Composite Squadron Photographs

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Dedicated to the men who manned the ships
and the embarked composite squadrons
of Task Unit 77.4.3 (Taffy III)
on October 25, 1944

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Online since June 4, 1996

_{BOSAMAR logo: USS GAMBIER BAY (CVE 73)
takes a pounding}_{from the IJN heavy cruiser CHIKUMA}

^{from the personal collection of Gilbert J. Raynor}
^{and the U.S.S. KITKUN BAY Association}

General Motors FM-2 WILDCAT FIGHTER
OF COMPOSITE SQUADRON VC-5
LANDS ABOARD USS KITKUN BAY (CVE 71)

"THE WILDCAT PILOTS WERE GIVEN A FREE HAND TO STRAFE WITH THE HOPE THAT THEIR STRAFING WOULD KILL PERSONNEL ON THE JAPANESE WARSHIPS, SILENCE AUTOMATIC WEAPONS, AND, MOST IMPORTANT, DRAW ATTENTION FROM THE STRUGGLING ESCORT CARRIERS.

SOMETIMES TWO, OR FOUR WILDCATS WOULD JOIN UP FOR A STRAFING RUN. AGAIN, A WILDCAT WOULD JOIN UP AND RUN INTERFERENCE FOR AN AVENGER. THEN, LIKELY AS NOT, IT WOULD TURN OUT THAT THE AVENGER HAD NO TORPEDO OR BOMB AND WAS SIMPLY MAKING A DUMMY RUN. WHEN THEIR AMMUNITION GAVE OUT, THE FIGHTERS MADE DRY RUNS TO TURN THE PURSUERS."

_{Quote, RADM C.A.F. "ZIGGY" SPRAGUE, USN, COMMANDER TASK UNIT 77.4.3 (TAFFY III)}

In remembrance;

for action against the
Imperial Japanese Navy Centre Force
on October 25, 1944

Composite Squadron VC-68 LCDR R. S. Rogers, USN 16 FM-2 12 TBM-1C USS FANSHAW BAY (CVE 70)	Composite Squadron VC-65 LCDR R. M. Jones, USN 17 FM-2 12 TBM-1C USS ST LO (CVE 63)
Composite Squadron VC-4 LT E. R. Fickenscher, USN 16 FM-2 12 TBM-1C USS WHITE PLAINS (CVE 66)	Composite Squadron VC-3 LCDR W. H. Keighley, USN 14 FM-2 1 TBF-1C 11 TBM-1C USS KALININ BAY (CVE 68)
Composite Squadron VC-5 CDR R. L. Fowler, USN 14 FM-2 12 TBM-1C USS KITKUN BAY (CVE 71)	Composite Squadron VC-10 LCDR E. J. Huxtable, USN 18 FM-2 12 TBM-1C USS GAMBIER BAY (CVE 73)