The USS
Belleau Wood's first air group was formed December 1, 1942 at Floyd Bennett Field, N.A.S.,
New York. The organization was commanded by Commander Massy and operated 30
aircraft: 9 TBFs of VT-24, 9 SBDs of VC-24, and 12 FMs of VF-24.
In May, 1943 Air Group 24 moved down to Philadelphia to board the BELLEAU WOOD for
the shake down cruise to Trinidad and the Gulf of Paria.
After the ship's return to the Philadelphia Navy Yard, the group stayed at N.A.S.,
Willow Grove. It was there that the FM "Wildcats" were
exchanged for the new F6F "Hellcats".
The groups first mission against the enemy was furnishing air coverage for the
occupation of Baker Island and a one day strike at Tarawa and Makin Islands. However
the group was now much changed, consisting of its original 12 VF and 9 VT augmented by 12
VF from fighting 22 which had replaced the SBDs. The SBD's of four CVL's had been
united to form a separate 36-plane bombing squadron.
It was off Tarawa on September 16, 1943 that VF-24 drew its first blood, a Betty
shot down by Bob Ross and Buck Rogers. The first serious deck crash occurred when
the VF skipper, Lt. Cdr. Johnny Curtis, crashed through the barriers and went over the
side. All efforts failed to find him.
After the next (Wake Island) raid the 12 VF of Fighting 22 were exchanged for 12
from Air Group 6 which remained aboard for the occupation of the Gilbert Islands and the
strike on the Marshalls. Returning to Pearl Harbor the group flew off to the island
of Maui to re-form and take on new pilots to make up a 24-plane fighting squadron.
From here the group shot and bombed their way across the Pacific through the
following operations: occupation of the Marshall Islands, strike on Truk, strike on the
Marianas, occupation of Emirau Island, strike on the Palau Islands, occupation of
Hollandia on New Guinea, occupation of the Marianas including the First Battle of the
Philippines Sea, and the Bonin strikes.
Most outstanding was their part in the Philippine Sea Battle which started with the
great Jap air attack on June 1944. On the morning patrol Jack Thelen's fighter
division knocked down 10 and 3 probables out of 20 Zekes that jumped them over Guam.
The afternoon proved fairly dull - - our group having the back-stop CAP, while the other
groups held field day on the Japanese naval air force. Late the next afternoon the
order came to launch a strike against the Jap Fleet. To the torpedo pilots went the
greatest glory: Omark, Tate, Luton, and Brown went to drop their "fish" at a
Hayataka class carrier. Brown was hit badly by AA and caught fire, although he went
on to score a hit. Omark and Tate also scored hits on the crippled carrier, sending
her to the bottom. Although Brown was severely injured and his bomb bay doors were
jammed open, he joined up and tried to fly back. Repeatedly the others had to force
him back on course, but in the growing darkness his plane fell off and he was never found.
While the ship was in the yard at Pearl Harbor in July, Air Group 24 was relieved
by Air Group 21. Aboard from May, 1943 to July 1944, they established the longest
tour of duty on record.
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