# VP-44 > Mediated Wiki article. Canonical URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/VP-44 > Markdown URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/VP-44.md > Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/VP-44 > Source revision: 1209484831 > License: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/) {{morefootnotes|date=February 2024}} {{Use American English|date=February 2024}} {{Use dmy dates|date=February 2024}} {{Infobox military unit |unit_name=Patrol Squadron 44 |image= |caption= |dates=15 October 1942 – 20 January 1950 |country= United States of America |allegiance= |branch= {{nowrap|30px|United States Navy Seal [United States Navy](/source/United_States_Navy)}} |type= [squadron](/source/Squadron_(aviation)) |role= [Maritime patrol](/source/Maritime_patrol) |size= |command_structure= |garrison= |garrison_label= |nickname= |patron= |colors= |colors_label= |march= |mascot= |equipment= |equipment_label= |battles=[World War II](/source/World_War_II) |anniversaries= |decorations= |battle_honors= |aircraft_attack= |aircraft_bomber= |aircraft_electronic= |aircraft_fighter= |aircraft_interceptor= |aircraft_patrol=[PBM Mariner](/source/Martin_PBM-5_Mariner) |aircraft_recon= |aircraft_trainer= |aircraft_transport= }} '''VP-44''' was a '''Patrol Squadron''' of the [U.S. Navy](/source/U.S._Navy). It was established as '''VP-204''' on 15 October 1942, redesignated as '''Patrol Bombing Squadron VPB-204''' on 1 October 1944, redesignated as '''VP-204''' on 15 May 1946, redesignated as '''VP-MS-4''' on 15 November 1946, redesignated as '''VP-44''' on 1 September 1948 and disestablished on 20 January 1950. It was the third squadron to be assigned the VP-44 designation. The [first VP-44](/source/VPB-125) had that designation from 1 July 1940 to 6 January 1941. The [second VP-44](/source/VPB-44) had that designation from 3 June 1941 to 1 October 1944. A [fourth VP-44](/source/VP-44_(1951-91)) was established on 29 January 1951 and disestablished on 28 June 1991.{{cite book|last=Roberts|first=Michael D. | title=Dictionary of American Naval Aviation Squadrons | volume = 2 | url = https://www.history.navy.mil/research/histories/naval-aviation-history/dictionary-of-american-naval-aviation-squadrons-volume-2.html | chapter = Chapter 3 Patrol Squadron (VP) Histories (2nd VP-40 to 3rd VP-45) | chapter-url = https://www.history.navy.mil/content/dam/nhhc/research/histories/naval-aviation/dictionary-of-american-naval-aviation-squadrons-volume-2/pdfs/chap3-8.pdf |publisher=Naval History and Heritage Command, Department of the Navy|year=2000|location=Washington, D.C.|pages=243–5}} ==Operational history== *15 October 1942: VP-204 was established at [NAS Norfolk](/source/NAS_Norfolk), Virginia, as a seaplane squadron flying the [PBM-3C Mariner](/source/Martin_PBM-5_Mariner). During the squadron's training period at Norfolk it came under the operational control of PatWing-5. *27 December 1942: The squadron was relocated to [NS San Juan](/source/Roosevelt_Roads_Naval_Station), Puerto Rico, for further training under the operational control of FAW-11, Caribbean Sea Frontier. Upon completion of the training syllabus in March, the squadron conducted operations from San Juan and [Trinidad](/source/Trinidad), flying antisubmarine patrols and convoy escort patrols. Advance base detachments were maintained during various times at [Antigua](/source/Antigua); [NAS Coco Solo](/source/Coco_Solo), Panama; [Essequibo](/source/Essequibo_(colony)), [British Guiana](/source/British_Guiana); [Cayenne](/source/Cayenne), [French Guiana](/source/French_Guiana); [Paramaribo](/source/Paramaribo), [Surinam](/source/Surinam_(Dutch_colony)); and [Guantanamo Bay Naval Base](/source/Guantanamo_Bay_Naval_Base), Cuba. Tender support for most of the operations was provided by {{USS|Pelican|AVP-6|6}}. *28 March–7 August 1943: VP-204 aircraft attacked German [U-boat](/source/U-boat)s on eight separate occasions. During three of the attacks, intense anti-aircraft (AA) fire from the submarines damaged the attacking aircraft. One submarine was sunk on 7 August 1943 after a running gun battle in the Caribbean southeast of [Curaçao](/source/Cura%C3%A7ao). Lieutenant (jg) John M. Erskine, pilot of a squadron PBM-3S, attacked [''U-615''](/source/German_submarine_U-615) on the surface on 6 August, causing moderate damage. The squadron conducted a hold-down of the submarine over night. On the morning of 7 August, Lieutenant Anthony R. Matuski spotted the U-boat when it surfaced and made an attack