Squadron Flight Log
VB-106
“WOLVERATORS”
VB-106
“WOLVERATORS”
Squadron History
Valiant Navy Bombing Squadron 106
Bombing Squadron, VB-106, was commissioned on June 1, 1943 at the Naval Auxiliary Air Station, Camp Kearney, California. Commander John Tucker Hayward was ordered to the squadron as the Commanding Officer. Commander Hayward reported to Commander Fleet Air Wing FOURTEEN located at the Naval Air Station, North Island, San Diego, California for Operational Control.
During June and July the squadron, named the WOLVERATORS, received fifteen (15) new PY-1 Liberator aircraft. Crews were formed and conducted intensive training for combat in the Pacific area of operations. The exact location remained a secret at this time.
In accordance with Commander Fleet Air Wing Fourteen orders, on August 18, 1943 the fifteen squadron planes deployed across the Pacific Ocean to the Naval Air Station at Kaneohe Bay, Oahu, Hawaii. There were eighteen assigned flight crews in the squadron. Upon arrival Commander Hayward reported to Commander Fleet Air Wing TWO at Kaneohe Bay for Operational Control. At Kaneohe Bay, the squadron continued training and also conducted operational flights in search of Japanese forces to the north and west of Hawaii.
On September 30, 1943 six planes and nine crews departed for Midway Island for operations as Task Unit 14.8.3 in support of a Fleet Operation against WAKE Island (Commander Task Force Fourteen Operations Order 15-43). From time of arrival at Midway until October 5, 1943, the squadron conducted operational scouting missions in search of a Japanese Fleet believed to be in the area. On October 5, in conjunction with a Carrier Task Force, the six planes made the first raid on Japanese held Wake Island since its capture. The successful raid provided the initial taste of battle for
the anxious crews. The following four days the crews conducted search, reconnaissance and bombing missions as required. The planes and crews returned to Hawaii on October 9, 1943.
From October 7, 1943, until October 23, eleven planes and crews were on duty at Canton
Island to conduct fighter escort for Photographic Squadron THREE (VD-3) Photographic PB4Y-1 aircraft. On October 12 and 13 the missions were against Japanese held Makin Island by way of Baker Island. On October 18 and 19 the group conducted fighter escort and bombing missions against Tarawa Island by way of Funafuti Island.
On October 28, 1943, the squadron began the deployment from Hawaii for Carney Field,
Guadalcanal with stops at Christmas Island, Tutuila in Samoa and Espiritu Santos. Espiritu Santos was a large Naval Supply Depot. Here arrangements were reconfirmed to assure delivery of the PB4Y spare parts and other logistic items. With the Administrative matters completed, the squadron departed on the last leg of the transition to their new home base. The crews arrived at Carney Field, Guadalcanal from Novernber 2 and November 11 with fifteen aircraft. Commander Hayward reported to Commander Fleet Air Wing ONE.
The first combat missions were scheduled the following morning, November 11, 1943, (World War I Armistice Day) and each day thereafter. The squadron operated with Bombing Squadron 104 (VB- 104) as the NAVY SEARCH GROUP conducting regular and special search operations in accordance with ComAirSoPac Search Plans 1-43 and 2-43. The search zone, fifteen degree sectors, covered the ocean area north west up the slot to Kavieng, New Ireland then north and east, including Nauru Island. Enemy installations were bombed repeatedly on OCEAN Island, GREEN Island, NEW IRELAND, KIETA, and KAPINGAMARANGI. From arrival until February 5, 1944, VB-106 missions included the previously mentioned flights and also daily reconnaissance against NAURU Island, a heavily defended island to the northeast.
From February 5, 1944 until March 24, 1944, the squadron operated from Munda, New Georgia with VB-104. In addition to the regular patrol/anti shipping flights, the VB-106 crews acted as aerial spotters for Navy Destroyers and Cruisers shelling enemy installations at KAVIENG on February 17-25, RABAUL, DUKE of YORK, HAMELA MISSION area, BUKA and NAMATANAI on New Ireland. Other bombing and strafing missions were conducted against TARO Island, CHOISEUL Bay and MONORTU Mission on Bougainville. This new advanced base, Munda, provided greater range for the planes in their search and attack against Japanese shipping supplying Japanese bases on New Guinea, New Ireland and other strategic sites.
On March 25, 1944 Commander Hayward moved the squadron to Nadzab, New Guinea. At this new air strip he reported for Operational Control to ComAir7thFlt and ComGen5thAF. Eight hundred mile sectors were flown from Finchofen, New Guinea to the west, north and east. On April 11, 1944, the squadron moved to Momote Airfield, Los Negros Islands, Admiralties to operate eleven planes from this base. Four additional planes were deployed to Wadke Island under the temporary operational control of ComGen5thAF.
