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Fighting Squadron 2 or VF-2 was an aviation unit of the
At the time of the Japanese
United States Navy
The United States Navy (USN) is the naval warfare, maritime military branch, service branch of the United States Department of Defense. It is the world's most powerful navy with the largest Displacement (ship), displacement, at 4.5 millio ...
. Originally established as VF-2 on 1 January 1927, it was redesignated VF-2B on 1 July 1927, redesignated as VF-2S on 1 July 1932, redesignated as VF-2B in April 1933, redesignated as VF-2 on 1 July 1937, it was disestablished on 1 July 1942. It was the second US Navy squadron to be designated as VF-2.
Operational history
World War II
At the time of the Japanese Attack on Pearl Harbor
The attack on Pearl HarborAlso known as the Battle of Pearl Harbor was a surprise military strike by the Empire of Japan on the United States Pacific Fleet at Naval Station Pearl Harbor, its naval base at Pearl Harbor on Oahu, Territory of ...
, VF-2 was flying the F2A Buffalo, but soon transitioned to the F4F Wildcat
The Grumman F4F Wildcat is an American Carrier-based aircraft, carrier-based fighter aircraft that entered service in 1940 with the United States Navy, and the British Royal Navy where it was initially known as the Martlet. First used by the B ...
.
The squadron's first combat occurred during the Battle of the Coral Sea
The Battle of the Coral Sea, from 4 to 8 May 1942, was a major naval battle between the Imperial Japanese Navy (IJN) and naval and air forces of the United States and Australia. Taking place in the Pacific Theatre of World War II, the battle ...
, the world's first engagement between aircraft carriers. On 7 May 1942, VF-2 escorted strike aircraft against the Japanese aircraft carrier Shōhō
''Shōhō'' (Japanese: 祥鳳, "Auspicious Phoenix" or "Happy Phoenix") was a light aircraft carrier of the Imperial Japanese Navy. Originally built as the submarine support ship ''Tsurugizaki'' (Japanese: 剣埼, "Sword Cape") in the late 193 ...
. VF-2 claimed 6 confirmed aerial kills and 3 probable kills. The next day, Japanese carriers Shokaku and Zuikaku
was the second and last built for the Imperial Japanese Navy (IJN) shortly before the beginning of the Pacific War. ''Zuikaku'' was one of the most modern Japanese aircraft carriers when commissioned, and saw successful action throughout numero ...
exchanged air strikes with the US force, and VF-2 lost 5 aircraft while claiming 11 kills. succumbed to torpedo damage and sank. Without an aircraft carrier, VF-2 was disestablished on 1 July 1942.
See also
*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 became notable for innovation in the use of ironclads during the American Civil War, and the "New Navy" ...
*List of inactive United States Navy aircraft squadrons
Most of the United States Navy aircraft Squadron (aviation), squadrons established since the Navy designated its first aircraft squadrons in 1919 no longer exist, having been "disestablished". Another 40 or so have been "deactivated", currently e ...
*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.
The U.S. Navy uses the term "squadron" only to describe uni ...
* VF-2 (1943-5)
*VFA-2
Strike Fighter Squadron 2 (VFA-2) also known as the "Bounty Hunters" is a United States Navy F/A-18F Super Hornet strike fighter squadron based at Naval Air Station Lemoore, California. Their tail code is NE and their callsign is "Bullet". They ...
References
External links
{{DEFAULTSORT:VF-2 (1927-1942) Strike fighter squadrons of the United States Navy Military units and formations of the United States Navy in World War II