Torpedo Squadron One
WWII
May 1943 - Sep 1944 (USS Yorktown CV-10)
Oct 1944 - Oct 1945 (USS Bennington CV-20)

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Notable Stories

Many interesting stories have and continue to be discovered about VT-1 and the VT-1 squadron members. For each notable story a brief explanation and a link is provided.

2021)
ACMM William Test (about 1950)
Ens Henry V.J. Zalewski (March 28th 1944)

2. Jumps from plane... in the parachute he packed! (added 2/28/2021)
(1943) PR3c Linus Lammers

3. Leads mass flyover at Surrender Ceremony (added 1/21/2021)
(September 2nd 1945) Ltjg Jack Williams

4. He survived Pearl Harbor's "second disaster" (added 11/26/2020)
(May 21st 1944) ARM3c Richard McConeghy

5. USS Hornet (CV-8) survivors (added 10/22/2020)
(October 26th 1942) Joseph Caruso Y3c Charles Gordon ARM2c Jack Durham

6. USS Chicago survivors (added 8/21/2020)
(January 30th 1943) ARM2c Lawrence Bergner
Lt Joseph Spengler

7. Killed at Dismal Swamp (added 8/11/2020)
(September 8th 1947) Ltjg Thomas Cusick

8. A dramatic entry into the war ... they dodge a torpedo (added 8/9/2020)
(July 8th 1943) AMM2c Maris Alexander

9. He ate a pint of ice cream as his ship sank ...

(May 8th 1942) Leslie Farrow

10. They made it into their life raft but ...

(June 15th 1944) Ltjg John Keeler

11. A steep and deadly learning curve ...

(Sept 19th 1943) Ens Derril Wollert

12. In the drink ... again!

(Aug 4th and 9th 1943) Ltjg Leonard Wood

13. Eight planes launched but none returned to the Yorktown that day ...

(June 20th 1944) Lt Charles Nelson in plane #82

14. First day of combat ... "I said my most fervent prayers"
(June 12th 1944) ARM3c Horace Harris "The Reverend"

15. Second ditching ... like driving your car off a dock
(Aug 24th 1943) AOM2c Stan Carr

16. Nothing flyable remained ...
(July 9th 1944) Ltjg Carl Sanborn

17. Survived the ditching ... beaten to death by Japanese fishermen
(July 15-20, 1945) ARM3c Joseph Dortsch

18. He dropped his 2000 pound bomb on a Japanese aircraft carrier ... (July 24th 1945) Ens Paul DeMarco

19. Wartime marriage proposal ... he mailed the ring

(1943-1944?) Mrs. Doris Campbell

1. Two unexplained deaths (added 4/25/2021) ACMM William Test (about 1950) Ens Henry V.J. Zalewski (March 28th 1944)

2. Jumps from plane... in the parachute he packed! (added 2/28/2021) (1943) PR3c Linus Lammers

3. Leads mass flyover at Surrender Ceremony (added 1/21/2021) (September 2nd 1945) Ltjg Jack Williams

4. He survived Pearl Harbor's "second disaster" (added 11/26/2020) (May 21st 1944) ARM3c Richard McConeghy

5. USS Hornet (CV-8) survivors (added 10/22/2020) (October 26th 1942) Joseph Caruso Y3c Charles Gordon ARM2c Jack Durham

6. USS Chicago survivors (added 8/21/2020) (January 30th 1943) ARM2c Lawrence Bergner Lt Joseph Spengler

7. Killed at Dismal Swamp (added 8/11/2020) (September 8th 1947) Ltjg Thomas Cusick

8. A dramatic entry into the war ... they dodge a torpedo (added 8/9/2020) (July 8th 1943) AMM2c Maris Alexander