CV-6 U.S.S. Enterprise

Version: 19-05-08 (D-M-Y) - 50 pics
USS Enterprise, the "Big E", was the sixth aircraft carrier of the United States Navy and the seventh U.S. Navy ship to bear that name.
She was a ship of the Yorktown class launched in 1936, and one of only three American carriers commissioned prior to World War II to survive the war (the others being Saratoga and Ranger).
Note: Each Carrier had an own color for the tail of the planes aboard - the Enterprise used True Blue tails.
The sections (of three aircraft) used different colored wingbands and cowlings. A complete colored cowling indicates the section-leader.

Already used PreWar, it was too small to see in combat, so it was enlarged quite early.
But the large ones red dot looked to similar to the Japanese Hinomarus, so it was overpainted.
The missing color was added around the star, togehter with the bar reminding the Stars and Stripes.
But the Red was too gright again, so it was toned down in blue.
Around Korea, a single red stripe was painted agin in the bar

 

 

 

 

 

 

Measure 3 light grey
 (Peacetime only)

Enterprise Air Group
Pre-War, circa 1938-1939
Note: This early, "Air Group" was just to give the flying part a name - and they were simply named by the ship.
Enterprise was launched 3 October 1936 at Newport News Shipbuilding, sponsored by Lulie Swanson, wife of Secretary of the Navy Claude A. Swanson, and commissioned 12 May 1938.

Enterprise sailed south on a shakedown cruise which took her to Rio de Janeiro. After her return, she operated along the east coast and in the Caribbean until April of 1939, when she was ordered to duty in the Pacific.

?

VB-?

?

VF-5

?

VS-?

?

VT-?
? 18 F4B-4 ? 18 Douglas TBD-1 DEVASTATOR

VB-6
''Black Rams''

VF-6
''The Shooting Stars''

VS-6
 

VT-6
 
18x Curtiss
SBC-4 HELLDIVER		 18 Grumman
F3F-2 FLYING BARREL		 18x Curtiss
SBC-3 HELLDIVER		 18x Douglas
TBD-1 DEVASTATOR
 6-B-1
section leader I		  6-F-1
section leader I		  6-S-1
section leader I		  6-T-1
section leader I
 6-B-2  6-F-2  6-S-2  6-T-2
 6-B-3  6-F-3  6-S-3  6-T-3
 6-B-4
section leader II		  6-F-4
section leader II		  6-S-4
section leader II		  6-T-4
section leader II
 6-B-5  6-F-5  6-S-5  6-T-5
 6-B-6  6-F-6  6-S-6  6-T-6
 6-B-7
section leader III		  6-F-7
section leader III		  6-S-7
section leader III		  6-T-7
section leader III
 6-B-8  6-F-8  6-S-8  6-T-8
 6-B-9  6-F-9  6-S-9  6-T-9
 6-B-10
section leader IV		  6-F-10
section leader IV		  6-S-10
section leader IV		  6-T-10
section leader IV
 6-B-11
 6-F-11  (BuNo.A9246)		  6-S-11  6-T-11
 6-B-12  6-F-12  6-S-12  6-T-12
 6-B-13
section leader V		  6-F-13
section leader V		  6-S-13
section leader V		  6-T-13
section leader V
 6-B-14  6-F-14  6-S-14  6-T-14
 6-B-15  6-F-15  6-S-15  6-T-15
 6-B-16
section leader VI		  6-F-16
section leader VI		  6-S-16
section leader VI		  6-T-16
section leader VI
 6-B-17  6-F-17  6-S-17  6-T-17
 6-B-18  6-F-18  6-S-18  6-T-18

 

 

 

 

Measure 3 light grey
 (Peacetime only)

Enterprise Air Group
Pre-War, circa 1939-1941

In April of 1939, she was ordered to duty in the Pacific.
Based first at San Diego and then at Pearl Harbor after President Roosevelt ordered the Fleet to be 'forward based',
the carrier and her aircraft squadrons trained intensively and transported aircraft among the island bases of the Pacific.
Enterprise was completing one such mission, delivering Marine Corps Fighter Squadron 211 to Wake Island on 2 December 1941
and was en route to Hawaii when the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor.
Note: In 1938, The "Air Group" was officially introduced and got an own commander (CAG).
Even today, when groups were replaced by wings, the abbreviation for the commander is CAG.
Commander Enterprise Air Group (CEAG)
Curtiss SBC-4 HELLDIVER

