Torpedo Squadron Eighty - Page Two of VT-80 unit history

HISTORY OF TORPEDO SQUADRON EIGHTY
From 1 February 1944 to 1 April 1945

TRAINING - USNAAF Boca Chica, Florida

The squadron departed for USNAAF Boca Chica, Florida. on the 24th day of March, 1944, and arrived three days later for specialized torpedo work. All aspects of torpedo attacks were carefully studied in an intensive ground school schedule. The information gained from this work was the basis upon which the VT-80 Bottombuster, our standard torpedo attack, was developed. The squadron made numerous training flights, dropping dummy blocks and live torpedoes. Besides this intensive torpedo training, the squadron carried out regular tactical problems which included gunnery practice, navigation, night flying, and glide bombing.

TRAINING - USNAAFF Oceanna

On April 17, VT80 departed for USNAAF Oceana. to join Bombing and Fighting Squadrons of Carrier Air Group Eighty. The emphasis was on cooperation between the three tactical groups of CAG80. No longer was VT80 a single unit, but rather a series of cogs in the wheel of CAG80. The early lessons learned in cooperation paid off well under these circumstances. Half of the flying time at Oceana was devoted to group work while the other half was reserved for squadron work. This allowed the squadrons to develop a high degree of skill in their own specific field while at the same time learning to function together..

May 8, 1944, found the three squadrons of CAG80 attending the commissioning ceremony of the USS TICONDEROGA, at the Portsmouth Naval Yard, Portsmouth, Va. After the ceremony all hands made a careful inspection of their future home and operating base. The day we would report aboard was looked forward to with great anticipation. After the commissioning, the pilots and aircrewmen of VT80 attacked their work with increased vigor. Out task was becoming more and more real to us and we were determined to do the job well