Fighter Squadron 31 (VF-31),Light Carrier Warriors

While the big Essex-class carriers grabbed headlines, the Independence-class light carriers fought just as hard with fewer resources. Fighter Squadron 31 (VF-31) served aboard two of these compact warships,USS Belleau Wood (CVL-24) and USS Cabot (CVL-28),operating F6F Hellcats from flight decks barely half the length of an Essex's.

Independence-Class Light Carriers

The nine Independence-class CVLs were converted from Cleveland-class light cruiser hulls to address the desperate carrier shortage of 1942-1943. At 11,000 tons,less than half the displacement of an Essex-class ship,they carried roughly 30 aircraft compared to the Essex's 90. What they lacked in size they made up in speed: at 31.6 knots, they could keep pace with the fleet carriers and operate as part of the Fast Carrier Task Force. VF-31's pilots launched and recovered from these smaller decks in all conditions, a demanding skill that left little room for error.

Belleau Wood: Devil Dogs at Sea

USS Belleau Wood earned 12 battle stars and the Presidential Unit Citation,more honors than most fleet carriers. Named after the World War I battle where Marines earned the title Devil Dogs, Belleau Wood fought from the Gilberts through Okinawa. On October 30, 1944, a kamikaze struck her flight deck off the Philippines, killing 92 men. VF-31 flew from Belleau Wood during the Central Pacific campaign and the Philippine Sea engagement.

Cabot: Presidential Unit Citation Carrier

USS Cabot earned the Presidential Unit Citation and nine battle stars for outstanding combat performance. At the Battle of Leyte Gulf on October 25, 1944, Cabot's aircraft helped sink the Japanese battleship Musashi,at 72,000 tons, the largest warship ever sunk by carrier aircraft. VF-31 served aboard Cabot during the late-war campaigns, including the Okinawa operation and strikes against the Japanese home islands.

The F6F Hellcat on Light Carriers

Operating Hellcats from a light carrier's shorter flight deck required precise flying. The CVL deck was 552 feet long compared to the Essex's 872 feet, and the hangar could hold only about a dozen fighters. Every launch and recovery demanded exacting airmanship. But the Hellcat's robust landing gear and forgiving handling characteristics made it well-suited for CVL operations, and VF-31's pilots proved that light carrier squadrons could fight just as effectively as their fleet carrier counterparts.

Built for those who remember. Shop VF-31 merchandise,the light carrier warriors who punched above their weight from Belleau Wood and Cabot.