Marcos Bozzaris  

72 Strikes against the Japanese.

Geographical

26	Against Japan Home Islands.
46	Against Ryukus, principally Okinawa.

Type

9	Against Shipping
63	Against land targets.
783	Combat sorties
32.6	Average combat sorties per pilot.
2917	Combat hours.
121.5	Average combat hours per pilot.
412	Exercise-search flights made.

Armament Expended

650	Tons of bombs.
240	Incendiary clusters.
84	HVAR
15	Torpedoes
71,925	Rounds m/g ammunition

Losses

6	Total personnel lost in combat.
2	Pilots
4	Aircrewmen
7	Total planes lost in combat.
3	Water landings - AA fire.
2	Crashed over targets - AA fire
2	Water landings - operational.

Achievements

1. Participated with other units in the sinking or damaging of: a. 265,000 tons of war shipping. b. 77,000 tons of merchant shipping. 2. Participated with full 15 plane torpedo strike against the Yamato, 7 April 1945.  a. Officially credited with four torpedo hits, claim four additional hits. b. Officially credited with torpedo hit and sinking of a destroyer in the Yamato screen. c. Returned to the Essex with all planes - no personnel casualties - but 11 planes had been hit by AA fire. 1. One plane not repairable, was jettisoned. 2. Five planes had complete new wings. 3. Responsible for destruction or damage to many ground targets - hangers - warehouses - factories - Sub Pens - rail ferries - airfields, and aircraft.

 

VT-83/A9 Serial 057

TORPEDO SQUADRON EIGHTY_THREE

Fleet Post Office, San Francisco, Calif.  

                                                                        18 September 1945

From: The Commanding Officer

To:  The Chief of  Naval Operations

Subject:  Squadron History - Submission of.

Reference:  (a) BuAer C/L 74-44

                    (b) CNO Letter, 118433, dated 14 March 1945

                    (c) CO VT 83, Serial 057 of 21 January 1945

Enclosure:   (a) History of VT 83, Subsequent to 1 January 1945.  

1.  This units history for the period from 1 January 1945 to 13 September 1945 is enclosed in accordance with references (a) and (b). It is continuation of the original history submitted under reference (c).

_{Lt.Cdr. H. A. Stewart}  

 

From 1 January to 20 February 1945, the squadron was engaged in advanced training in the Hawiian area, which included special coordinated attack exercises,  night attacks against ships at sea, air-ground support exercises, carrier qualifications, live torpedo exercises, high level instrument bombing, and all regular torpedo type events, and did considerable work in close support while based at Puunene.  

The squadron was in transit from 20 February, when it left Puunene, Maui until until going aboard the Essex in Ulithi on 10 March. Transit included passage on three ships; the inter-island steamer Waialeale from Maui to Pearl Harbor, the Nassau CVE16 from Pearl Harbor to Guam, and the Long Island CVE1 from Guam to Ulithi; and a three day stop at Agano airfield, Guam.  

Chronology

(1) Torpedo squadron VT 83 was based at NAS Puunene, Maui, T.H., 1 January 1945, the begining of the period covered by this history installment. It was part of Carrier Air Group Eighty Three and was engaged in training exercises.

(2) In accordance with ComAirPac Secret Dispatch 1470028 of February 1945, the squadron was transferred to the command of Commander United States Pacific Fleet  and ordered to proceed to the forward area for carrier combat duty aboard the U.S.S. Essex CV9.

(3) Physical events of the squadron are as follows:

1 January 1945	Based at NAS Puuene, Maui, T.H.
20 February	Embarked on SS Waialaele for Pearl Harbor.
21 February	Embarked on the USS Nassau CVE 16 for Guam.
4 March	Based at Agano Airfield, Guam .
7 March	Embarked on USS Long Island CVE 1 for Ulithi .
9 March	Arrived Ulithi
10 March	Boarded USS ESSEX CV9 for carrier combat duty.
14 March	Sortied from Ulithi on Okinawa Operation
1 June	Arrived at Leyte Gulf after 79 days of operations and 55 strikes against the enemy.
1 July	Sortied from Leyte to conduct airstrikes against the Japanese Home Islands
15 August	Ordered to cease hostilities with a flight of 15 planes 100 miles on it's way to Tokyo.
3 September	Departed from Japan area for U.S.
13 September	Disembarked from U.S. Essex CV9 at Puget Sound, Washington

