Torpedo Squadron One
WWII

May 1943 - Sep 1944  (USS Yorktown CV-10)
Oct 1944 - Oct 1945  (USS Bennington CV-20)
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Original Squadron
May 1943 to Sep 1944


Squadron photo (original squadron) possibly taken at Kaneohe Hawaii 
in May of 1944 shortly before deploying aboard the Yorktown


Not in the group photo:

Richard Stewart, Charles Hackett, Robert Carlson, Roy Gibson, Fred Kelly, Derril Wollert, Robert Garlock, Karl Stolzer, *Edward Donahue, *Albert Sabol, Owen Smith, William Patterson, *Leland Grisham, Marshall McRoy, Wilbert Hubbard, John Coche, David Courtman, Henry Zalewski, *Leo Casper, *Herman Tiritilli, Leslie Farrow, *Raymond Finn, James Brien, *Maris Alexander, Clifford Barr, Thomas Gammage, *Harold Coty, *Richard Keiser, *James Kidd, *Richard McConeghy, *Douglas Vickery, *Wallace Rhodes, *Hans Nielsen, *Martin Fritz, Charles Gordon, Peter Lapczynski

*Joined the squadron late and/or were aircrew replacements


USS Yorktown at anchor in Majuro lagoon on June 5th 1944.
Torpedo Squadron One would see their first action June 12th 1944 at Guam.
click here for enlargeable photo






VT-1 history

May 1943 - Sep 1944 (original squadron)

May 1 - July 27, 1943          Alameda NAS, Ca                    Squadron formed & training begins

July 27 - Aug 18                  San Diego NAS, Ca                 Training

Aug 18 – 25                         USS Barnes CVE-20                Transport (San Diego to Hilo Hawaii)

Aug 25 - Jan 1                      Hilo NAS, Hawaii                    Training

Jan 1 - May 29, 1944            Kaneohe NAS, Hawaii             Training (with Air Group One)

May 29 - Aug 17                  USS Yorktown CV-10              Deployed War Time

Aug 17 - Sept                       Stateside                                   Squadron stands down




USS Yorktown (CV-10)

May 29 - Aug 17, 1944 (with Air Group One)

May 29 (1944)                Depart Pearl Harbor with new air group (Air Group One)

June 3-6                          TF-58 ships (including 15 aircraft carriers) assemble in Majuro lagoon

June 11-13                      Attack on Guam

June 15-16                      Attack on Bonin Islands (Chichi Jima, Iwo Jima)

June 19-20                      Battle of the Philippine Sea (Turkey Shoot & strike on Jap fleet)

June 24 & July 3-4         Attack on Bonin Islands

June 30 - July 21            Attack on Marianas islands (mostly Guam to support invasion forces)

July 25-28                       Attack on Yap, Ngulu & Ulithi Atolls

Aug 17                            Arrive at Bremerton Wa

VT-1 casualties

(original squadron members killed)

Sept 19, 1943  Ens Derril Charles Wollert

                Ens Robert Noble Garlock

                ARM3c Karl Vernard Stolzer

March 28, 1944  Ens Henry V. J. Zalewski

June 12, 1944  Lt Norman Kellogg Merrell, Jr

ARM1c Harold Edwin Mongraw

AOM2c Stanley Elmore Carr

June 15, 1944  Ltjg John Haworth Keeler

ARM2c Edward Raymond Webster

AOM2c Alfred Philip Normandin

June 20 1944 Lt Charles Woodward Nelson

ARM2c Conrad Adolphus Lantron

AOM2c Lyle LeRoy Young

June 20 1944  Ltjg Robert Louis Carlson, Jr

ARM2c Charles Arthur Trau, Jr

AOM2c Michael Vincent Shea

July 9 1944  Ltjg Carl Herbert Sanborn, Jr

ARM2c James Stewart Buchanan

AOM2c Earl John Steffen

July 20 1944  Lt Leonard Earl Wood

ARM3c Edward Charles Donahue

AOM3c Albert Joseph Sabol

PhoM1c Owen LeRoy Smith (temporary assignment to VT-1)



VT-1 aircraft lost

(original squadron)

Mar 7 1942      *Ens Merrell    OS2U-3 #5332             Calif, USS Tennessee *(before VT-1)*

Aug 4 1943       Ltjg Wood        TBM-1 #24570           Calif, landing practice USS Copahee

Aug 4 1943       Ens Crenshaw            ?                        Calif, landing practice USS Copahee

Aug 9 1943       Ltjg Wood        TBF-1 #24237             Ditched 80 miles south Mexico

Aug 24 1943     Ltjg Merrell    TBF-1 #24174 Ditched near Hawaii

Aug 25 1943(?)         (?)           TBF-1C #24274(?)       Hilo Hawaii(?)

Sep 19 1943      Ens Wollert      TBF-1 #24356             Hilo Hawaii, midair

Sep 25 1943      Ens Mays        TBF-1C #24354           Niihau Hawaii (Horowitz, Farrow)  

Dec 16 1943      McRoy            TBM-1 #24917            Hilo Hawaii landing practice Yorktown

Jan 16 1944(?) (?) TBF-1C #24267(?) Hilo Hawaii(?)

Jun 12 1944     Lt Merrell         TBM-1C #25424 #90   Guam

Jun 13 1944    Ens Wilmanns   TBM-1C #17019 #82 Guam, Flak damage

Jun 15 1944    Ltjg Keeler       TBM-1C #25671 #85    Chichi Jima

Jun 20 1944    Luedeman       TBM-1C #16905             Battle of Philippine Sea

Jun 20 1944    Nelson             TBM-1C #25277 #82      Battle of Philippine Sea

Jun 20 1944    Mahoney         TBM-1C #25322             Battle of Philippine Sea

Jun 20 1944    Mayock           TBM-1C #25328             Battle of Philippine Sea

Jun 20 1944    Carlson            TBM-1C #45539 #95      Battle of Philippine Sea

Jun 20 1944(?) (?) TBF-1C #47756(?) Battle of Philippine Sea(?)

Jul 9 1944       Ltjg Sanborn   TBM1-C #45549 #85      Guam

Jul 20 1944     Lt Wood           TBM-1C #45940 #96     Guam

Note: Although these aircraft losses are fairly well documented and confirmed (except the three highlighted in grey) this list subject to revision should new information come to light. Sources for some of this information comes from AAIR (loss list by month) and Joe Baugher (3rd bureau number series 1940-present).
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