VPNAVY VP-5 Mercury Capsule Recovery
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VPNAVY Address

HistoryPATSU HistoryHistory

Circa 1992

HistoryA BIT OF HISTORY: Naval Aviation News Magazine "...Patrol Aviation In The Pacific In WWII - Naval Aviation News - July-August 1992.." WebSite: http://www.history.navy.mil/nan/backissues/1990s/1992/ja92.pdf [11NOV2004]

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Circa 1946

HistoryA BIT OF HISTORY: "...Fleet Aircraft Service Squadron, a redesignation of PATSU on 12 August 1946..." http://www.history.navy.mil/avh-vol2/Gloss.pdf [15MAY2004]


Circa 1945

HistoryA BIT OF HISTORY: "...VPB-208 CruiseBook Circa 1945. Page 42 and 43 - USS Hamlin (AV-15) 'Believe following a day's record in Tender maintenance X at 0645. Hoisted out C-11 (VPB-208 and took aboard F-5 (VH-3) a strike plane and removed both engines X at 1300 hoisted out F-5 and brought aboard F-4 ((VH-3) for engine change X latter completed just too late to hoist out before nightfall..." Contributed by DAUM, F. David (Deceased) and forwarded by Drake A. Daum Drake.Daum@wpafb.af.mil [03MAR2005]

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HistoryA BIT OF HISTORY: "...FAW-7 PATSU 7- A VPB-103 NAF Dunkeswell, Devonshire, England 1944-1945 (the end of the war)..." Contributed by AMM3 Matt Wilson mwilson1942@optonline.net [21MAR2003]

VP HistoryVP HistoryVP HistoryVP HistoryVP HistoryVP History
Winter 1945Winter 1945Winter 1944AMM3 Matt Wilson 1944AMM1 Ross and AMM3 Matt WilsonAMM3 Matt Wilson
VP HistoryVP HistoryVP HistoryVP HistoryVP HistoryVP History
AMM3 Matt Wilson and GangMartin and Swampy 1944Mackie, Ross, Kindness, Martin, Matt, Hollihan, and MannAMM2 Dean ElliottAMM3 Matt Wilson 1944F. F. Ward
VP HistoryVP History    
A. Conti after a hard day on the lineWinter 1945    

Circa 1944

HistoryA BIT OF HISTORY: "...Location of U. S. Naval Aircraft - Dated 11 Jan 1944..." WebSite: Naval Historical Center http://www.history.navy.mil/ [29SEP2006]

VP SQUADRONS MENTIONED

CASU

PATSU

VD-1, VD-2, VD-3 and VD-4

VJ-1, VJ-2, VJ-3, VJ-4, VJ-5, VJ-7, VJ-8, VJ-9, VJ-10, VJ-11, VJ-12, VJ-13, VJ-14, VJ-15, and VJ-16

VP-6 Coast Guard

VP-11, VP-12, VP-13, VP-14, VP-15, VP-16, VP-17, VP-18 and VP-19

VP-20, VP-23 and VP-24

VP-32, VP-33 and VP-34

VP-43, VP-44 and VP-45

VP-52 and VP-54

VP-61 and VP-62

VP-71, VP-72, VP-73 and VP-74

VP-81 and VP-84

VP-91, VP-92 and VP-94

VP-101, VP-102, VP-103, VP-104, VP-105, VP-106, VP-107, VP-108 and VP-109

VP-110, VP-111, VP-112, VP-113, VP-115, VP-116 and VP-117

VP-126, VP-127, VP-128 and VP-129

VP-130, VP-131, VP-132, VP-133, VP-134, VP-135, VP-136, VP-137, VP-138 and VP-139

VP-140, VP-141, VP-142, VP-143, VP-144, VP-145, VP-146, VP-147, VP-148 and VP-149

VP-150 and VP-151

VP-201, VP-203, VP-204, VP-205, VP-208 and VP-209

VP-210, VP-211, VP-212, VP-213, VP-214, VP-215 and VP-216


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HistoryA BIT OF HISTORY: "...September 4, 1944, Group ONE, Fleet Air Wing TWO was established, consisting of VP-54, VP-44, VB-148, PATSU 1-7, PATSU 1-9, and PATSU 1-11. The group was placed under administrative control of ComAirSoPac.. Operational control of the individual units remained as before. ComPatron 54 assumed additional duty as commanding officer of the group..." http://www.fortunecity.com/millenium/redwood/372/part5.htm [09DEC2000]

