Bombing Squadron 108 ( VB-108 )
VP-28 was officially named what from Jul 1943 to Oct 1944?
VP-28 VP-28 was a Patrol Squadron of the U.S . Navy . The squadron was established as Bombing Squadron 108 ( VB-108 ) on 1 July 1943 , redesignated Patrol Bombing Squadron 108 ( VPB-108 ) on 1 October 1944 , redesignated Patrol Squadron 108 ( VP-108 ) on 15 May 1946 , redesignated Heavy Patrol Squadron ( Landplane ) 8 ( VP-HL-8 ) on 15 November 1946 , redesignated Patrol Squadron 28 ( VP-28 ) on 1 September 1948 and disestablished on 1 October 1969 . It was the second squadron to be designated VP-28 , the first VP-28 had that designation in 1944 and 1946 . Operational history . - 1 July 1943 : VB-108 was established at NAS San Diego , California , with an initial “on paper” complement of 12 PB4Y-1 aircraft . Within a few days , the squadron was relocated to NAAS Camp Kearney , California , where it received an increase to 15 aircraft , with 57 officers and 148 enlisted personnel organized into 18 flight crews . During the training period the squadron came under the operational control of FAW-14 . - 3 October 1943 : With its training completed in late September 1943 , the squadron began preparations for its trans-Pacific flight to NAS Kaneohe Bay , Hawaii . The first aircraft departed on 2 October 1943 , with all arriving safely at Kaneohe on the 3rd . Routine patrols and combat training commenced immediately . The squadron came under the operational control of FAW-2 . - 23 October 1943 : Nine of the squadron’s 15 aircraft were flown to Kanton Island to provide an escort cover for photographic planes of VD-3 . This was unusual as the PB4Y-1 aircraft previously had lacked nose turrets and could not have provided the firepower to protect themselves . All of the early Liberators received for Navy use were Army versions ( B-24D ) without a powered nose turret . Reports from the combat zone showed that Liberator squadrons with 30-caliber nose guns sustained very high casualty rates . PB4Y-1 Liberators destined for Navy use did not get the refit with the ERCO 250 SH-1 powered turrets with twin 50-caliber gun mounts until after May 1943 . Retrofits with the new turrets were completed at Litchfield Park , Arizona . VB-108 was among the first group of squadrons to be equipped with the newer , more heavily armed aircraft . - 4 November 1943 : The Kanton detachment flew its first combat mission against light opposition over the enemy-held Mili Atoll . - 11 November 1943 : VB-108 was relocated to Nukufetau Airfield , Ellice Islands . Its primary mission was reconnaissance of enemy-held territories , with authorization to attack any targets of opportunity . Generally , six missions were flown each day with photographic coverage of the designated patrol sectors . - 3 December 1943 : Lieutenant Ackerman , flying “Pistol Packing Mama,” returned to Mili at wave-top height catching the enemy gunners by surprise . He strafed the runway and aircraft revetments before turning his attention to the harbor . There he located and sank an enemy transport and headed for home . On departure from Mili “Pistol Packing Mama” was attacked by six fighters . Lieutenant Ackerman and his crew fought off the enemy aircraft , possibly shooting down two and damaging a third . This form of low-level attack was to become the specialty of VB-108 throughout the central Pacific . It featured approach at no more than above the wave tops , then a “pop up” to for precise dropping of bombs , all the while blasting at every target and enemy gun site . Surprise was the key element to success , and the fact that the squadron suffered few casualties proved the utility of the tactic . - 6 December 1943 : Lieutenant Daley and crew strafed the length of Jaluit Atoll sinking a landing barge filled with Japanese sailors , and exploding two Depth charges on top of a Kawanishi H8K seaplane . Later , several squadron aircraft led by their commanding officer , Lieutenant Commander Renfro , bombed and strafed Jaluit , sinking two ships and damaging two others . - 12 December 1943 : Lieutenant John H . Stickell and his crew