Fighter Squadron 6 (VF-6),Enterprise Air Group

USS Enterprise (CV-6), the legendary "Big E," earned 20 battle stars during World War II,more than any other warship in United States Navy history. Fighter Squadron 6 (VF-6) was her fighter squadron, giving it one of the most distinguished combat records of any unit in the Pacific War. Where Enterprise went, VF-6 went,and Enterprise went everywhere.

Pearl Harbor: The War Begins

VF-6's war began in tragedy on December 7, 1941. Enterprise was at sea returning from Wake Island when the Japanese struck Pearl Harbor. Six VF-6 F4F Wildcats had launched ahead to land at Ford Island,they arrived directly into the attack. Caught between Japanese aircraft above and panicked American anti-aircraft gunners below, three VF-6 pilots were killed by friendly fire. It was a bitter beginning to a war that VF-6 would fight from first day to last.

Midway: The Decision That Changed History

At the Battle of Midway in June 1942, Enterprise's Air Group Commander, Lieutenant Commander C. Wade McClusky, made the most consequential tactical decision of the Pacific War. Running low on fuel after failing to find the Japanese fleet at its expected position, McClusky spotted the wake of the Japanese destroyer Arashi,which was racing to rejoin the carrier fleet after depth-charging the submarine USS Nautilus. McClusky followed Arashi northeast, and at 10:22 AM his dive bombers found the Japanese carriers Kaga and Akagi with their flight decks packed with armed and fueled aircraft. In five minutes, both carriers were engulfed in flames. Combined with Yorktown's simultaneous strike on Soryu, three of Japan's four fleet carriers were destroyed in a single pass. VF-6 Wildcats flew cover for these strikes, engaging Zeros over the enemy fleet.

Guadalcanal & the Eastern Solomons

VF-6 fought at the Battle of the Eastern Solomons in August 1942, where Enterprise was hit by three bombs but survived. When Enterprise was damaged and sent for repairs, VF-6 pilots rotated ashore to Henderson Field on Guadalcanal, joining the famous Cactus Air Force,the mixed group of Navy, Marine, and Army pilots who held the island's only airstrip against relentless Japanese air and naval attacks during the six-month battle for the island.

Notable Aviators

VF-6's alumni include James Howard, who served in the squadron pre-war before joining Claire Chennault's Flying Tigers in China. Howard later transferred to the Army Air Forces and became the only fighter pilot to earn the Medal of Honor in the European Theater. Butch O'Hare,the Medal of Honor recipient from VF-3 Fighting Three,later commanded VF-6 during the mid-1943 redesignation, flying F6F Hellcats from USS Independence. O'Hare was killed on November 26, 1943, during the Navy's first nighttime carrier-based fighter intercept mission.

From Pearl Harbor to Tokyo Bay, VF-6 flew from the most decorated warship in American history. Explore our VF-6 collection,shirts, hoodies, and gear for the crews who flew from USS Enterprise.