2nd Carrier Air Group

The 2nd Carrier Air Group (2nd CAG) was an aircraft carrier air group of the Royal Navy's Fleet Air Arm. It was initially formed in June 1945, for service in the British Pacific Fleet, until disbanding during the same year, in October. The group was embarked on HMS Formidable (67).^[2]

2nd Carrier Air Group
White Ensign
Active	30 June 1945 – 31 October 1945[1]
Country	United Kingdom
Branch	Royal Navy
Type	Carrier Air Group
Size	One Illustrious-class aircraft carrier plus support ships
Part of	Fleet Air Arm
Engagements	World War II Pacific War Air raids on Japan

Naval Air Squadrons

See also: List of Fleet Air Arm aircraft squadrons

The 2nd Carrier Air Group consisted of a number of squadrons of the Fleet Air Arm.^[1]

Squadron	From	To	Aircraft
848 Naval Air Squadron	Jun 1945	Oct 1945	Grumman TBF Avenger
1841 Naval Air Squadron	Jun 1945	Oct 1945	Vought F4U Corsair
1842 Naval Air Squadron	Jun 1945	Oct 1945	Vought F4U Corsair

History

1945

Avenger and Corsair aircraft on HMS Formidable, off Japan, on 10 July 1945

The 2nd Carrier Air Group was formed on 30 June 1945. It was based on the Illustrious-class aircraft carrier, HMS Formidable for service as part of the British Pacific Fleet. The 2nd CAG was formed of 848 Naval Air Squadron, which was equipped with Grumman Avenger, an American torpedo bomber aircraft, 1841 Naval Air Squadron and 1842 Naval Air Squadron, both from the 6th Naval Fighter Wing, and operated the Vought Corsair an American carrier-borne fighter aircraft.^[3]

During July and August 1945, the group was involved with attacks on the Japanese mainland. On 17 July, the 2nd Carrier Air Group flew twenty eight of its Vought Corsair aircraft, off Formidable, bound for targets north of Tokyo, however, some aircraft were unable to locate them due to bad weather. Twenty four aircraft attacked targets near Tokyo the following day, before more bad weather halted flying operations. Airstrikes resumed on 24 July, and then on 30 July, the Japanese escort ship Okinawa was attacked and sunk near Maizuru. However, a combination of bad weather, refuelling requirements and the Atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki resulted in a stop to any sorties until the resumption of air operations on 9 August.^[4]

The 2nd CAG’s Grumman Avenger aircraft flew off Formidable and attacked Matsushima Air Field during the morning of 9 August. This was followed by eight of the group’s Corsair aircraft, led by Lieutenant Robert Hampton Gray, RCNVR, a Canadian naval officer and senior pilot of 1841 Naval Air Squadron. However, Gray was diverted to attack Japanese warships located in Onagawa Wan, Miyagi Prefecture. Two escort ships were spotted and Gray led his aircraft into attack. Intense flak set his engine on fire, but he continued his attack, skip bombing a 500-pound (230 kg) bomb into the Etorofu-class escort Amakusa, sinking the ship with the loss of 157 lives. Unfortunately, after releasing the bomb, Gray's aircraft rolled inverted and crashed into the sea; he did not survive. Gray was later posthumously awarded the Victoria Cross (VC).^[5]

After the initial announcement of Japan's surrender, on 15 August 1945, the group then left its aircraft in Australia and returned to the United Kingdom, on HMS Victorious, where it disbanded on 31 October 1945.^[1]

Air Group Commanders

List of commanding officers of the 2nd Carrier Air Group, with date of appointment:^[2]

• Lieutenant Colonel P.P. Nelson-Gracie, RM, 4 July 1945
• disbandment, 31 October 1945

See also

• List of Fleet Air Arm groups
• List of aircraft carriers of the Royal Navy
• List of aircraft of the Fleet Air Arm
• List of Fleet Air Arm aircraft in World War II