Author Topic: Definitive list of aircraft - Okinawa (Read 1967 times)

Jester · « **Reply #30 on:** October 16, 2006, 12:50:40 AM »

USAAF AIR UNITS ASHORE: OKINAWA

(Along with dates units started combat operations and aircraft.)

TACTICAL AIR FORCE: TG 99.2

28th RS April 22 (F5A - P-38 Lightning Photo Recon A/C)

AIR DEFENCE COMMAND: TU 99.2.1
\/
301st FIGHTER WING
\/
318th FIGHTER GROUP May 13 (P-47 Thunderbolt)
19th FS
73rd FS
333rd FS
548th NIGHT FS (P-61 Black Widow)

413th FIGHTER GROUP June 20 (P-47 Thunderbolt)
1st FS
21st FS
34th FS

507th FIGHTER GROUP June 30 (P-47 Thunderbolt)
463rd FS
464th FS
465th FS

BOMBER COMMAND: TU 99.2.2
\/
41st BOMBBARDMENT GROUP (M) June 26 (B-25 Mitchell)
47th BS
48th BS
396th BS
820th BS

494th BOMBBARDMENT GROUP (H) July 1 (B-24 Liberator)
864th BS
865th BS
866th BS
867th BS

319th BOMBBARDMENT GROUP (L) July 8 (A-26 Intruder)
437th BS
438th BS
439th BS
440th BS

11th BOMBARDMENT GROUP (H) July 12 (B-24 Liberator)
26th BS
42nd BS
98th BS
431st BS

NOTE: This is just a list of squadrons that took part in the invasion that ended up being based on Okinawa. It is also "possible" that P-51D MUSTANGS based on nearby Iwo Jima took part in strikes on the island just before and during the Invasion but I have yet to find any record of it.

!

Jester · « **Reply #31 on:** October 16, 2006, 01:13:14 AM »

Found a list also of what the USMC units ashore were flying.

MAG-31 (Yontan, Chimu) April 7
VMF-224 (F4U Corsair)
VMF-311 (F4U-1C Corsair)
VMF-441 (F4U Corsair)
VMF(N)-542 (F6F-5N Hellcat)

MAG-33 (Kadena, Awase) April 9
VMF-312 (F4U Corsair)
VMF-322 (F4U Corsair)
VMF-323 (F4U Corsair)
VMF(N)-543 (F6F-5N Hellcat)
VMTB-232 April 22 (TBM Avenger)

MAG-22 (Ie Shima, Chimu) May 21
VMF-113 (F4U Corsair)
VMF-314 (F4U Corsair)
VMF-422 (F4U Corsair)
VMF(N)-533 (F6F-5N Hellcat)
VMTB-131 May 30 (TBM Avenger)

MAG-14 (Kadena, Awase) June 8
VMF-212 (F4U-4 Corsair)
VMF-222 (F4U-4 Corsair)
VMF-223 (F4U-4 Corsair)

MISC.

VMB-612 (PBJ - B-25J Mitchell)

VMO-2 (L-5 Stinson)
VMO-3 (L-5 Stinson)
VMO-6 (L-5 Stinson)
VMO-7 (L-5 Stinson)

With the exception of VMF-311's F4U-1C's and MAG-14's F4U-4's I imagine all the other Corsairs were F4U-1D's.

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Stoney74 · « **Reply #32 on:** October 16, 2006, 01:43:49 AM »

The only exception to USMC a/c type is that most VMF squadrons had 2 or 3 F6F for photo recce work assigned. They flew them on occasion, but I don't know how regularly or whether they were present during the battle.

Photon · « **Reply #33 on:** October 16, 2006, 06:46:35 AM »

THANK YOU!!!

Stoney74 and Jester, you two are legends!
This is exactly what I was after.

Do you have any references for where your information came from?
Where did you get the map? from a book or on the net somewhere?

I really appreciate the time and effort you have put in to answering my post.

!!

~~Photon~~

Jester · « **Reply #34 on:** October 16, 2006, 08:16:02 AM »

My source was the book:

HISTORY OF MARINE CORPS AVIATION IN WORLD WAR II
By Robert Sherrod
Combat Forces Press - Washington, D.C. 1952
First Edition
Library of Congress # 52-6344

One of the Top 5 best sources ever written for ANYTHING haveing to do with Marine Corps Air in WW2.

It has several maps and the whole OOB for both USMC & USAAF units ashore during the Okanawa Campaign.

Best $40 I ever spent when I grabbed it up.

!

Stoney74 · « **Reply #35 on:** October 16, 2006, 08:53:15 AM »

I was using a couple of the Osprey books, Wings of Gold by Gerald Astor, and a whole bunch of websites I googled (except for wikipedia). More websites than the above books...