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VH-4 (Rescue Squadron)
VH-4 (Rescue Squadron 4) was one of six dedicated (VH) Rescue Squadrons of the U.S. Navy during WWII. A more comprehensive write-up on the VH squadrons can be found in the history of Rescue Squadron 3 (VH-3), which was the US Navy's most active VH squadron. VH-4 made 42 rescues of downed aviators, 9 rescues of Filipino civilians, and assisted in the rescue of another aviator. VH-4 was established in September 1944 and disestablished in November1946. The squadron employed the Martin PBM Mariner during its operations. Operational history * September 1944: VH-4 was established at NAS San Diego, California.. * March 1945: VH-4 commences operations in support of Invasion of Luzon in the Philippines. 7 survivors from 2 downed planes are rescued. An additional 9 Filipino women survivors from a capsized outrigger are rescued. * 22 April 1945: Lt Norvell of VH-4 rescues 5 survivors from a downed B-25 off of Formosa. * June 1945: VH-4 relocates to Okinawa to join Rescue Squadron VH-3, whi ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
World War II
World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis powers. World War II was a total war that directly involved more than 100 million personnel from more than 30 countries. The major participants in the war threw their entire economic, industrial, and scientific capabilities behind the war effort, blurring the distinction between civilian and military resources. Aircraft played a major role in the conflict, enabling the strategic bombing of population centres and deploying the only two nuclear weapons ever used in war. World War II was by far the deadliest conflict in human history; it resulted in 70 to 85 million fatalities, mostly among civilians. Tens of millions died due to genocides (including the Holocaust), starvation, ma ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
USS Gardiners Bay (AVP-39)
USS ''Gardiners Bay'' (AVP-39) was a United States Navy seaplane tender in commission from 1945 to 1958 that saw service in the latter stages of World War II and in the Korean War. After her decommissioning, she was transferred to Norway, and she served in the Royal Norwegian Navy as the training ship HNoMS ''Haakon VII'' (A537) from 1958 to 1974. Construction and commissioning ''Gardiners Bay'' was launched on 2 December 1944 at Houghton, Washington, by the Lake Washington Shipyard, sponsored by Mrs. George L. Richard. She commissioned at the Puget Sound Naval Shipyard at Bremerton, Washington, on 11 February 1945. United States Navy service World War II ''Gardiners Bay'' departed Seattle, Washington, on 1 March 1945 for shakedown out of San Diego, California, which she completed on 20 April 1945. She then proceeded via Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, to Eniwetok in the Marshall Islands to tend the seaplanes of Patrol Bombing Squadron 19 ( VPB-19) in a 10-day training period, the ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Air-sea Rescue
Air-sea rescue (ASR or A/SR, also known as sea-air rescue), and aeronautical and maritime search and rescue (AMSAR) by the ICAO and International Maritime Organization, IMO, is the coordinated search and rescue (SAR) of the survivors of emergency water landings as well as people who have survived the loss of their seagoing vessel. ASR can involve a wide variety of resources including seaplanes, helicopters, submarines, rescue boats and ships. Specialized equipment and techniques have been developed. Both military and civilian units can perform air-sea rescue. Its principles are laid out in the International Aeronautical and Maritime Search and Rescue Manual. The International Convention on Maritime Search and Rescue is the legal framework that applies to international air-sea rescue. Air-sea rescue operations carried out during times of conflict have been credited with saving valuable trained and experienced airmen. Moreover, the knowledge that such operations are being carried o ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Flying Boat
