VPB-17 was a Patrol Bombing Squadron 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 ...
. The squadron was established as Patrol Squadron 17 (VP-17) on 3 January 1944, redesignated Patrol Bombing Squadron 17 (VPB-17) on 1 October 1944 and disestablished on 30 January 1946.
Operational history
*3 January 1944: VP-17 was established at
NAS Norfolk
Naval Station Norfolk is a United States Navy base in Norfolk, Virginia, that is the headquarters and home port of the U.S. Navy's Fleet Forces Command. The installation occupies about of waterfront space and of pier and wharf space of the Hampt ...
, Virginia, as a large seaplane squadron flying 12
PBM-3D Mariners under the operational control of FAW-5. The squadron was relocated on 11 January 1944 to
NAS Harvey Point, North Carolina, for flight training. Fitting out and shakedown of squadron personnel and equipment continued through 31 March 1944.
*31 March 1944: VP-17 was temporarily relocated to
NAS Key West
Naval Air Station Key West , is a naval air station and military airport located on Boca Chica Key, four miles (6 km) east of the central business district of Key West, Florida, United States., effective 2007-10-25
NAS Key West is an air ...
, Florida, for continuation of flight training with emphasis on
Anti-submarine warfare
Anti-submarine warfare (ASW, or in older form A/S) is a branch of underwater warfare that uses surface warships, aircraft, submarines, or other platforms, to find, track, and deter, damage, or destroy enemy submarines. Such operations are t ...
(ASW). The squadron returned to NAS Harvey Point on 7 April 1944.
*12 April 1944: An advance party of 2 officers and 45 enlisted personnel proceeded to
NAS Alameda
Naval Air Station Alameda (NAS Alameda) was a United States Navy Naval Air Station in Alameda, California, on San Francisco Bay.
NAS Alameda had two runways: 13–31 measuring and 07-25 measuring . Two helicopter pads and a control tower were ...
, California, by train to prepare for the scheduled arrival of the remainder of the squadron. The remainder of the squadron personnel and equipment arrived with the squadron aircraft on 15 May 1944. Preparations for the trans-Pacific flight to Hawaii were commenced.
*18 May 1944: VP-17 began departing NAS Alameda for
NAS Kaneohe Bay
Marine Corps Air Station Kaneohe Bay or MCAS Kaneohe Bay is a United States Marine Corps (USMC) airfield located within the Marine Corps Base Hawaii complex, formerly known as Marine Corps Air Facility (MCAF) Kaneohe Bay or Naval Air Station (NAS) ...
on schedule with all aircraft arriving by 31 May. No problems were encountered en route. While at NAS Kaneohe Bay the squadron operated under the operational control of FAW-2.
*1 June 1944: After the squadron had settled into its new temporary quarters, it was quickly brought up to operational status and patrols in the vicinity of the Hawaiian Islands were commenced. Additional ASW training was begun on 1 July 1944, continuing until the squadron was deployed to the South Pacific.
*3 September 1944: VP-17 deployed a detachment of five aircraft to
NAB Ebeye, Eniwetok, Marshall Islands, joining
VP-21
VP-21 was a Patrol Squadron of the U.S. Navy. The squadron was established as Patrol Squadron 7-B (VP-7B) on 23 July 1929, redesignated Patrol Squadron 7-F (VP-7F) on 1 July 1931, redesignated Patrol Squadron 7 (VP-7) on 1 October 1937, redesigna ...
and sharing quarters aboard the tender . The detachment came under the operational control of FAW-1.
*11 September 1944: A detachment of three aircraft was deployed to
Tanapag Harbor,
Saipan, with tender support provided by . The remainder of the squadron from NAS Kaneohe Bay joined this detachment on 17 September 1944, bringing the detachment total to seven aircraft. Sector searches,
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 missio ...
missions, mail delivery and air cargo missions to
Palau
Palau,, officially the Republic of Palau and historically ''Belau'', ''Palaos'' or ''Pelew'', is an island country and microstate in the western Pacific. The nation has approximately 340 islands and connects the western chain of the ...
were assigned by Commander, Patrol Squadrons, FAW-1.
*5 October 1944: VPB-17 was reassigned temporarily to the tender in preparation for relocation to
Ulithi
Ulithi ( yap, Wulthiy, , or ) is an atoll in the Caroline Islands of the western Pacific Ocean, about east of Yap.
Overview
Ulithi consists of 40 islets totaling , surrounding a lagoon about long and up to wide—at one of the larges ...
. Six squadron aircraft departed for Ulithi on 9 October 1944, operating temporarily from the small seaplane tender until USS ''Hamlin'' arrived on 13 October 1944. The remaining six aircraft of the squadron arrived on the same date. Anti-shipping patrols in the vicinity of Ulithi were commenced immediately.
*24 December 1944: VPB-17 was relocated from Ulithi back to Tanapag Harbor, Saipan. Essential maintenance and crew rest was provided in preparation for further deployment.
*21 January 1945: VPB-17 was en route to
, Palau Islands. On arrival, the squadron was provided support by seaplane tender . Sector searches and anti-shipping patrols were commenced upon arrival.
*5 February 1945: VPB-17 was again relocated to Ulithi, and based temporarily aboard the tender .
*12 February 1945: A detachment of VPB-17 was deployed further south aboard the tender , operating out of
San Pedro Bay, Philippines, under the operational control of FAW-17. A second detachment was deployed to
Lingayen Gulf, berthed temporarily aboard the tender . The remainder of the squadron arrived at San Pedro Bay on 20 February and the crews were relocated to .
*9 March 1945: VPB-17 was relocated to
Jinamoc Seaplane Base
Jinamoc Seaplane Base is a former World War II seaplane base on Jinamoc Island, San Pedro Bay, Leyte Gulf, Philippines. Jinamoc Seaplane Base was part of the Leyte-Samar Naval Base.