conducted a solo raid on the enemy facilities at Jaluit . Although the aircraft arrived over the atoll at tree top level , the Japanese defenders were not caught off guard . Lieutenant Stickell flew through heavy anti-aircraft fire to reach the buildings inland , dropping his bombs squarely on target . During the attack a machine gun bullet hit Stickell . Despite a severe wound , he flew his aircraft safely out of the target area . He elected to continue on to a base with a long enough runway for a safe landing rather than risk the lives of his crew landing on a closer , but shorter emergency strip . During the four hour trip to the airfield Lieutenant Stickell bled to death . As a result of his sacrifice and his earlier bravery during previous attacks on enemy installations Lieutenant Stickell was awarded the Navy Cross . - 11 January 1944 : VB-108 was relocated to Apanama Gilbert Islands , still under the operational control of FAW-2 . Missions from this location were carried out against Kwajalein , Rongelap , Eniwetok , Parry , Wake , and Kusaie islands resulting in the sinking of at least four enemy vessels . - 7 March 1944 : A detachment was sent to Kwajalein to operate with VB-109 . - 28 February 1944 : Two aircraft piloted by Lieutenant Commander John E . Muldrow and Lieutenant Max A . Piper conducted the first daylight bombing attack ever launched on Wake Island . The attack was delivered at low-level ( less than ) with 500-pound bombs . The mission was one of the longest conducted by VB-108 at that time , covering round-trip with over 19 hours in the air . - 11 Apr 1944 : VB-108 moved to Stickell Field on Eniwetok . On that day one of the squadron aircraft attacked an enemy submarine while on patrol , claiming a sinking . This was undoubtedly I-174 , which departed on 3 April 1944 from the Inland Sea of Japan for the Marshall Islands . It failed to answer when called on 11 April 1944 . Over the next three months the squadron bombed and strafed installations at Orolick , Ulul , Ujelang , Ant and Pakin islands . - 10 July 1944 : VB-108 was relieved at Eniwetok by VB-116 for return to NAS Kaneohe Bay . After arriving at NAS Kaneohe Bay a week later , the squadron was put on standby status as a ready squadron . Little activity took place other than routine patrols and training flights while crews returned to the US for rotation and processing of new personnel . - 20 September – October 1944 : The squadron was reformed at NAS Alameda , California , with its new personnel and PB4Y-1 aircraft . Training continued at NAS Alameda until 17 October 1944 , when the squadron was relocated to NAAS Crow’s Landing , California , for further flight training and preparation for transpac to Hawaii . During this period the squadron came under the operational control of FAW-8 . - 10 January 1945 : The ground crews and support staff of the squadron , consisting of one officer and 87 enlisted personnel , departed San Diego by ship arriving in Hawaii on 18 January 1945 . The VPB-108 aircrews departed in three aircraft elements on the 18th , with all aircraft arriving safely at NAS Kaneohe Bay by 19 January 1945 . - 20 January – 12 March 1945 : VPB-108 aircrews began intensive combat training at Kaneohe , with emphasis on air-to-air combat . During this period the squadron came under the operational control of FAW-2 . In early February the squadron received new PB4Y-2 Privateer aircraft as replacements for its Liberators . - 13 March 1945 : VPB-108 was transferred to Peleliu Airfield , Palau , under the operational control of FAW-1 ( TG 50.5 ) . The squadron operated as part of the Tinian Search Group ( CTU 50.5.3 ) , and conducted nightly antishipping patrols in the Palau area . - 4 April 1945 : VPB-108 was transferred to NAB Tinian to conduct sector searches and continue daily anti-shipping patrols in the Marianas area . An advanced detachment of eight aircraft and nine crews operated from 15 to 30 April 1945 at Central Field , Iwo Jima . A second detachment operated from that location from 1 to 8 May 1945 . During the stay on Tinian Lieutenant Commander Robert C . Lefever experimented with a two-cannon arrangement mounted in the nose of his aircraft . The twin 20-mm gun mount was so successful in combat operations that the remainder of the squadron aircraft were quickly retrofitted with the additional armament . - 9 May 1945 : Lieutenant Commander John E . Muldrow , the squadron commanding officer , and seven of his crew were killed in a combat mission against Japanese-held Marcus Island . The attack was conducted in conjunction with several aircraft of VPB-102 . rescued five of the surviving crewmembers . In addition to the loss of Lieutenant Commander Muldrow’s aircraft , one VPB-102 Privateers was shot down in flames . As a result of his heroism in leading the attack in the face of intense ground fire , destruction of two enemy aircraft and severe damage to enemy ground targets , Lieutenant Commander Muldrow was posthumously awarded the Navy Cross . Lieutenant ( jg ) Richard D . Panther was also awarded the Navy Cross for his action against Marcus Island . On 9 May he led his aircraft in successful low-level attacks against enemy installations on the island . He also assisted in the destruction of two enemy aircraft and inflicted severe casualties on enemy troops . - 3 June – July 1945 : The advanced detachment operating from Iwo Jima was increased to 12 aircraft and 13 crews . On 1 July 1945 , the remainder of the squadron joined the detachment at Iwo Jima . Duties included searches , anti-shipping patrols and barrier patrols . In addition to standard patrols , the squadron executed 31 Dumbo ( air-sea rescue ) missions in the month of July . - 2 September 1945 : From Iwo Jima the squadron conducted a flyover with VPB-117 and VPB-124 at Truk as a demonstration of power in conjunction with the formal surrender ceremonies held that same day aboard in Tokyo Bay , Japan . - 10 January 1949 : The squadron maintained an advance detachment at NAF Naha , Okinawa , for search and rescue , typhoon reconnaissance and possible emergency airlift in the closing stages of the Chinese Civil War . - June – July 1950 : At the outbreak of the Korean War on 25 June 1950 , VP-28 was already deployed to NAS Agana , Guam . On 14 July 1950 , the squadron relocated to NAF Naha , Okinawa , with a detachment remaining at NAS Agana . During the first few weeks of the hostilities the squadron flew patrols over the Formosa Strait , Foochow and Shanghai , China . - 26 July 1950 : A squadron aircraft encountered enemy fighters during a patrol mission . - April – October 1951 : The squadron’s primary mission during this combat deployment to Korea was ship surveillance and the secondary mission was Anti-submarine warfare ( ASW ) patrol . VP-28 was also assigned the additional task of special night weather reconnaissance patrols along the Korean coast . - 28 Jun 1951 : During the squadron’s second tour in the Korean combat zone it was ordered to participate in Operation Firefly , the dropping of flares to provide illumination for United States Marine Corps night fighters attacking supply routes in North Korea . - 1 October 1951 : The squadron was ordered to form a detachment to continue flare operations in Korea following its return to NAS Barbers Point , Hawaii . On 1 October four planes , 13 officers and 39 enlisted personnel were detached from the squadron and assigned as VP-28 Detachment Able to continue the flare dropping mission in Korea until relieved by VP-871 . - 16 December 1951 : The squadron’s Detachment Able returned to NAS Barbers Point from NAS Atsugi , Japan , after months of flare operations totaling 1,103 flight hours . - 26 May 1952 : VP-28 deployed to NAF Naha , Okinawa . From this location the squadron maintained patrols along the Communist-held China coast and the Formosa Strait . - 20 September 1952 : A P4Y-2S flown by Lieutenant Harvey R . Britt was attacked by two MiG-15s over the sea near Shanghai . Five firing passes were made by the MiGs without damage to the Privateer , which returned safely to NAF Naha . During the remainder of the deployment three more squadron patrols were subjected to attacks by MiGs . Squadron