AIR GROUP COMMANDER
U.S.S. ENTERPRISE

VB-6
''Black Rams''

VF-6
''The Shooting Stars''

VS-6
 

VT-6
 
18x Curtiss
SBC-4 HELLDIVER		 18 Grumman
F3F-2 FLYING BARREL		 18x Curtiss
SBC-3 HELLDIVER		 18x Douglas
TBD-1 DEVASTATOR
VF-6 assigned to USS ENTERPRISE was the only Navy squadron to fully equip with the F3F-2
 6-B-1
section leader I
 6-F-1
section leader I
-
-
 6-S-1
section leader I
-
-
 6-T-1  (BuNo 0322)
section leader I
(AC was lost in an accident at sea on about 10 March 1939)
 6-B-2  6-F-2  6-S-2  6-T-2
 6-B-3  6-F-3  6-S-3  6-T-3
 6-B-4
section leader II
 6-F-4
section leader II
 6-S-4
section leader II		  6-T-4
section leader II
 6-B-5  6-F-5  6-S-5  6-T-5
 6-B-6  6-F-6  6-S-6  6-T-6
 6-B-7
section leader III
 6-F-7
section leader III		  6-S-7
section leader III
 6-T-7
section leader III
 6-B-8  6-F-8  6-S-8  6-T-8
 6-B-9  6-F-9  6-S-9  6-T-9
 6-B-10
section leader IV		  6-F-10
section leader IV		  6-S-10
section leader IV		  6-T-10
section leader IV
 6-B-11  6-F-11  6-S-11  6-T-11
 6-B-12  6-F-12  6-S-12  6-T-12
 6-B-13
section leader V		  6-F-13
section leader V		  6-S-13
section leader V		  6-T-13
section leader V
 6-B-14  6-F-14  6-S-14  6-T-14
 6-B-15
 6-F-15 		 6-S-15  6-T-15
 6-B-16
section leader VI
 6-F-16
section leader VI
 6-S-16
section leader VI
 6-T-16  (BuNo 0318)
section leader VI
 6-B-17  6-F-17  6-S-17  6-T-17
 6-B-18  6-F-18  6-S-18  6-T-18

 

 

 

 

Measure 1 dark grey
 (Peacetime only)

Measure 1 dark grey & blue deck
 (The flight deck was stained blue in July 1941, during camouflage experiments that gave her a unique deck stripe pattern.)

Enterprise Air Group
1st Deployment: 7 December 1941 - 10 March 1942

Engagements: Pearl Harbor; Marshall, Wake and Marcus Islands Raids
Commander Enterprise Air Group (CEAG)
Douglas SBD-3 DAUNTLESS

1941, December   -  Pearl Harbor

 1942, February   -  Battle for Wake Island

 Commander Enterprise Group  
Commander Howard Young
 GC  
Commander Howard Young

VB-6
''Black Rams''

VF-6
''The Shooting Stars''

VS-6
 

VT-6
 
18 Douglas SBD-2 DAUNTLESS 18 Grumman F4F-3 WILDCATs 18 Douglas SBD-2 DAUNTLESS 18 Douglas TBD-1 DEVASTATORs

1941, October 20  -   Pacific, Torpedo Mk.XIII - Excercising
 6-B-4
section leader II		  6-F-4
section leader II		  6-S-4
section leader II
 6-T-4
section leader II
 6-B-9  6-F-9  6-S-9
 6-T-9
 6-B-10  6-F-10  6-S-10
 6-T-10
 6-B-19  6-F-19  6-S-19
 6-T-19

1941, December   -   Pearl Harbor
 6-B-11  6-F-11  6-S-11
 6-T-11
in lightgrey ?

