Inspirational message on TBD-1 Devastator at NAS Norfolk 1941

A U.S. Navy Douglas TBD-1 Devastator of Torpedo Squadron VT-5 undergoing maintenance at Naval Air Station Norfolk, Virginia (USA), shortly after the outbreak of World War II. Note the inspirational message "SPEED WORK on ThiS Plane It MAY SINK A JAPANESE SHIP" on a sign on the fuselage. Established as VT-7B in 1937, the squadron was redesignated VT-5 that same year. Taking delivery of its first TBD-1s in 1938, the squadron operated from the carrier USS Yorktown (CV-5). Following the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor and the reassignment of Yorktown to the Pacific Fleet, VT-5 participated in hit and run raids against the Gilbert Islands and Lae and Salamaua, New Guinea. In addition, during the Battle of Coral Sea in May 1942, VT-5 Devastators attacked Tulagi in the Solomon Islands, and put torpedoes into the Japanese light aircraft carrier Shoho, helping to sink her. Coral Sea marked the end of fleet service for the squadron.

Date

1941-12-16

Photographer / author

U.S. Navy

Archive

Wikimedia Commons

Type

image

Original size

2,056 × 1,666 pixels

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