A BIT OF HISTORY: "...1959 VP-42 Cruisebook...[Squadron Designations: VP-42, VPB-22, and VP-MS-2..." Contributed by Bruce Barth bbarth1@austin.rr.com, Director Mariner/Marlin Association [29NOV2000]

In the beginning there was nothing, not even the Pentagon. People believed that if it had been ordained that Man should fly, he would have been designed with feathers. Fortunately, although he had no feathers, Man did have a designing mind. It wasn't long after the invention of the wheel by some Neanderthal architect that James Watt developed the steam engine. Gustav Daimler found that by attaching four wheels he might make an automobile. Jack Daniels experiemented with a more highly refined fule, and in 1903 Orville and Wilbur Wright laid the ground work that eventually culminated in a small group of men converging on the NAAS Harvey Point, North Carolina, on April...

Patrol Squadron Twenty, as it was called...training cycle at NAAS Harvey Point, North Carolina, and Key West and then moved westward in their PBM...in the war being waged in the South Pacific. On the 1st....name was changed to Patrol Bombing Squadron Twenty-Two, stationed at Parry Island on Eniwetok Atoll, primarily ....in the nuisance bombing of Yap and Ngulu Islands, and supporting SAR and Dumbo...the area. While at Parry Island, one of the PBMs returned 560 miles to base on a single engine, navigated by one ENS C. L. Lambing.

In November, 1944, the squadron moved its base from Parry Ialand to Kossol Passage, in Palau, supported by USS Kenneth Whiting (AV-14) and continued its patrol and ASW work. On the 30th of November, they experienced their first air raid, one 1000-lb bomb dropped by one lone Japanese medium bomber it missed. Comemnts in the "Appreciable damage was inflicted on squadron aircraft by ship's boats in coming alongside the planes, thus adding to our maintenance problem. While operating from Kossol, our planes often had to return to base shortly after take-off due to discrepancies which were not remedied prior to take-off." But the chow was good.

In January the squadron packed up shop again and moved to Ulithi Atoll in the Carolines, working from the USS CUMBERLAND SOUND (AV-17), flying day and night long range patrols, special ASW patrols, and bombing missions against Yap Island. By March, 1945, VPB-22 had flown enough operational hours to have circled the globe 55 times. March and April concentrated on softening up Yap and Ngulu Islands for the final push, and the squadron's aircraft inflicted considerable damage on the islands' airstrips and facilities without sustaining a single casualty.

June, 1945, was rotation month, and by July all original personnel and aircraft had been relieved for a much-earned R & R in CONUS. Witht he final defeat of Japan in August, the squadron moved into Okinawa, still under the wing of the CUMBERLAND. But even tenders must get some rest, and by September the USS Norton Sound( AV-11) had relieved, and everyone settled down to the task of securing the peace.

Onward and upward they progressed, to Sasbo and the USS Pine Island (AV-12), to handle the increasing need for mail and passenger with an occasional patrol just for drill. And then, finally, on 15 November 1945, the long-awaited word came - "Yankee go home" - and all hands headed gratefully for NAS North Island, San Diego, California.

During the post-war shake-up, the squasdron...back to VP-22, and then to VP-MS-2 - until it became VP-42 on 1...found a detachment of SAR and DUmbo support...from NAS Kodiak, Alaska and Sand Point, Alaska.

The impending Korean conflict brought VP-42...with detachments at Oppama and NS Sangley Point, Philippines, acting as couriers and helping to ev... In August they transferred to NAS Iwakuni, Japan to begin combat operations, lending Anti-submarine support for Task Group..conducting weather...and surveillance patrols. During the summer of 1951 the squadron returned to NAS North Island, San Diego, California...PBM-5S2 aircraft, and returned to NAS Iwakuni, Japan in December. Operating from NAS Iwakuni, Japan and Chinhae, South Korea, VP-42 continued its routine operations, and sustained its only combat damage when one of the PBMs was attacked by a flight of MIG-15s over the Yellow Sea. Despite moderate damage, the plane returned to NAS Iwakuni, Japan safely.

On March 28, 1953 the squadron commenced its Alaskan deployment, long to be remembered by it...as the summer of...There were no ramps, there were no tenders. Aircraft operated from buyoys..Kodiak and flying patrols and ice reconnaissance missions. Support personnel weren't familiar with seaplane...and as an auxiliary site, was lowered 6 feet by the Army Engineers without notifying anyone, much to the dismay of ..boat's hull. By the Fall of 1953, everyone was happy to return to NAS North Island, San Diego, California. The Navy's newsest P5Ms were waiting, and in October the training cycle was begun for familiarization with the new planes. In October 1954, the first deployment to NS Sangley Point, Philippines began a tradition that has lasted until the present.

