CASU 9 | CASU(F) 9 | Combat Aircraft Service Unit NINE | San Pedro Bay

1,132 · May 24, 2020

CASU 9 | CASU(F) 9 | Combat Aircraft Service Unit NINE
Carrier Aircraft Service Unit NINE
Combat Aircraft Service Unit NINE

Silkscreened on aircraft fabric.

Carrier Aircraft Service Unit NINE was formed at Camp Mugu, Point Hueneme, California on August 21, 1944. After completion of training, on October 11, 1944 CASU NINE boarded the United States Army Transport TABINTA. The unit comprised 27 officers and 512 men. On October 22 the international dateline was crossed and on October 27, the first stop was made at Majuro Island in the Marshall Group. On the 29th the equator was crossed and on November 1 the unit arrived at Manus, Admiralty Islands, which it thought was its destination, but on November 3 the ship departed Manus and on October 4 arrived at Hollandia, New Guinea. Here the ship took on water and remained in harbor for about a week while the engines were repaired.

On November 6, 1944 the unit's designation was changed from Carrier Aircraft Service Unit Nine (CASU 9), to Combat Aircraft Service Unit (F) NINE. In the evening of November 10 CASU(F) NINE left Hollandia in convoy with LSTs and freighters and arrived in Leyte Gulf on 14 November, 1944. At the time that area was subject to daily air raids in this unit had its share.

On the morning of November 16, 1944, men and materials were sent ashore on Jinamoc Island which was located between Leyte and Samar in San Pedro Bay. This was to be the permanent location of Acorn Thirty. CASU(F) NINE was to remain here until its destination was determined. The men started setting up camp in the rain and mud, and at the same time working in eight hour shifts, 24 hours a day, unloading the Acorn ship. All this work was carried on under the most adverse conditions with a shortage of water and food.

The CASU was totally devoid of tools and equipment having been told it would draw all of its gear from Acorn THIRTY FOUR. Unfortunately Acorn 34 had not arrived on the scene, and, as it turned out eventually, went to Luzon instead of Leyte. The unit scrounged and acquired from other elements the tools it needed. The original camp, galley, and shop were set up within 100 feet of the strip upon which the planes were landing. The proximity of the camp and shop area to the strip caused considerable inconvenience, and no little danger to the personnel housed in working there, but there was no other area available on the crowded Tacloban Airstrip. Several planes were to crash in takeoffs and landings in the future, practically outside their tents, one within 50 feet of where some of the men were sleeping.

By Christmas 1944, the unit was maintaining a camp for 1,700 men and servicing to and one half squadrons of PB4Y-1 aircraft. Living at the Camp were the staff of Fleet Air Wing TEN, VPB-117, VPB-104, VPB-137, CASU(F) 62, CASU(F) 9 and any transient Naval air Corps personnel that came into the Tacloban Airstrip. A movie theater, recreation hall, canteen, barbershop, and other recreational facilities had been set up, but the unit was seriously handicapped both at the strip and camp because of a lack of supplies as it was not supported by an Acorn.

On January 23, 1945 one "B" Component and housekeeping personnel boarded USS TANGIERS for transportation to Linguyan Area, arriving January 26. This component was to have the designation CASU(F) 9.1.

On March 15, 1945 the remainder of CASU(F) 9 commenced relocation to Puerto Princesa, Palawan. Here the unit service squadrons VPB-106 and VPB-111. From this time on to the conclusion of the war, operations proceeded without change.