Rabaul 1943

US Navy Air groups - Rabaul - november 1943

INDEX | Task Forces | TF 31 | Ships | Pacific Fleet

TG 50.3	Montgomery	Essex	Bunker Hill	Independence
TF 38	Sherman	Saratoga	Princeton
TF 33	Mitscher	Airsols
5th USAAF	Kenney	Fifth Air Force	Royal Australian Air Force

CV-9 Essex

Air Group 9:

VF-9	37	F6F-3	Grumman	Hellcat	29
VB-9	34	SBD-5	Douglas	Dauntless	28	1x1000 AP (6) SAP (6) GP (16)
VT-9	19	TBF-1	Grumman	Avenger	19	1xMk. 13-1
	90				76
VF-17 (CAP)	11	F4U-1	Vought	Corsair

6 SBD were in reserve overhead in the hangar, only 28 used in operations.

CV-17 Bunker Hill

Air Group 17:

VF-18	34	F6F-3	Grumman	Hellcat	27
VB-17	34	SB2C-1C	Curtiss	Helldiver	23	1x1600 AP (9) 1x1000 SAP (9) 2x500 GP (5)
VT-17	19	TBF-1	Grumman	Avenger	18	1xMk. 13-1A
	87				68
VF-17 (CAP)	12	F4U-1	Vought	Corsair

24 Helldivers for Rabaul strike (1 crashed in takeoff), 4 for ASP, 3 for relief ASP. Possibly 3 SB2C in overhead reserve.

CVL-22 Independence

Air Group 22:

VF-22	12	F6F-3	Grumman	Hellcat	8
VF-6 Det.	12	F6F-3	Grumman	Hellcat	8
VC-22*	9	TBF-1	Grumman	Avenger	9	1xMk. 13-1
	33				25
VF-33 (CAP)	12	F6F-3	Grumman	Hellcat

* A det. of VC-22 was on Belleau Wood.

CV-3 Saratoga

Air Group 12:

VF-12	36	F6F-3	Grumman	Hellcat	33
VB-12	24	SBD-5	Douglas	Dauntless	22	1x1000 lb.
VT-12	19	TBF-1	Grumman	Avenger	16	1xMk. 13-1
	79				71
VF-40 (CAP)	8	F6F-3	Grumman	Hellcat
VF-33 (CAP)	4	F6F-3	Grumman	Hellcat

CVL-23 Princeton

Air Group 23:

VF-23	24	F6F-3	Grumman	Hellcat	22
VC-23	9	TBF-1	Grumman	Avenger	9	1xMk. 13-1
	33				31
VF-38 (CAP)	12	F6F-3	Grumman	Hellcat

Additional CAP from USMC squadrons: 5 Nov. 1 Div (4 F4U) VMF-211, 8+8 VMF-212, 2 Div (8?) VMF-215, 2+2 Div am+pm VMF-221.
11 Nov. VMF-212: 4+7 F4U ready and CAP am, 4 TF 38 and 4+4 TG 50.3 pm.; VMF-215: 3 Div (12 F4U) CAP am.; VMF-221: 1 Div. CAP pm.

Bakaroma (Vella Lavella)

Marine Air Group 12:

VMF-212	20	F4U-1	Vought	Corsair
VMF-215	20	F4U-1	Vought	Corsair
VMF-221	20	F4U-1	Vought	Corsair

Ondonga (New Georgia)

VF-17	36	F4U-1	Vought	Corsair
No. 15 RNZAF	20	P-40N	Curtiss	Kittyhawk IV
No. 18 RNZAF	20	P-40N	Curtiss	Kittyhawk IV

Segi (New Georgia)

VF-33	24	F6F-3	Grumman	Hellcat
VF-38	12	F6F-3	Grumman	Hellcat
VF-40	12	F6F-3	Grumman	Hellcat

Munda (New Georgia)

VMF-211 (Det.)	8	F4U-1	Vought	Corsair
VMF(N)-531 (Det.)	2	PV-1N	Lockheed	Ventura
VMSB-144	18	SBD-4/5	Douglas	Dauntless
VMSB-234	12	SBD-4	Douglas	Dauntless
VMTB-143	16	TBF-1	Grumman	Avenger
VMTB-233	18	TBF-1	Grumman	Avenger
VC-24	24	SBD-5	Douglas	Dauntless
VC-38	9	SBD-5	Douglas	Dauntless
VC-38	9	TBF-1C	Grumman	Avenger
VC-40	9	SBD-5	Douglas	Dauntless
VC-40	9	TBF-1C	Grumman	Avenger
67th FS USAAF	25	P-39M/N	Bell	Airacobra
70th FS USAAF	25	P-40M	Curtiss	Warhawk
17th PhS(L) USAAF (Det.)	4	F-5	Lockheed	Lightning
VB-140 (Det.)	12	PV-1	Lockheed	Ventura

VMF-211 based on Russell islands. 67th FS USAAF based on Woodlark island but operated from Munda. 17th Photographic Sqn. (Light) and VB-140 based on Guadalcanal.

Banika (Russell island)

VMF-211 (-)	12	F4U-1	Vought	Corsair
VMF(N)-531 (-)	6	PV-1N	Lockheed	Ventura
70th BS (42d Bomb Grp.)	13	B-25C	North American	Mitchell
75th BS (42d Bomb Grp.)	13	B-25C	North American	Mitchell
390th BS (42d Bomb Grp.)	13	B-25C	North American	Mitchell
VB-138	12	PV-1	Lockheed	Ventura

VMF-211 and VMF(N)-531 had dets at Munda airfield.

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