Bombing Squadron 130
What was the official name of VP-2 from Mar 1943 to Oct 1944?
VP-2 VP-2 was a Patrol Squadron of the U.S . Navy . The squadron was established as Bombing Squadron 130 ( VB-130 ) on 1 March 1943 , redesignated Patrol Bombing Squadron 130 ( VPB-130 ) on 1 October 1944 , redesignated Patrol Squadron 130 ( VP-130 ) on 15 May 1946 , redesignated Medium Patrol Squadron ( Landplane ) 3 ( VP-ML-2 ) on 15 November 1946 , redesignated Patrol Squadron 2 ( VP-2 ) on 1 September 1948 and disestablished on 30 September 1969 . It was the second squadron to be designated VP-2 , the first VP-2 was redesignated VP-31 on 1 July 1939 . Operational history . - 3 March 1943 : VB-130 was established at NAS DeLand , Florida . Organization and training of squadron personnel took place over the next two and a half months , followed on 17 May 1943 by shake-down training flying the PV-1 Ventura at NAS Boca Chica , Florida . - 7 June 1943 : The squadron deployed to NAS San Juan , Puerto Rico , to provide convoy protection and Anti-submarine warfare ( ASW ) protection in Caribbean waters . - 16 June 1943 , the squadron was relocated to Edinburgh Field , Trinidad , to continue convoy protection and ASW patrols . - 6 August 1943 : Lieutenant Holmes and his crew sank the German submarine , U-615 . The submarine was caught on the surface in the Caribbean southeast of Curaçao and damaged badly enough by the bombs to prevent it from submerging . Unable to escape , the German crew scuttled the vessel . Forty-five of the U-boat’s crew of 49 were rescued by U.S . Navy vessels . - 12–27 August 1943 : The squadron moved to Recife , Brazil , where it remained until 27 August 1943 , when it was shifted again to Pici Field , Fortaleza . ASW patrols and convoy coverage were the primary activities of the squadron during the next eight months . - 30 April 1944 : VB-130 was relieved by VB-134 and returned to NAS Norfolk , Virginia for home leave . - 3 June 1944 : The squadron was reequipped with rocket launchers . Ground attack training using rockets took place over the next 30 days . - 3 July 1944 : VB-130 began ferry operations to shift equipment , personnel and aircraft from NAS Norfolk to NAS Alameda , California On 6 August 1944 the squadron boarded for transfer to NAS Kaneohe Bay , Hawaii , arriving on 13 August 1944 . - 10 Oct 1944 : VPB-130 transferred to Ponam Island , Admiralty Islands . Training continued along with operational ASW and antishipping patrols . - 1 November 1944 : VPB-130 began transferring its assets and personnel to Tacloban in the Philippine Islands , via Owi Airfield , Peleliu Airfield , Palau and Morotai . Squadron aircraft arrived on 6 November 1944 , and were placed under the tactical control of the 308th Bomb Wing of the USAAF Fifth Air Force . Through April 1945 , the squadron undertook a variety of missions in conjunction with 13th Army Air Force operations . Detachments operating from Morotai and Owi Island conducted to sector searches . The remainder of the squadron at Tacloban conducted sector searches . Numerous attacks were made on Japanese island installations , radar sites , airfields and small ships . - 24 April 1945 : VPB-130 transferred to Manus Island , where all personnel boarded on 1 May 1945 for return to the continental United States , where home leave was given to all hands . - 31 August 1945 : VPB-130 was reformed at Ault Field , NAS Whidbey Island , Washington , and training of personnel commenced utilizing new aircraft , the PV-2 Harpoon . - 29 September 1946 : The Truculent Turtle the squadron’s first P2V-1 Neptune land-based patrol bomber , flew from Perth , Australia , to Columbus , Ohio , a distance of in 55 hours and 18 minutes . The aircraft ( BuNo 89082 ) was manned by Commanders Thomas D . Davies , Eugene P . Rankin , Walter S . Reid and Lieutenant Commander Roy H . Tabeling . The flight was nonstop , without refueling , establishing a world record for nonstop flight . When the aircraft was taken out of service years later , it was placed on display at NAS Norfolk . This aircraft is now on display at the National Naval Aviation Museum , NAS Pensacola , Florida . - March 1947 : VP-ML-2 began receiving the rest of its complement of P2V-1s , these replacements for the PV-2 Harpoons marked the beginning of an intense period of ASW training for all squadron personnel . - 5 June 1950 : VP-2 was assigned a tour in Alaska for cold-weather operational training . The squadron provided resupply missions for the Oceanographic Survey being conducted in Alaskan