VH-5 (Rescue Squadron 5) was one of six dedicated (VH) Rescue Squadrons of the

U.S. Navy The United States Navy (USN) is the maritime service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the eight uniformed services of the United States. It is the largest and most powerful navy in the world, with the estimated tonnage o ...

during WWII. A more comprehensive write-up on the VH squadrons can be found in the history of Rescue Squadron 3 (VH-3), which was the US Navy's most active VH squadron. VH-5 rescued 8 air crewman, assisted in the rescue another 2 aviators, and assisted in the capture of 4 Japanese adrift on a raft. VH-5 was established in September 1944 and disestablished in June 1946. The squadron employed the

Martin PBM Mariner The Martin PBM Mariner was an American patrol bomber flying boat of World War II and the early Cold War era. It was designed to complement the Consolidated PBY Catalina and PB2Y Coronado in service. A total of 1,366 PBMs were built, with the fir ...

during its operations.

Operational history

* September 1944: VH-5 was established at

NAS Alameda Naval Air Station Alameda (NAS Alameda) was a United States Navy Naval Air Station in Alameda, California, on San Francisco Bay. NAS Alameda had two runways: 13–31 measuring and 07-25 measuring . Two helicopter pads and a control tower were ...

, California. * April 1945: VH-5 commences rescue operations headquartered out of

Ebeye Island Ebeye ( ; Marshallese: , or in older orthography, ; locally, , , after the English pronunciation) is the most populous island of Kwajalein Atoll in the Marshall Islands, as well as the center for Marshallese culture in the Ralik Chain of the a ...

in the Kwajalein Atoll. Detachments are also stationed at

Majuro Majuro (; Marshallese: ' ) is the capital and largest city of the Marshall Islands. It is also a large coral atoll of 64 islands in the Pacific Ocean. It forms a legislative district of the Ratak (Sunrise) Chain of the Marshall Islands. The ato ...

and Enewetak Atoll. * May 1945: VH-5 rescues 4 survivors from 2 downed SB2C and 1 downed F4U, assists in the rescue of another 2 survivors of a downed SB2C, and assists in the capture of 4 Japanese adrift on a raft. * June 1945: VH-5 rescues 2 survivors from a downed SB2C from VMSB-331. * July 1945: VH-5 rescues 2 survivors from an SB2C downed after a strike against

Wotje Atoll Wotje Atoll ( Marshallese: , ) is a coral atoll of 75 islands in the Pacific Ocean, and forms a legislative district of the Ratak Chain of the Marshall Islands. Geography Wotje's land area of is one of the largest in the Marshall Islands, and en ...

. * 19-28 August and 5 September 1945: VH-5 participates in the negotiations, formal surrender, and American occupation of Japanese-held

Mili Atoll Mili Atoll ( Marshallese: , ) is a coral atoll of 92 islands in the Pacific Ocean, and forms a legislative district of the Ratak Chain of the Marshall Islands. It is located approximately southeast of Arno. Its total land area is making it the s ...

and

Jaluit Atoll Jaluit Atoll ( Marshallese: , , or , ) is a large coral atoll of 91 islands in the Pacific Ocean and forms a legislative district of the Ralik Chain of the Marshall Islands. Its total land area is , and it encloses a lagoon with an area of . Mos ...

. * June 1946: VH-5 was disestablished.

References

{{United States Navy Aircraft Squadrons Rescue squadrons of the United States Navy

Operational history

See also

References