SQUADRON HISTORY
December 14, 1944 - The third section of the air echelon begins the flight from Pearl Harbor to Kwajalein via the same route as the first and second sections.
December 15, 1944 - First section of the air echelon arrives safely on Kwajalein.
December 19, 1944 - Third section of the air echelon arrives safely on Kwajalein.
December 23, 1944 - Ground echelon arrives at Kwajalein.
December 29, 1944 - Newly promoted Lieutenant Colonel Nevils is appointed Commander, Kwajalein Air Group.
January 13, 1945 - First action against Japanese forces. Two PBJ-1Hs fly to Kaven Island, Maloelap Atoll, and harass the Japanese garrison.
January 22, 1945 - First major action against Japanese forces. Nine PBJ-1Hs bomb and strafe the Japanese garrison on Wotje Island, Wotje Atoll.
January 31, 1945 - Thirteen aircraft and 144 men of VMB-613 depart Kwajalein and deploy on Eniwetok Atoll.
February 6, 1945 - VMB-613 suffers its only combat loss when First Lieutenant William J. Love and his crew of five is shot down and killed in a bombing run over Ponape, Caroline Islands in Bureau Number 35275. A navigator on board another aircraft is also killed by a bomb fragment during this same strike.
February 19, 1945 - Seven aircraft depart Eniwetok and return to Kwajalein to resume operations at the squadron's home base on Kwajalein.
February 27, 1945 - All available aircraft begin an intensive search for survivors of an aircraft in which Lieutenant General Willard F. Harmon, USA was a passenger. The search continued until April 2, 1945.
March 6, 1945 - Daily snooper flights to Kusaie Island begin.
March 13, 1945 - Five remaining aircraft and all personnel return from Eniwetok to the squadron’s home base on Kwajalein.
March 19, 1945 - Small groups of pilots begin rotating for one week of R&R in Honolulu.
March 31, 1945 - VMB-613 is detached from MAG-31.
April 1, 1945 - VMB-613 is attached to MAG-94.
April 3, 1945 - Patrols of the shipping lanes begin. These patrols continue through V-J Day.
May 9, 1945 - An aircraft and crew arrives on Kwajalein as a replacement for the aircraft and crew lost over Ponape on February 6, 1945.
May 13, 1945 - Four aircraft and eight crews depart for Saipan, Mariana Islands for temporary duty with VMB-612. From Saipan, these aircraft and crews proceed to Iwo Jima, Volcano Islands to conduct anti-shipping operations.
May 31, 1945 - The last two aircraft and crews return to Kwajalein from Iwo Jima after completing temporary duty with VMB-612.
June 1, 1945 - Night harassing missions to Mille Island, Mille Atoll begin.
July 14, 1945 - VMB-613 begins weekly patrol and reconnaissance flights of Ocean and Nauru Islands.
August 14, 1945 - All offensive operations against Japanese held islands cease, however security patrols and air-sea rescue flights continue.
