VA-75 (U.S. Navy)

Attack Squadron 75
Attack Squadron 75
Active	20 July 1943 - 30 November 1949
Country	United States
Branch	United States Navy
Type	Attack
Engagements	World War II
Aircraft flown
Attack	TBF/M Avenger ; AD-3 Skyraider

Last updated February 20, 2023

VA-75, nicknamed the Carrier Clowns, was an Attack Squadron of the U.S. Navy. It was established as Torpedo Squadron VT-18 on 20 July 1943. The squadron was redesignated as VA-8A on 15 November 1946, and finally as VA-75 on 27 July 1948. It was disestablished on 30 November 1949. A second squadron also bore the VA-75 designation.^[1]

Operational history

24–26 October 1944: The squadron participated in the Battle for Leyte Gulf. On 24 October VT-18’s TBMs flew sorties against a powerful Japanese surface force in the Sibuyan Sea. These attacks contributed to the sinking of the Japanese battleship Musashi, one of the two largest battleships in the world. On 25 October, the squadron’s planes were part of a Fast Carrier Task Force that attacked a Japanese carrier force in the Battle off Cape Engaño. Four Japanese carriers were sunk during that engagement. On the 26th, squadron planes participated in an attack on the Japanese surface force which was retiring from the Battle off Samar.
September–December 1946: The squadron participated in USS Leyte shakedown cruise in the Caribbean and a goodwill cruise to South America for the inauguration of Chile’s President Gabriel González Videla.^[1]

Home port assignments

The squadron was assigned to these home ports, effective on the dates shown:^[1]

Naval Air Station Alameda – 20 Jul 1943
Naval Auxiliary Air Station Monterey – 28 Oct 1943*
Naval Auxiliary Air Station Hollister – Nov 1943*
Naval Air Station Hilo – Feb 1944*
Naval Air Station Kaneohe Bay – Jun 1944*
Naval Air Station Alameda – 20 Dec 1944
Naval Air Station Astoria – 25 Jan 1945
Naval Air Station San Diego – 22 Apr 1945
Naval Air Station Quonset Point – 14 Nov 1945

* Temporary shore assignments while the squadron conducted training in preparation for combat deployment.

Aircraft assignment

The squadron first received the following aircraft on the dates shown:^[1]

TBF-1 Avenger – Jul 1943
TBM-1 Avenger – Sep 1943
TBM-1C Avenger – Nov 1943
TBM-3 Avenger – Feb 1945
TBM-3E Avenger – 22 Apr 1945
TBM-3Q Avenger – 6 May 1946
AD-3 Skyraider – 18 Apr 1949

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">VA-15 (U.S. Navy)</span> Military unit

Attack Squadron 15 (VA-15), nicknamed the Valions, was an aviation unit of the United States Navy. It was established as Torpedo Squadron 4 (VT-4) on 10 January 1942, redesignated VA-2A on 15 November 1946, and finally redesignated VA-15 on 2 August 1948. The squadron was disestablished on 1 June 1969, after 27 years of service.

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References

This article incorporates text from the public domain Dictionary of American Naval Aviation Squadrons .

1 2 3 4 Grossnick, Roy A. (1995). "VA-75" (pdf). Dictionary of American Naval Aviation Squadrons. Naval Historical Center . Vol. 1. Washington, DC: Department of the Navy. p. 129.

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[Danas-1] 1 2 3 4 Grossnick, Roy A. (1995). "VA-75" (pdf). Dictionary of American Naval Aviation Squadrons. Naval Historical Center . Vol. 1. Washington, DC: Department of the Navy. p. 129.

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