VP-103 Miscellaneous
BOOKs: Title: "VPNavy! USN, USMC, USCG and NATS Patrol Aircraft Lost or Damaged During World War II" by LCDR Douglas E. Campbell, USNR (Retired) dcamp@aol.com "VPNavy! USN, USMC, USCG and NATS Patrol Aircraft Lost or Damaged During World War II" Thousands of hours of research have culminated in this First Edition of U.S. Navy, U.S. Marine Corps, U.S. Coast Guard and Naval Air Transport Service patrol aircraft lost or damaged during World War II. Within these 600+ pages can be found more than 2,200 patrol aircraft across nearly 300 squadron designations; the majority of the aircraft complete with their stories of how they were lost or damaged or simply Struck Off Charge (SOC) and removed from the Navy’s inventory. Of interest to the reader may be the alphabetical Index to the 7,600+ names of Officers, aircrewmen and others mentioned in the book. Squadrons, etc. mentioned include: VB/VP/VPB, FAW, VD, VH, VJ, VMD, VR, NATS, NAS, etc. You may purchase as copy through: Lulu Press, Inc.. Contributed by LCDR Douglas E. Campbell, USNR (Retired) dcamp@aol.com [26FEB2018]
BOOKs: Title: Eyes of the Fleet: Cloaked by jungle foliage, the unheralded seaplane tenders operated ahead of the Fleet, like the Navy's famed PT boats. As Halsey's South Pacific, MacArthur's Southwest Pacific, and Spruance's Central Pacific forces advanced toward Japan, these ships served as afloat-bases for patrol planes referred to as the "eyes of the fleet." The large fabric-clad PBY "Catalinas" and later PBM "Mariners" combed the seaways for Japanese forces and carried out bombing, depth charge, and torpedo attacks on enemy ships and submarines. Nighttime anti-shipping operations-"Black Cat" or "Nightmare" missions-were dangerous and daytime combat operations even more so, when encounters with more maneuverable and heavily-armed fighters necessitated hiding in clouds to survive. The Japanese were keen to destroy the scouts and their floating bases, and seaplane tenders often lived a furtive existence, particularly early in the war. Pilots, plane crews and shipboard personnel received scores of awards for valor, including the Medal of Honor, Navy Cross, Distinguished Flying Cross, and Silver and Bronze Star Medals. A few VP Squadrons mentioned include: VP-1, VP-11/VPB-11, VP-12, VP-13/VPB-13, VP-14, VP-16/VPB-16, VP-18/VPB-18, VPB-19, VPB-20, VP-21/VPB-21, VP-22, VP-23/VPB-23, VP-24, VPB-25, VPB-26, VPB-27, VPB-28, VP-32, VP-33/VPB-33, VP-34/VPB-34, VP-41, VP-42, VP-43, VP-44, VP-45, VP-51, VP-52, VP-53, VPB-54, VP-61, VP-62, VP-63/VPB-63, VP-71/VPB-71, VP-72, VP-73, VPB-74, VP-81, VP-82, VP-83, VP-84, VP-91, VP-92, VP-94, VP-101/VPB-101, VP-102/VPB-102, VPB-103, VPB-104, VPB-105, VPB-106, VB-106, VB-108, VPB-109, VPB-110, VPB-111, VPB-112, VPB-114, VP-115, VPB-116, VPB-117, VPB-118, VPB-123, VPB-130, VB/VPB-137, VPB-142, VB-143, VPB-146, VPB-151, VP-202/VPB-202, VP-204, VP-205, VPB-208, VP-216/VPB-216, VD-3, VH-1, VH-2, VH-3, VH-4, VH-6, VS-1D-11, VS-1D-13, VS-1D-14 and VT-3. A few Seaplane Tenders mentioned include: USS Absecon, USS Albemarle, USS Avocet, USS Ballard, USS Barataria, USS Barnegat, USS Belknap, USS Clemson, USS George E. Badger, USS Goldsborough, USS Osmond, USS Ingram, USS Bering Strait, USS Biscayne, USS Casco, USS Castle Rock, USS Chandeleur, USS Childs, USS Chincoteague, USS Cook Inlet, USS Coos Bay, USS Corson, USS Cumberland Sound, USS Currituck, USS Curtiss, USS Duxbury Bay, USS Floyds Bay, USS Gannet, USS Gardiners Bay, USS Gillis, USS Greene, USS Greenwich Bay, USS Half Moon, USS Hamlin, USS Heron, USS Hulbert, USS Humboldt, USS Kenneth Whiting, USS Langley, USS Lapwing, USS Mackinac, USS Matagorda, USS McFarland, USS Norton Sound, USS Onslow, USS Orca, USS Pelican, USS Pine Island, USS Pocomoke, USS Rehoboth, USS Rockaway, USS Salisbury Sound, USS San Carlos, USS San Pablo, USS Shelikof, USS St. George, USS Suisun, USS Swan, USS Tangier, USS Thornton, USS Thrush, USS Timbalier, USS Unimak, USS Valcour, USS William B. Preston, USS Williamson, USS Wright and USS Yakutat. The U.S. Navy's Seaplane Tenders and Patrol Aircraft in World War II is now available from Heritage Books: http://www.heritagebooks.com/. Contributed by CDR David D. Bruhn commanderbruhn@gmail.com [30APR2016]
BOOKs: Title: "U.S. Navy PB4Y-1 (B-24) Squadrons in Great Britain During World War II" by Alan Carey acarey@austin.rr.com is the story of U.S. Navy Fleet Air Wing Seven (FAW-7) and the men who flew the Navy version of the Consolidated B-24 Liberator bomber between 1943 and 1945.
