VF-16

Last updated

Fighter Squadron 16
Active1943–16 November 1945
CountryUnited States
Branch United States Navy
TypeFighter
Nickname(s)Fighting Airedales
Engagements World War II
Aircraft flown
Fighter Grumman F6F-3/5 Hellcat

Fighting Squadron 16 or VF-16 was an aviation unit of the United States Navy during World War II. Originally established in 1943, it was disestablished on 16 November 1945. [1]

Contents

Operational history

VF-16 F6F-3 takes off from USS Lexington in 1943 F6F goes down deck for take-off of USS Lexington (CV-16) - NARA - 520898.jpg
VF-16 F6F-3 takes off from USS Lexington in 1943
VF-16 F6F-5s on USS Randolph in August 1945 USS Randolph (CV-15) and HMS Urchin (D28) off Japan 1945.jpg
VF-16 F6F-5s on USS Randolph in August 1945

From late November 1943, VF-16 deployed on USS Lexington and supported the Gilbert and Marshall Islands campaign including the Battle of Tarawa. On 23 November VF-16's pilots shot down 17 Japanese aircraft. [2] By the end of 1943 the pilots of VF-16 had shot down 55 Japanese aircraft, with three pilots becoming aces. [2] : 19 

On 19 June 1944 while deployed on the Lexington, the squadron participated in the Marianas Turkey Shoot and squadron pilot Lt Alexander Vraciu shot down six Japanese Yokosuka D4Ys in eight minutes.

In 1945 VF-16 was deployed on USS Randolph.

See also

References

  1. ↑ "Lineage for Fighter Squadrons" (PDF). Naval History and Heritage Command. Retrieved 6 October 2016.
  2. 1 2 Tillman, Barrett (1996). Hellcat Aces of World War 2. Osprey Publishing. p. 17. ISBN   1855325969.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.