Flight operations for VB-106 were terminated on May 27, 1944 when VB-101 relieved the
squadron. During the period from May 27 to June 1 the squadron departed for Kaneohe Bay, Hawaii and further transfer to Camp Kearney, California. Thirty days leave was granted to all squadron members upon reaching the West Coast of the United States.
On July 14, 1944 the VB-106 WOLVERATORS reformed at the Naval Air Station, San Diego. Commander John Tucker Hayward was relieved by Commander William S. Sampson on July 15, 1944.
During the remainder of July, August and September, 1944, the squadron conducted ground and flight training in preparation for the deployment back to the combat area Based on recommendations from the PB4Y-1 operating forces and the need to have a mission oriented aircraft, the Navy developed the PB4Y-2, Privateer. This aircraft had extended range and the latest electronic equipment. It was twelve feet longer and had a single vertical stabilizer
Bombing Squadron 106, scheduled to receive the new PB4Y-2 Privateer, was redesignated Patrol Bombing Squadron 106 on October 1, 1944 at Camp Kearney, California.. Cdr. Sampson reported to Commander Fleet Air Wing FOURTEEN at North Island Naval Air Station, San Diego, California.
The squadron continued to conduct extensive training for the forthcoming deployment.
On November 23, 1944, part of the squadron departed by ship for Kaneohe Bay, Oahu, Hawaii. The remainder of the squadron, flying the new Privateer aircraft, departed for Kaneohe Bay on December 5, 1944.
VPB-106 conducted operational missions in Hawaii until February 10, 1945 when they departed for West Field, Naval Air Base Tinian via Johnston and Kwajalein Islands. The entire squadron rendezvoused at Tinian on February 16 to conduct long range reconnaissance and photographic missions over TRUK Island and strikes against the Borodino Islands. In addition the squadron conducted strikes against the Japanese mainland along the Honshu Coast and other selected Islands under the Operational Control of Commander Fleet Air Wing ONE
On February 13, 1945 three of the squadron officers participated as Naval Observers on a flight over Tokyo at minimum altitude in conjunction with the first flights to bomb Tokyo.
On April 8, 1945, some planes of the squadron were dispatched to Central Field, Iwo Jima to conduct searches in the southern Japanese Islands and the northern Bonins.
Between May 4 and 8, 1945, the entire squadron relocated to Palawan, P.I. conducting 850 to 1000 mile search and strike missions covering the West coast of the CELEBES, the MAKASSAR Straits, the East and the West coast of BORNEO, LINGA ARCHIPELAGO, the NATOENA Islands, the ANAMBAS Islands, SINGAPORE, the East Coast of the Malay Peninsula and the southern tip of INDO-CHINA.
In early July 1945 replacement crews started to arrive to relieve the squadron. The Plane Commanders of these crews were Lcdr. Harold Hickman arriving on July 8 and Lt. Walter Meierhoffer and Lt. St. John arriving on July 19. On July 24, 1945, Cdr. Sampson was detached as the Commanding Officer of VPB-106 to report to Commander Fleet Air Wing SEVENTEEN. He was relieved by Lcdr. Hickman as Acting Commanding Officer. On August 10, 1945, Lcdr Hickman was designated the Commanding Officer.
There were rumors that the war would be over soon but combat operations still took its deadly toll. During July and August 1945 replacement crews continued to arrived. The crews reporting for duty in VPB-106 were Lt. Moore on July 30, Ltjg. Newborn on August 5, Ltjg. Banfield on August 11, Lt. Bird and Lt. Cady on August 13, Lcdr. Rogers on August 16, Lcdr. Kaufman on August 24 and Lt. Said on August 29. As the new replacement crews arrived, veteran
squadron crews were relieved and returned to the States. It is interesting to note that several of the new crew members had initially served a combat tour of duty in England in one of the PB4Y-1 squadrons conducting missions in the European Theater of Operations.
On August 14, 1945, the rumors became a fact. PEACE was confirmed. The flights that had launched in the early morning light were recalled to the base. These search aircraft returned to rendezvous over the beach area and fly formation across the airfield before landing..
The operations of the squadron changed to a peacetime routine with the end of hostilities and the transfer of the original combat crews continued, More replacement crews reported; Lcdr. Blake on September 8, LtJG Myles and Lt. Huff on September 9 and LtJG. Lewis and Lt. Mallonee on November 18, 1945. It was a new type of operation for the flight crews after the hectic wartime missions.
In October 1945, Lcdr. Hickman was relieved as Commanding Officer by Cdr. Richard J. Teich. Mission review, downsizing and reorganization were underway for all Naval Air units. VPB- 106, relocated to Samar, P.I. on December 17, 1945, faced continuous organizational changes as personnel were being transferred to other units or discharged. Soon replacement pilots, who were in a PB4Y-2 training pipeline in the states when the war ended, were sent out as individual replacements without crews. It was a period of personnel assignment chaos.
