Observation Squadron 7 (VOS-7) (or VCS-7) was a

United States 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 ...

artillery observer An artillery observer, artillery spotter or forward observer (FO) is responsible for directing artillery and mortar fire onto a target. It may be a ''forward air controller'' (FAC) for close air support (CAS) and spotter for naval gunfire su ...

aircraft squadron based in England during Operation Overlord. The squadron was assembled expressly to provide aerial spotting for

naval gunfire support Naval gunfire support (NGFS) (also known as shore bombardment) is the use of naval artillery to provide fire support Fire support is defined by the United States Department of Defense as " Fires that directly support land, maritime, amphibiou ...

during the invasion of Normandy. Personnel and aircraft were assembled on 1 June 1944 and began flying missions on 6 June 1944. The squadron was disbanded when Allied capture of the town of Cherbourg ended naval bombardment responsibilities on 26 June 1944. It is thought to be one of the shortest-lived squadrons in the history of United States military aviation.

Background

Catapult-launched

Vought OS2U Kingfisher The Vought OS2U Kingfisher is an American catapult-launched observation floatplane. It was a compact mid-wing monoplane, with a large central float and small stabilizing floats. Performance was modest because of its low-powered engine. The OS2U ...

and

Curtiss SOC Seagull The Curtiss SOC Seagull was an American single-engined scout observation seaplane, designed by Alexander Solla of the Curtiss-Wright Corporation for the United States Navy. The aircraft served on battleships and cruisers in a seaplane configurati ...

observation floatplanes traditionally carried aboard battleships and cruisers for

s had been unable to survive

Axis An axis (plural ''axes'') is an imaginary line around which an object rotates or is symmetrical. Axis may also refer to: Mathematics * Axis of rotation: see rotation around a fixed axis * Axis (mathematics), a designator for a Cartesian-coordinat ...

fighter planes during the amphibious invasion of Sicily. Faster and more maneuverable fighters were expected to provide more reliable observation of naval gunfire support during the invasion of Normandy. Fighters could reach the invasion coast from bases in England, and gunfire support warship availability would be increased by eliminating time required for launch and recovery of aircraft.

Personnel and aircraft

Seventeen aviators were assigned from the VOS squadron detachments aboard the battleships , and and the

heavy cruiser The heavy cruiser was a type of cruiser, a naval warship designed for long range and high speed, armed generally with naval guns of roughly 203 mm (8 inches) in caliber, whose design parameters were dictated by the Washington Naval T ...

s , and . These naval aviators, commanded by the senior aviator from ''Quincy'', were trained by the

United States Army Air Forces 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 ...

67th Reconnaissance Group to fly Supermarine Spitfire Mk V fighter aircraft. VOS-7 is thought to be the only United States Navy Squadron flying Spitfires.

Operations

VOS-7 was part of the air spotting pool for the Normandy invasion (the 34th Reconnaissance Wing of the

RAF Second Tactical Air Force The RAF Second Tactical Air Force (2TAF) was one of three tactical air forces within the Royal Air Force (RAF) during and after the Second World War. It was made up of squadrons and personnel from the RAF, other British Commonwealth air forces, ...

) commanded by

Royal Navy The Royal Navy (RN) is the United Kingdom's naval warfare force. Although warships were used by English and Scottish kings from the early medieval period, the first major maritime engagements were fought in the Hundred Years' War against ...

Commodore E.C. Thornton. Use of drop tanks allowed missions of two hours with about 30 minutes transit time to the combat area, 45 minutes on station, and 30 minutes to return to base. Spotting missions flew in pairs. The spotter piloted the lead aircraft while his wingman watched for enemy fighters. Preferred altitude was , but overcast skies often limited visibility above . VOS-7 flew 191 (or 209) combat sorties beginning on 6 June. Ninety-four of those sorties were flown in the first three days. The senior aviator from ''Tuscaloosa'' was killed when his Spitfire was hit by flak on 6 June. Flak was responsible for most of the eight VOS-7 Spitfires destroyed by combat damage; but their pilots survived, as did the pilot of a ninth Spitfire destroyed in a non-combat accident. Four VOS-7 pilots survived encounters with Messerschmitt Bf 109 and Focke-Wulf Fw 190 fighters. VOS-7 pilots were awarded nine Distinguished Flying Crosses and eleven

Air Medal The Air Medal (AM) is a military decoration of the United States Armed Forces. It was created in 1942 and is awarded for single acts of heroism or meritorious achievement while participating in aerial flight. Criteria The Air Medal was establish ...

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Vos-7 Observation squadrons of the United States Navy Operation Overlord