OK, Here's the incomplete list I've got so far. Sources are the John Fry Book, the Classic Warship "Lexington Class Carriers," Squadron/Signal's "Navy Air Colors Vol 1 1911-45,"
Attack Squadron Histories, and
Lineage For Fighter Squadrons (NHC). The list is incomplete in that some details are missing but I'll be adding to it as I uncover more.
First flight from Saratoga was January 11, 1928, by a UO-1
1928March* Twelve Boeing F2B-1s of VF-6B "Felix the Cat Squadron" are embarked as Saratoga's first operational squadron. Fuselage numbers would presumably be 6-F-1 through 6-F-12. She had a scouting detachment aboard at the same time that consisted of one UO-1 and one O2U-1 with radio.
July* VF-6B is redesignated VB-2B and becomes a bombing unit with the same aircraft. Tails are painted white.
* VF-1B "High Hat Squadron" joins the ship with more F2B-1s. Tails are painted red
* VT-2B joins the ship with their T3M Torpedo bombers. The T3M is essentially an earlier version of the TG-2 with a different engine. Tails are painted red
August* VT-2B starts transitioning into T4M-1s. The T4M is a radial-engined T3M. This transition stretches until January, so you would see both types on the deck between this time.
1929January Start of Fleet Excercise IX* VB-2B (Formerly VF-6B) upgrades to F3B-1s
* VF-1B is still in F2B-1s
* VT-2B has fully transitioned to T4M-1s
* VS-2B joins the ship with O2U-2s. Tails are painted white
* Two squadrons from CV-1 Langley temporarily assigned while she is in overhaul; VF-2B (F3Bs) and VS-1B (unknown type A/C).
*
NH-75874 is a photograph taken during Fleet Excercise IX May "Battle Force Practice" with squadrons other than her own
* VT-1B & VS-3B, normally from CV-2 Lexington.
* VJ-1B brings two Loening Amphibians for use as the utility squadron.
* Following this excercise Saratoga spends three months at anchor, without aircraft.
September* The original "Fiddle Bridge" arrestor gear is removed. This gear included wires that ran fore and aft in addition to some running port to starboard.
December* VB-2B takes delivery of 18 new F3B-1 (same type as used before) fighters plus ONE new F4B-1.
1930January * Saratoga left California for Fleet Problems X and XI on the east coast. Aboard were VB-2B, VF-1B, VS-2B, and VT-2B. The excercises run until April.
May* VF-1B Turns in its F2Bs but remains attached to the ship sans aircraft.
July* VB-2B Redesignated BACK to VF-6B.
August* VF-1B gets Curtiss F8C-4 Helldivers and takes on a bombing role.
* VT-2B Transitions from T4M-1s to Great Lakes TG-1s.
1931February* VF-6B "Felix" transitions into F4B-2.
* Fleet Problem XII February - April.
June* Film crew films parts of the movie
Hell Divers aboard Saratoga.
November*VS-2B starts transition to O3U-1 Corsairs.
* USMC Squadron VS-14M starts a three-year attachement to Saratoga with O3U-2 Corsairs. A photo can be seen
here. (NHC)
1932January* VF-1B Transitions from F8C-4 Helldivers to F4B-3s
* VF-6B Tranistions from F3B-1s to F4B-2s
* VS-2B flying both the older O2U-2 and newer O3U-2
* VT-2B adds 7 TG-2s to their roster to augment T4Ms/TG-1s
* VS-14M Transitions to SU-1 Corsairs
* Fleet Problem XIII February --> March
June* VF-6B sends all of its planes to other squadrons or overhaul at NAS North Island and takes nine of VF-1Bs old F3B-1s
* VT-2B recives more TG-2 and possibly retires the older T4Ms/TG-1s Inconclusive)
November* VF-6B takes delivery of some F4B-4s but retains the F3B-1s
1933January* VF-1B had 17 F4B-3s
* VF-6B had 17 F4B-4s
* VS-2B had 15 SU-1s
* VT-2B had 15 TG-2s
* VS-14M had 5 SU-1s
April* VF-1B gets first F11C-2 Goshawk and starts a transition to them that will last through the summer
August* VF-1B consists of eight F11C-2s, six F4B-3s, three F4B-4s, and one SU-1
* VS-2B switches to O3U-2 sometime before September
1934Saratoga in overhaul until February
July* VF-1B redesignated VB-2B (bombing role) and F11Cs redesignated BFCs.
* VS-14M transferred from Saratoga to CV-1 Langley.
DecemberThree weeks in Drydock at Puget Sound Naval Shipyard.
unknown timeframeAt some time in 1934, one of the
N2Y-1 trainers that had been used with the airships Akron and Macon was assigned to Saratoga as an utility plane. It was used in this capacity "for a few more years."
1935May-June* Fleet Problem XVI
SeptemberSaratoga heads to Bremerton for a three-month overhaul at Puget Sound Naval Shipyard. She is there until the middle of January, 1936.
