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VC-93, Lt.(jg) Robert Sullivan, USS Petrof Bay, Okinawa, April–May 1945
VC-93 was established on February 23, 1944 and
its personnel was first to be trained aboard the
USS Matanikau (from October 14, 1944). During its
cruises off the Californian coast, this ship trained
1,332 pilots in the following months until June
1945. VC-93 replaced VC-76 aboard USS Petrof
Bay on March 10, 1945 and sailed from Guam on
March 21 to prepare for the Battle of Okinawa as
part of Task Unit 52.1.2. VC-93 pilots supported
the Marines first in the capture of the Kerama
and Keise Shima archipelagos and then in the
main operation on Okinawa. Beginning on April 13,
the pilots then focused on neutralizing Japanese
airfields on the Sakashima Archipelago, from
which the Kamikaze pilots were taking off. By the
end of their mission on May 26, VC-93 pilots had
destroyed many enemy aircraft on the ground
and shot down 17. Two of these kills were credited
to Lt.(jg) Robert Sullivan. For her next mission,
VC-93 sailed aboard USS Steamer Bay on June
10, 1945 and, as part of the 3rd Fleet, assisted
in the neutralization of Japanese airfields in
the Sakishima Gunto Archipelago beginning
June 14. This was followed by a return to San
Diego and the end of the war. VC-93 aircraft
operating from aboard USS Perof Bay bore the
distinguishing symbol of a four-leaf clover on the
vertical tail surfaces and on the upper right and
bottom left wing halves. The all-blue livery was
complemented by a photographically documented
symbol of Sullivan’s first kill on the right side
below the cockpit. It is uncertain whether it was
also on the port side.
BUILT
INFO Eduard
109
November 2024