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VB-135 | VPB-135 | Patrol Bombing Squadron One Hundred Thirty-Five | "Blind Foxes"


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VB-135 | VPB-135 | Patrol Bombing Squadron One Hundred Thirty-Five | "Blind Foxes"

 

Established: VP-17 2 Jan 1937
Redesignated: VB-135 15 Feb 1943
Redesignated: VPB-135 1 Oct 1944

 

Aircraft: PV-1 Ventura


The Squadron was commissioned on 15 February 1943 at Ault Field, Whidbey Island, Washington. The nucleus to the Squadron was obtained from a decommissioned PBY Squadron, VP-42 that had made an impressive record in the defense of Dutch Harbor when it was attacked by Japanese forces in June 1942. The Squadron became the first one to operate PV-1 aircraft not only in Western Aleutians, but in the Pacific theater. VB-135's home port was Seattle, Washington.


The squadron members began the process for requesting a new insignia more in keeping with their current mission, but the new design was not approved until 30 August 1944. Shortly thereafter, the squadron was again redesignated and the new insignia was adopted by VPB-135.

 

 

Embroidered on twill.

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Insigne: A circular design with a cartoon fox central, riding a flying gas tank. The fox had one eye covered with a blindfold and wore a Mae West life preserver with a bomb under its right arm and a package of three machine guns under the left. A cane was clutched in the left paw extending down through clouds. A volcano was portrayed in the left corner of the design. The “flying gas tank” symbolized the PV-1 Ventura flown by the squadron at the time, which was a medium-range bomber with a “package” of heavy 50-caliber machine guns in the nose. The blindfold represented the blind flying common over Alaskan waters and the Aleutians, while the cane was the radar used to find the target. The Mae West indicated that most of the missions were conducted over water.

Colors: field, bright orange circled in black; fox, blue, outlined in black; tongue, red; tip of tail, white; Mae West, bright orange with black letters; package of machine guns, white with black outlines and black markings; machine guns, white with black outlines and markings; cane, black; flying gas tank, bright yellow with black outlines and markings; bomb, jade green; clouds, white outlined in black; volcano, royal blue with white top; and corner of field, royal blue.

 

 

Source:

Roberts, Michael D. Dictionary of American Naval Aviation Squadrons. Naval Historical Center, 2000. Vol II.

 

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