Back to April 21, 1944

By Jack McKillop, addenda by Massimiliano Stola.

 

Amplifying the above, Task Forces 58 and 78 begin a preinvasion aerial bombardment in New Guinea. Fighters from Task Group 58.1 attack Wakde Island and Sarmi at dawn and then surface vessels and aircraft of the two Task Forces attack Aitape, Hollandia, airfields in the Hollandia area and Wakde Islands. Many Japanese aircraft are strafed on the ground but the fuel has been removed from them and few burn.

The aviation composition of these two Task Forces is:

TF 58

TG 58.1

USS Bataan (CVL-29) with Light Carrier Air Group Fifty (CVLG-50)

USS Belleau Wood (CVL-24) with CVLG-24

USS Cowpens (CVL-25) with CVLG-22

USS Hornet (CV-12) with Carrier Air Group Two (CVG-2)

TG 58.2

USS Bunker Hill (CV-17) with CVG-8

USS Cabot (CVL-28) with CVLG-31

USS Monterey (CVL-26) with CVLG-30

USS Yorktown (CV-10) with CVG-5

TG 58.3

USS Enterprise (CV-6) with CVG-10

USS Langley (CVL-27) with CVLG-32

USS Lexington (CV-16) with CVG-16

USS Princeton (CVL-23) with CVLG-23

TF 78

TG 78.1

USS Chenango (CVE-28) with Escort Carrier Air Group Thirty Five (CVEG-35)

USS Sangamon (CVE-26) with CVEG-37

USS Santee (CVE-29) with CVEG-26

USS Suwannee (CVE-27) with Air Group No. 60 and Composite Squadron Three (VC-3)

TG 78.2

USS Coral Sea (CVE-57) with VC-33

USS Corregidor (CVE-58) with VC-41

USS Manila Bay (CVE-61) with VC-7

USS Natoma Bay (CVE-62) with VC-63

The planes embarked were

Fighters:

F6F-3 for all carriers except VF-26 (Sangamon) and carriers of TG 78.2.

FM-2 in VF-26 and VC-33, 41, 7 and 63.

Night fighters:

F6F-3N   (VF(N)-76 dets.) in Lexington, Yorktown and Bunker Hill

F4U-2     (VF(N)-101 det.) in Enterprise

 

Dive Bombers:

SBD-5 in Yorktown (VB-5), Enterprise (VB-10) and Lexington (VB-16) SB2C-1C in Hornet (VB-2) and Bunker Hill (VB-8)

Torpedo Bombers:

All carriers:  TBF or TBM-1 or -1C

 

Back to April 21, 1944