1941, Late
Note : change to black codes
 6-B-9
 6-F-9
Note: The caption says april 1942, but I doubt this. Jan. or feb. it is!		  6-S-9  6-T-9
 6-B-10  6-S-10  6-S-10  6-T-10
 6-B-11  6-S-11  6-S-11  6-T-11
 6-B-12  6-S-12  6-S-12  6-T-12
 6-B-13  6-S-13  6-S-13
 6-T-13

1942, February   -  Battle for Wake Island
Note: The oversize stars were first used on Fighter Squadron 6 aircraft in early 1942 (before Coral Sea) after their Commanding Officer was nearly shot down by "friendly fire" from ships in the Enterprise's battle group.
He complained to Admiral Halsey and in a day or so nearly all the Enterprise aircraft (VF-6, VS-6, VB-6, VT-6) received the big stars that cover the entire width of the wing.
Apparently it was not a fleet requirement but just specific to Enterprise planes.
The red "meatball" was painted out after Coral Sea but the big stars stayed.
For this, the long, complete number was reduced to only show the number, like it is to see on the pic of TBD #5

The white tail stripe (or stripes) on the tail was a visual aid for the Landing Signal Officer (LSO) to determine if the aircraft was making a correct approach to the ship. Probably the way it worked was that if the stripe was aligned with the LSO's line of sight the aircraft was descending correctly. If the stripe's forward end was below line-of-sight, the aircraft's descent was too steep and if the forward end was above line-of-sight the descent was too shallow. What is story of two stripes vs. one is beyond me.


 B1
Lieutenant Commander
William Hollingsworth		  1
Lieutenant Commander
Clarence Wade McClusky		  S1
Lieutenant Commander
Halstead Hopping
M.I.A. off Roi, 1 February 1942
LT Earl Gallaher
Eff. 5 February 1942
 1
Lieutenant Commander
Eugene Lindsey
 B2  2  S2
 2
 B3  3  S3  3

 B4
section leader II		  4
section leader II		  S4
section leader II		  4
section leader II
 B5  5
 S5
 5
 B6  6  S6  6
 B7
section leader III		  7
section leader III		  S7
section leader III
LT(jg) H. Dale Hilton
While piloting an SBD, was shot down and taken POW during an airstrike on Marcus Island, 4 March 1942. Interned in Japan for the remainder of the war.
ARM 1/c Jack Leaming
Interned in Japan for the remainder of the war.
 7
section leader III
-
-
 B8  8  S8
 8

 

 

 

 

Measure 1 dark grey & blue deck
 (The flight deck was stained blue in July 1941, during camouflage experiments that gave her a unique deck stripe pattern.)

???
Enterprise Air Group
2nd Deployment: 8 - 26 April 1942

Engagement: Doolittle Raid
Commander Enterprise Air Group (CEAG)
Douglas SBD-3 DAUNTLESS
 ?
Lieutenant Commander Clarence W. McClusky

VB-6
''Black Rams''

VF-6
''The Shooting Stars''

VB-3
 

VT-6
 
18 Douglas SBD-2 DAUNTLESS 18 Grumman F4F-4 WILDCATs 18 Douglas SBD-2 DAUNTLESS 18 Douglas TBD-1 DEVASTATORs
 B1
LT Richard H. Best		  1
LT James Gray		  S1
LCDR Max Leslie		  1
LCDR Eugene Lindsey
Following the USS Hornet on the way to Japan:

Note the different sizes of the roundels.
The small ones are probably from VB-3 planes, new aboard the Enterprise, whose default planes were already changed to the large roundels.
Or see this one, pretty mixed roundels on TBDs and even F4Fs ??? Dated April 42

 

 

 

 

Measure 12 graded system
She definately wore a graded system, probably Measure 12 (seablue & oceangrey) around 1942
Enterprise Air Group
3rd Deployment: 30 April - 26 May 1942

Engagements: Delivered Marine Fighter Squadron to Efate.

Proceeded to Coral Sea but arrived too late to engage in the Battle of the Coral Sea, 7-8 May 1942.
Note: I wonder, why there are small roundels to see again. The pic of the F4F-4 says April 1942
Commander Enterprise Air Group (CEAG)
Douglas SBD-3 DAUNTLESS
 ?
Lieutenant Commander Clarence W. McClusky

VB-6
''Black Rams''

VF-6
''The Shooting Stars''

VS-6
 

VT-6
 
Douglas SBD-2/3 DAUNTLESS Grumman F4F-4 WILDCATs Douglas SBD-2/3 DAUNTLESS Douglas TBD-1 DEVASTATORs
 B1  1  S1
 1
 B2  2  S2  2
 B3  3  S3  3

