Tarawa (CVA 40) - Naval Cruise Book

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mi i ' T -...- .. f tr ....,.. . x ,..A:4-4.-:-:-?:':-:4S::-at-:.T:-ra-:fr-:-:.:.f.-2:-:Y-.Ar-: --.-.-.- : ef- 9 -FQA 1 --4- ----4 - -' 4--- - S - X l l i I l li it i.i iii l l l if l l E i if 1 ll T ! l I i, tl lgi if l li ,S .T l i iii l i ' lr rg i 'A itil ,ff V' .,. fl I l il ll ,i i l Lg.. lt . A'-'-Af'1 'A-Af 'A'Q' ' .-:I-I-:5:5:N':3:ki , ' ' History ol Air Group Three The squadrons ot Air Group Three are some ot the earlest established in the Navy. Fighting Three dates back to the early 19205 and Bombing Three dates back to the early l93Os. Carrier Air Group Three was established in the mid-1930s aboard the U.S.S. RANGER. During the latter part ot the decade until T941 the group divided its time between the U.S.S. SARATOGA and San Diego. On the day after Pearl Harbor, Air Group Three boarded the SARATOGA and departed the United States for the Hawaiian Islands. During the next two months they operated in that area until the SARATOGA was torpedoed and had to return tor repairs. Continued on next pogel - M 2-.oz-:-:I-I-2:-.. ' ' ' +I-rzzssfger 4 -- -g.g.1-av ' it . 1-.I ,. J .l - -xi vm' Q l l I Cdr. Tex Q'lXleill Commander, Carrier Air Group Three

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The group remoined in Howoii ond boorded the U.S.S. ENTERPRISE to escort the U.S.S. HORNET which wos to lounch the Doolittle B-25 roid on Tokyo. Returning to I-Iowoii, Air Group Three wos tronsferred to the U.S.S. YORKTOWN to porticipcite in the Bottle of Midwoy during which the ccirrier wos sunk. The oircroft were recovered by the ENTERPRISE, tronsported to Gucidulcctnol, ond picked up by the SARATOGA. Once ogctin on their old ship, they porticipqted in the fight for the Fiii Islctnds, New Colodonio, ond Guodulconol. During the summer of T943 Air Group Three returned to the United Stotes for leove ond reformotion. E The Air Group wos reformed ond begon its troining in the foll of T943 ot Seottle, Woshington. In the spring the Air Group moved to Son Froncisco, boorded the U.S.S. ESSEX, ond once ogoin deported for the I-Iowoiion lslonds. After six months of trciining Air Group Three boorded the new U.S.S. YGRKTOWN. The first combot operotion of their second tour wos the fight for the Philippine lslonds. Next come strikes on Fbrmoso, Chino, ond Indo Chino. Then, Air Group Three, oboord the YORKTGWN, moved north to strike Okinowo' 'ond lounch the first ciircroft ccirrier roids on Tokyo ond the .Ioponese moinlond. During these roids on Jopon the group wos olso colled on to porticipote in the invosion strikes on Iwo Jimo. Eorly in the spring of 1945 Air Group Three wos tronsferred to the U.S.S. LEXINGTON to return to the United Stotes. ond reform ot Atlontic City, New Jersey. I 1 The fir Group wos reformed ot seporote bcises in New Jersey ond Moine. During the quiet yeors Gfter the wor, the group troined ond mode cruises to Europe ond to the Mediterroneon oboord the U.S.S. KEARSAGE. While in the United Stotes they were tronsferred to Oceono, Virginio, to Chorlestown, ond then to Quonset Point, Rhode Islond. In the spring of I95O Air Group Three, emborked on the U.S.S. LEYTE, wos deployed to the Mediterroneon but wos recolled during thot summer ond sent immediotely to Koreo. After porticipoting in combctt missions in Koreo until the beginning of I95I, the group wos returned to Quonset Point to be reformed. The group wos then bosed'otSonford, Florido, from where it wos deployed on two Iviediterrcineon cruises obocird the U.S.S. LEYTE ond troining cruises ot Guontonomo Boy, Cubo. gj Air Group Three wos bcised ot NAS Cecil Field eorly in I953. The pre sent Group consisting of VF-32, VF-IO2, VF-43 ond VA-35 plus the composite squcidron detochments wos formed during the summer of 1953 to be deployed on the U.S.S: TARAWA to the Mediterroneon cmd to the West pOCIfIC.