Air Group 21

  In June, 1944 Air Group 21, under command of Commander Casey, relieved Air Group 24 while the ship was at Pearl Harbor.  Lt. Cdr. R. A. Kennard was VT skipper.

  The first combat missions were air support sorties for our troops engaged in a mopping-up expedition on Guam.  Next came the initial strikes at Palau and the Philippines.  Fighter pilot Meade and torpedo pilot Everett with his crew Arrance and Davidson were lost over Mindanao.  Flights were flown to cover the landings at Morotai and Palau.

  In October strikes were launched at Okinawa, Formosa, Luzon and Leyte. Prior to the invasion of the Philippines at Leyte, the group hit Jap installations on the Islands. Early on the morning of October 25th the VF and VT took off on the first strike in the Second Battle of the Philippine Sea and struck the northern Jap force which consisted of four carriers and two battlewagons surrounded by screening cruisers and destroyers.  VF-21 pilots shot down two Zekes over the formation and made strafing and rocket attacks on two cruisers and a battleship.  Two VT planes scored hits on one BB, while two other VT put "fish" in the starboard quarter of a Shokaku class carrier.  The other torpedo planes struck two CVLs, putting two "fish" in a Zuiho class and a possible hit in a Chitose class.  Out of eight torpedoes dropped, four were hits.   All of our planes returned safely.

  After the first air attack was over, Lt. Claude Roberts of VF-21 remained over the Jap Fleet in direct communications with Admiral Halsey himself and did a good job of keeping the Admiral informed of the movements of the enemy.
  On the 30th of October when the suicide plane hit, Lt. Keely was killed manning his plane at the spot where the Nip plunged into the deck. Twenty-three VT-21 crewmen in the after ready room were lost in this tragedy.