aircraft exchanged fire with the MiGs but no damage was reported on any of the aircraft . - 28 November 1952 : The squadron transferred three P4Y-2S Privateers to Military Assistance Advisory Group ( MAAG ) Formosa for transfer to the Chinese Nationalist Air Force . - 8 January 1955 : VP-28 deployed to Japan under the operational control of FAW-6 . Daily surveillance flights were flown over the Sea of Japan and the Yellow Sea . - June 1956 : VP-28 deployed to NAS Kodiak , Alaska . During the deployment the squadron flewsurveillance patrols along the northern defense perimeter , and assisted scientists in gathering data on ice conditions in the Bering Sea and volcanic activity along the Aleutian Islands . - 23 July 1957 : A squadron P2V-5F , BuNo . 128418 , crashed off the end of the NAS Barbers Point runway , killing all eleven crewmen aboard . - 17 April 1962 : VP-28 deployed to advance bases on Christmas and Johnston islands to provide air reconnaissance during U.S . nuclear testing . The squadron flew enough miles during the three-month period to circumnavigate the world 18 times . - 16 May 1964 : VP-28 deployed to WestPac , based at MCAS Iwakuni , Japan , with a detachment at NS Sangley Point , Philippines . From August to September 1964 , the squadron flew a total of 1,148 hours in support of the Seventh Fleet during and after the Gulf of Tonkin incident . - 11 December 1964 – April 1965 : VP-28 received its first two P-3A Orions as replacements for the SP-2H Neptunes . Transition to the new aircraft was completed in April 1965 . - 3 Nov 1965 : VP-28 deployed to WestPac with its new Orions , stationed at NS Sangley Point , with a detachment at NAS Agana , Guam . Despite the difficulties in maintaining the new type airframes at this site , the squadron flew a record number of flight hours in Operation Market Time and Yankee Team patrols for one month , surpassing the previous record set in Neptunes during the August 1964 Gulf of Tonkin incident . - 27 May 1967 : VP-28 deployed to NAS Adak , Alaska . During the deployment the ex-USS Robert Louis Stevenson was loaded with 2,000 tons of obsolete ordnance ready for disposal . The hulk was towed into position south of Amchitka Island , where it was to be scuttled . It was rigged to hydrostatically detonate at a depth of . Research vessels nearby would monitor the explosion for oceanographic and seismic research purposes . A combination of bad weather and strong winds pushed the hulk off position after the sea cocks were opened . The vessel sank in water too shallow to detonate the charge . VP-28 was called upon to bomb the submerged wreckage and detonate the charge . A total of 24 2,000-pound bombs were dropped on the position with no secondary explosions . It was later determined that the hulk was thoroughly flattened and the ordnance dispersed in a manner that no longer posed a danger to navigation . - 15 January – 26 May 1969 : VP-28 deployed to NAF Naha , relieving VP-22 . Detachments were maintained at Cam Ranh Bay Air Base , South Vietnam , and NAS Atsugi . On 18 April 1969 , the squadron was put on alert following the downing of a Navy EC-121 by the North Koreans . The squadron dropped the alert status on 26 May , resuming normal operations . - 1 October 1969 : VP-28 was disestablished at NAS Barbers Point . Aircraft assignments . The squadron was assigned the following aircraft , effective on the dates shown : - PB4Y-1 - 1 July 1943 - PB4Y-2 - 2 February 1945 - PB4Y-2S - October 1949 - P4Y-2/2S - 1951 - P2V-5 - 1 December 1952 - P2V-5F - 1959 - P2V-5FS PAR/MOD - January 1962 - SP-2H - December 1962 - P-3A - December 1964 Home port assignments . The squadron was assigned to these home ports , effective on the dates shown : - NAS San Diego , California - 1 July 1943 - NAAS Camp Kearney , California - 3 July 1943 - NAS Kaneohe Bay , Hawaii - 3 October 1943 - NAS Alameda , California - 20 September 1944 - NAAS Crows Landing , California - 17 October 1944 - NAS Kaneohe Bay - 19 January 1945 - NAF Naha , Okinawa - December 1945 - NAS Kaneohe Bay - April 1948 - NAS Barbers Point , Hawaii - 10 July 1949