VH-6 (Rescue Squadron 6) was one of six dedicated (VH) Rescue Squadrons of the

U.S. Navy The United States Navy (USN) is the maritime service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the eight uniformed services of the United States. It is the largest and most powerful navy in the world, with the estimated tonnage o ...

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. In the final week of the war, VH-6 rescued 13 aviators off the coast of Japan. VH-6 was established in January 1945 and disestablished in February 1946. The squadron employed the

Martin PBM Mariner The Martin PBM Mariner was an American patrol bomber flying boat of World War II and the early Cold War era. It was designed to complement the Consolidated PBY Catalina and PB2Y Coronado in service. A total of 1,366 PBMs were built, with the fir ...

during its operations.

Operational history

* January 1945: VH-6 was established at

NAS San Diego Naval Air Station North Island or NAS North Island , at the north end of the Coronado peninsula on San Diego Bay in San Diego, California, is part of the largest aerospace-industrial complex in the United States Navy – Naval Base Coronado (NB ...

, California.. * 27 July 1945: VH-6 commences rescue operations around

Okinawa is a prefecture of Japan. Okinawa Prefecture is the southernmost and westernmost prefecture of Japan, has a population of 1,457,162 (as of 2 February 2020) and a geographic area of 2,281 km2 (880 sq mi). Naha is the capital and largest city ...

, joining Rescue Squadron VH-3 which has been there since April. * 8-10 August 1945: VH-6 rescues 13 downed aviators off Japan. * 14 August 1945: While on a standby mission for a

USAAF The United States Army Air Forces (USAAF or AAF) was the major land-based aerial warfare service component of the United States Army and ''de facto'' aerial warfare service branch of the United States during and immediately after World War II ...

bomber strike, a PBM from VH-6 is harassed by three Zero Fighters. The Lockheed P-38 Lightning escort is called for assistance. In the ensuing melee, one attacking Zero is shot down and another is listed as a probable. The third Zero escapes after shooting down one of the P-38's (whose pilot does not survive). * November–December 1945: VH-6 performs operations in the

Yellow Sea The Yellow Sea is a marginal sea of the Western Pacific Ocean located between mainland China and the Korean Peninsula, and can be considered the northwestern part of the East China Sea. It is one of four seas named after common colour ter ...

. * February 1946: VH-6 was disestablished.

References

{{United States Navy Aircraft Squadrons Rescue squadrons of the United States Navy

Operational history

See also

References