HistoryA BIT OF HISTORY: Misc Thumbnail "...PATSU7-1 members (VP-103 Support), NAF Dunkeswell, Devonshire, England 1944. Also graduates of NAS Hutchinson, Kansas PB4Y Line Maintenance School May 1944 (1st Graduating Class). Back Right AOM2 J. G. Beveridge, Center ARM3 Irvin "Sneezie" Berlinski, and Right Front ART1 J. Lerner..." Contributed by KEENEY, ARM3 Joseph Stimmel c/o His Daughter Jacque Morehead jkmrhd@aol.com [22JUN2001]


Circa 1943

HistoryA BIT OF HISTORY: "...Location of U. S. Naval Aircraft - Dated 31 May 1943..." WebSite: Naval Historical Center http://www.history.navy.mil/ [02OCT2006]

VP SQUADRONS MENTIONED

CASU

PATSU

VD-1, VD-2 and VD-3

VJ-1, VJ-2, VJ-3, VJ-4, VJ-5, VJ-7 and VJ-10

VP-1

VP-11, VP-12, VP-13, VP-14 and VP-15

VP-23

VP-32, VP-33 and VP-34

VP-43, VP-44 and VP-45

VP-52, VP-53 and VP-54

VP-61, VP-62 and VP-63

VP-71, VP-72, VP-73 and VP-74

VP-81 and VP-84

VP-91, VP-92 and VP-94

VP-101, VP-102, VP-103, VP-104, VP-105, VP-106, VP-107, VP-108 and VP-109

VP-125, VP-126, VP-127 and VP-128

VP-130, VP-131, VP-132, VP-133, VP-134, VP-135, VP-136, VP-137, VP-138 and VP-139

VP-140, VP-142, VP-144 and VP-146

VP-201, VP-202, VP-203, VP-204, VP-205, VP-206, VP-207, VP-208 and VP-209

VP-210, VP-211 and VP-212

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HistoryA BIT OF HISTORY: "...Location of U. S. Naval Aircraft - Dated 09 Nov 1943..." WebSite: Naval Historical Center http://www.history.navy.mil/ [01OCT2006]

