Patrol Squadron 12
What was the official name of VP-33 between Jan 1939 and May 1939?
VP-33 VP-33 was a Patrol Squadron of the U.S . Navy . The squadron was established as Patrol Squadron 12-F ( VP-12F ) on 1 November 1935 , redesignated Patrol Squadron 12 ( VP-12 ) on 1 October 1937 , redesignated Patrol Squadron 51 ( VP-51 ) on 1 July 1939 , redesignated Patrol Squadron 71 ( VP-71 ) on 1 July 1941 , redesignated Patrol Bombing Squadron 71 ( VPB-71 ) on 1 October 1944 , redesignated Patrol Squadron 71 ( VP-71 ) on 15 May 1946 , redesignated Amphibian Patrol Squadron 3 ( VP-AM-3 ) on 15 November 1946 , redesignated Patrol Squadron 33 ( VP-33 ) on 1 September 1948 and disestablished on 15 December 1949 . It was the third squadron to be designated VP-33 ; the first had been redesignated from VP-5 on 1 July 1939 and was in turn redesignated as VP-32 on 1 October 1941 . The second VP-33 was redesignated VPB-33 on 1 October 1944 . Operational history . - 1 November 1935 : Patrol Squadron 12F was established at NAS Seattle , Washington , under the operational control of Base Force . The squadron was equipped later in the year with 12 PBY-1 seaplanes with tender support provided by . - 1 October 1937 : VP-12F was redesignated VP-12 when patrol squadrons were reorganized for operational control under Patrol Wings . VP-12 came under PatWing ONE headquartered at NAS San Diego , California , tender support during this period was provided by . - 17 March 1938 : VP-12 and the other squadrons of PatWing-1 ( VPs 7 , 9 and 11 ) participated in Fleet Exercise XIX ( Phase II ) with PatWing-4 ( VPs 16 , 17 and 19 ) . The two patrol wings were part of WhiteForce operating against Black Force at a distance of . The squadrons were judged to have successfully attacked and damaged major elements of Black Force . The exercise marked the first use of long-distance radio bearings for naval patrol aircraft navigation . - 25 June 1938 : PatWing-1 squadrons departed San Diego for NAS Kodiak , Alaska . The squadrons were deployed for three months in Alaskan waters . During the deployment the squadrons participated in another phase of Fleet Exercise XIX , testing float lights used in marking sites where submarines had been spotted while surfaced . It was determined that the 10-minute burn time of the lights was not long enough and that longer burning lights were required . - 1 July 1939 : VP-12 was redesignated VP-51 and reassigned to a new home base at NAS Norfolk , Virginia , under the operational control of PatWing FIVE . - 12 September 1939 : VP-51 deployed to San Juan , Puerto Rico , to begin the first of the Neutrality Patrols initiated by President Roosevelt’s proclamation on 6 September 1939 . The objective was to establish an air and ship patrol to observe and report movement of warships of the belligerents . Patrol planes from VPs 33 , 52 , 53 and 54 were also deployed . VP-51 flew the first patrol on 13 September 1939 . Over the next year VP-51’s patrols covered harbors and shipping lanes in the West Indies from Puerto Rico to Trinidad , with special attention to the southern approaches to the Caribbean through the Lesser Antilles . The squadron utilized seaplane facilities , including ramps and hangars , of Pan American Airways at the San Juan airport . The crew and supporting activities were housed in tents on the airport grounds . - 30 December 1940 : VP-51 was assigned ferry duties in the delivery of eight older model P2Y aircraft to NAS San Diego , for replacement with new PBY-1 aircraft . VP-51 aircraft had already been distributed to other squadrons of the Neutrality Patrol . After a brief shakedown of the new aircraft at San Diego , the squadron returned to NAS Norfolk . - 1 March 1941 : VP-51 was brought under Task Force 4 , Support Force , Atlantic Fleet , along with VPs 52 , 55 and 56 . The primary objective of the task force was to prevent Axis forces from interfering with the flow of war material from the United States to Great Britain . - 8 April 1941 : VP-51 , with nine of its aircraft , were reassigned to NAS Floyd Bennett Field , New York , leaving a detachment of three aircraft at NAS Norfolk . The move marked an expansion of the Neutrality Patrols to provide more convoy coverage and Anti-submarine warfare ( ASW ) support in the northern offshore shipping lanes . - 2 June 1941 : VP-51 maintained a complement of six aircraft at Floyd Bennett Field , with a six aircraft detachment at NAS Argentia , Newfoundland . On 25 June , two of the aircraft at Floyd Bennett Field were flown to NAS Norfolk to support operations from that location . - 1 July 1941 : Under a general reorganization of fleet patrol organizations , Patrol Wing Support Force was redesignated Patrol Wing 7 ( PatWing-7 ) and VP-51 was redesignated VP-71 . VP-71 remained under the operational control of PatWing-7 . - 6 August 1941 : The VP-71 detachment of six aircraft at NAS Argentia , along with four aircraft from VP-52 , were tasked with conducting aerial surveys of Greenland to determine whether Danish weather stations there were being used by the Germans for the provision of weather information to U-boat Wolfpacks . None were found to be in use by the enemy at that time . - 17 December 1941 : With the start of the war several squadrons were relocated to the West Coast . VP-71 was reassigned to NAS Alameda , California , where the squadron began training for an overseas deployment . The PBY-1 aircraft were turned in for newer PBY-5 models . - 1 April 1942 : VP-71 completed its trans-Pacific flight from San Diego to Pearl Harbor , Hawaii . Upon arrival the squadron was quickly detailed to search sectors with legs out from Oahu . - 1 May 1942 : VP-71 was transferred to Nouméa under the operational control of FAW-1 , with tender support provided by . Anti-shipping and ASW patrols were conducted daily . On 26 June the squadron was