Fighter Squadron 10 (VF-10),The Grim Reapers

By the fall of 1942, the Pacific War had reduced the US Navy's carrier fleet to a single operational ship: USS Enterprise (CV-6). Fighter Squadron 10 (VF-10), the Grim Reapers, was her fighter squadron during this desperate period, flying F4F Wildcats from the Big E's flight deck over Guadalcanal and the Solomon Islands when Enterprise was literally the only thing standing between Japan and total Pacific naval superiority.

Guadalcanal & Santa Cruz

VF-10 was commissioned in May 1942 and immediately deployed to the Pacific, where the situation was critical. The Grim Reapers fought during the Guadalcanal Campaign, flying combat air patrol over Enterprise and strike missions against Japanese targets on and around Guadalcanal from August 1942 through early 1943. At the Battle of Santa Cruz in October 1942, VF-10 defended Enterprise against Japanese air attacks while Hornet (CV-8) was sunk nearby. Enterprise was hit but survived, earning the reputation as the ship that couldn't be killed.

Philippine Sea & Leyte Gulf

After transitioning to the F6F Hellcat, VF-10 deployed aboard USS Intrepid (CV-11), "The Fighting I," as part of CVG-10. The Grim Reapers flew in the Battle of the Philippine Sea in June 1944,the Great Marianas Turkey Shoot,and the Battle of Leyte Gulf in October 1944, the largest naval battle in history. At Leyte Gulf, carrier aircraft from Task Force 38 sank four Japanese carriers, three battleships, and numerous cruisers and destroyers, ending the Imperial Japanese Navy as an effective fighting force.

Aircraft & Legacy

VF-10's transition from the F4F Wildcat to the F6F Hellcat embodied the transformation of World War II naval air power. The Wildcat demanded tactical brilliance to survive,pilots like VF-10's aces used the Thach Weave and boom-and-zoom tactics to overcome the Zero's performance advantages. The Hellcat simply outperformed everything the Japanese put in the air: 2,000 hp, 380 mph, six .50-caliber guns, and a 19:1 kill ratio that speaks for itself.

The Grim Reapers flew from Enterprise when she was the last carrier standing and from Intrepid when American power was overwhelming. Explore VF-10 gear,shirts, hoodies, and heritage gifts.