{"id":77,"date":"2009-10-23T19:51:41","date_gmt":"2009-10-23T23:51:41","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/vt17.com\/blog\/?p=77"},"modified":"2009-11-11T08:05:25","modified_gmt":"2009-11-11T13:05:25","slug":"vt-17-historical-report-by-w-m-romberger-65-pages-jpeg-format","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/vt17.com\/blog\/archives\/77","title":{"rendered":"VT-17 Historical Report by W. M. Romberger (Part 1 of 7)"},"content":{"rendered":"

This is section 1, covering sheets 1 through 10 of 65 pages from the archives of the U.S. Navy in a declassified document.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

TORPEDO SQUADRON SEVENTEEN
\nc\/o Fleet Post Office
\nSan Francisco, California<\/p>\n

DECLASSIFIED<\/p>\n

27 June 1945<\/p>\n

From: The Commanding Officer.
\nTo: The Officer of Naval Operations, Aviation History Unit (OP-33-J-6).
\nVia: Commander, Carrier Air Group SEVENTEEN.
\nSubject: SQUADRON HISTORY, transmittal of.
\nReference: (a) Aviation Circular Letter No. 74-44, OP-33-J-6-JEJ, serial 356333, dated 25 July 1944.
\n(b) Manual for Historical Officers, NavAer 00-25Q-26.
\n(c) Aviation Circular Letter No. 23-45, OP-33-J-6-JEJ, serial 89133 of 27 February 1945.
\n(d) OPNAV Letter OP-33-J-6-JEJ, serial 118433, dated 14 March 1945.<\/p>\n

Enclosure: (A) HISTORY OF TORPEDO SQUADRON SEVENTEEN.<\/p>\n

1. In accordance with references (a) through (d), the HISTORY of TORPEDO SQUADRON SEVENTEEN is herewith submitted.
\n\/signed\/ W.M. ROMBERGER.<\/p>\n

\n

\"\"
\nVT-17
\nHISTORICAL DATA
\nPART ONE
\n* * *
\nCHRONOLOGY<\/p>\n

\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

TABLE OF CONTENTS
\nDATA on original VT-17 Page 1
\nVT-17 Log Page 2
\nRoster of Officers Page 4
\nRoster of Enlisted Men Page 5
\nPersonnel Losses Page 9
\nPersonnel Injured Page 10
\nShips VT-17 Was Aboard Page 11
\nHistory Narrative Page 12
\nVT-17 Combat Summary Appendix I
\nVT-17 Combat Calendar Appendix II
\nPrincipal VT-17 Strikes Appendix III
\nPilots’ Personal Achievement Appendix IV
\nShipping & Aircraft Damage Assessment Appendix V
\nSorties Aboard HORNET Appendix VI
\nBombs & Torpedoes Dropped on Enemy Targets Appendix VII
\nOrdnance Recapitulation Appendix VIII
\nAwards Appendix IX
\nRescue Appendix X
\nRadar Appendix XI
\nEngineering Appendix XII
\nComments By Commanding Officer Appendix XIII
\nCAG-17 Yearbook Enclosure A
\n* * *<\/p>\n

\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

CHRONOLOGY<\/strong><\/p>\n

Jan. 1, 1943 – Torpedo Squadron SEVENTEEN commissioned at NAS, Norfolk, VA.<\/a>, under ComAirLant, by authority of Chief of Naval Operations.
\nJuly 13, 1943 – Assumed ship-based status aboard USS Bunker Hill<\/a>.
\nSept. 26, 1943 – Arrived San Diego<\/a>. Came under authority of ComAirPac.
\nSept. 28, 1943 – Left San Diego for Pearl Harbor.
\nOct. 2, 1943 – Arrived Pearl Harbor<\/a>.
\nOct. 3, 1943 – Shore-based at Kaneohe, Oahu<\/a>.
\nOct. 17, 1943 – Departed Pearl Harbor.
\nNov. 5, 1943 – Arrived Espiritu Santo Island<\/a>.
\nNov. 7, 1943 – Underway as part of Task Group 50.3 (This was the “Southern Attack Force lead by Rear Admiral Alfred E. Montgomery aboard the USS Essex<\/em>)<\/p>\n

Combat<\/strong><\/p>\n

Nov. 11, 1943 – Raubaul.
\nNov. 25, 1943 – Kavieng.
\nJan. 1, 1944 – Kavieng.
\nJan. 4, 1944 – Kavieng.
\nJan. 29, 1944 – Kiwajalein.
\nFeb. 1, 1944 – Eniwetok.
\nFeb. 2, 1944 – Eniwetok.
\nFeb. 16, 1944 – Truk.
\nFeb. 22, 1944 – Tinian.<\/p>\n

