Fighter Squadron 41 (VF-41) WW2

Fighter Squadron 41 (VF-41) was assigned to USS Independence (CVL-22) during World War II, flying the Grumman F6F Hellcat as part of the most powerful naval aviation force ever assembled. By 1944, the US Navy had over 100 aircraft carriers in the Pacific, thousands of combat aircraft, and the trained pilots to fly them,and VF-41 was part of that force.

USS Independence: The Ship

USS Independence (CVL-22) was the lead ship of the nine-ship Independence-class,America's first purpose-built light carriers, converted from Cleveland-class light cruiser hulls. At 11,000 tons, these fast, compact carriers operated as part of the Fast Carrier Task Force, providing additional fighter strength alongside the larger Essex-class ships. Independence earned eight battle stars.

Combat Service

VF-41 served as part of Carrier Air Group 41 from 1945, participating in carrier operations across the Pacific Theater, striking Japanese-held islands, providing fleet air defense, and supporting the island-hopping campaign that drove American forces from the Gilberts to Japan's doorstep. The squadron flew combat missions during Pacific operations, providing fleet air defense and striking Japanese military targets across the Western Pacific.

The Grumman F6F Hellcat

Grumman built 12,275 F6F Hellcats between 1942 and 1945, and the aircraft equipped every fast carrier fighter squadron in the Pacific from late 1943 onward. Powered by the 2,000-hp Pratt & Whitney R-2800 Double Wasp,the same engine family that powered the F4U Corsair and P-47 Thunderbolt,the Hellcat could reach 380 mph at 23,400 feet and had a combat range of 945 miles. Its combination of speed, firepower, and survivability made it the weapon that won air superiority over the Pacific.

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