VP-4
VP-22 was officially named what between Apr 1938 and Dec 1938?
VP-22 VP-22 was a Patrol Squadron of the U.S . Navy . The squadron was established as Patrol Squadron 4D-14 ( VP-4D14 ) on 15 September 1928 , redesignated Patrol Squadron 4-B ( VP-4B ) on 21 January 1931 , redesignated Patrol Squadron 4-F ( VP-4F ) on 17 July 1933 , redesignated Patrol Squadron 4 ( VP-4 ) on 1 October 1937 , redesignated Patrol Squadron 22 ( VP-22 ) on 1 July 1939 and disestablished on 18 April 1942 , with the squadron assets merged with VP-101 . Operational history . - 15 September 1928 : VP-4D14 established at NAS Pearl Harbor , Hawaii , with the D14 representing the 14th Naval District . The squadron began operations with six H-16 seaplanes . Primary mission of the squadron was patrol and bombing in connection with the plan of defense for the Hawaiian Islands . - 20 February 1929 : Mechanics from the Wright Aeronautical Corporation arrived to begin alterations on the engines of the H-16 and new T2D aircraft . - 28 February 1930 : The first PD-1 aircraft was received by the squadron for testing to evaluate its operational capability . Results of the tests were very favorable , with transition training rapidly bringing the squadron complement up to 12 PD-1 seaplanes . - 8 March 1930 : A flight of three VP-4D14 aircraft from NAS Barbers Point , Hawaii , to Nawiliwili , Hawaii , set a record time of 42 minutes , proving the worth of the PD-1 as an operational aircraft . - 14 May 1930 : VP-4D14 provided an escort for 44 United States Army Air Corps aircraft in transit from Pearl Harbor , Hawaii , to the island of Maui , Hawaii . During the flight one Keystone bomber went down in mid-channel . Lieutenant Schur landed his PD-1 next to the sinking bomber and rescued the crew , but was unable to take off again due to high waves and overloading . Both aircrews were rescued by SS Hawaii at sunset , leaving the seaplane in a sinking condition . - 14 September 1930 : VP-4D14 , VP-1D14 and VJ6D14 departed Pearl Harbor for Hilo in company with for tests of advanced base operations and extended operations from a tender , including the servicing of the PD-1 while afloat . - 9 January 1931 : A flight of nine squadron aircraft made the first nonstop circumnavigation of the Hawaiian Islands , completing a distance of in 12 hours . - 21 January 1931 : VP-4D14 was redesignated VP-4B when realigned by Chief of Naval Operations ( CNO ) from the 14th Naval District to Fleet Aviation , Battle Force , Minecraft at NAS Pearl Harbor , Hawaii . - 26 April 1931 : VP-4B was forced to reduce its flying to a minimum , since half the engines available for squadron aircraft had reached the 250-hour mark and needed replacing or rebuilding . No replacements were available in the inventory for several months . - 17 July 1933 : VP-4B was redesignated VP-4F when realigned by CNO from Battle Force to Base Force . The squadron at this time was composed of 12 PD-1 aircraft , supported by tenders USS Pelican and . - 22 April 1935 : VP-4F , with VP-1F and VP-6F from Pearl Harbor , Hawaii ; VP-8F and VP-10F from NAS San Diego , California ; and VP-7F and VP-9F from NAF Coco Solo , Panama Canal Zone , participated in Fleet Problem XVI in Hawaiian waters . - 28 May 1935 : VP-4F was realigned organizationally when patrol squadrons were placed under Patrol Wings , Base Force . VPs 1F , 4F , 6F , 8F , 10F , 16F and 17F came under PatWing-2 at FAB Pearl Harbor . - 1 October 1937 : VP-4F was redesignated VP-4 when patrol squadrons were reorganized under Commander , Air Scouting Force , Patrol Wings . VPs 1 , 4 , 6 , 8 and 10 were based at FAB Pearl Harbor , Hawaii , under PatWing-2 and supported by , USS Pelican and USS Avocet . - 25 March 1938 : The squadron , along with VPs 1 , 6 , 8 , 10 and 18 participated in Fleet Problem XIX ( Phase V ) as part of Red Force . During “attacks” on Blue Force the vulnerability of the slow-moving patrol aircraft became apparent when the majority were judged shot down in the face of strong anti-aircraft ( AA ) fire from the defending force . The squadrons were flying P2Y-3 and PBY-1 aircraft . VP-4 had just transitioned to the PBY-1 from the P2Y-3 , and the fleet exercise was its first operational test . - June–August 1938 : VP-4 spent three months transitioning into newer model Catalinas , the PBY-2 and PBY-3 . - 9 April 1940 : The squadron , along with VPs 21 , 23 , 24 , 25 and 26 participated in Fleet Problem XXI in cooperation with the Army 72nd Bombardment Squadron and the 4th Reconnaissance Squadron , defending the Hawaiian Islands against carrier attack . The exercise pointed out serious problems that existed in the coordination between air arms in defense of the islands . VP-22 had by this date transitioned to the PBY-5 flying boat . - 7 December 1941 : VP-22 was caught on the ground during the Japanese Attack on Pearl Harbor and all its aircraft destroyed . - 11–20 January 1942 : After receiving 12 replacement PBY-5 aircraft ferried in by VP-51 from Atlantic bases , VP-22 joined PatWing-10 at Ambon Island , Dutch East Indies . Unfortunately , the PBY-5 aircraft they received were the early models without self-sealing fuel tanks and armor . PatWing-10 later received five newer model PBY-5 Catalinas from the Dutch in Java . All of the rest of the PatWing’s original aircraft were the older PBY-4 models . The VP-22 aircraft were the first aviation reinforcements of the U.S . Navy in the Central Pacific to oppose the Japanese advance in the East Indies . Lieutenant Thomas Moorer , later CNO , was VP-22’s engineering officer . Almost immediately after arrival several of the VP-22 Catalinas were caught at anchor at Ambon and destroyed . A few days later , Ensign Jack L . Grayson and crew were shot down in aircraft 22-P-6 near Magole Island . They made it to shore in five days and were picked up by a VP-22 aircraft on 20 January 1941 . - 5 February 1942 : VP-22 flew to Darwin , Australia , and patrolled from that location , tender support provided by . - 19–23 February 1942 : Lieutenant Moorer and his crew , while on a patrol mission , were shot down by Japanese fighters en route to an attack on Darwin . None of the crew were seriously wounded and all were picked up shortly after by an American tramp steamer , . That same afternoon Japanese dive-bombers sank the steamer , killing two of Moorer’s crew . The survivors made Bathurst Island that night , and all were picked up on the 23rd by for return to Darwin . - 25 February 1942 : By this date , VP-22 had lost all but three of its aircraft to enemy action and only two of the remainder were in serviceable condition . - 1 March 1942 : Surabaya was evacuated in the face of the advancing Japanese , and the squadron was relocated to Perth , Australia . - 5 March 1942 : It was decided at this time to return half of the squadron personnel to the U.S . That contingent departed Freemantle aboard transport bound for San Francisco , California . - 18 April 1942 : VP-22 was officially disestablished and its assets merged with those of VP-101 . Aircraft assignments . The squadron was assigned the following aircraft , effective on the dates shown : - H-16 - September 1928 - T2D - September 1928 - PD-1 - February 1930 - P2Y-3 - July 1935 - PBY-1 - March 1938 - PBY-2 - June 1938 - PBY-3 - October 1938 - PBY-5 - Apr 1940 Home port assignments . The squadron was assigned to these home ports , effective on the dates shown : - NAS Pearl Harbor , Hawaii - 15 September 1928