Feb. 25, 1944 – Enroute to U.S. (Quit U.S.S. BUNKER HILL at Pearl Harbor).
\nMarch 10, 1944 – Arrived NAS, Alameda, on USS ESSEX.<\/p>\n

* * *<\/p>\n

Commanding Officer of VT-17 was Lieut. Comdr. Frank M. Whitaker, San Diego, Cal., who was lost in a mid-air collision over Eniwetok. He was succeeded by Lieut. G.N. Owens.<\/p>\n

The purpose of the squadron since its origin has been to operate as a torpedo bomber carrier-based squadron in Air Group SEVENTEEN.<\/p>\n

* * *<\/p>\n

Note:
\nA list of citations and awards for personnel in VT-17 from the time of commissioning until the squadron was re-formed 18 April 1944 is not availabl to this command. What information could be obtained with current records on hand would be inadequate and inaccurate. The same is true in connection with narrative material of the squadron during the period from 1 January 1943 to 18 April 1944. Complete records of the squadron during that period were not inherited by the command which took over on 18 April 1944.<\/p>\n

– 1 –<\/p>\n

\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

CHRONOLOGY
\nVT-17 LOG<\/p>\n

Reformed NAS, Alameda 4-18-44
\nNAS Alameda 4-18-44 to 5-29-44
\nNAAS Monterey 5-29-44 to 7-17-44
\nNAAS Vernalis 7-17-44 to 7-24-44
\nNAAS Monterey 7-24-44 to 8-14-44
\nNAS Alameda 8-14-44 to 8-16-44
\nUSS Takanis Bay (Qualification) 8-16-44 to 8-18-44
\nNAS Alameda 8-18-44 to 8-27-44
\nNAAS Vernalis 8-27-44 to 8-31-44
\nNAS Alameda 8-31-44 to 10-2-44
\nNAAS Arcata 10-2-44 to 10-19-44
\nNAS Alameda 10-19-44 to 10-27-44
\nUSS Ranger (Qualification) 10-27-44 to 10-29-44
\nNAS Alameda 10-29-44 to 11-2-44
\nAboard Train to San Diego 11-2-44 to 11-3-44
\nSan Diego 11-3-44 to 11-3-44
\nUSS Hollandia 11-3-44 to 11-10-44
\nPearl Harbor 11-10-44 to 11-10-44
\nUSS Cumberland Sound 11-10-44 to 11-12-44
\nNAS Hilo, Hawaii 11-12-44 to 12-15-44
\nTransport to Pearl 12-15-44 to 12-16-44
\nPearl Harbor 12-16-44 to 12-16-44
\nUSS Nassau 12-16-44 to 12-28-44
\nNAB Agana, Guam 12-28-44 to 1-28-45
\nUSS Jasaan Bay 1-28-45 to 1-29-45
\nUlithi 1-29-45 to 2-1-45
\nUSS Hornet (Ulithi) 2-1-45 to 2-10-45
\n(USS Hornet) At Sea 2-10-45 to 3-4-45
\nUlithi 3-4-45 to 3-14-45
\n(USS Hornet) At Sea 3-14-45 to 4-30-45<\/p>\n

– 2 –<\/p>\n

\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

CHRONOLOGY
\nVT-17 LOG<\/p>\n

Ulithi 4-30-45 to 5-9-45
\n(USS Hornet) At Sea 5-9-45 to 6-13-45
\nLeyte 6-13-45 to 6-19-45
\nAt Sea, Enroute to U.S. via Pearl Harbor 6-19-45 to (6-26-45)<\/p>\n