Now, as we approach the end of our last tour at NS Sangley Point, Philippines, we can look ahead by looking back at...and accomplishments of VP-42, continuing its greatness.

CHRONOLOGY

07APR44 VP-22 Commissioned at NAAS Harvey Point, North Carolina
01OCT44 Redesignated VPB-22
15MAY46 Redesignated VP-22
15NOV46 Redesignated VP-MS-2
01SEP48 Redesignated VP-42

COMMANDING OFFICERS

LT Robert G. Meaden
LCDR Ross R. Jester
LCDR John Muson
CDR Dallas M. Lazure
CDR Gordon F. Small
CDR James L. Skinner
CDR John L. Gallahan
CDR John Azab
CDR Marion F. Barfield
CDR Lawrence B. Caine
CDR Rober T. Talleson
CDR Ben R. Tate, Jr.

AWARDS AND COMMENDATIONS

Navy Occupation Service Medal, Asiatic

VP-42 02DEC54-13FEB55

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Circa 1948

A BIT OF HISTORY: "...VPMS-2 Gets Overseas Duty - Page 11 - Naval Aviation News - May 1948..." WebSite: http://www.history.navy.mil/nan/backissues/1940s/1948/aug48.pdf [11JUL2004]

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Circa 1947

A BIT OF HISTORY: "...VP-MS Aviators Aid Mechs - Page 15 - Naval Aviation News - December 1947..." WebSite: http://www.history.navy.mil/nan/backissues/1940s/1947/dec47.pdf [18JUL2004]

A BIT OF HISTORY: "...Beaching Big Boats - Page 30 - Naval Aviation News - September 1947..." WebSite: http://www.history.navy.mil/nan/backissues/1940s/1947/sep47.pdf [17JUL2004]

A BIT OF HISTORY: "...Wire Records Anti-Sub Operation - Page 15 - Naval Aviation News - May 1947..." WebSite: http://www.history.navy.mil/nan/backissues/1940s/1947/may47.pdf [17JUL2004]

A BIT OF HISTORY: "...Locking Nut May Save A Plane - Page 37 - Naval Aviation News - March 1947..." WebSite: http://www.history.navy.mil/nan/backissues/1940s/1947/mar47.pdf [17JUL2004]

A BIT OF HISTORY: UNIT: VP-42 PREVIOUS DES: VP-MS-2 NAME: Seademons TAIL CODE: SA/RB ACTIVATED: 1947 DEACTIVATED: 9-26-69 TYPICAL LOCATION(S):
"Title: Lockheed P2V Neptune An Illustrated History by Wayne Mutza wmutza@wi.rr.com...A Schiffer Military History Book...ISBN: 0-7643-0151-9...286 pages full of pictures and history!

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Circa 1946 - 1948

A BIT OF HISTORY: "...My Father was Elbert Clell Howell who was a PO-3 Aviation Machinest Mate and FE on PBM Mariners during and after WWII. Regretably, my Father passed away last year, and while pulling together a memorial shadow box for my family, I've learned much about him and his time assigned to VP-MS-2. On a visit back home in VA to deliver the shadow box, I came across an old photo album of his with several pics of him, his crew mates/shipmates, the birds and the USS Pine Island (AV-12) during his tours in Shanghi, Sipan and NAS Coco Solo, Panama, Canal Zone. I also have a couple of his patches, including a VP-MS-2 patch that I'm restoring..." Contributed by Frank Howell frank.howell.contractor@usap.gov [27AUG2009]

Photograph's Left to Right:

VP-MS-2 Patch, SA-8 before Crash and Fire, Tsingtao China Police, USS Pine Island (AV-12) San Diego 1947 and VP-MS-2 San Diego 1946.

Photograph's Left to Right:

Hong Kong Liberty 1947, Pine Island in Shanghai 1948, Shanghai Captins barge 1948, Shanghai Harbor, Tsingtao China 1947, Tsingtao China 1947 and Tsingtao China 1947.

A BIT OF HISTORY: " CD-ROM: Dictionary of American Naval Aviation Squadrons Vol. 2 Stock No. 008-046-00195-2 The History of VP, VPB, VP(HL), and VP(AM) Naval Historical Center, Department Of The Navy, Washington, D. C...." [15JUN2000]

CHAPTER 3 Patrol Squadron (VP) Histories VP-MS-2 188KB

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"VP-MS-2 Summary Page"

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