Naval Auxiliary Air Station Holtville, California
The full complement except for 2 VTB pilots, who reported at Holtville. was attained while at North Bend, with 24 VF and 16 VTB pilots. I flight surgeon, 5 non-flying officers (Administration. Engineering, A.C.I., Personnel. Ordnance), and 215 enlisted men. The training of the men was allied with that of the pilots. their recreation followed a similar pattern. and their quarters were satisfactory. Good relations were maintained with station personnel. A few minor difficulties naturally arose by the frequent contact with the same individuals over matters of a usually conflicting nature.
FM-2 fly-by of the USS Petrof Bay
Courtesy of Robert Allison
The Naval Auxiliary Air Station. at Holtville. California became the Squadron's new home on 24 August after train and auto journeys. memorable in enjoyment. The Squadron was secured at North Bend on the 20th so that diversionary trips were possible. Everyone considered as correct the statement of an atlas that Holtville and one place in the Sahara desert were the hottest places on earth. Training in the 16 VF and 9 VTB. except for a few instrument and familiarization hops for new pilots. consisted entirely of night flight including touch-go landings, tactical formations and maneuvers, navigation. gunnery. bombing, combined typed training exercises, torpedo tactics and radar for a total of 1200 VF and 800 VTB hours. The ground schedule involved swimming and recognition. Living quarters were located with difficulty by married officers. but after several weeks they possessed cooled apartments. although not in the same town. The B. 0. Q., constructed of wood panels and screen. was air draft cooled and accordingly livable but the men's quarters were unbearably hot and crowded. On 26 August Ensign M. W. Williams and Ensign P. R. Baumgartner. while on an instrument flight in a CASU 53 SNJ aircraft. experienced complete engine failure following take off, and crashed in the desert. Both pilots escaped injury. Two days later Ensign R. H. Schmidt was instantly killed when his FM-2 crashed and burned following engine failure on a night take off. Station personnel were cooperative but serious maintenance problems. particularly with VTB aircraft, handicapped training. Recreational opportunities were limited by the facilities available and the considerable distance from the closest towns of El Centro. Holtville and Brawley. Nevertheless local contacts were again established to the mutual benefit of squadron personnel and townsfolk. Mexicali. a small town just across the Mexican border. afforded the first foreign travel for the majority of the Squadron. A bull fight. held there on Mexican Independence Day. was attended by a large group of squadron personnel.
Naval Auxiliary Air Station Los Alamitos. California
USS Matanikau (CVE-101)
On 1 October transfer was effected to Los Alamitos. Naval Auxiliary Air Station. near Long Beach. California. for final pre-departure training. During a two month period of inclement weather flights stressed inter-type exercises, simulated strikes. amphibious support, field carrier landings and formation tactics. The VT were at Naval Air Station. San Diego from 2 to 22 October for antisubmarine warfare training. Rocket training was had by the VF at Naval Auxiliary Air Station. Holtville and by the VT at Naval Auxiliary Air Station. Salton Sea 21-24 November. Ground training during this period included recognition, swimming and educational movies. Carrier qualification landings, as well as search, patrol. and attack exercises. were performed on the USS MATANIKAU, CVE-101. Notable in this was the "Skipper" qualifying first in both the VT and VF type aircraft. On the first attempted landing Ensign R. M. Reid floated over the barriers and went into the water ahead of the ship. The aircraft sank immediately. Ensign Reid escaped unhurt and was picked up by the Destroyer Escort. Later he was returned via breeches buoy to the ship and subsequently made the 1000th landing aboard.
Much enjoyment was had by all in Long Beach, Los Angeles, Hollywood, San Diego and Tijuana, Mexico. The quarters for the Squadron (offices and ready room) and for those at the B. 0. Q. were spacious and consoling compared to accommodations at Holtville. A Squadron dinner dance was held at the Pacific Coast Club and group gatherings occurred immediately prior to departure. the most noteworthy of which was held at the Ambassador Hotel in Los Angeles. The Squadron was streamlined on 6 November 1944 to its combat complement. The Executive Officer, Lieutenant Occo D. Gibbs, who had spent 24 months as a ship based observation pilot in Atlantic and Pacific operations was transferred from the unit on 27 November 1944. Lieutenant R. 1. Myers was appointed Executive Officer and Lieutenant W. H. Skinner became Operations Officer and Senior VTB pilot.
LSO Guiding a TBM to the deck of the USS Petrof Bay
Courtesy of Robert Allison
Outstanding achievements while under Commander Fleet Air. West Coast were the number of hours flown and the low accident ratio. This record was accomplished despite many days without flight operations due to rain and mist at North Bend and Los Alamitos.
Worthy of particular comment was the "off and on" duty schedule inaugurated by Lt. Cmdr. C. P. Smith. The number of pilots was double that of available planes, and pilots were divided into two wings. A "wing flight schedule" which kept all planes in the air during flight operations was maintained at North Bend, Holtville, Los Alamitos and Kaneohe. By daily alternating the wings, pilots were flying or in ground training when at the Squadron and not just "standing by". This program avoided attitudes of boredom and staleness. The plentiful off duty time permitted the successful pursuit of individual desires, and personnel on duty were refreshed, interested, and eager to fly.
In the Independence Day Bond program. 5th War Loan Drive. the Squadron was first in the Seattle area in number of individual personnel purchases, and second in total amount purchased, in type unit.
Organization by departments has proved successful, the Officer in charge assuming the responsibility and having readily at hand information or action requested by the "Skipper-. A feeling of unity and cooperation was sought and obtained in preference to an organizational structure of rank consciousness and strictly tight discipline. A keen sense of squadron loyalty quickly developed. Duties were performed with a feeling of desire rather than of obligatory compliance with an order. It is believed that the several deck courts and five summary court martials necessary for serious or habitual violations were below the average number in type organization.
A squadron insignia was chosen in November and a drawing with explanatory note is attached as appendix I. A wildcat, representing the VF, and the torpedo, referring to the VT, signify the spirit, drive. and power of this escort carrier based unit.
USS Shamrock Bay (CVE-84)
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