What Squadron?

[diddyriddick]

I've been trying to figure out which torpedo squadron was flying off of CVL-23 Princeton when she was sunk on October 24, 1944. Thus far, I've come up blank. Anybody got any ideas?

Thanks in advance!

 

[Colin1]

I'm guessing
TBM Avengers of VT-27. Princeton was struck at 0940 on the 24th when a single D4Y broke through the F6F curtain and got off 2 x 500lb bombs straight into the Princeton's flight deck. The bombs tore through several decks and ignited aviation fuel and six torpedo-armed TBMs. At 1530 the same day she went up, tearing the stern open and alongside to assist, 200 of the USS Birmingham's crew were also killed by the flying debris.

I can't find a statement that says straight that it was VT-27 though, I'll keep looking.

 

[diddyriddick]

I'm guessing
TBM Avengers of VT-27. Princeton was struck at 0940 on the 24th when a single D4Y broke through the F6F curtain and got off 2 x 500lb bombs straight into the Princeton's flight deck. The bombs tore through several decks and ignited aviation fuel and six torpedo-armed TBMs. At 1530 the same day she went up, tearing the stern open and alongside to assist, 200 of the USS Birmingham's crew were also killed by the flying debris.

I can't find a statement that says straight that it was VT-27 though, I'll keep looking.

That's what I'm coming up with as well. The problem is that when I do a search for "VT-27", I get a training squadron that wasn't activated until the 50s.

 

[vikingBerserker]

It was VT-27

CVL-23 PRINCETON—CAPT W. H. Buracker
CVG-27 Embarked—LCDR F. A. Bardshar
VF-27—LCDR Bardshar
18 F6F-3
7 F6F-5
VT-27—LCDR S. M. Haley
9 TBM-1C
Total: 34 A/C

Search on VT-27 bomber WW2 and you should get some info. I got the above from Order of Battle - Battle of Sibuyan Sea - 24 October 1944