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UNITED STATES NAVAL AVIATION 1910-1995
1943-Contin ued
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The landing signal officer bringing in a F4U 41221
16 February Fleet Air Wing 16, Captain R. D. Lyon
commanding, was established at Norfolk. Va.
17 February Lighter-than-air operations over the
Caribbean were initiated from Edinburgh Field,
Trinidad, by the K -17 of Airship Patrol Squadron 51.
19 February A Letter of Intent was issued to Vega
Airplane Company for two XP2V-l patrol planes,
thereby initiating development of the P2V Neptune
series of land-based patrol aircraft.
21 February-1 November Advance up the
Solomons Chain-In a series of amphibious opera-
tions, directly and indirectly supported by Marine
Corps, Navy and Army units of Aircraft, South
Pacific, and Aircraft, Solomons, Central Pacific Forces
moved from Guadalcanal up the Solomon Islands
towards the Japanese naval base at Rabaul. Begin-
ning with the unopposed landing in the Russells (21
Feb), these forces leapfrogged through the islands
establishing bases and airfields as they went.
Moving into Segi of the New Georgia Group (21
Jun), through Rendova, Onaivisi, Wickham
Anchorage, Kiriwini and Woodlark (30 Jun), Viru (2
Jul), Zanana (2 Jul), Rice Anchorage (5 Jul), Vella
Lavella (15 Aug), Arundel (27 Aug), and Treasury
Islands (27 Oct), they reached Bougainville where
landings on Cape Torokina were additionally sup-
ported by carrier air strikes (1, 2 Nov) on the Buka-
Bonis airfields.
24 February The Naval Photographic Science
Laboratory was established at NAS Anacostia, D.C.,
under the direction of the Bureau of Aeronautics to
provide photographic services to the Navy and to
develop equipment and techniques suitable for
fleet use.

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