Short-lived and effective sums up the career of the Navy’s World War II Patrol Bombing Squadron 106. Established 1 June 1943 as Bombing Squadron 106 under the command of Commander John T. “Chick” Hayward (see June 1995 Proceedings, p. 4), the squadron began training operations in Consolidated PB4Y-1 Liberators (ex-USAAF B-24Ds) at NAAS Camp Kearney, now NAS Miramar, near San Diego, California.
Nicknamed “Wolverators,” VB-106 moved during August 1943 to NAS Kaneohe Bay, Hawaii, in preparation for its first combat deployment to the South Pacific. During October, its crews flew sorties from Canton Island, escorting VD-3 aircraft on photo-bombing missions against Makin Island, Tarawa, and Funafuti. On the 28th, the Wolverators began moving to Carney Field on Guadalcanal under Commander Air South Pacific. Beginning in late November 1943, the squadron flew patrol-bombing, search, night-attack and photo-reconnaissance missions from “The Canal” until moving to Munda Field, New Georgia, in February 1944. VB-106 continued combat operations in the New Guinea and Admiralties Islands area until relieved in late May by VB-101. It then returned to the United States for disbandment and re-formation.
On 14 July 1944, VB-106 was re-formed at NAS San Diego under Commander William S. Sampson and three days later moved to Camp Kearney to prepare for its second combat tour to the Pacific. Pilots and aircrew began training in the more capable PB4Y-2, a single-tail Privateer version of the B-24. The squadron was redesignated to VPB-106 on 1 October.
The Wolverators once again staged through Kaneohe for further training as they departed in November 1944 en route to the combat zone. In January 1945, VPB- 106 moved to West Field, Tinian, in the Marianas. In February, aircrews began flying long- range reconnaissance missions over Truk and strikes against the Borodino Islands. In March, the squadron conducted strikes against the Japanese home islands.
VPB-106 continued operations from Tinian until moving to Palawan in the Philippines in May 1945. From Palawan, the squadron flew 850- to 1,000-mile search, reconnaissance, and strike missions throughout Southeast Asia, ranging from Singapore, the Malay Peninsula, and Indochina to Borneo and the Celebes. July 1945 was the squadron’s last full month of combat operations, and after the cessation of hostilities on 15 August, the Wolverators returned to the West Coast. On 15 May 1946, the squadron was redesignated VP-106 and on 5 October was disestablished, with Lieutenant Commander Harold W. Hickman as its third, and final commanding officer.