 

 

 

 

Measure 12 graded system
She definately wore a graded system, probably Measure 12 (seablue & oceangrey) around 1942
Enterprise Air Group
4th Deployment: 28 May - 13 June 1942

Engagements: Battle of Midway (June 4, 1942)
Commander Enterprise Air Group (CEAG)
Douglas SBD-3 DAUNTLESS

 GC  (BuNo 4618)
Lieutenant Commander Clarence W. McClusky
& Gunner W. G. Chochalousek

McClusky CEAG dove on Kaga with all of VS-6 and most of VB-6, there was a big goof up

VB-6
''Black Rams''

VF-6
''The Shooting Stars''

VS-6
 

VT-6
 
18 Douglas SBD-2/3 DAUNTLESS 27 Grumman F4F-4 WILDCATs 18 Douglas SBD-2/3 DAUNTLESS 14 Douglas TBD-1 DEVASTATORs

 B1
Lt. Richard H. "Dick" Best Jr.
 Only Dick Best and his 1st Section attacked Akagi.
He scored a direct hit.

Note: Code must be before roundel

 

  1
Lieutenant James Gray		  S1
Lieutenant Earl Gallaher
 1
Lieutenant Commander
E.E. Lindsey &
ACRM C.T. Grenat
It was shot down on the run in to attack the Japanese aircraft carrier "Kaga".
Eight out of twelve TBDs were lost in the attack.
 B2  2  S2
 2
Ensign Severin L. Rombach
ARM2c W.F. Glenn
It was shot down on the run in to attack the Japanese aircraft carrier "Kaga".

 B3 		 3  S3  3
 B4  4  S4  4
Laub
Pure survivor - Laub and his gunner fought like the devil to get clear of Kaga and the Kido Butai CAP
 B5  5  S5
 5
one of three survivors
 B6  6  S6  6
 B7  7  S7
Dusty Kleiss
"3 for 3" at BoM
(Kaga, Hiryu and Mogami)

Note: Code must be black

  7
 B8  8  S8  8
 B9  9
 S9
Ens. Rodenburg
He missed the attacks on Kido Butai with a stuck blower,
wouldn't go into high.
Note: Code must be black		  9
 B10  10  S10  10
 B11  11  S11  11

 B12 		 12  S12
 		  12
 B13  13
Mehle
helped defend Yorktown		  S13  13
 B13
 14 		 S14  14

 B15
ENS Goldsmith &
ARM3c Patterson
(landed on CV5 after attacking Kaga)
-
-		  15  S15 X
 B16  16  S16 X
 B17  17
Provost
helped defend Yorktown		  S17 X
 B18  18  S18 X
X  19  S?
ENS Frank W. O'Flaherty (pilot)
AMM 1/c Bruno P. Gaido
They ran out of fuel and ditched during the Battle of Midway, 4 June 1942.
Picked up by Japanese destroyer Makigumo, held for approximately 10 days, and executed by drowning on 15 June 1942.		 X
X  20 X X
X  21
Rawie
helped defend Yorktown		 X X
X  22 X X
X  23 X X
X  24 X X
X  25 X X
X  26 X X
X  27 X X
Note: I only have real photos showing the VB-6 DAUNTLESSes.
All have markings like they are to see here at left at (B12) and (B15).
(No "-" between letter and number, all painted forward the roundel.
While all units belong to the same air group, I believe the other squadrons used the same style.
Like (B1) ; (F1) and (T1), all before the roundel. So I tend to say the other pics here are wrong.
SBDs of VS-6 probably used (S-1) in black behind the roundel
The stripe(s) on the tail are a guideline for the landing signal officer, to judge if the angle of approach is right
(they point to the wingleading edge). Why some planes have two stripes is beyond me, though.

 

 

 

Measure 12 graded system
She definately wore a graded system, probably Measure 12 (seablue & oceangrey) around 1942
Enterprise Air Group
5th Deployment: 15 July - 25 August 1942

Engagements: Occupation of Guadalcanal, Battle of the Eastern Solomons
Commander Enterprise Air Group (CEAG)
Douglas SBD-3 DAUNTLESS