* * *<\/p>\n

– 3 –<\/p>\n

\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

CHRONOLOGY
\nVT-17<\/p>\n

ROSTER OF OFFICERS<\/p>\n

Lt. Cdr. William M. Romberger, 610 First Street, Coronado, California
\nLt. Thomas C. Durkin, 67 Wall St., New York City, N.Y.
\nLt. Charles D. Livengood, P.O. Box 470, Powell, Wyoming.
\nLt. James A. Tew, 200 Avacado Avenue, Sanford, Florida
\nLt. Henry E. Clark, 1127 N. 25th Street, Billings, Montana
\nLt. John A. Martin, 5043 W. Adams Street, Chicago, Illinois
\nLt. Raymond M. Roland, Jr., 16565 Kentfield Avenue, Detroit, Michigan.
\nLt. Steven G. Sullivan, Rt. #2, Box 234, Tulare, California
\nLt. Richard C. Reed, 16 34th Street, Des Moines, Iowa.
\nLt. John E. Murphy, 217 Scenic Avenue, Mt. Allen, Covington, Kentucky.
\nLt. (jg). George A. Hill, Jr., 40 Elm Street, Concord, Massachusetts.
\nLt. (jg). William H. Morrissey, 314 E. Arrellaga Street, Santa Barbara, California.
\nLt. (jg). Arnold C. Traxler, 2012 Tiffin Road, Oakland, California
\nLt. (jg). Harlan W. Foote, 772 Poli Street, Apt. D., Ventura, California.
\nLt. (jg). Francis M. Smith, 305 S. 15th. Street, Coeur d’Alene, Idaho.
\nLt. (jg). Thomas J. Coghlan, 669 S. Poplar Avenue, Kankakee, Illinois.
\nLt. (jg). Ivan R. Beisel, P.O. Box 168, Inglewood, California.
\nLt. (jg). John S. Cooke, 60 Douglas Road, Glen Ridge, New Jersey.
\nLt. (jg). Walter D. Nielsen, 1523 N. McCadden Place, Hollywood, California.
\nLt. (jg). Kenneth B.C. McCubbins, Rt. #1, Box 135, Dallas, Oregon.
\nLt. (jg). Hugh C. Johnson, 201 E. Lake Street, Waupaca, Wisconsin.
\nLt. (jg). Ralph V. Johnson, Benton City, Missouri.<\/p>\n

– 4 –<\/p>\n

\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Lt. (jg). Jules J. Bungus, 145 W. 55th Street, New York, New York.
\nLt. (jg). James F. Monaghan, 18-11 Murray Street, Whitestone, Long Island, New York.
\nLt. (jg). John E. Strickland, Warsaw, North Carolina.
\nEnsign Joseph Behl, 442 E. Mt. Airy Avenue, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
\nEnsign Harry D. Jones, 1500 Fallowfield Avenue, Apt. F, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
\nEnsign Walter F. Nickel, 428 N. “J” Street, Dinuba, California.
\nEnsign Harold J. Rogers, Box 94, Bonners Ferry, Idaho.
\nEnsign Robert S. Hanlon, 14625 Forrer, Detroit, Michigan.
\nEnsign Frederick B. Tschudin, 4487 Laclede, St. Louis, Missouri.<\/p>\n

* * *<\/p>\n

VT-17
\nROSTER OF ENLISTED MEN<\/p>\n

AKERS, Charles N., ARM2c(T), 2312 Avenue “U”, Lubbock, Texas.
\nBARKLAY, Budd N., AOM2c(T), 125 Massachusetts Avenue, Detroit, Michigan.
\nBELL, Vern K., ACMM(AA)(T), Route #1, Box 138, Reno, Nevada.
\nBERRYHILL, James H., ARM1c(T), 1706 30th Street, Sheffield, Alabama.
\nBOBBITT, Paul M., AMM1c, Route #6, Box 511-A, Ft. Worth, Texas.
\nBRAUCH, Paul (n)., AOM1c, 1922 E. 22nd Street, Wichita, Kansas
\nBREZOVSKY, Philip S., AMM1c, 6431 N. Greenview Avenue, Chicago, Illinois.
\nCANADA, Herman R., ARM3c, Elbridge, Tennessee.<\/p>\n

– 5 –<\/p>\n

\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

CHRONOLOGY
\nVT-17<\/p>\n

ROSTER OF ENLISTED MEN<\/p>\n

CHASE, LeRoy C., AMM2c(T), 53 B Central Lane, N. Tonawanda, New York.
\nCIMINSKI, Frank (n)., ARM3c(T), 266 Twickenham, Los Angeles, California.
\nCOLOMBINI, William (n)., S1c, P.O. Box 434, Castroville, California.
\nCOLP, William E., ARM3c, 2209 Maryland Avenue, St. Louis, Missouri.
\nCONSTANTINE, Pete (n)., ARM3c, 6924 Fulton Street, San Francisco, California.
\nCROPP, Fred R., ARM2c(T), E. 18 Fourth Avenue, Spokane, Washington.
\nFEURT, Donald R., AOM1c(T), Hereford, Colorado.
\nFIELD, James J., Y1c(T), 441 So. Jefferson Davis Parkway, New Orleans, Louisiana.
\nFITZGERALD, Fred J., AMM1c(T), 2 Earl Avenue, San Jose, California.
\nFORBES, Ray D., AOM1c(T), 3416 9th Avenue, Tampa, Florida.
\nFRIEZE, Robert A., ARM2c(T), 4007 E. Sixth Street, Los Angeles, California.
\nFUCHS, Ernest P., AOM1c, 3023 Feasler Avenue, Erie, Pennsylvania.
\nGEORGE, Philip W., AOM1c(T), Lebo, Kansas.
\nGEYER, Jack L., AOM1c(T), 2039 Termon Avenue, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
\nHAND, George C., ART1c, 45 N. Corona Avenue, Valley Stream, New York.
\nHELGESON, Helge KL., ARM3c, Box 259, Nashua, Montana.
\nHERZING, Ivan J., ACOM(AA)(T), 340 Washington Street, St. Mary’s, Pennsylvania.
\nHILBERT, Bruce M., AMM3c, 126 N. 4th Street, Emmaus, Pennsylvania.
\nJENSEN, Norman C., AOM1c(T), 1048 Chicago Avenue, Oak Park, Illinois
\nJONES, Robert J., S1c, 2222 W. 13th Street, Chicago, Illinois.
\nKEENER, Frank W., AOM3c, Rt. #1, Box 1-B, Sanger, California.
\nKEFFER, Theodore (n)., AOM1c(T), Cheswick, Pennsylvania.<\/p>\n