run. His aircraft was damaged by return fire and crashed, losing all hands. Lieutenant Lewis D. Crockett, flying a squadron aircraft, located the U-boat and conducted a bomb run that further damaged the vessel, but resulted in severe damage to his aircraft from AA fire. He remained on the scene until Lieutenant Holmes, pilot of a [VB-130](/source/VB-130) [PV-1 Ventura](/source/Lockheed_Ventura) arrived . The two aircraft conducted a coordinated bombing and strafing attack, however, the final blow to U-615 was administered by Lieutenant (jg) John W. Dresbach, in a VP-204 Mariner, when he arrived on the scene and made a bombing and strafing attack on the U-boat. This attack resulted in mortal wounds to Dresbach, but was the final blow for the submarine. A U.S. Navy destroyer from Trinidad reached the area the next morning and rescued 45 of ''U-615''’s crew of 49. *5 June 1944: After numerous submarine contacts of mid-1943, few enemy U-boats were spotted in the Caribbean by the squadron. The last attack on an enemy submarine was conducted at night on 5 June 1944 off the coast of Puerto Rico using the wingmounted searchlight. A damaged claim was submitted by the crew, but postwar examination of records indicate that the U-boat returned safely to port. *27 Nov 1944: The squadron was relocated to [NAS Key West](/source/Naval_Air_Station_Key_West), Florida, with a detachment maintained at Royal Island, [Bahamas](/source/Bahamas), supported by {{USS|Christiania|YAG-32|6}}. During this period VPB-204 came under the operational control of FAW-12, Gulf Sea Frontier. Duties consisted of convoy coverage and antisubmarine patrols. *3 Mar 1945: Seven officers and 23 enlisted personnel were detached for training in PBM-5 aircraft at NAAS Harvey Point, North Carolina. These aircraft were flown back in April to Key West to replace the older PBM-3S aircraft that the squadron had been flying. *24 May 1945: VPB-204 was transferred to NAS Coco Solo, under FAW-3, Commander Pacific Sea Frontier. The squadron became fully operational in early June, receiving several new PBM-5E aircraft to supplement its complement. Duties consisted primarily of scouting patrols off Central America. *4 July 1945: NAS Coco Solo, was officially designated the new home port for the squadron. As the war wound down over the ensuing months, long-range patrols gave way to an increasing number of passenger and cargo transport runs across the Caribbean. *1946–1949: The squadron maintained search and rescue detachments during various period at NAS Guantanamo Bay and with various seaplanetenders in different parts of the Caribbean. *1–20 January 1950: VP-44 moved to NAS Norfolk to prepare for disestablishment and on 20 January 1950, VP-44 was disestablished. ==Home port assignments== The squadron was assigned to these home ports, effective on the dates shown: * [NAS Norfolk](/source/NAS_Norfolk), Virginia – 15 October 1942 * [NS San Juan](/source/Roosevelt_Roads_Naval_Station), Puerto Rico - 27 December 1942 * [NAS Key West](/source/NAS_Key_West), Florida - 27 November 1944 * [NAS Coco Solo](/source/Coco_Solo), Panama - 24 May 1945 * NAS Norfolk - 1 January 1950 ==Aircraft assignment== The squadron first received the following aircraft on the dates shown: * [PBM-3C ''Mariner''](/source/Martin_PBM_Mariner) – October 1942 * PBM-3S - October 1944 * PBM-5E - March 1945 ==See also== * [Maritime patrol aircraft](/source/Maritime_patrol_aircraft) * [List of inactive United States Navy aircraft squadrons](/source/List_of_inactive_United_States_Navy_aircraft_squadrons) * [List of United States Navy aircraft squadrons](/source/List_of_United_States_Navy_aircraft_squadrons) * [List of squadrons in the Dictionary of American Naval Aviation Squadrons](/source/List_of_squadrons_in_the_Dictionary_of_American_Naval_Aviation_Squadrons) * [History of the United States Navy](/source/History_of_the_United_States_Navy) ==References== {{DANAS}} {{reflist}} ==External links== {{Commons category|Patrol Squadron 44 (United States Navy)}} {{US Navy navbox}} {{United States Navy Aircraft Squadrons}} {{Cold War}} {{DEFAULTSORT:Vp-44}} Category:Patrol squadrons of the United States Navy Category:Military units and formations in Maine Category:Wikipedia articles incorporating text from the Dictionary of American Naval Aviation Squadrons --- Adapted from the Wikipedia article [VP-44](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/VP-44) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/VP-44?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.