VF-72

Fighting Squadron 72 or VF-72 was an aviation unit of the U.S. Navy, originally established as VF-7 on 1 July 1939, it was redesignated as VF-72 on 19 November 1940 and disestablished on 29 March 1943.[1]

Fighting Squadron 72
Active1 July 1939-29 March 1943
CountryUnited States
BranchUnited States Navy
Part ofInactive
AircraftF3F-3
F4F Wildcat
EngagementsWorld War II

Operational history

VF-7 was originally equipped with Grumman F2F and Grumman F3F aircraft. It was reequipped with the F4F-3 Wildcat in December 1940 and deployed as part of Carrier Air Group 7 (CVG-7) aboard the USS Wasp.[2]

From January to March 1942 VF-72 was deployed on USS Ranger in the Atlantic Fleet.[3] In April 1942, VF-72 was based ashore at Naval Station Norfolk and then transferred to the USS Wasp.[4] In early June 1942, VF-72 had reequipped with the F4F-4 at NAS Alameda and from mid-June through July was shore-based at Naval Station Pearl Harbor.[5] In August VF-72 was deployed on USS Hornet.[6]

Artist Thomas C. Lea III depicted VF-72's executive officer, Lt A. C. “Silver” Emerson in action during the Solomon Islands campaign in his painting "Defending the Ship."[7]

Following the sinking of the USS Hornet on 26 October 1942, VF-72 was deployed on USS Nassau from January until March 1943 when it was disembarked at Pearl Harbour.[8][9]

Home port assignments
  • NAS Norfolk
  • NAS Alameda
  • Naval Station Pearl Harbor

Aircraft assignment

See also

References
  1. "Lineage for Fighter Squadrons" (PDF). Naval History and Heritage Command. Retrieved 6 October 2016.
  2. Young, Edward (2013). F4F Wildcat vs A6M Zero-sen: Pacific Theater 1942. Osprey Publishing. p. 15. ISBN 9781780963228.
  3. "Location of U.S. Naval Aircraft, World War II 2 Feb 1942". Naval History and Heritage Command. {{cite web}}: Missing or empty |url= (help)
  4. "Location of U.S. Naval Aircraft, World War II 15 Apr 1942". Naval History and Heritage Command. Retrieved 19 April 2016.
  5. "Location of U.S. Naval Aircraft, World War II 4 Jun 1942". Naval History and Heritage Command. Retrieved 19 April 2016.
  6. "Location of U.S. Naval Aircraft, World War II 27 Aug 1942". Naval History and Heritage Command. Retrieved 19 April 2016.
  7. "A Grizzly from the Coral Sea" (PDF). Naval Institute Press. September 2008.
  8. "Location of U.S. Naval Aircraft, World War II 6 Jan 1943". Naval History and Heritage Command. Retrieved 19 April 2016.
  9. "Location of U.S. Naval Aircraft, World War II 11 Mar 1943". Naval History and Heritage Command. Retrieved 19 April 2016.
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