CV-10 U.S.S. Yorktown

Version: 24-02-09 (D-M-Y) - 15 pics
She was laid down on 1 December 1941 at Newport News, Virginia, by the Newport News Shipbuilding & Drydock Co. as Bon Homme Richard, renamed Yorktown on 26 September 1942 to commemorate Yorktown (CV-5), lost at the Battle of Midway.
The new Yorktown was launched on 21 January 1943, sponsored by Eleanor Roosevelt, and commissioned on 15 April 1943 at the Norfolk Navy Yard, Captain Joseph J. Clark in command, ready to avenge the death of her older namesake sister. (wikipedia)

 

 

 

 

1943 - Delivered in Measure 21.

 

 

 

 

CVG 5

1943, September

Engagements: Marianas
 
Commander 5th Air Group
Cdr. James H. 'Jimmy' Flatley

F6F-3  00  (BuNo.78845)
May 1943

VF-5

 VFN-76 VB-5

VT-5
?x Grumman F6F-3 HELLCAT ?x Grumman F6F-3N HELLCAT ?x SBD / SB2C ?x Grumman TBF AVENGER
 ?   ?   ?   ? 

 

 

 

CVG 5

1943, October - December

Engagements: TG 50.1 - Gilbert Islands
-
Commander 5th Air Group
Cdr. James H. 'Jimmy' Flatley

F6F-3  00  (BuNo.78845)
Late 1943

VF-5

 VB-5

VT-5
37x Grumman F6F-3 HELLCAT 36x Curtiss SB2C-4 HELLDIVER 18x Grumman TBF AVENGER
 ?   ?   ? 

 

 

 

 

CVG 5

1944, January - February

Engagements: TG 58.1 - Marshall Islands
-
Commander 5th Air Group
?
 ? 

VF-5

 VB-5

VT-5
36x Grumman F6F-3 HELLCAT 1x Grumman F6F-3 HELLCAT
36x Curtiss SB2C-4 HELLDIVER		 18x Grumman TBF AVENGER
 ?   ?   ? 

 

 

 

 

CVG 5

1944, February

Engagements: TG 58.1 - Truk
In February, a detachment of VFN-76 joined the group.
Commander 5th Air Group
?
 ? 

VF-5

 VFN-76 VB-5

VT-5
36x Grumman F6F-3 HELLCAT 4x Grumman F6F-3N HELLCAT 1x Grumman F6F-3 HELLCAT
36x Curtiss SB2C-4 HELLDIVER		 18x Grumman TBF AVENGER

F6F-3  22  (BuNo.????)
Lt(jg) Robert W Duncan
late February 1944		  ?   ?   ? 

 

 

 

 

1944, ca. April - Repainted in Delivered in Measure 33/10A dazzle pattern.

 

 

 

 

CVG 1

1944, May

Engagements: Bonin, Yap
-
Commander 1st Air Group
?
 ? 

VF-1

 VFN-77 VB-1

VT-1
39x Grumman F6F-3 HELLCAT 5x Grumman F6F-3N HELLCAT 31x Curtiss SB2C-4 HELLDIVER 18x Grumman TBF/TBM AVENGER
 ?   ?   ?   ? 

 

 

 

 

CVG 1

1944, June

Engagements: TG 58.1 - Philippines
-
Commander 1st Air Group
?
 ? 

VF-1

 VFN-77 VB-1

VT-1
42x Grumman F6F-3 HELLCAT 4x Grumman F6F-3N HELLCAT 15x Curtiss SB2C-4 HELLDIVER 17x Grumman TBF/TBM AVENGER

F6F-3  21K  (BuNo.????)
June 1944		  ?   ?   ? 

F6F-3  30K  (BuNo.????)
June 1944		  ?   ?   ? 

 

 

 

 

1945, February - again painted in Measure 21.

 

 

 

 

CVG 3

1945, March - April

Engagements: TG 38.1 - Freeing the Philippines
1945
Commander 3rd Air Group
?
?
On 30 March, Yorktown and the other carriers of her task group began to concentrate solely on the island of Okinawa and its surrounding islets.
For two days, they pounded the island in softening-up strikes. On 1 April, the assault troops stormed ashore;
and, for almost six weeks, she sent her planes to the island to provide direct support for the troops operating ashore.
About every three days, she retired to the east to conduct fueling rendezvous or to rearm and re-provision.

The only exception to that routine came on 7 April when it was discovered that a Japanese task force built around the elusive battleship YAMATO was steaming south for one last, desperate, offensive.
Yorktown and the other carriers quickly launched strikes to attack that valued target.
Air Group 9 aviators claimed several torpedo hits on YAMATO just before the battleship exploded and sank.

VF-3

VB-3

VT-9
48x Grumman F6F-5 HELLCAT
6x Grumman F6F-5P HELLCAT		 24x Curtiss SB2C-4 HELLDIVER 18x Grumman TBM AVENGER

F6F-5  15  (BuNo.78845)
February 1945		  ? 
TBM-3  ? 
1945

 69 
February 1945		  ?   ? 

 

 

 

 

CVG 9

1945, March - April

Engagements: TG 58.4 - Japanese Home Islands, Sinking of YAMATO
-
Commander 88th Air Group
?
 ? 

VF-9

 VB-9

VBF-9

VT-9
40x Grumman F6F-5 HELLCAT
(incl. F6F-5N & F6F-5P)		 15x Curtiss SB2C-4 HELLDIVER 33x Grumman F6F-5 HELLCAT 7x Grumman TBM AVENGER

 74
March 1945		  ? 
 103
1945
TBM-3  135
April 1945
 ?   ? 
 114
1945
TBM-3  127
April 1945
 ?   ?   ? 
TBM-3  135
April 1945

 

 

 

 

CVG 88

1945, June

Engagements: TG 58.4 - Japanese Home Islands
-
Commander 88th Air Group
?
 ? 

VF-88

 VB-88

VBF-88

VT-88
30x Grumman F6F-5 HELLCAT
6x Grumman F6F-5N HELLCAT
3x Grumman F6F-5P HELLCAT		 15x Curtiss SB2C-4 HELLDIVER 37x Vought FG CORSAIR 15x Grumman TBM AVENGER
 ?   ? 
FG  52 
June - August 1945

VBF-88 took 37 FG to war in the last 2 months of conflict, conducting strikes on the home islands.

  ? 

 

 

 

 

REFERENCEs
[TER 1978]

 Terzibaschitsch, Stefan - Flugzeugträger der US NAVY - Band 1: Flottenflugzeugträger
 2. überarbeitete Auflage - ISBN 3-7637-5803-8

 

 

 

 

Back to my
>WW2 Aircraft Profiles<

© Michael Reimer 2009