For example, Lt. Al DeGennaro and his crew had completed the PB4Y-2 Operational Training at whiting Field in March 1946. The crew was disbanded and the individuals sent to PB4Y-2 squadrons as required. Lt. DeGennaro and three other qualified Patrol Plane Commanders were ordered to report to Commander Fleet Air Wing 10 at Sangley Point, Philippines for further assignment. He reported to VPB-106 on April 8, 1946. A short time later Lcdr. Couch and Lcdr. Whitacre reported. These were the last known replacement pilots to be assigned to the squadron.
The squadron was redesignated as Patrol Squadron 106 on May 15, 1946. Cdr. Teich continued to served as the Commanding Officer until June 1946 when he was relieved by the Executive Officer, Lcdr. Congrave C. Callaway at Samar, P.I. (Navy No. 3149).
VP-106 continued its patrol mission by flying regular daily training flights. With the advent of Typhoon season, the squadron was assigned an additional mission for Weather Reconnaissance. The planes would penetrate the storm at low altitude in order to pinpoint the eye of the typhoon. This provided for early warning to the surrounding islands and shipping.
As other Naval Air patrol squadrons were decommissioned, crew members were transferred to the units that were still intact. VPB/VP-106 received several of these personnel during May, June and July, 1946. At this time rumors spread that VP-106 was to be decommissioned also. Lt. Albert A. DeGennaro recalls the last few days before VP-106 was decommissioned.
On September 7, 1946, the remaining members of the squadron assembled for a final squadron picture. A dispatch had been received stating the squadron was to be decommissioned. It started out by saying “DISREGARD MY (date/time group Z)”, a message that had not been received by the squadron. The new message delivered to the squadron outlined the disposition of the aircraft and personnel. They were to be transferred to other PB4Y-2 squadrons in the Western Pacific theater, Sangley Point, P.I., Okinawa, and Guam. There were only about 18 pilots remaining in the squadron at this time.
Through communications channels Lcdr. Cailaway was able to locate a copy of the “Disregard” message. It had directed the Commanding Officer of VP-106 to depart Samar with the entire squadron and report to ComFairWestCoast in San Diego. If he had received this message, the squadron personnel and planes would not have been scattered throughout the Philippine Islands. They would have returned to the United States as a unit.
Flying PB4Y-2 Bureau Number 59671, Lt DeGennaro departed Samar on September 9, 1946 for Guam with three (3) other aircraft. The Plane Commanders and crews were Lcdr. Whitacre, Lair. Couch and Lt JG Lewis. They were ordered to report to Commander Fleet Air Wing 18 upon arrival at Guam. The Patrol Plane Commanders (PPC) and the aircraft were reassigned by CFAW- 18. Lt. DeGennaro and Lt(JG) Lewis were assigned to VP-102, Lcdr. Couch was assigned to VP- 101 and Lcdr. Whitacre was assigned to the Fleet Air Wing 18 Staff. The Co-pilots and crews of these planes were sent to Sangley Point, P.I. for reassignment by Fleet Air Wing 10.
The other pilots and crews in the squadron departed that same day, or shortly thereafter, from Samar for Sangley Point, P.I. to report to Commander Fleet Air Wing 10 for further assignment(FFA). Lt. Bob Cummings delivered a plane to Sangley Point to Cdr. I. W. Brown, the Commanding Officer of VP-119. DeGennaro’s assigned plane, Bureau Number 59626, was left at Samar because of the shortage of crews but was delivered to Sangley Point shortly thereafter.
On September 13, 1946, VP-106 had one plane and one crew remaining. The Commanding Officer, Lcdr. Congrave C. Callaway and crew departed Samar, P.I. that date for San Diego. They arrived on September 30, 1946 and reported to Commander Fleet Air West Coast with the squadron records for decommissioning. Copilots Bob Cummings and Bill Dunlap were in the crew at this time. The plane was PB4Y-2 Bureau Number 59763. On October 4, 1946 the entire crew received orders and were detached.
On October 5, 1946, this distinguished combat squadron was decommissioned. During the three years and four months of its life the squadron had seen two tours of combat and conducted extensive typhoon reconnaissance. The last five personnel, Howard R. Baldwin, AMM1; George W. Cruppenink, Y2; Earl Eugene Holloway, ACOM; Loren Wayne Keith and Irvin Wilby Peters, ACRM were ordered to report to the Fleet Air Reclassification Center for further assignment by Commander Fleet Air, West Coast. The October 15, 1946 Muster Report reads “Number remaining on board at the end of this period–O”.
For further information read both VB and VPB-106 Squadron War Diary, Report of Activities and other info in the Museum library.
Squadron Members
Abbot, Thomas George AOM
Farabee, Ray Calvin AMM
| Guillickson, Carrol Joseph AOM Hacker, Arthur Edwin Ens.
|
Yeoman, Donald Gilbert AOM
|