A flying boat is a type of fixed-winged seaplane with a hull, allowing it to land on water. It differs from a floatplane in that a flying boat's fuselage is purpose-designed for floatation and contains a hull, while floatplanes rely on fuselage-mounted floats for buoyancy. Though the fuselage provides buoyancy, flying boats may also utilize under-wing floats or wing-like projections (called sponsons) extending from the fuselage for additional stability. Flying boats often lack landing gear which would allow them to land on the ground, though many modern designs are convertible amphibious aircraft which may switch between landing gear and flotation mode for water or ground takeoff and landing. Ascending into common use during the First World War, flying boats rapidly grew in both scale and capability during the interwar period, during which time numerous operators found commercial success with the type. Flying boats were some of the largest aircraft of the first half of the 2 ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Seaplane Tender
A seaplane tender is a boat or ship that supports the operation of seaplanes. Some of these vessels, known as seaplane carriers, could not only carry seaplanes but also provided all the facilities needed for their operation; these ships are regarded by some as the first aircraft carriers and appeared just before the First World War. Terminology In maritime parlance a tender is a vessel that is used to support the operation of other vessels. In British usage, the term tender was used for small craft, with the term depot ship being used for large seagoing vessels. Flying boats and float planes even when based at home in ports and harbour had a need for small support vessels to operate.p British tenders were small craft of launch to pinnace size. These were used to ferry crews, stores and supplies between shore and the aircraft, to maintain the buoys used to mark out "taxiways" and "runways" and to keep these clear of debris to prevent foreign object damage, and in the case of ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Dumbo (air-sea Rescue)
Dumbo was the code name used by the United States Navy during the 1940s and 1950s to signify search and rescue missions, conducted in conjunction with military operations, by long-range aircraft flying over the ocean. The purpose of Dumbo missions was to rescue downed American aviators as well as seamen in distress. Dumbo aircraft were originally land-based heavy bomber aircraft converted to carry an airborne lifeboat to be dropped in the water near survivors. The name "Dumbo" came from Walt Disney's flying elephant, the main character of the animated film ''Dumbo'', appearing in October 1941.''Time'', August 6, 1945"World Battlefronts: Battle of the Seas: The Lovely Dumbos", page 1 an Retrieved on September 6, 2009. By extension, "Dumbo" became the unofficial nickname for ''any'' air-sea rescue aircraft, including flying boats that had less need to drop heavy lifeboats since the aircraft could land on the water and perform rescues directly.Algeo, John. ''Fifty years among the new ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
USS Orca (AVP-49)
The second USS ''Orca'' (AVP-49) was a United States Navy seaplane tender in commission from 1944 to 1947 and from 1951 to 1960. She saw service during the latter stages of World War II and during the Cold War. In 1962 she was loaned to Ethiopia, where she served in the Ethiopian Navy as the training ship ''Ethiopia'' (A-01) until 1991. She was the Ethiopian Navys largest ship until she was sold for scrapping in 1993. Construction and commissioning ''Orca'' was laid down on 13 July 1942 at Houghton, Washington, by the Lake Washington Shipyard. She was launched on 4 October 1942, sponsored by Mrs. J. W. Reeves, Jr., and commissioned on 23 January 1944. United States Navy service World War II New Guinea campaign After shakedown off San Diego, California, ''Orca'' sailed for Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, escorting the escort aircraft carrier . Reporting to Commander, Naval Air Force, United States Seventh Fleet, she was ordered on to Hollandia, Dutch New Guinea, where she commenced ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
USS Bering Strait (AVP-34)
USS ''Bering Strait'' (AVP-34) was a United States Navy small seaplane tender in commission from 1944 to 1946. She tended seaplanes during World War II in the Pacific in combat areas and earned three battle stars by war's end. After her U.S. Navy career ended, the ship served in the United States Coast Guard as the cutter USCGC ''Bering Strait'' (WAVP-382), later WHEC-382, from 1948 to 1971, seeing service in the Vietnam War. The Coast Guard decommissioned her at the beginning of 1971, and she was transferred to South Vietnam and served in the Republic of Vietnam Navy as the frigate RVNS ''Trần Quang Khải'' (HQ-02) until South Vietnams collapse at the end of the Vietnam War in April 1975. She fled to the Philippines, where she was incorporated into the Philippine Navy, in which she served from 1980 to 1985 as the frigate BRP ''Diego Silang'' (PF-9) and as BRP ''Diego Silang'' (PF-14) from 1987 to 1990. Construction and commissioning ''Bering Strait'' was laid down o ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