shifted to . - 29 June 1942 : VP-71 remained based at Nouméa , with one PBY at Efate and another at Aukland , New Zealand . On 20 July 1942 , the squadron was relieved by VP-12 for return to Pearl Harbor . - 1 September 1942 : The squadron maintained ten aircraft at NAS Kaneohe Bay , with one at Pearl Harbor and one remaining with VP-12 at Nouméa . - 6 February 1943 : VP-71 deployed to New Georgia Island . Duties over the next month consisted primarily of routine patrol operations . On 29 March 1943 , the squadron was relieved by VB-115 for return to NAS Kanoehe Bay . - 10 April 1943 : VP-71 was split into two squadrons , with half of its assets going to form VB-104 . The remaining part of VP-71 was quickly reformed with new personnel and new aircraft . - 27 June 1943 : VP-71 , once again up to full strength , was redeployed to Vanikoro Island with tender support provided by and . On 17 July USS Chincoteague was bombed with minor damage . Operations were halted and the squadron and tenders were moved to Halavo Seaplane Base , in the Florida Island chain . - 14 October 1943 : VP-71 was tasked with patrol legs , night spotting and Dumbo ( air-sea rescue ) operations around New Guinea , Rendova and the Treasury Islands . On 1 November 1943 , coverage was provided from this base for the landings at Bougainville . - 6 March 1944 : VP-71 was relieved by VP-81 for return to NAS Kaneohe Bay and transport back to the continental United States . Upon arrival at San Diego on 24 March , the squadron members were given 30 days home leave . - 25 April 1944 : VP-71 was reformed at NAS San Diego , under the operational control of FAW-14 . Training of new crews was begun on new PBY-5 aircraft . - 28 August 1944 : The new crews and aircraft of VP-71 completed the trans-Pacific flight to NAS Kaneohe Bay , coming under the operational control of FAW-2 . Upon arrival training for combat operations commenced . Patrols were conducted off the coasts of the Hawaiian Islands with a detachment of aircraft at Midway Island conducting operational patrols for that area . - 1 October 1944 : VP-71 was redesignated VPB-71 . Aircrews were given advanced training in ASW techniques . A six aircraft detachment was maintained at Midway for flight operations and gunnery practice . - 10–24 November 1944 : VPB-71 deployed to Manus Island , reporting to Commander , Air Seventh Fleet for duty on 13 November . A detachment of two aircraft was loaned to the 2d Emergency Rescue Squadron of the 13th Army Air Force . On the 24th , VPB-71 commenced Black Cat operations in the vicinity of Morotai . Black Cat operations were flown by U.S . Navy Catalina squadrons against Japanese shipping and shore installations at night . Although originally a tactic designed to afford some measure of protection for the highly vulnerable , slow moving seaplanes , Black Cat operations proved so successful that several squadrons were assigned the role . Flat black painted surfaces and the use of radar made the outdated aircraft into a formidable night attacker . - 19–24 December 1944 : VPB-71 was withdrawn from combat operations at Morotai for rest and maintenance of the aircraft . By 24 December the squadron was back in combat operations , this time conducting joint operations with a PT boat flotilla in the area between Morotai and North Halmahera Island . - 1–11 January 1945 : VPB-71 berthed 9 air crews aboard and nine more aboard . On 11 January 1945 , the squadron transferred its crews for berthing support from USS Currituck to . During this period , routine searches were conducted between Formosa and the China Coast . - 1 February 1945 : VPB-71 conducted strikes on shipping in the China Sea while operating from tenders in the Lingayen Gulf , Luzon , Philippines . - 1–16 March 1945 : VPB-71 relocated to Jinamoc Seaplane Base , Philippines , from which it conducted routine daytime patrols . On 16 March the squadron moved again to Guinan Airbase , Samar , Philippines , where daytime patrols were resumed . The conclusion of the night-bombing campaign for the squadron showed significant results , with VPB-71 credited in sinking eight enemy ships and damaging nine others . - 27 April 1945 : VPB-71 relieved VPB-17 for air-sea rescue operations in the Central Philippines . - 1 September 1945 : The two aircraft detachment assigned to the 13th Army Air Force relocated to Puerto Princesa , Palawan Island . A second detachment of five aircraft was formed on this date from the main body of the squadron located at Samar , and deployed to NAS Sangley Point , Philippines . On 2 September the remainder of the squadron was assigned to weather reconnaissance duties and air-sea rescue missions . - April–May 1946 : VPB-71 returned to the continental U.S. , with a homeport at NAS Norfolk . - January–March 1948 : VP-33 deployed to NAS Argentia , Newfoundland , for cold weather operations . It was one of the last deployments by a U.S . Navy patrol squadron with the PBY Catalina . Over the next several months all Catalina aircraft were withdrawn from service and replaced by the PBM-5 Mariner . - 15 December 1949 : VP-33 was disestablished at NAS Norfolk . Aircraft assignments . The squadron was assigned the following aircraft , effective on the dates shown : - PBY-1 - December 1936 - PBY-2 - 1937 - PBY-3 - 1938 - PBY-5 - December 1941 - PBY-5A - January 1945 - PBY-6A - January 1946 - PBM-5A - August 1948 Home port assignments . The squadron was assigned to these home ports , effective on the dates shown : - NAS Seattle , Washington - 1 November 1935 - NAS San Diego , California - 1 October 1937 - NAS Norfolk , Virginia - 1 July 1939 - NAS Floyd Bennett Field , New York - 8 April 1941 - NAS Alameda , California - 17 December 1941 - NAS Kaneohe Bay , Hawaii - 1 April 1942 - NAS San Diego , California - 24 March 1944 - NAS Kaneohe Bay - 28 August 1944 - NAS Norfolk - May 1946