October 22An order was released by ComBatFor. The issued directive stated that tail colors for air groups was to be standardized based on ship to avoid confusion when different air groups operated together. The painting could be deferred until aircraft overhaul (I.E. not done immediately), but new aircraft were to be issued the new tail colors and recoloring was to be completed by February 1 of 1936. This is separate from the 1937 re-designation of squadrons and many sources have erroneously reported (including myself) the tail color change to have happened at that time.
We don't at this point know the exact date Sara's air wing painted over, but it was before February of 1936.
NovemberCamouflage experiments were done using various squadrons throughout the fleet. According to
this, one section (three aircraft) of each of Saratoga's squadrons was painted in various camouflage schemes. No other information as to section or numbers is given, however the next month the second section (2-B-4, 2-B-5, & 2-B-6) and at least two aircraft of the fifth section (2-B-13 & 2-B-14) were painted in different colors for tests on Lexington, as Saratoga was still up north in overhaul.
1936January-February* VS-2B transitions to SBU-1
AprilFleet Problem XVII Starts. Squadrons aboard are:
* VB-2B (BFC-2s) (Red Tails)
* VF-6B (F4B-4s) (White Tails)
* VS-2B (?O3U-2/SBU-1?) (White Tails)
* VT-2B (TG-2s) (Red Tails)
* Marine Observation Squadron 8 (twelve O3U-6s) (?Tail Color?)
July* V-6B begins transition to F3F-1
SeptemberSaratoga drydocks at Puget Sound Naval Shipyard
November* VB-2B (BFC-2s)
* VF-6B (F4B-4s and F3F-1s)
* VS-2B (SBU-1s)
* VT-2B (TG-2s)
1937JulySaratoga starts a three-month overhaul at Puget Sound Naval Shipyard
All Saratoga Squadrons are re-designated:
VB-2B becomes VB-3
VF-6B becomes VF-3
VS-2B becomes VS-3
VT-2B becomes VT-3
September* VS-3 transitions to SBC-3s
October* VT-3 begins transition to TBD-1.
December* VB-3 begins multi-month transition into SB2U-1s. 3 NJ-1 trainers are attached to help in transition.
1938January* First TBD-1 landed by VT-3
March-April* Fleet Problem XIX
August* Awarded the Engineering "E" that is painted on her stack.
1939This one gets complicated... get ready!
JanuaryPreparation for Fleet Problem XX
* VT-3s TBD-1s
* VB-4 SB2U-2s (VB-4 was a CV-4 USS Ranger Squadron, tail color is listed as "willow green".)
* VF-2 "Flying Chiefs" F2Fs (VF-2 was a CV-2 USS Lexington Squadron, Tail color is listed as "Lemon Yellow")
* VS-2 with only two aircraft, one SBU-1 and one SBC-4. See Lex notes above)
Saratoga was to participate in this fleet problem but was withdrawn before it started and the aircraft landed.
February-April* Overhaul at Puget Sound Naval Shipyard
May63 aircraft attached to Saratoga for her trip down the coast:
* VF-2 18 fighters (type not listed but probably F2Fs listed above)
* VB-4 18 aircraft (type not listed but probably SB2U-2s listed above)
* VS-2 9 scouts (type unlisted)
* VT-3 18 TBDs
July* VB-3 "High Hats" moved to USS Ranger and redesignated VB-4
* VF-3 "Felix" embarked on CV-5 Yorktown in F3F-1s, not Saratoga
* VB-3 (unknown details at this time, new squadron, probably SB2U-2s mentioned in January 1940)
* VT-3 in TBDs
* VS-3 (unknown aircraft)
* VMF-2 (unknown aircraft, USMC Squadron)
August* Awarded another Engineering "E" and a diagonal stripe is painted on her stack below the original E
DecemberVF-3 starts transition from F3F-1 to F2A-1 Buffalos
I've got data for the below years but not the time to enter it... I'll get to it when I can.1940CharlesRollinsWare wrote:
Gang;
Saratoga's embarked Air Groups from 7 December 1941 thrpough June 1942 were:
8 December 1941 - 15 December 1941: San Diego to Pearl Harbor (66)
VF-3 (11 F4F)
VS-3 (22 SBD incl. CSAG)
VB-3 (22 SBD)
VT-3 (11 TBD)
15 December 1941 - 29 December 1941: Wake Island Relief (83)
VF-3 (13 F4F)
VMF-221 (14 F2A)
VS-2 (22 SBD, incl. CSAG)
VB-3 (21 SBD)
VT-3 (13 TBD)
31 December 1941 - 13 January 1942 (70)
VF-3 (14 F4F)
VS-3 (21 SBD incl. CSAG)
VB-3 (21 SBD)
VT-3 (14 TBD)
9 February 1942 - 15 February 1942: Pearl Harbor to Puget Sound (31)
VF-2 Det. (10 F4F)
VS-3 (21 SBD incl. CSAG)
1 June 1942 - 6 Jun 1942: San Diego to Pearl Harbor (99)
VF-2 Det. (15 x F4F folding)
VS-3 (23 SBD)
VF cargo (4 F4F folding assembled)
VSB cargo (27 SBD assembled, 16 SBD disassembled)
VT cargo (14 TBF folding assembled)
7 June 1942 - 13 June 1942: Midway Reinforcement Excursion (106)
VF-2 Det. (9 F4F folding)
VF-5 (18 F4F folding)
VF-72 (20 F4F folding)
CSAG (1 SBD)
VS-3 (24 SBD)
“VB-5” Det. (10 SBD) replacements for transfer to USS Enterprise (CV-6)
Ferry Det. (9 SBD-3) replacements for transfer to USS Hornet (CV-8 )
VT-8 Det. (10 TBF folding) for transfer to USS Hornet (CV-8 )
VT-5 (5 TBD folding) for transfer to USS Enterprise (CV-6)
1942AugustVB-3 SBD-3 x 18
VS-3 SBD-3 x 18
VF-5 F4F-4 x 36
VT-8 TBF-1 x 16
Saratoga was hit by another torpedo at the beginning of September and transitioned back to Pearl, where she underwent repairs until November, and again headed west, reaching Noumea at the beginning of December.