VP SQUADRONS MENTIONED

CASU and PATSU

VD-1, VD-2, VD-3 and VD-4

VJ-1, VJ-2, VJ-3, VJ-4, VJ-5, VJ-15, and VJ-16

VP-6 Coast Guard

VP-1

VP-11, VP-12, VP-13, VP-14, VP-15 and VP-16

VP-23 and VP-24

VP-32, VP-33 and VP-34

VP-43, VP-44 and VP-45

VP-52, VP-53 and VP-54

VP-61, VP-62 and VP-63

VP-71, VP-72, VP-73 and VP-74

VP-81 and VP-84

VP-91, VP-92 and VP-94

VP-101, VP-102, VP-103, VP-104, VP-105, VP-106, VP-107, VP-108 and VP-109

VP-110, VP-111, VP-112, VP-113, VP-114, VP-115 and VP-116

VP-125, VP-126, VP-127, VP-128 and VP-129

VP-130, VP-131, VP-132, VP-133, VP-134, VP-135, VP-136, VP-137, VP-138 and VP-139

VP-140, VP-141, VP-142, VP-143, VP-144, VP-145, VP-146, VP-147, VP-148 and VP-149

VP-150

VP-201, VP-202, VP-203, VP-204, VP-205, VP-206, VP-207, VP-208 and VP-209

VP-210, VP-211, VP-212, VP-213, VP-214, VP-215 and VP-216


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HistoryA BIT OF HISTORY: "...NAF Dunkeswel1, Devonshire, England- The U.S. Army Air Force had begun working with the RAF Coastal Command at RAF Dunkeswell early in 1943 conducting ASW sweeps over the English Channel and the Bay of Biscay. On 24 September 1943 the 19th USAAF squadron departed Dunkeswell to join the 8th Air Force followed by the 22nd USAAF on 28 September. Three Navy squadrons. VB-103, VB-105 and VB-110 undertook the ASW role previously flown by the USAAF in England. The USAAF squadrons were phased out and their equipment similar to that on the PB4Y-1 aircraft was turned over to the Navy. The USAAF flew its last ASW mission from Dunkeswell on 31 October 1943 and the 4th USAAF squadron departed on 6 November. VPB-105 moved aboard RAF Dunkeswell on 12 October 1943 and VB-110 on 30 October 1943. VPB-103 had been based there since 30 August 1943 sharing the field with the USAAF. FAW-7 established its headquarters there at roughly the same. The three squadrons at RAF Dunkeswell came to be known by several names over the next year: Dunkeswell Air Group. Land Plane Air Group and finally Patrol Air Group One. Each squadron had the luxury of being assigned its own PATSU. On 4 January 1944 RAF Dunkeswell came under U.S. Navy control and was redesignated an NAF. The facilities under the Royal Air Force had been extremely spartan. With the change of Dunkeswell to an NAF conditions improved dramatically. On 9 January 1945. VPB-112 received orders to cease operations and prepare for transfer from NAF Port Lyautey, Morocco to Upottery. Devon. England. Operations began from this base on 15 February. Upottery was a satellite field to NAF Dunkeswell where VB-103, VB-105, and VB-110 were based. VPB-107 later joined VPB-112 at Upottery after being transferred from NAF Natal, Brazil. Both NAF Dunkeswell and its satellite field at Upottery were returned to RAF control on 31 July 1945..." APPENDIX 6 Patrol Squadron Shore Establishments - Naval Historical Site http://www.history.navy.mil/index.html [20MAR2001]


Circa 1942

HistoryA BIT OF HISTORY: "...September 4, 1944, Group ONE, Fleet Air Wing TWO was established, consisting of VP-54, VP-44, VB-148, PATSU 1-7, PATSU 1-9, and PATSU 1-11. The group was placed under administrative control of ComAirSoPac.. Operational control of the individual units remained as before. ComPatron 54 assumed additional duty as commanding officer of the group..." http://www.fortunecity.com/millenium/redwood/372/part5.htm [09DEC2000]

HistoryA BIT OF HISTORY: "...PATSU, after 1942 Patrol Wings reorganization, assigned to an airfield or Tender to provide administrative maintenance services to aircraft being support. Redesignated FASRON in 1946..." http://www.history.navy.mil/avh-vol2/Gloss.pdf [15MAY2004]

HistoryA BIT OF HISTORY: "...00JUL42 - Headquarters squadron (HEDRON), located under each Patrol Wing after 1942, which pooled ground personnel and handled most of the administrative and support tasks for the operation squadrons. Each HEDRON had detachedments called PATSUs to support squadrons at outlying bases..." http://www.history.navy.mil/avh-vol2/Gloss.pdf [15MAY2004]

HistoryA BIT OF HISTORY: "...10JUL42 - Headquarters Squadrons (HEDRON) and Patrol Service Units (PATSU) were established under each patrol wing..." http://www.history.navy.mil/avh-vol2/Appen13.pdf [15MAY2004]


Circa Unknown
Can you identify the Month and or Year?

HistoryA BIT OF HISTORY: "...Dads' pics from the Pacific when he was in PATSU 1-7. I pulled this information of the pictures: 1st Picture (pictures on table), 2nd Picture (Marine F4U Corsair with Three Belly Tanks), 3rd Picture (L-R: Heyer, Cooperman, Murphy, Perlberg and Powell) and 4th Picture (Russell Curtis)..." Contributed by Mark J. Gaffney gaffney309@gmail.com [16JUL2014]

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HistoryA BIT OF HISTORY: History ThumbnailCameraNAAS Crows Landing "...Historic California Posts - Naval Auxilary Air Station, Crows Landing - History..." WebSite: The California State Military Museum http://www.militarymuseum.org/NAASCrowsLanding.html [06NOV2005]

