Torpedo Squadron Four - A Cockpit View of World War II

<BODY BGCOLOR="#FFFFFF" TEXT="#000000" LINK="#0000FF" ALINK="#0000FF" VLINK="#0000FF"> <CENTER> <P><B><FONT FACE="Arial" COLOR="#0000FF" SIZE="+2">Torpedo Squadron Four: A Cockpit View of World War II<BR> <FONT COLOR="#400040">Gerald W. Thomas</FONT></FONT></B></P> </CENTER> <P></P> <P>This book is a historical account of World War II as seen by the pilot of an Avenger, the US Navy's famous torpedo bomber. The focus is on the activities of one squadron, Torpedo 4 (VT-4).</P> <P>VT-4 was commissioned January 10, 1942 aboard the original <B><I>USS Ranger</I></B> while at anchor off Bermuda. It was the Navy's first torpedo squadron commissioned at sea. Serving in both the Atlantic and Pacific theaters of operation, VT-4 is credited with the destruction of more than 160,000 tons of enemy shipping and numerous shore-based military installations.</P> <P>Torpedo 4 was assigned to three different aircraft carriers during World War II. Initially, on the <B><I>Ranger</I></B>, the Squadron flew with 6 Douglas "Devastators." Later, VT-4 became a 9-plane unit flying some of the first Grumman TBF Avengers. Aboard the <I><B>USS Bunker Hill</B></I> and <B><I>USS Essex</I></B> in the Pacific, the Squadron operated with 15-18 TBMs. </P> <P>Planes from Torpedo 4 were on the flight deck ready for launch on November 25, 1944 when a kamikaze flew through heavy flak and exploded on the port bow of the <B><I>USS Essex</I></B>.</P> <P>This brief history of Torpedo Squadron 4 was compiled from declassified records in the Naval Archives, from personal journals, from interviews with pilots and flight crew, and from selected historical documents. The extensive quotes used, drawn directly from debriefings after each mission, serve as a base for the factual history of strikes on the enemy. But it is the author's personal accounts that reflect the emotion, tension, frustration, and humor of Squadron members.</P> <CENTER> <H2><FONT COLOR="#0000FF" FACE="Arial">Table of Contents</FONT></H2> <P><A HREF="http://www.airgroup4.com/book/title.htm">Title Page</A><BR> <A HREF="http://www.airgroup4.com/book/copyrite.htm">Copyright Information</A><BR> <A HREF="http://www.airgroup4.com/book/table.htm">Table of Contents</A><BR> <A HREF="http://www.airgroup4.com/book/photos.htm">List of Photos</A><BR> <A HREF="http://www.airgroup4.com/book/preface.htm">Preface</A><BR> <A HREF="http://www.airgroup4.com/book/chapt-1.htm">1. Operation Leader: Initiation Over Norway</A><BR> <A HREF="http://www.airgroup4.com/book/chapt-2.htm">2. Origins of Torpedo Four</A><BR> <A HREF="http://www.airgroup4.com/book/chapt-3.htm">3. The North Atlantic</A><BR> <A HREF="http://www.airgroup4.com/book/chapt-4.htm">4. Change in Command</A><BR> <A HREF="http://www.airgroup4.com/book/chapt-5.htm">5. Tragedy Strikes Night Operations</A><BR> <A HREF="http://www.airgroup4.com/book/chapt-6.htm">6. The Pacific Theater</A><BR> <A HREF="http://www.airgroup4.com/book/chapt-7.htm">7. Introduction to the Philippines</A><BR> <A HREF="http://www.airgroup4.com/book/chapt-8.htm">8. Cavite and Manila Harbor</A><BR> <A HREF="http://www.airgroup4.com/book/chapt-9.htm">9. Bunker Hill: Recap and Critique</A><BR> <A HREF="http://www.airgroup4.com/book/chapt-10.htm">10. Phylogeny of a Torpedo Pilot</A><BR> <A HREF="http://www.airgroup4.com/book/chapt-11.htm">11. Shakedown on the Essex</A><BR> <A HREF="http://www.airgroup4.com/book/chapt-12.htm">12. Essex Takes a Kamikaze</A><BR> <A HREF="http://www.airgroup4.com/book/chapt-13.htm">13. San Fernando Harbor</A><BR> <A HREF="http://www.airgroup4.com/book/chapt-14.htm">14. Meanwhile, Back on the Ranch</A><BR> <A HREF="http://www.airgroup4.com/book/chapt-15.htm">15. A Question of Security</A><BR> <A HREF="http://www.airgroup4.com/book/chapt-16.htm">16. Support for Mindoro Occupation</A><BR> <A HREF="http://www.airgroup4.com/book/chapt-17.htm">17. Flying Conditions Average</A><BR> <A HREF="http://www.airgroup4.com/book/chapt-18.htm">18. Marines Replace Dive Bombers</A><BR> <A HREF="http://www.airgroup4.com/book/chapt-19.htm">19. Forbidding Formosa</A><BR> <A HREF="http://www.airgroup4.com/book/chapt-20.htm">20. More Strikes on Philippines</A><BR> <A HREF="http://www.airgroup4.com/book/chapt-21.htm">21. US Landings on Luzon</A><BR> <A HREF="http://www.airgroup4.com/book/chapt-22.htm">22. South China Sea</A><BR> <A HREF="http://www.airgroup4.com/book/chapt-23.htm">23. Saigon Takes Its Toll</A><BR> <A HREF="http://www.airgroup4.com/book/chapt-24.htm">24. Air Group Commander Lost: Pescadores</A><BR> <A HREF="http://www.airgroup4.com/book/chapt-25.htm">25. In the Drink</A> <BR> <A HREF="http://www.airgroup4.com/book/chapt-26.htm">26. From the China Sea to Formosa</A><BR> <A HREF="http://www.airgroup4.com/book/chapt-27.htm">27. Premonition at Amami O Shima</A><BR> <A HREF="http://www.airgroup4.com/book/chapt-28.htm">28. En Route to Tokyo</A><BR> <A HREF="http://www.airgroup4.com/book/chapt-29.htm">29. Window and Jammers over Japan</A><BR> <A HREF="http://www.airgroup4.com/book/chapt-30.htm">30. Iwo Jima</A><BR> <A HREF="http://www.airgroup4.com/book/chapt-31.htm">31. Bombs and Propaganda for Japan</A><BR> <A HREF="http://www.airgroup4.com/book/chapt-32.htm">32. Okinawa</A><BR> <A HREF="http://www.airgroup4.com/book/chapt-33.htm">33. More Kamikazes at Ulithi</A><BR> <A HREF="http://www.airgroup4.com/book/chapt-34.htm">34. Torpedo Four Heads Stateside</A><BR> <A HREF="http://www.airgroup4.com/book/chapt-35.htm">35. World Again at Peace</A><BR> <A HREF="http://www.airgroup4.com/book/chapt-36.htm">36. Readjustment</A><BR> <A HREF="http://www.airgroup4.com/book/append-1.htm">Appendix: Abbreviations</A><BR> <A HREF="http://www.airgroup4.com/book/tindex.htm">Index of Names</A><BR> <A>Index of Places, Ships, Etc</A><BR> </P> <HR> <P><B><FONT FACE="Arial" SIZE="-1">Torpedo Squadron Four: A Cockpit View of World War II</FONT></B><BR> <FONT SIZE="-2" FACE="Arial">Copyright © 1990-1999 by Gerald W. Thomas<BR> <A HREF="http://www.airgroup4.com/" TARGET="_top">www.airgroup4.com</A></FONT> </P> </CENTER> <BR> <BR> </BODY>