DecemberVB-3 SBD-3 x 16
VT-3 TBF-1 x 15
VF-6 F4F-4 x 33
VS-6 SBD-3 x 16
1943In 1943, Saratoga's air group was split up, with roughly a third of the aircraft operating at any one time off the ship and 2/3 off of island bases.
On March 1st, Scouting Six (VS-6) was redesignated as Bombing 13 (VB-13) and shows up in the records for several months under that designation.
AprilVB-3 5 x SBD
VB-13 4 x SBD
VF-6 4 x F4F-4
VT-3 6 x TBF-1
The balance of CAG-3 was based on New Caledonia for the first half of the month and then at Noumea for the second half (
32 of VF-6's F4Fs, 13 SBDs of VB-3, 13 SBDs of VB-13, 11 of VT-3's TBFs as well as one of VT-6's which was on Guadalcanal for the month)
May-JuneVB-3 4 x SBD
VB-13 4 x SBD
VF-6 4 x F4F-4
VT-3 6 x TBF-1
The balance of CAG-3 was based on Noumea (
32 of VF-6's F4Fs, 14 SBDs of VB-3, 13 SBDs of VB-13 (feeling lucky?), and 12 of VT-3's TBFs)
JulyAt the beginning of July VB-13 disappears from the roster but the overall composition of aircraft present on the carrier stays roughly the same:
VB-3 8 x SBD
VF-6 5 x F4F-4
VT-3 6 x TBF-1
The balance of CAG-3 was based on Noumea (
31 of VF-6's F4Fs, 28 SBDs of VB-3, and 12 of VT-3's TBFs)
AugustVB-3 8 x SBD
VT-3 6 x TBF-1
The balance of CAG-3 was based on Noumea (
all of VF-3, 28 SBDs of VB-3, and 12 of VT-3's TBFs)
Mid-October through mid-NovemberVB-12 12 x SBD-5
VF-12 11 x F6F-3
VT-12 6 x TBF-1C
The rest of CAG-12 was on Espiritu Santu or Guadalcanal at this time. At that point she picked up her air group and began the transit back to San Francisco, dropping off the F6Fs so that she went from the the below figure to zero F6Fs by the beginning of December
Mid-November through the end of NovemberVB-12 24 x SBD-5
VF-12 36 x F6F-3
VT-12 19 x TBF-1
Air Group 12 reformed while Saratoga underwent overhaul.
1944JanuaryVB-12 36 x SB2C-1
VF-12 36 x F6F-3
VT-12 18 x TBF-1C
February-MarchVB-12 24 x SBD-5
VF-12 36 x F6F-3
VT-12 18 x TBF-1C
April-JuneVB-12 19 x SBD-5
VF-12 43 x F6F-3
VT-12 17 x TBF-1C
Saratoga was in overhaul from mid-June until SeptemberFrom October to January Saratoga was based at Pearl Harbor and used for training night-fighter squadrons with no squadrons officially attached.1945JanuaryCVG(N) 53
VF-53 F6F-3 x 14 F6F-5 x 10
VFN-53 F6F-5N x 32
VTN-53 TBM-1D x 4 TBM-3D x 14
February (Iwo Jima Invasion; damaged on Feb 21
CVG(N) 53
VF-53 F6F-5 x 24
VFN-53 F6F-5N x 32 (sometimes F6F-5P x 2)
VTN-53 TBM-3D x 14-17
Saratoga returned to Bremerton and was under repair from March until May, 1945. She returned to Pearl Harbor in June, 1945 and remained there until the end of the war as a training carrier.
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Regarding Fry's book; it's a good source of details, pictures, and personal stories, but you can tell that he blended deck logs, news clippings, and the odd oral history as the foundation for the book. It can be a little dry at times.... but I say this as someone who's done the same thing.