– 6 –<\/p>\n

\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

CHRONOLOGY
\nVT-17
\nROSTER OF ENLISTED MEN<\/p>\n

KELLETTE, Walter B., ACEM(AA)(T), 1291 58th Avenue, Oakland, California.
\nKLUNDER, Robert “E”., ARM1c(T), 8 Denman Place, Cranford, New Jersey
\nMANNING, Victor (n)., AMM2c(T), 2505 Humphrey Street, E. Elmhurst, New York.
\nMAZUR, Walter (n)., ACMM(T), 130 Hale Avenue, Brooklyn, New York.
\nMcFARLAND, Carl W., AMM3c, 1833 Vinton Avenue, Portsmouth, Ohio.
\nMEYER, Jack T., AOM2c(T), 310 Logan Boulevard, Altoona, Pennsylvania.
\nMULLIS, William B., S1c, R.F.D. #4, Xenia, Ohio.
\nNELSON, Glenn L., ARM3c, 301 11th Street, Sheldon, Iowa.
\nNICHOLSON, James N, ARM1c(T), c\/o General Delivery, Harrison, Arkansas.
\nNIEDZWICK, Theodore J., AOM1c(T), 225 S. Ann Street, Baltimore, Maryland.
\nPARKER, Frank G., ARM1c(T), 1706 30th Avenue, San Francisco, California.
\nPODOLAK, Paul G., ARM2c(T), 5619 Damen Avenue, Chicago, Illinois.
\nREDMON, Joseph H., ARM1c(T), 5827 S. Artesian, Chicago, Illinois
\nREIGER, Robert E., ARM, Wauzeka, Wisconsin.
\nROBSON, Donald W., ARM3c, 329 1\/2 Glady Avenue, Long Beach, California.
\nROELFSON, Roy O., ARM2c, 3740 Warwick Blvd., Kansas City, Mo.
\nROUSH, Randall C., ACEM(PA), 21 Valley Lane, Skyway Park, Osborne, Ohio.
\nSARTORY, Joseph G., AM1c, 111 Meade Avenue, Bellview, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
\nSCHNELL, Frederick P., AMM2c(T), 301 Highland Avenue, Madison, Wisconsin.
\nSENNETT, Walter M., AOM2c(T), 9121 Falcon Avenue, Detroit, Michigan
\nSHUTTLEWORTH, Frank (n)., ARM3c, 9627 Traverse Avenue, Detroit, Michigan.
\nSIMONS, Paul E., ARM2c(T), 1271 Bosworth Street, San Francisco, California.<\/p>\n

– 7 –<\/p>\n

(continued)<\/p>\n

\n

VT-17 Historical Report by W. M. Romberger : Click – Part 1<\/a> – Part 2<\/a> – Part 3<\/a> – Part 4<\/a> – Part 5<\/a> – Part 6<\/a> – Part 7<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

This is section 1, covering sheets 1 through 10 of 65 pages from the archives of the U.S. Navy in a declassified document. TORPEDO SQUADRON SEVENTEEN c\/o Fleet Post Office San Francisco, California DECLASSIFIED 27 June 1945 From: The Commanding Officer. To: The Officer of Naval Operations, Aviation History Unit (OP-33-J-6). Via: Commander, Carrier Air […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[6,5,7,3,4],"class_list":["post-77","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-general","tag-cag-17","tag-uss-hornet","tag-vt-17","tag-vt-17-historical-report","tag-w-m-romberger"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/vt17.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/77","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/vt17.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/vt17.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/vt17.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/vt17.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=77"}],"version-history":[{"count":22,"href":"https:\/\/vt17.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/77\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":111,"href":"https:\/\/vt17.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/77\/revisions\/111"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/vt17.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=77"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/vt17.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=77"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/vt17.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=77"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}