A BIT OF HISTORY: VP-7, VP-9, VP-11 and VP-12 Article "...Navy Sky Fleet Will Fly North - Seattle Daily Times 27JUN1938...I am a volunteer researcher in the Archives at the National Naval Aviation Museum - NNAM - Pensacola, FL. Came across these articles about VP-7, VP-9, VP-11 and VP-12 flying from NAS North Island, San Diego, California to NAS Kodiak, Alaska..." Contributed by Pam Thomas rhpbthomas@gmail.com [26OCT2020]

A BIT OF HISTORY: VP-7, VP-9, VP-11 and VP-12 Article "...Largest Long Mass Flight Will Bring 48 Planes Here - Seattle Daily Times 27JUN1938...I am a volunteer researcher in the Archives at the National Naval Aviation Museum - NNAM - Pensacola, FL. Came across these articles about VP-7, VP-9, VP-11 and VP-12 flying from NAS North Island, San Diego, California to NAS Kodiak, Alaska..." Contributed by Pam Thomas rhpbthomas@gmail.com [26OCT2020]

A BIT OF HISTORY: VP-7, VP-9, VP-11 and VP-12 Article "...44 Navy Planes Finish Biggest Mass Flight - Seattle Daily Times 27JUN1938...I am a volunteer researcher in the Archives at the National Naval Aviation Museum - NNAM - Pensacola, FL. Came across these articles about VP-7, VP-9, VP-11 and VP-12 flying from NAS North Island, San Diego, California to NAS Kodiak, Alaska..." Contributed by Pam Thomas rhpbthomas@gmail.com [26OCT2020]

A BIT OF HISTORY: "...Circa 1937 through 1939 - Crewman Kanzico..." Contributed by John Lucas JohnLucas@netzero.com [19FEB2005]

A BIT OF HISTORY: VP-7, VP-9, VP-11, and VP-12 made up Patrol Wing ONE in 1938
Title: U.S. Navy Aircraft 1921-1941, U.S. Marine Corps Aircraft 1914-1959: Two Classics in One Volume [Squadron insignias, aircraft, and more!] by William T. Larkins [10SEP98]

A BIT OF HISTORY: "02FEB38--Rank and organization: Lieutenant, U.S. Navy. Place and date: Off California Coast, 2 February 1938. Born: 12 September 1904, Albany, N.Y. Accredited to: New York. Citation: For extraordinary heroism as the pilot of the U.S. Navy Seaplane PBY-2 No. 0463 (11-P-3) while engaged in tactical exercises with the U.S. Fleet on 2 February 1938. Although his plane was badly damaged, Lt. Hutchins remained at the controls endeavoring to bring the damaged plane to a safe landing and to afford an opportunity for his crew to escape by parachutes. His cool, calculated conduct contributed principally to the saving of the lives of all who survived. His conduct on this occasion was above and beyond the call of duty...." http://www.army.mil/cmh-pg/mohint5.htm

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Circa 1937

A BIT OF HISTORY: "...Naval Aeronautic Organization - Change In - Fiscal Year 1938 - Dated 24 Sep 1937..." WebSite: Naval Historical Center http://www.history.navy.mil/ [25SEP2006]

VP SQUADRONS MENTIONED

VP-1, VP-2, VP-3, VP-4, VP-5, VP-6, VP-7, VP-8 and VP-9

VP-10, VP-11, VP-12, VP-14, VP-15, VP-16, VP-17 and VP-19

A BIT OF HISTORY: "...Naval Aeronautic Organization - Fiscal Year 1938 - Dated 7 May 1937..." WebSite: Naval Historical Center http://www.history.navy.mil/ [25SEP2006]

VP SQUADRONS MENTIONED

VP-1, VP-2, VP-3, VP-4, VP-5, VP-6, VP-7, VP-8 and VP-9

VP-10, VP-11, VP-12, VP-14, VP-15, VP-16, VP-17 and VP-19

A BIT OF HISTORY: "...Circa 1937 through 1939 - Crewman Kanzico..." Contributed by John Lucas JohnLucas@netzero.com [19FEB2005]

A BIT OF HISTORY: VP-11 Xmas Card Circa 1937 "...My father (Robert Holland Dudley, USN Ret) passed away last year. I have been going through his things, and have come across a Christmas Card to his mother. It is postmarked December 19, 1937 from San Diego. It sports the Odin's head logo and recounts via a map the April 12-13 trip from San Diego to Pearl 2553 miles, 21 hours, 15 minutes, and a side trip to Midway. I do not believe my Dad was actually on that trip, as the afore mentioned log book entry suggests..." Contributed by Robert E. Dudley REDUDLEY@prodigy.net [22JAN99]