Engagements

VT/ACA	Date	Mission
1	18 March	Nittagahara A/F, Kyushu
2	18 March	Nittagahara, A/F, Kyusha
3	19 March	Shipping and Installations, Kure Harbor, Honshu
4	23 March	Pre-landing, Okinawa
5	23 March	Pre-landing, Okinawa
6	24 March	Pre-landing, Okinawa
7	24 March	Pre-landing, Okinawa
8	26 March	Pre-landing, Okinawa
9	27 March	Pre-landing, Okinawa
10	28 March	Minami Daito Town, Minami
11	29 March	Tojimbara A/F, Kyushu
12	30 March	Tojimbara A/F, Kyushu
13	31 March	Pre-landing, Okinawa
14	1 April	Landing Support, Okinawa
15	1 April	Landing Support, Okinawa
16	3 April	Air Support, Okinawa
17	3 April	Air Support, Okinawa
18	3 April	Air Support, Okinawa
19	3 April	Air Support, Okinawa
20	4 April	Air Support, Okinawa
21	4April	Air Support, Okinawa
22	4 April	Air Support, Okinawa
23	4 April	Air Support, Okinawa
24	6 April	Wan A/F, Kikai Jima
25	7 April	Jap Fleet, SW, Kyushu
26	10 April	Minami Daito A/F, Minami Daito, Japan
27	11 April	Tokuna A/F
28	15 April	Air Support. Okinawa
29	16 April	Air Support, Okinawa
30	17 April	Air Support, Okinawa
31	17 April	Air Support, Okinawa
32	19 April	Air Support, Okinawa
33	20 April	Air Support, Okinawa
34	20 April	Air Support, Okinawa
35	21 April	Air Support, Okinawa
36	21 April	Air Support, Okinawa
37	22 April	Air Support, Okinawa
38	26 April	Air Support, Okinawa
39	28 April	Air Support, Okinawa
40	28 April	Air support, Okinawa
41	29 April	Air Support, Okinawa
42	30 April	Air Support, Okinawa
43	3 May	Wan A/F, Kikia Jima
44	5 May	Air Support, Okinawa
45	5 May	Air Support, Okinawa
46	7 May	Air Support, Okinawa
47	9 May	Inciendiary Attack, Araki, Kikia Jima
48	11 May	Air Support, Okinawa
49	12 May	Air Support, Okinawa
50	13 May	Saeki A/F, Kyushu
51	13 May	Saeki A/F, Kyushu
52	14 May	Usa A/F, Kyushu
53	14 May	Minamata, Kyushu
54	18 May	Kakeroma Shima
55	20 May	Air Support, Okinawa
56	10 July	Atsugi A/F, Honshu
57	10 July	Atsugi A/F, Honshu
58	14 July	Shipping, Tsugara Straits, Honshu
59	14 July	Shipping, Aomori Wan, Honshu
60	15 July	Aomori Town, Honshu
61	15 July	Shipping, North & West tip of Honshu
62	18 July	Battleship Nagato, Tokyo Bay
63	24 July	War Ships, Inland Sea area, Honshu
64	24 July	War Ships, Inland Sea area, Honshu
65	28 July	War Ships, Inland Sea area, Honshu
66	28 July	Shipping, Inland Sea area, Honshu
67	30 July	Atsugi A/F, Honshu
68	9 August	Hachinohe A/F, Honshu
69	9 August	Hachinohe A/F, Honshu
70	10 August	Samechi, Honshu
71	10 August	Samechi, Honshu
72	13  August	Tokyo Bay Area, Honshu

Awards

26 Pilots			50 Crew
Navy Cross	10 /stars 1		Distinguished Flying Cross	46
Distinguished Flying Cross	26 /stars 29		Air Medal	50
Air Medal	26 /101 stars		Air Medal / stars	109