Quiz #117
Delivering aircraft to Guadalcanal
USS Long Island (AVG-1) sailed from Pearl Harbor with two squadrons of Marine Corps aircraft (VMF-223 and VMSB-232) on 2 Aug 1942 to support the upcoming invasion of Guadalcanal on 7 Aug. Touching at Fiji on 13 Aug, she sailed to a point 200 miles southeast of Guadalcanal and flew off 19 F4F's and 12 SBD's on 20 Aug, which were the first combat aircraft to reach Henderson Field. Mission accomplished, she then sailed for Efate.
On 28 Aug 1942 USS Kitty Hawk (APV-1) arrived at Port Vila, Efate, New Hebrides, moored beside Long Island (now ACV-1), and transferred men, equipment and 40 aircraft of the second echelon of the 23rd MAG (VMF-224 and VMSB-231), which were then catapulted from the CVE and flown direct to Guadalcanal, as the next reinforcement for the CACTUS Air Force.
Up