Fighter Squadron 8 (VF-8),From the Doolittle Raid to Okinawa

On April 18, 1942, sixteen B-25 Mitchell bombers roared off the flight deck of USS Hornet (CV-8) and headed for Tokyo,the first air attack on the Japanese home islands since the war began. Fighter Squadron 8 (VF-8) was aboard Hornet that day, their F4F Wildcats standing ready on the hangar deck in case Japanese aircraft found the task force before the bombers launched. The Doolittle Raid inflicted minimal physical damage but dealt a devastating psychological blow to Japan, proving that the home islands were not untouchable.

Midway & Santa Cruz

Two months later, VF-8 flew from USS Hornet (CV-8) at the Battle of Midway in June 1942. While Enterprise's dive bombers destroyed three Japanese carriers, Hornet's Torpedo Squadron 8 (VT-8) suffered the most devastating losses of the battle,all 15 TBD Devastator torpedo bombers were shot down, with only one pilot, Ensign George Gay, surviving. VF-8's Wildcats, separated from the torpedo bombers in the confusion, were unable to provide cover. The sacrifice of VT-8 drew Japanese fighters down to sea level, leaving the carriers undefended when McClusky's dive bombers arrived.

Hornet was lost at the Battle of Santa Cruz on October 27, 1942,hit by bombs, torpedoes, and two crashing aircraft. She was the last American fleet carrier sunk during World War II.

Bunker Hill & the Late War

VF-8 reformed and deployed aboard USS Bunker Hill (CV-17), an Essex-class carrier that would earn 11 battle stars. Flying F6F Hellcats from Bunker Hill, VF-8 participated in strikes across the Western Pacific, including the Philippines Campaign and Okinawa. Bunker Hill's story ended in catastrophe on May 11, 1945, when two kamikaze aircraft struck the carrier within 30 seconds, killing 393 men,one of the deadliest attacks on any American warship during the war.

Aircraft: Wildcat to Hellcat

VF-8 transitioned from the Grumman F4F Wildcat to the F6F Hellcat during the war. The Wildcat, with its 1,200-hp engine and 318 mph top speed, had held the line during 1942 against the faster, more maneuverable Zero. The Hellcat represented an entirely different proposition: 2,000 hp, 380 mph, six .50-caliber guns, and 212 pounds of pilot armor. Where the Wildcat demanded superior tactics to survive, the Hellcat dominated through raw capability, compiling a 19:1 kill ratio across the Pacific.

From the Doolittle Raid to Okinawa, VF-8 fought through the Pacific War's most pivotal chapters. Browse VF-8 gear and heritage gifts.