waters . - 1 August 1951 : A detachment of VP-2 flying P2V-3Ws deployed to NAF Naha , Okinawa , to patrol the East China Sea and Yellow Sea in the Korean theater of operations . The detachment remained in the combat zone until December 1951 , this was squadron’s first and last involvement in the Korean War . - 1 September 1951 : VP-2 became the first squadron to receive the new P2V-4 with the Wright Aero R-3350W compound-turbo engine . Testing of the new engines was performed onsite at NAS Whidbey Island , without missing deployments . Detachments during this period were assigned to NAS Kodiak , Alaska , and NAF Naha . - 2 January 1954 to 10 July 1954 : VP-2 Squadron departed NAS Whidbey Island and Deployed to MCAS Iwakuni , Japan with 9 P2V-5 Neptunes relieving VP-7 on 4 January . During the deployment the following flights were flown : 63 Primary ECM ; 51 Primary Shipping Surveillance ; 52 Tsushima Straights Patrols ; 75 Task Force 77 ASP . A total of 2021 Hours logged on operational flights . Two Neptunes reported attacks by Mig 15s over the Yellow Sea with no damaged observed to either aircraft and one Neptune lost while on a Secret mission carried out over the Yellow Sea near the coast of Port Arthur , China . This is the only aircraft in VP-2 Squadron’s 22 year history to be lost in a Combat Zone . - 4 January 1954 : A US Navy P2V-5 Neptune ( BuNo 127752 ) of VP-2 departed MCAS Iwakuni , Japan for a Secret Combat Reconnaissance mission and headed toward China . The flight was established on station over the Yellow Sea when it reported engine difficulties and “WE NEED AID” . The engine difficulties and request for “AID” most likely the result of a hostile attack on the Neptune . The aircraft reached the vicinity of K-13 airbase at Suwan before crashing . The crew of Jesse Beasley , Fredric Prael , Rex Claussen , Gordon Spickelmier , Lloyd Rensink , Bruce Burger , James Hand , Robert Archbold , Stanley Mulford and Paul Morelli were all killed . At least two members of the crew successfully exited the stricken Neptune by parachute but died 6 January of exposure while awaiting rescue . In 2005 Crew awarded the Navy Combat Action Ribbons and Purple Hearts , classified as FALLEN . In addition The Republic of South Korea bestowed the Korean Presidential Unit Citation and Korean War Service Medal . - 9 April 1954 : A Neptune from VP-2 was attacked by a Chinese MiG-15 while on patrol over the Yellow Sea . The MiG made three firing passes and the crew of the Neptune returned fire . There was no apparent damage to either aircraft resulting from the encounter . - 30 November 1964 : VP-2 took first place among the Pacific Fleet squadrons in bombing , mining and rocket competition despite instrument flying conditions during 90 percent of the competition period . - 25 Jan 1965 : VP-2 relieved VP-6 for a six-month deployment at MCAS Iwakuni , Japan . Squadron detachments were assigned to Naha ; NAS Sangley Point , Philippines ; Taiwan ; Bangkok ; and Da Nang Air Base and Tan Son Nhut Air Base , South Vietnam . The last three months of the squadron’s WestPac tour were the squadron’s first tour in a combat zone since World War II . - 1 April 1966 : VP-2 relieved VP-42 for a six-month WestPac deployment at Iwakuni , Japan . Four months of the tour were spent at Tan Son Nhut Air Base . - 1 October 1967 : VP-2 deployed to WestPac with half of the squadron at NAS Sangley Point and a six-aircraft detachment at Tan Son Nhut Air Base . The detachment at Ton Son Nhut moved a few weeks later to Cam Ranh Bay Air Base . - 17 February 1969 : The squadron conducted its last deployment , its fourth to the Vietnam theater of operations , based at NAS Sangley Point . - 30 September 1969 : VP-2 was disestablished at NAS Whidbey Island . Aircraft assignments . The squadron was assigned the following aircraft , effective on the dates shown : - PV-1 - 1 March 1943 - PV-2 - 31 August 1945 - P2V-1 - March 1947 - P2V-3/3W - November 1948 - P2V-4 - September 1951 - P2V-5 - 1952 - P2V-7 - 1955 - SP-2H - 1963 Home port assignments . The squadron was assigned to these home ports , effective on the dates shown : - NAS DeLand , Florida - 1 March 1943 - NAS Boca Chica , Florida - 17 May 1943 - Edinburgh Field , Trinidad - 16 June 1943 - Pici Field , Fortaleza , Brazil - 27 August 1943 - NAS Norfolk , Virginia - 30 April 1944 - NAS Alameda , California - 3 July 1944 - NAS Kaneohe Bay , Hawaii - 13 August 1944 - NAS Whidbey Island , Washington - 31 August 1945 - NAS Miramar , California - March 1947 - NAS Whidbey Island - 1953