

 

 

Grumman F4F-4 “Wildcat” fighter of Fighting Squadron Six (VF-6) has its six .50 caliber machine guns tested on the flight deck of USS Enterprise (CV-6), 10 April 1942. Note open gun bays in the plane’s wings and markings below the cockpit (“6F9” with no dashes between letters and numerals). ( U. S. Navy photograph)

 

 

Grumman-F4F-4-Wildcat-fighter.jpg

 

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Not to be negative, but is there provinance for this?

 

Interested,

Owen Miller

 

It came from a vet of that unit.

 

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