A BIT OF HISTORY: There are many gaps in this work, I hope others can help me with info such as date and base of commissioning, bases and dates of moves toward SWPac area, how the squadron returned to the US - dates of main personnel moves, what ship, did any fly their PBYs back to US? All information will be gladly received and acknowledged. Regards, Wynnum B Graham wbg@bigpond.com [30AUG98]

VP-11 CHRONOLOGY
WWII ERA

01OCT37...USN Patrol Wings were formed. VP-6 came under PatWing 2, VP-7 and VP-11 came under PatWing 1. VP-15 was with PatWing 5.

cJUN39...VP-11 transferred to PatWing 5 and in Jul39 was re-designated to VP-54 in the wing/squadron numbering realignments. By about Apr41 this VP-54 became VP-51, held to this number as it moved into WWII.

cJUL39...VP-7 became VP-11 in the wing/squadron numbering realignments. About end 1940, this VP-11 was re-designated to VP-21, and held to this number as it moved into WWII.

cEarly1941...Another VP-11 came briefly into existence, when VP-53 transferred to Patwing 1 as VP-11, but just as quickly transferred out to PatWing 7 as VP-73, and then held this number as it moved into WWII. This set of lineage had started from the VP-15 which existed in 1937.

Now to the lineage we shall follow into WWII as VP-11.

01OCT37...VP-6 came under control of the new PatWing 2. In the Jul39 realignment of wing/squadron numbers, it became VP-23. During 1941 was transferred to PatWing 1 control, and became VP-11 and held this number as it moved into WWII. This lineage also held to the insignia of Pegasus in a circle during these changes.

7DEC41...VP-11 is part of Patrol Wing One, which has main base at NAS Kaneohe Bay, Hawaii. None of their 12 PBY-5 were flying at the time of attack, some were destroyed, the others were damaged.

00JUN42...VP-11 had three PBY flying patrol out of Johnson Is, watching for the attack on Midway. One of these aircraft spotted the Japanese fleet, returned to base to report this. These crews then went to Midway on rescue duties. Pilot Campbell and crew became exhausted by two weeks of rescue and patrol work following the Midway battle.

03JUL42...VP-11 commences deployment to South Pacific, 12 PBY, three each day on four consecutive days. After flying via Palmyra and Canton, the squadron re-grouped at Suva, Fiji, made preparations to operate from new seaplane facility being prepared at Nandi, on the western side of Fiji. Some of the ground echelon travelled from Hawaii to Il Nou, New Caledonia on USS Copahee.

VP-11 was the first full VP squadron deployed to SoPac. During early 1942 they had watched VP-22 and then VP-21 deploy to PatWing 10 in what became SWPac; they had also watched a half squadron from VP-14 deploy about Mar42 to the New Caledonia area, now joined them.

12JUL42...Three PBY deploy to Noumea from Suva, tender Mackinac. They flew patrols north-west from Noumea. The rest of the squadron moved from Suva to Nandi. Guadalcanal campaign was soon to begin.

01AUG42...VP-11 regrouped at Segondo Channel on Espiritu Santo, based on the tender Curtis.

05AUG42...VP-11 supplies two of a five plane detachment at Graciosa Bay, Ndeni Is., Santa Cruz Group. Three aircraft are from VP-14. Tender is McFarland.

07AUG42...Allied landings at Tulagi and Guadalcanal begin.

22OCT42...Three PBY of VP-11 took off from Espiritu Santo armed with torpedoes and bombs, for a night mission to Tonelei Harbour at the southern end of Bougainville. They would refuel at Tulagi on the return trip. This sort of work led to 'black cat' ops, mostly attributed as starting with VP-12, who relieved VP-11 in SoPac ops.

0JAN43...VP-11 ceased assignment to SoPac. They reformed at San Diego with new PBY-5s. After extensive training, they departed San Diego for Perth, Australia. [ Help -more reports needed on re-forming and moving to Australia.]

03JUN43...VP-11 began arriving at Crawley, Perth. Some reports say from home base NAS Kaneohe Bay, Hawaii.

17SEP43...VP-11 moved from Perth, Western Australia, to join ops in New Guinea areas.

06OCT43...Tender Half Moon [AVP 26] arrived Namoia Bay [at the eastern tip of the New Guinea island] to relieve San Pablo and VP-101, and begin ops with VP-11. An aside... PBY ops from Samarai and adjacent Namoia Bay would be an interesting subject for a busy younger author - flying from there on serious combat duty, in turn, were VP-101, VP-11, VP-52, VP-34 and VP-33.

