VF-2 (1943–1945)

VF-2 trained on the east-coast until October 1943 when the squadron headed west to San Francisco and then Hawaii.

In Hawaii, VF-2 participated in a Marine landing exercise and so impressed the influential "Butch" O'Hare that he requested that VF-2 replace VF-6 in his Air Group aboard USS Enterprise.

VF-2 participated in O'Hare-designed "bat teams" of 1 Grumman TBF Avenger and 2 Hellcats for night interceptions.

VF-2 claimed 23 victories during the attack over the Guam airfield, while squadron aircraft closer to Hornet destroyed 3 Mitsubishi G4M "Betty" medium bombers.

The lead article in the 23 October 1944 edition of Life magazine highlighted VF-2 in a seven-page spread, featuring pictures of 27 of the unit's Aces including Roy "Butch" Voris, later to become Blue Angel 1 in the original Blue Angels flight demonstration team, Arthur Van Haren, Jr. and Connie Hargreaves and Wilbur "Spider" Webb who each became an Ace in a Day.