Profusely illustrated and containing a wealth of first-hand stories and information, the book documents the daily life of Navy Liberator aircrews stationed at Dunkeswell and Upottery, England during World War II. Navy PB4Y-1 Liberator squadrons were unlike their counterparts in the U.S. Army's 8th Air Force, who battled their way through thick flak and swarms of German fighters while flying to and from targets in continental Europe. Often, Navy aircrews fought battles of boredom and fatigue while flying 12-hour patrols. The job of U.S. Navy PB4Y-1 Liberator aircrews was to keep German U-boats from successfully operating in the Bay of Biscay and the English Channel by going out day after day, often in miserable weather conditions, on unrelenting search and destroy missions. During the war, FAW-7 Liberators were responsible for the sinking of five U-boats and damaging many more. However, the men of Dunkeswell paid a heavy price for keeping the U-boat menace in check. Between 1943 and 1945, nearly 200 Navy Liberator personnel serving with FAW-7 were killed in either operational accidents or combat. Over 300 photographs Color Profiles Wing Organizational Structure Personnel Losses U-boat Contacts and Kills Attributed to FAW-7 PB4Y-1 Liberators FAW-7 Operational Sorties FAW-7 Commanding Officers FAW-7 PB4Y-1 Losses FAW-7 Squadron Disposition of PB4Y-1 Liberators Index Bibliography Notes [Most all squadrons attached to FAW-7 are mentioned or has pictures showing many crews. The following squadrons served with FAW-7: VP-103, VP-105, VP-107, VP-110, VP-112, and VP-114] [Book Now Published 23JAN2003 | 11NOV2001]
BOOKs: Title: "Atlantic Air War: Sub Hunters vs. U-Boats" by Jack Lambert [Most all squadrons attached to FAW-7 are mentioned or has pictures showing many crews. The following squadrons served with FAW-7: VP-103, VP-105, VP-107, VP-110, VP-112, and VP-114. I have not seen the book so I don't know if every squadron is represented.] [28NOV99]
BOOKs: Title: "Log of the Liberators: An Illustrated History of the B-24" by Steve. Birdsall [Squadrons mentioned: VP-24, VB-48, VB-51, VB-55, VP-63, VP-64, VB-101/VPB-101, VB-102, VB-103, VB-104/VPB-104, VB-106/VPB-106, VB-108/VPB-108, VB-109/VPB-109, VPB-111, VB-115, VPB-116, VPB-117, VPB-118, VPB-123, VPB-124, VB-128, VB-129, VB-130, VB-131, VB-132, VB-133, VB-134, VB-135, VB-136, VB-137, VB-138, VPB-139/VPB-139, VB-140, VB-141, VB-143, VB-147, VB-148/VPB-148, VB-154/VPB-154, VPB-156, VPB-157, VPB-159, VB-193, VC-5, VD-1, VD-3, VD-5, VW-3, etc.] ISBN:0-385-03870-4 Printed by Doubleday & Company, Inc Garden City, New York. Book information contributed by Bill Woodard billwood@mail.utexas.edu [07JAN2001]
"VP-103 Summary Page"
|