Torpedo Squadron Eighty - VT-80 unit history. Page Three

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

TRAINING - NAS NORFOLK, VIRGINA

Upon completion of the work at Oceana, and while the TICONDEROGA was sailing up and down the Chesapeake, the squadron transferred to NAS Norfolk, Va., awaiting orders to report aboard. Work was done on all planes in preparation for sea duty, and routine flights were carried out. Finally, on the twentieth of June, VT80 reported aboard the Big T with eighteen aircraft in preparation for the shake-down cruise. This cruise was carried out through June and July.

SHAKEDOWN - TRINIDAD

Regular flights were carried out to familiarize the pilots with shipboard routine. This squadron flew numerous anti-sub patrols and participated in numerous group attacks. While in Trinidad the ship operated in the Gulf of Paria. To insure a maximum of flight time, half of the airgroup was stationed ashore for a week at a time. This facilitated speedier operations aboard ship, and gave pilots and aircrewmen experience that would prove invaluable if ever based ashore in the Pacific area. Again the plan was to have group operations for half a day and individual squadron operations the other half.

COMBAT - SOUTH PACIFIC

Lt. Cmdr. Al 'scoop' Vorse was new Air Group Commander. We arrived at Pearl Harbor on September 27, and on the next day transferred to USNAS Kaneohe. Here we underwent intensive group work which consisted of coordinated group attacks, amphibious support, numerous night group flights and routine squadron work. On the 18th of October, the group reported aboard the USS TICONDEROGA prepared for combat duty. We departed that day for Ulithi to join task group 38.3.
On November 2, after intensive briefing, we departed from Ulithi and sortied with Task Force 38. On November 5, we struck out first blows at the enemy.