USN units operating out of Grand Cayman

[Chris Goss]

Can anyone tell me what USN anti-submarine units operated out of Georgetown airfield Grand Cayman 1942-1945? Also can anyone identify the unit that tried to find U-125 after it sank the Camayagua off Georgetown 14 May 1942?

[kaki3152]

One possible contender for the U-125 search is the 44th Reconnasisance Squadron /430th Bomber Squadron based at Atkinson Field, British Guyana flying B-18s on anti submarime missions.

There is a book on the 6th AF by Dan Hagedorn that has details on the 6th AF anti submarine efforts.

[Leendert]

Chris,

The Naval Air Facility at Georgetown, Grand Cayman was established on 13 July 1942.
Units (detachments really) identified so far are VP-202 (28 Feb 43-18 Nov 43), VP-208 (15 Nov 43 - ?) and VP-213 (1 May 44 - 1 Nov 44).

I believe they all flew with PBM Mariners.

The 14 May 1942 USN a/c looking for U-125 must have been from somewhere else.

Regards,

Leendert

[Laurent Rizzotti]

The sunk ship was the Comayagua: http://uboat.net/allies/merchants/1647.html.

Found this one so far:
http://www.fold3.com/image/#1|267838823 (War Diary of Patrol Wing Three, comprising at the time VP-31, VP-32, and detachements of VP-52 and VP-81):
"Plane on Atlantic Anti-Submarine Patrol reported ship SUNK and survivors in lifeboat near Grand Cayman Island. Plane landed at Grand Cayman to investigate and remained overnight."

None of the four above VP squadrons war diaries for May 1942 is available on fold3.

[Leendert]

Chris,

It appears that first VP-32 (as early as 15 Dec 1941) and VP-53 with PBY's had detachments at Grand Cayman in the first months after the US had entered WW II.
Not unlikely that the May 1942 USN a/c also was a PBY?

Regards,

Leendert

[Chris Goss]

Thanks Gentlemen for your most helpful responses. Currently sitting on 7 Mile Beach in Grand Cayman & having seen a memorial in Georgetown had to dig deeper. The U-125 aspect is well covered but the only piece missing is the USN plane which dropped a message in Georgetown which resulted in a boat launching to rescue survivors. Just goes to show a historian never switches off much to the great annoyance of Mrs Goss!

[Chris Goss]

Looking a bit deeper, it would appear that it was a PBY3 from FAW 3 and more likely that it was VP-32 based at NAS Coco Solo