End NOV43...VP-11 transferred to Port Moresby and did convoy and rescue duty, had been relieved at Namoia Bay by VP-52.

16DEC43...Over five days, VP-11 rescued 219 Australian soldiers - this required seventeen PBY trips to Sepik River, dangerous enough as a strong running river, let alone with the enemy nearby.

1JAN44...VP-11 was relieved at Port Moresby by VP-52. VP-11 gets no further mentions until Aug44 when it "returns from Western Australia".

00FEB44...VP-11 returned to Perth, Western Australia.

27JUL44...VP-11 departed Crawley base at Perth for New Guinea.

00AUG44...VP-11 relocated from Perth to Woendi, joining up with VP-34.

06AUG44...VP-11 joins VP-34 at Woendi, near Biak, having just returned from Western Australia. About Jul44, Patwing 10 had ceased ops at Perth and departed for New Guinea area.

22AUG44...VP-11 and VP-34 move forward to Middleburg Is, near Sansapor, toward the western tip of New Guinea Island, with tenders Orca and Half Moon. They start doing ops to the Philippines.

01SEP4...VP-34 returned to Manus Is in the Admiralties group. VP-11 continued ops from Middleburg Island, CO Lt Cdr White. VP-33 moved up from Admiralties to Middleburg Is, operate from Orca and do a record breaking tour, CO is Lt Cdr Fernald P Anderson who had relieved L Cdr Bengston.

AUG and SEP44...VP-11 CO is Lt Cdr T W White. They are congratulated, per dispatches, at least six times, for their efforts.

15SEP44...Timeframe - Morotai landings begin. VP-11 and VP-33 PBYs move up from Middleburg immediately.

19SEP44...PBYs are operational at Morotai. About this time, VP-101 arrives and starts ops. Another aside... see how close the VP-101 arrival is to 01Oct44, the redesignation date from VP-xyz to VPB-xyz. Since there was a VP-101 and a VB-101 to be re-designated, our poor old VP-101 had to suffer a new name, and became VPB-29.

20SEP44...VP-101 was ordered to Morotai from Australia. Four tenders had anchored there to support three USN black-cat squadrons, VP-11, VP-33, and VP-101, and some Australian black-cats. [VP-34 had retired briefly to Woendi and Manus.] Tenders San Carlos and Tangier are mentioned. VP-11 were to continue armed reconnaisance during the following months, initially from Middleburg, and subsequently from Morotai, before their tour of duty in the Pacific ended.

01OCT44...As with all VP squadrons, VP-11 was re-designated. Now is VPB-11.

00NOV44...VPB-11 ceased ops from Morotai, returns to US.

Note that VPB-71 with PBY-5A arrived Morotai 24Nov44, probably replacing VP-11, perhaps also VP-34 which "left" in Dec44. VP-52 is missing from an even earlier date.

00DEC44...VP-11 departed SWPac area, returned to NAS Kaneohe Bay, Hawaii. Contributed by Wynnum B Graham wbg@bigpond.com [30AUG98]

A BIT OF HISTORY: "00MAY37-In May 1937 the Navy's first PBY squadron, VP-11 based in Hawaii, started to receive the PBY-2 variant which now had 4 underwing hardpoints for up two 1,000 lb (454 kg) loads, a one-piece tail, and two 12.7mm machine guns in the waist..." http://www.netimg.com/TheHangar/Consolidated.PBY.Catalina.Main.htm

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Circa 1936 - 1938

A BIT OF HISTORY: "...VP-11F History - 1936 through 1938..." WebSite: VP-11 Neptune Association vp11news.html 09JUL2008

JULY 2008 Newsletter

PATROL SQUADRON ELEVEN HISTORY

(This article begins a series in which I hope to present a fairly detailed and accurate history of VP-11. The information comes from various sources which I have accepted as accurate, but in many cases I have not been able to verify. Thus, we shall call it an unofficial history. ROR)

VP-11 in the Pre-World War II Era

Patrol Squadron Eleven (VP-11F) was commissioned at NAS North Island, San Diego, California on July 1, 1936. Commander Laverne A. Pope assumed command, and with his Executive Officer, Cdr. A. Mills and twenty enlisted personnel, transferred from the USS Wright, they formed the nucleus of the new seaplane squadron. Assigned to the squadron were three patrol type seaplanes for the purpose of training flight and maintenance personnel. These aircraft designated; Hall PH, Consolidated P2Y and the Martin PM-1 were to be replaced by a complement of 12 new Consolidated PBY-1, the Catalina, later in 1936. Although there is some evidence linking the history of VP-11 to earlier squadrons such as VT-19 and VY-6D14, this commissioning appears to be the first reference to a squadron carrying the designation of VP-11.

