PB2Y Coronados were essential in helping to protect the Pacific sea lanes.
These flying boats served in the Western Pacific, Eastern Pacific, South Pacific, Caribbean, North Atlantic and other points around the world.
5 September 1940 -- Secretary of the Navy Knox and Commander Aircraft Scouting Force depart San Francisco CA in XPB2Y-2 for Pearl Harbor.
6 September 1940 -- Secretary of the Navy Knox and Commander Aircraft Scouting Force arrive at Pearl Harbor, T.H., in XPB2Y-2. The Secretary is visiting the fleet as it carries out operations in Hawaiian waters.
11 February 1943 -- The Vought F4U Corsair was flown on a combat mission for the first time when 12 planes of VMF-124 based on Guadalcanal escorted a PB2Y Dumbo to Vella Lavella to pick up downed pilots. The flight was uneventful.
30 January 1944 – PB2Ys (VP13, VP102) from Midway Island carry out nocturnal bombing raid on Wake Island to neutralize Japanese airfield installations there that could threaten the imminent Marshalls operations. Motor torpedo boats Gyoraitel No. 5 and Gyoraitel No. 6 are sunk during the raid. The strike marks the first time that Coronados are used as bombers. Strikes are repeated on the nights of 4, 8 and 9 February.
21 May 1944 – In a reprise of the type of raid conducted on Jaluit on 13-14 May, Navy F4Us and PV-1s and USAAF B-24s and B-25s bomb Japanese positions on Wotje atoll. Navy PB2Ys had harassed the atoll the previous night.
1 August 1944 – Seventh Amphibious Force (Rear Admiral Daniel E Barbey) is formed. Group One is to be commanded by Rear Admiral Arthur D Struble; Group Two by Rear Admiral Charles P Cecil. Cecil, however, is killed in the crash of a Naval Air Transport Service PB2Y, Funafuti.
7 May 1945 -- Germany surrenders unconditionally to the Western Allies and Russia at Reims, France.
PB2Ys participate in sweeps off west coast of Korea and sink Japanese cargo ships Tatsuchiyo Maru, No. 2 Kozan Maru; and Kaba Maru and Hoei Maru. PBMs also in the area.
29 August 1945 -- Admiral Chester W. Nimitz, Commander-in-Chief Pacific Fleet, arrives in Tokyo Bay on board PB2Y and breaks his flag in battleship South Dakota (BB-57).
Many Navy ranks were represented on the Coronados during World War II
---Northwestern University Library
MAJOR HOME PORTS FOR THE PB2Y WERE:
NAS Alameda CA
NAS Key West FL
NAS Bermuda
NAB Saipan
NAS San Diego CA
NAS Coco Solo CZ
NAAF Galapagos, Ecuador
NAS Kaneohe, HI