History
Construction on the base commenced in December 1944 w ...
, Philippines, and rejoined by the detachment previously operating from Lingayen Gulf. The base at Jinamoc Island was completed on 31 March 1945, providing berthing and repair facilities ashore for the squadron.
*11 March 1945: A detachment of eight aircraft was deployed to
Puerto Princesa, Palawan Islands. Tender support upon arrival was provided by . The detachment remained until 22 April 1945, when it was deployed again to Lingayen Gulf, with tender support provided by . The detachment of four aircraft remaining at Jinamoc rejoined the squadron at Lingayen Gulf on 27 April 1945.
*7 June 1945: VPB-17 deployed a detachment to
Tawi-Tawi
Tawi-Tawi, officially the Province of Tawi-Tawi ( tl, Lalawigan ng Tawi-Tawi; Tausug: ''Wilaya' sin Tawi-Tawi''; Sinama: ''Jawi Jawi/Jauih Jauih''), is an island province in the Philippines located in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim ...
, Sulu, Philippines. This group was joined by three additional aircraft on 14 June.
*15 June 1945: The rest of VPB-17 remained in Lingayen Gulf at
Port Sual, Philippines, still aboard USS ''Tangier''. Night searches and attack patrols were conducted from this location against enemy positions and ships until 30 June, when the remainder of the squadron rejoined the detachment at Lingayen. The reunited squadron was relocated aboard USS ''Currituck''.
*2 July 1945: Eleven squadron aircraft were deployed back to Tawi-Tawi, aboard USS ''Pocomoke''. Patrols were conducted over
Balikpapan
Balikpapan is a seaport city in East Kalimantan, Indonesia. Located on the east coast of the island of Borneo, the city is the financial center of Kalimantan. Balikpapan is the city with the largest economy in Kalimantan with an estimated ...
,
Borneo
Borneo (; id, Kalimantan) is the third-largest island in the world and the largest in Asia. At the geographic centre of Maritime Southeast Asia, in relation to major Indonesian islands, it is located north of Java, west of Sulawesi, and ea ...
, and
Morotai.
*14 September 1945: VPB-17 was relocated to
Jinsen
Incheon (; ; or Inch'ŏn; literally "kind river"), formerly Jemulpo or Chemulp'o (제물포) until the period after 1910, officially the Incheon Metropolitan City (인천광역시, 仁川廣域市), is a city located in northwestern South Kore ...
, Korea, operating from the tender USS ''Currituck''. While at this location the squadron operated with the
7th Fleet
The Seventh Fleet is a numbered fleet of the United States Navy. It is headquartered at U.S. Fleet Activities Yokosuka, in Yokosuka, Kanagawa Prefecture, Japan. It is part of the United States Pacific Fleet. At present, it is the largest of ...
for duty with the Allied
occupation of Korea and the China coast. On the 19th, part of the squadron was ordered to move to
Lungwha Airdrome on the
Whangpo River, where it was joined by the remainder of the squadron after USS ''Currituck'' arrived on 24 September 1945.
*29 September 1945: VPB-17 was deployed to
Taku
Taku may refer to:
Places North America
* the Taku River, in Alaska and British Columbia
** Fort Taku, also known as Fort Durham and as Taku, a former fort of the Hudson's Bay Company near the mouth of the Taku River
** the Taku Glacier, in Al ...
. USS ''Currituck'' and the squadron staff departed, leaving half the squadron at Shanghai and the other half based temporarily aboard . The squadron was reunited at the end of the month at Taku.
*30 January 1946: VPB-17 was disestablished at NAS San Diego.
[
]
Aircraft assignments
The squadron was assigned the following aircraft, effective on the dates shown:[
* PBM-3D - January 1944
]
Home port assignments
The squadron was assigned to these home ports, effective on the dates shown:[
* ]NAS Norfolk
Naval Station Norfolk is a United States Navy base in Norfolk, Virginia, that is the headquarters and home port of the U.S. Navy's Fleet Forces Command. The installation occupies about of waterfront space and of pier and wharf space of the Hampt ...
, Virginia - 3 June 1944
* NAS Harvey Point, North Carolina - 11 January 1944
* NAS Kaneohe Bay
Marine Corps Air Station Kaneohe Bay or MCAS Kaneohe Bay is a United States Marine Corps (USMC) airfield located within the Marine Corps Base Hawaii complex, formerly known as Marine Corps Air Facility (MCAF) Kaneohe Bay or Naval Air Station (NAS) ...
, Hawaii - 18 May 1944
* 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 - January 1946
See also
* Maritime patrol aircraft
A maritime patrol aircraft (MPA), also known as a patrol aircraft, maritime reconnaissance aircraft, or by the older American term patrol bomber, is a fixed-wing aircraft designed to operate for long durations over water in maritime patrol rol ...
* List of inactive United States Navy aircraft squadrons
There are hundreds of US Navy aircraft squadrons which are not currently active dating back to before World War II (the U.S. Navy operated aircraft prior to World War I, but it did not organize them in squadrons until after that war). To be mo ...
* List of United States Navy aircraft squadrons
This is a list of active United States Navy aircraft squadrons. ''Deactivated'' or ''disestablished'' squadrons are listed in the List of inactive United States Navy aircraft squadrons.
Navy aircraft squadrons are composed of several aircraft (fr ...
*
* History of the United States Navy
The history of the United States Navy divides into two major periods: the "Old Navy", a small but respected force of sailing ships that was notable for innovation in the use of ironclads during the American Civil War, and the "New Navy" the ...
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Vpb-17
Patrol squadrons of the United States Navy
Wikipedia articles incorporating text from the Dictionary of American Naval Aviation Squadrons