USS Pine Island (AV-12)
USS ''Pine Island'' (AV-12), a ''Currituck''-class seaplane tender, is the only ship of the United States Navy to hold this name. The ship was named after Pine Island Sound (off the coast of Lee County, Florida). ''Pine Island'' was laid down on 16 November 1942 at the Los Angeles Shipbuilding and Dry Dock Company, San Pedro, California; launched on 26 February 1944, sponsored by Mrs. Knefler McGinnis; and commissioned on 26 April 1945. World War II Departing California on 16 June 1945, ''Pine Island'' steamed to Okinawa. There she tended seaplanes engaged in air-sea rescue operations during the final phases of World War II. At the end of the war, she entered Tokyo Bay and contributed seaplane flight operations to the occupation of Japan in 1945. Following occupation duty in Japan, she conducted seaplane flight operations in the Whangpoo River near Shanghai, China. She left the Pacific in 1946, and steamed via the Suez Canal to Norfolk, Virginia. Operation Highjump ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
USS Suisun
USS ''Suisun'' (AVP-53) was a United States Navy ''Barnegat''-class small seaplane tender in commission from 1944 to 1955. It was named for northern California's Suisun Bay, which takes its name from the Native American Suisun tribe. Construction, commissioning, and shakedown ''Suisun'' was laid down on 4 October 1942 by Lake Washington Shipyard at Houghton, Washington. She was launched on 14 March 1943, sponsored by Mrs. C. W. Martyr, and commissioned on 13 September 1944. After fitting out, ''Suisun'' steamed to San Diego, California, on 18 October 1944 for her shakedown cruise, which lasted until 21 November 1944. She then had a post-shakedown yard availability period. World War II operations 1944-1945 Central Pacific operations ''Suisun'' departed the United States West Coast for Hawaii on 7 December 1944. She arrived at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, on 14 December 1944, and departed for Eniwetok in the Marshall Islands on 18 December 1944. She remained at Eniwetok from 26 Dec ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Operation Crossroads
Operation Crossroads was a pair of nuclear weapon tests conducted by the United States at Bikini Atoll in mid-1946. They were the first nuclear weapon tests since Trinity in July 1945, and the first detonations of nuclear devices since the atomic bombing of Nagasaki on August 9, 1945. The purpose of the tests was to investigate the effect of nuclear weapons on warships. The Crossroads tests were the first of many nuclear tests held in the Marshall Islands, and the first to be publicly announced beforehand and observed by an invited audience, including a large press corps. They were conducted by Joint Army/Navy Task Force One, headed by Vice Admiral William H. P. Blandy rather than by the Manhattan Project, which had developed nuclear weapons during World War II. A fleet of 95 target ships was assembled in Bikini Lagoon and hit with two detonations of Fat Man plutonium implosion-type nuclear weapons of the kind dropped on Nagasaki in 1945, each with a yield of . The first ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
VH-3 (Rescue Squadron)
VH-3 (Rescue Squadron 3) was one of six dedicated VH rescue squadrons of the U.S. Navy during WW II. Prior to their creation, the rescue function was performed as an additional "spur of the moment" duty by regularly operating patrol squadrons. The Fleet Commanders made clear "that the men who risked their lives to rocket, bomb, and strafe the enemy wherever and whenever possible, should under no circumstances, be left to fend for themselves when disaster struck them." After the war the Japanese related that they could not understand why so much was risked to save airmen. This was a tremendous morale builder for the flyers, but there was a cold calculated logic behind this as well. It meant that very expensively trained and experienced aviators could be rescued from a watery grave or brutal captivity and put back into the fight. American aircrews captured after being shot down over the Japanese home islands faced a grim fate. VH-3 squadron members related "how intense, ''intense ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
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