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UNITED STATES NAVAL AVIATION 1910-1995
1944-Contin ued
Carrier Strike on Tokyo, and Task Force 38 (now
under Vice Admiral John S. McCain) sortied from Ulithi
to hit Luzon and Mindoro airfields and strike shipping
in Manila Bay (5-6 Nov), sinking a heavy cruiser and
other ships; hit a reinforcement convoy of four trans-
ports and five destroyers in Ormoc Bay (11 Nov) sink-
ing all but one destroyer; shifted to Luzon and the
Manila area (13-14 Nov) and sank a light cruiser, four
destroyers, and 20 merchant and auxiliary ships; hit
the same areas again (19 and 25 Nov), sinking another
heavy cruiser and several auxiliaries; and wound up
the month's operations with an aerial score of 770
enemy aircraft destroyed. During these actions, the
force was under several Kamikaze attacks which dam-
aged the carriers Intrepid (29 Oct), Franklin and
Belleau Wood (30 Oct), Lexington (5 Nov), Essex,
Intrepid, and Cabot (25 Nov)-two seriously enough
to require Navy Yard repairs.
14 October The Amphibious Forces Training
Command, Pacific, was directed to form mobile Air
Support Training Units to train Carrier Air Groups and
Marine Corps squadrons in the technique of close air
support operations.
17 October Commander, Fleet Air Wing 10, on
Currituck, arrived in Philippine waters and directed
patrol plane operations in support of the occupation
of Leyte.
19 October Commander, Fleet Air Wing 17 moved
to Morotai, N.E.1., to support Southwest Pacific opera-
tions against the Philippines.
21 October A new command, Marine Carrier Air
Groups, was established under Aircraft, Fleet Marine
Force, Pacific to direct the formation and training of
Marine Corps squadrons destined to operate from air
support escort carriers. Current plans called for the
formation of six Marine Carrier Air Groups, each com-
posed of a fighter and a torpedo squadron, four of
them to be assigned to escort carriers and two to func-
tion as replacement and training groups.
25 October In recognition of the difference in func-
tions performed, Carrier Aircraft Service Units and Patrol
Aircraft Service Units, operating at advanced bases, were
redesignated Combat Aircraft Service Units (Forward),
short title CASU(F), while those in the continental United
States and Hawaii retained the original title.
26 October The last attack in a month long demon-
stration of the TDR assault drone was made by Special
Task Air Group, thereby concluding the first use of the
guided missile in the Pacific. During the demonstration
a total of 46 drones were expended, of which 29
TDR-l, assault drone,
being prepared for attack
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