1944-Contin ued

reached the target areas: two attacked a lighthouse on

Cape St. George, New Ireland, making one hit which

demolished the structure; nine attacked anti-aircraft

emplacements on beached ships achieving six direct

hits and two near misses; and 18 attacked other targets

in the Shortlands and Rabaul areas making 11 hits.

6 November Recognition of the future importance

of turbojet and turboprop powerplants led the Bureau

of Aeronautics to request the Naval Air Material Center

to study requirements for a laboratory to develop and

test gas-turbine powerplants. This initiated action

which led to the establishment of the Naval Air

Turbine Test Station, Trenton, N.J.

17 November The Bureau of Aeronautics reported

that technical studies were underway to determine the

feasibility of launching an adaptation of the lB-2, a

U.S. Army version of the German V-I Buzz Bomb,

from escort carriers for attacks on enemy surface ves-

sels and shore targets. Modifications visualized includ-

ed installation of radio controls and a radar beacon. As

subsequently developed, this became the Loon.

23 November Training Task Force Command was

dissolved and its facilities, personnel and equipment

reallocated.

27 November Commencement Bay, first of her class

built from the last U.S. escort carrier design, was com-

missioned at Tacoma, Wash., Captain Roscoe 1.

Bowman commanding.

29 November The changing character of the war

was reflected in a revision of the aircraft comple-

ment of Essex Class Carrier Air Groups to 73 VF, 15

VB and 15 VT. The fighter complement was to be

filled by two squadrons of 36 planes each plus one

for the Air Group Commander and to include four

VF(N), two VF(P) and two VF(E). The change to the

new figures was gradual, beginning with the assign-

ment of Marine fighter squadrons in December and

continued with the establishment of VBF squadrons

the following month.

30 November Fleet Air Wing 10 headquarters

became shore based on Jinamoc Island in the

Philippines.

1 December Electronics Tactical Training Unit was

established at NAS Willow Grove, Pa., to train person-

nel of the Airborne Coordinating Group as instructors

in the operation of all newer types of airborne elec-

UNITED STATES NAVAL AVIATION 1910-1995

147

tronics apparatus including search, navigation, identifi-

cation, and ordnance radar.

7 December Chourre was commissioned as the first

aviation repair ship of the U.S. Navy, Captain Andrew

H. Bergeson commanding.

11 December The steady decline in U-boat activity

in the Caribbean during the year permitted a reduction

of blimp operations over the southern approaches, and

Fleet Airship Wing 5 at Trinidad was disestablished,

12 December Three Evacuation Squadrons (VE) were

established in the Pacific from Air Sea Rescue Squadron

elements already providing evacuation services.

13 December Escort Carrier Force, Pacific (Rear

Admiral Calvin T. Durgin), was established for admin-

istrative control over all escort carriers operating in the

Pacific, excepting those assigned to training and trans-

port duty.

14-16 December Support of the Landings on

Mindoro-Six escort carriers of Task Unit 77.12.1 (Rear

Admiral Felix B. Stump) and Marine Corps shore-

based air flew cover for the passage of transport and

assault shipping through the Visayas (12-14 Dec). The

escort carriers provided direct support for landings by

Army troops (15 Dec) and in the assault area (16-17

Dec). On the night of D-day Navy seaplanes joined

with operations from Mangarin Bay. The covering sup-

port of Task Force 38 (Vice Admiral John S. McCain),

with seven heavy and six light carriers, began with

fighter sweeps over Luzon airfields (14 Dec) and

continued with successive combat air patrols relieved

on station, which spread an aerial blanket over

Luzon (14-16 Dec) and effectively pinned down all

enemy aircraft on the island and accounted for a

major share of the 341 enemy aircraft destroyed in

the brief campaign.

18 December Third Fleet units, refueling east of the

Philippines, were overtaken by an unusually severe

typhoon which formed nearby. Three destroyers cap-

sized in the high seas and several ships were dam-

aged, including four light carriers of Task Force 38 and

four escort carriers of the replenishment group.

28 December Marine Corps Fighter Squadrons 124

and 213, the first to operate from fast carriers in com-

bat, reported for their first tour of carrier duty aboard

Essex in Ulithi.

30 December The specification on aircraft color was

amended to provide that patrol and patrol bombing