Photograph: Title: Crows Landing - Image Number: A92-0471-4 - Date: 1992 - Keywords: aerial - Crows Landing - historical - Description: Aerial photo, NAAS Crows Landing; Photographer: US Navy; Date: August 5, 1947 WebSite: http://ails.arc.nasa.gov/Images/Historical/A92-0471-4.html

NAAS Crows Landing, located 2-1/2 miles northwest of the town of the same name, began in late 1942 as an auxiliary air station to NAS Alameda, California. It was used to train Navy fighter pilots. Pilots of F4F Wildcats, TBF and TBM Avengers trained here first in Link and Panoramic trainers then eventually in actual planes. Later, pilots in R4D Skytrains and R5D Skymasters (Navy versions of the Army's C-47 and C-54) trained here. After the war the station was placed in caretaker status.

History
by M.L. Shettle, Jr.
Historical works by M. L. Shettle, Jr.


In late 1942, the Navy chose a site in the San Joaquin Valley, 71 miles southeast of Alameda, for an auxiliary air station. An 804-acre parcel of land was purchased for $86,708 and ground broken on December 1, 1942. The site was located near the agricultural community of Crows Landing, 1940 population of 363, that consisted of a gas station, country store, and a freight train stop. During con struction, the project was known as NAAF Patterson for the nearest post office, six miles to the north. After the Navy decided to include a post office on the station, the base commissioned on May 25, 1943, as NAAF Crows Landing.

On June 18, 1943, VC-36 became the first unit assigned. A detachment of Alameda's CASU 6 also arrived in support. For the next nine months, Crows Landing hosted various carrier units. These units included VC-65, and elements of CAG 28, CAG 18, and CAG 11. In the meantime, a detachment of CASU 37 replaced CASU 6 and Crows Landing was upgraded to an NAAS. Up to the spring of 1944, multi-engine patrol aircraft were based at NAAS Vernalis, 18 miles to the northwest. The Navy real ized that Crows Landing's 7,000-ft. concrete run ways would be better suited for the heavier weight multi-engine aircraft than Vernalis's asphalt run ways; thereafter, Vernalis was designated for carrier units and Crows Landing for multi-engine types.

In March 1944, the first multi-engine squadron, VPB-137 arrived from Alameda with PVs. From June to November, the station embarked on an expansion project that added housing, a hangar, and other improvements. The runways were widened from 150 to 200 ft. The station's ramp that initially was 200 x 400 ft. was enlarged by a 1200 x 200-ft. and a 1890 x 260-ft. section. In August 1944, the first PB4Y-2 Privateer squadron, VPB-118, arrived from NAAS Camp Kearny, California. In January 1945, Crows Landing added six enlisted barracks, a warehouse, and a 100-man ground training building. From February 2, to March 27, 1945, a VRE-1 Detach ment with 12 R4Ds was based at the station. VRE-1 was one of the Navy's three evacuation squadrons that transported wounded men from combat areas in the South Pacific to the various Naval Hospitals in the U.S. In addition, Oakland's VR-4 and VR-11 used Crows Landing for training throughout the sta tion's existence.

Crows Landing's isolated location prompted the Navy to run 10 liberty buses a day to Modesto and Patterson. Navy men were allowed to use the swim ming pool at Patterson High School. In June 1945, the station's complement stood at 27 officers and 185 men -- squadron personnel added an additional 245 officers and 1220 enlisted men. Available billeting accommodated 268 officers and 2116 men. Patrol squadrons that passed thought the station during the war included VPB-115, VPB-122, VPB-101, VPB-103, VPB-107, VPB-133, VPB-140, VPB-118, and VPB-108. The PV operational training squadron, VPB-198, also spent time aboard. Patrol squadrons were supported by PATSUs 8-2, 8-4, 8-5, and 8-7. Other units that operated and trained at Crows Landing were VJ-12 and ABATU 105. By war's end, the station was valued at $4 million.

Crows Landing decommissioned on July 6, 1946, becoming an OLF to NAS Alameda, California and later NAS Moffett Field, California. In recent years, the Navy maintained a perma nent detachment at the field that supplied crash equipment and refueling services for Naval aircraft from the stations in the area. With the closing of Moffett, the Navy turned Crows Landing over to NASA's Ames Research Center in 1993.

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