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213:. As the Japanese fighters fled back to their base, VF-17 was responsible for downing 3 fighters and damaging 4 others. Though outnumbered, the squadron survived the encounter with no losses. This action was typical of the squadron's land-based service in the Solomon Islands in 1943 and 1944, when it went up against the cream of Imperial Japanese Navy pilots then based at Rabaul.
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Blackburn wanted a squadron insignia that had a piratical theme to it to match the F4U's
Corsair designation; hence the skull and crossbones were chosen. The original design was developed by Harry Hollmeyer, who became an ace pilot. The squadron helped during the development of the F4U Corsair
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227:. Here, the squadron amassed 161 victories, and produced 12 aces. Overall, the two combat tours of VF-17 were credited with 313 victories, the most of any US Navy squadron.
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In its two tours of duty in the
Solomon Islands, VF-17 had 152 aerial victories and produced 11 aces. VF-17 finished its combat tour on 10 May 1944, was equipped with the
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resulting in some design changes, resulting in the F4U-1A. Unfortunately, the Navy still deemed the
Corsair unfit for carrier service and instead of joining
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Following its disestablishment, two other U.S. Naval
Aviation squadrons have used the name and insignia of the
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on 28 July 1948 it was disestablished on 15 April 1959. It was the first navy squadron to be designated VF-17.
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299:"Tired member of VF-17 pauses under the squadron scoreboard at Bougainville", February 1944
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as its commander. It was the second Navy fighter squadron to receive the
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In the postwar period the squadron flew the F4U-4 Corsair,
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List of inactive United States Navy aircraft squadrons
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during most of its deployment to the South
Pacific.
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451:Strike fighter squadrons of the United States Navy
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364:List of United States Navy aircraft squadrons
16:"VF17" redirects here. For the race car, see
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419:. Pocketbooks Simon & Schuster. p.
194:, VF-17 became a land-based squadron in the
171:VF-17 was established on 1 January 1943, at
251:. It was disestablished on 15 April 1959.
150:on 1 January 1943, it was redesignated as
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183:and the most successful of them all.
154:on 15 November 1946, redesignated as
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391:Naval History and Heritage Command
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354:History of the United States Navy
201:On 8 November 1943, the squadron
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142:, was a fighter squadron of the
384:"Lineage for Fighter Squadrons"
45:1 January 1943 – 15 April 1959
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175:, with Lieutenant Commander
146:. Originally established as
136:Fighter Squadron 61 (VF-61)
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15:
177:John T. "Tommy" Blackburn
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411:Blackburn, John (1989).
339:Franklin D. Roosevelt
207:Empress Augusta Bay
162:Operational history
28:Fighter Squadron 61
144:United States Navy
62:United States Navy
220:and moved to the
203:executive officer
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415:The Jolly Rogers
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260:VF-84 (1955-95)
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196:Solomon Islands
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335:launches from
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102:Aircraft flown
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241:F9F-2 Panther
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237:F8F-2 Bearcat
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218:F6F-5 Hellcat
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181:F4U-1 Corsair
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132:Military unit
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117:F6F-5 Hellcat
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113:F4U-1 Corsair
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53:United States
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394:. Retrieved
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253:
249:F3H-2M Demon
245:F9F-8 Cougar
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211:Bougainville
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167:World War II
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140:Jolly Rogers
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125:F3H-2M Demon
96:World War II
87:Jolly Rogers
76:Part of
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256:Jolly Roger
191:Bunker Hill
173:NAS Norfolk
92:Engagements
84:Nickname(s)
430:0671694936
370:References
317:NAS Oceana
18:Haas VF-17
396:6 October
337:USS
222:USS
189:USS
121:FJ-3 Fury
445:Category
348:See also
319:, c.1955
79:Inactive
342:in 1957
287:in 1943
270:Gallery
264:VFA-103
231:Postwar
108:Fighter
71:Fighter
50:Country
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333:F3H-2M
331:VF-61
311:VF-61
285:F4U-1s
283:VF-17
224:Hornet
138:, the
58:Branch
42:Active
387:(PDF)
313:FJ-3s
156:VF-61
152:VF-5B
148:VF-17
425:ISBN
398:2016
262:and
247:and
68:Role
315:at
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20:.
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.
