Today in World War II History—Aug. 31, 1943
Friday, August 31, 2018 by Sarah Sundin
US Navy pilot Lt. Cdr. James Flatley’s F6F Hellcat fighter on the USS Yorktown before raid on Marcus Island, 31 Aug 1943 (US Navy photo)
75 Years Ago—Aug. 31, 1943: First use of Grumman F6F Hellcat in combat, from carrier USS Yorktown in raid on Marcus Island in the Pacific—only 18 months after first flight of F6F prototype.
US Civil Air Patrol’s Coastal Patrol program discontinued as U-boat threat has waned.
Destroyer escort USS Harmon commissioned at Quincy, MA, the first US Navy ship named for an African-American—Leonard Ray Harmon, who died in action in the Naval Battle of Guadalcanal while caring for the wounded.
US Office of War Information poster about USS Harmon and her namesake (US National Archives)
