VH-3 (Rescue Squadron 3) was one of six dedicated VH rescue squadrons of the U.S. Navy during WW II. Prior to their creation, the rescue function was performed as an additional "spur of the moment" duty by regularly operating patrol squadrons. The Fleet Commanders made clear "that the men who risked their lives to rocket, bomb, and strafe the enemy wherever and whenever possible, should under no circumstances, be left to fend for themselves when disaster struck them." After the war the Japanese related that they could not understand why so much was risked to save airmen. This was a tremendous morale builder for the flyers, but there was a cold calculated logic behind this as well. It meant that very expensively trained and experienced aviators could be rescued from a watery grave or brutal captivity and put back into the fight. American aircrews captured after being shot down over the Japanese home islands faced a grim fate. VH-3 squadron members related "how intense, intense every crew member became .. over this business of saving lives" , "the marvelous feeling of reward when saving a downed pilot's life", and "nose-thumbing at the Japanese military .. when we swiped near-prisoners under their eye".
Overview
In the closing 5 months of World War II, VH-3 rescued 183 downed air crewmen and sailors in the open seas - some while under heavy fire. VH-3 also assisted in the additional rescue of 54 men when the seas were too rough for a landing, and a surface ship or submarine was required to complete the rescue. This was dangerous work. Survivors in the water and the planes making rescues were regularly harassed by enemy surface craft, shore fire, and aircraft. VH-3 planes, with survivors on board, were saved from attacking fighters by their own fighter escort on several occasions. In another instance, while in the midst of a rescue landing under very accurate fire, a fighter escort covering the rescue was itself shot down and VH-3 rescued this pilot as well.
VH-3 was awarded the Navy Unit Commendation award for the period from 29 March 1945 to 30 June 1945. It had been enthusiastically recommended for the higher Presidential Unit Citation (endorsed by most of the carrier task force commanders), but this was not granted probably due to VH-3's perceived role as only supporting offensive operations. Several VH-3 pilots were recognized for their (and their crew's) heroism with the Navy Cross, the Silver Star, and the Distinguished Flying Cross. In these cases, the air crews of those pilots would be awarded a lesser award (usually the Air Medal).
The squadron was composed of 6 PBM Mariner aircraft shared by 9 different 12-man crews. Six replacement crews came on board to relieve crews that had reached 20 missions. They were initially assigned the PBM-3R and then later the fully armed PBM-5. At least 5 of their PBM's were declared a loss after suffering major damage during rescue operations and one shoot down by their own fleet.
One key capability of the PBM was its JATO rocket assisted takeoff, which generated extra lift allowing the PBM to take off in under 10 seconds versus about a minute without. This was critical for taking off in heavy seas under heavy load or under fire. Another key capability of the PBMs was that they were seaworthy boats if need be. On a number of its missions, VH-3 would land its PBMs in less rough seas close to shore and then taxi many miles to the rescue site. JATO allowed them to take off in seas they could not land in. In one rescue, after a very rough landing had caused severe structural damage making the plane unflyable, a PBM taxied back to base in open seas.