After the initial training phase, including the transition to the PBY-1 seaplanes, the flight crews of VP-11F flew their 12 planes on April 12/13, 1937 to NAS Ford Island in the Territory of Hawaii. The ground support personnel joined the flight crews sometime later after being transported aboard the USS Langley and the USS Wright (AV-1). With the USS Langley (AV-3), the USS Wright (AV-1) and the USS Pelican supporting the squadron as tenders, VP-11F participated in Fleet Problem 17 in the Midway Is. and French Frigate Shoals areas. Upon completion of this fleet exercise, the twelve squadron aircraft were turned over to VP-8F stationed at Ford Is. The entire VP-11F squadron complement then sailed back to San Diego aboard the USS Langley (AV-3) and USS Wright (AV-1) arriving in June 1937.

Back at their homeport of San Diego, VP-11F received 12 new PBY-2 aircraft and resumed their training phase. In June 1937, VP-11F was designated the host squadron of a newly formed radio operators school to assist in providing training for airborne radio operators assigned to Patrol Wing One squadrons. The squadron continued to operate from North Island throughout 1937, and in February 1938 they were again tasked to participate in a fleet exercise.

Fleet Problem 18 commenced on 3 February, and in the opening stages of this exercise tragedy struck the squadron when two squadron PBY-2 aircraft collided off the southern California coast resulting in the loss of eleven of the fourteen crewmembers. VP-11F continued to operate from North Island under the operational control of Patrol Wing One until the commencement of Fleet Problem 19 on June 26, 1938. A notable event during this period occurred when aircraft number 11 crash-landed at sea south of Point Loma sustaining minimum damage and no serious injuries to the crew. The plane was towed back to NAS North Island, San Diego, California and returned to service after extensive repairs.

In January 1939, VP-11 was re-assigned to Patrol Wing Five, and under the newly adopted scheme of designating squadrons based on the Wing assignment, the unit designation changed to VP-54 only to be re-designated in April of 1941 as VP-51. During this period numerous realignments and changes in unit designations took place. In attempting to follow a unit's lineage throughout this period, it helps to keep in mind that the squadron designation was based on the wing - squadron relationship, thus VP-11 would indicate squadron number one under the operational control of Patrol Wing One. In July 1939, VP-7 became VP-11, which was re-designated as VP-21 by the end of 1940, and remained such throughout WWII. Early in 1941, another VP-11 squadron came into existence when VP-53 was transferred to PAT WING ONE with the unit assuming the VP-11 designation. This revival was short lived as the squadron was reassigned to PAT WING SEVEN with an associated re-designation as VP-73 a designation in retained to the end of the war.

In tracing the lineage throughout WWII of the squadron known as VP-11, we begin with a unit designated as VP-6 formed under the operational control of Patrol Wing Two on 1 October 1937. Under the July 1939 revised designation scheme, this unit became VP-23 (Wing Two / Squadron Three) before it was transferred to Patrol Wing One and on 1 July 1941 officially adopted the VP-11 designation. Thankfully, VP-11 held this designation into WWII, thus we have some continuity to the squadron's history. At the time of its designation as VP-11 in 1941, the Pegasus insignia was already an established symbol of this unit reportedly dating back to its days as VP-6B in 1933.

(Next time VP-11 as WW II begins)

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Circa 1936

A BIT OF HISTORY: VP-11F "...USS FARRAGUT (DD-348) - Patrol Squadron Eleven-F (VP-11F)..." WebSite: NavSource Naval History http://www.navsource.org/ 10JUL2008

Photograph Caption: USS Farragut (DD-348) underway during manouvres staged for Movietone News, off San Diego, California, 14 September 1936. She is being overflown by five patrol planes. That at left is a PBY-1 of Patrol Squadron Eleven-F (VP-11F). The other four are P2Ys of Patrol Squadron Seven-F (VP-7F) USN Pic No NH 67309.

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Circa 1934

A BIT OF HISTORY: VP-11 Xmas Card "...Circa 1934. Signed 'Always Frank'..." WebSite: EBay http://cgi.ebay.com/ PRE-WWII-PEARL-HARBOR-MIDWAY-CHRISTMAS-CARD-1934_W0QQitemZ6585997686QQcategoryZ4727QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem [06DEC2005]

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"VP-11 History Summary Page"

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