Fighter Squadron 25 (VF-25) WW2

Fighter Squadron 25 (VF-25) flew the Grumman F6F Hellcat during the Philippines Campaign of 1944-1945, supporting General MacArthur's return to the islands while the fleet endured the first organized kamikaze attacks of the war. Serving aboard USS Cowpens (CVL-25) as part of Carrier Air Group 25, VF-25 was one of the US Navy fighter squadrons that secured American control of the Pacific skies during World War II.

Aboard USS Cowpens

USS Cowpens (CVL-25), nicknamed "The Mighty Moo," earned 12 battle stars,tying Belleau Wood for the most of any light carrier. Named after the Revolutionary War battle, Cowpens fought from the Marcus and Wake Island raids of 1943 through the final strikes on Japan in 1945. She survived Typhoon Cobra in December 1944, which sank three destroyers and killed nearly 800 sailors.

VF-25 deployed aboard USS Cowpens from 1943-1945, flying combat sorties during Philippines Campaign and Okinawa Campaign. The squadron provided fighter cover for the fleet, escorted bomber strikes against Japanese targets, and conducted fighter sweeps to destroy enemy aircraft on the ground. Alongside squadrons like VF-22, VF-25 was part of the carrier air power that won the Pacific War.

Aircraft: The Grumman F6F Hellcat

The Grumman F6F Hellcat compiled a 19:1 kill ratio against Japanese aircraft,the highest of any fighter in the Pacific Theater. Between its combat debut over Marcus Island on August 31, 1943, and VJ-Day, Hellcat pilots claimed 5,223 aerial victories, accounting for 56 percent of all Navy and Marine air-to-air kills. Armed with six .50-caliber Browning machine guns and capable of carrying 2,000 pounds of ordnance, the F6F was equally lethal in air combat and ground attack.

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