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April 1, 1944--------------Commissioned NAS, Quonset Point, R.I. Commander William Fisher Eadie, USN. Commanding.
April 13, 1944------------Base shift to NAAF, New Bedford, Mass.

May 8, 1944---------------Base shifted to Hyannis, Mass. For primary torpedo training
May 19, 1944-------------Shifted base to New Bedford, Mass.

June 16, 1944-----------Shifted base to NAAS, Oceana, Va. to join CAG-82 for group training.
July 14, 1944------------All a/c flown to Camp MacKall, North Carolina
July 15, 1944------------Base shifted to NAAS, Boca Chica, Fla. For advance base training and further torpedo training.
July 23, 1944------------Base shifted to NAAS, Oceana, Va.

Aug 5, 1944--------------Flew to NAS, New York for commission of USS BENNINGTON

Sept 12, 1944-----------All a/c flew to Augusta, Ga.@ Hurricane Condition 1.
Sept 16, 1944-----------Squadron returned to NAAS, Oceana, Va.
Sept 16-17, 1944-------Search for survivors as a result of hurricane.
Sept 29, 1944------------CAG-82 reported to USS BENNINGTON for duty @ ComFAirNorfolk, dispatch 292001 of Sept. 44.

Oct 15, 1944--------------Departed on shakedown cruise aboard USS BENNINGTON
Oct 22, 1944--------------Arrived Trinidad, BWI.
Oct 22, 1944--------------Conducted shakedown exercise, Gulf of Paria: Comfiar (sic), Norfolk.
Nov 10, 1944-------------Underway for Norfolk.
Nov 13, 1944-------------AG-flew to Quonset Pt. To be temporarily based ashore during USS BENNINGTON post shakedown availability.

Dec 14, 1944-------------AG-82 flew to NAS, Norfolk preparatory to boarding USS BENNINGTON.
Dec 15, 1944-------------Aboard USS BENNINGTON enroute to Panama Canal Zone.
Dec 20, 1944-------------Simulated attack on the Panama Canal defense installations by CAG-82. (Matt adds; what probably doesn’t show in the ships log is that while our air group was attacking the Panama Canal, the US Army Air Corps, with a flight of P-38s, was attacking us.)

Dec 29,m 1944----------Arrived San Diego.

Jan 1, 1945---------------Aboard USS BENNINGTON underway to Pearl Harbor.
Jan 7, 1945---------------Arrived Ford Island
Jan 8, 1945---------------Temporarily based ashore at Kahalui, Maui.
Jan 14-19, 1945---------Torpedo training exercises from Barber’s Pt. And NAS Kaneohe
Jan 20, 1945--------------Aboard the USS BENNINGTON for further training exercises.
Jan 29, 1945--------------Aboard the USS BENNINTON underway for Ulithi.

Feb 7, 1945---------------Arrived Ulithi.
Feb 10, 1945-------------Departed Ulithi as a unit of TG 58.1.
Feb 16, 1945-------------Strikes on air strip on Hachijo Jima and a/c on Mikatagahara,Hamamatsu, and Tenryu airfields, Honshu, Japan.
Feb 18, 1945-------------Strikes against shipping, and waterfront installations at Futan Ko, (sic) , Chichi Jima.

(Matt adds, This is the action in which Lt (jg) Robert J Cosbie, of VTB-82 in the USS BENNINGTON, was lost. February 18, 1945 was only the second enemy action in which VTB-82 engaged. While the Lieutenant’s name doesn’t appear in any of my records, The Navy Department, in correspondence with family members have indicated that he was, indeed, a member of VTB-82 and that he was lost in this action.
The resources of the U.S. Navy Department far exceed my meager artifacts. We have conclusive evidence that torpedo-bomber squadron (VTB-82) was engaged in the Chi Chi Jima strike, off the USS BENNINGTON, plus the confirmation of the Navy that Lt. (jg) Robert J. Cosbie, was a member of (VTB-82) squadron. Irrespective of the absence of his name among my records, it would appear that my records are wanting, and human error was involved. It must be remembered that things aboard, during “General Quarters” and “Airops” were often hectic, and that all records were subject to delay in their transcription. Which, of itself, was seldom if ever undertaken by the pilots involved, rather it devolved from the designated squadron historian, after debriefing, (who often no doubt wondered how in the hell he got stuck with this thankless job, that no one would ever read,) to the duty Yeoman. Each squadron, and CAG allegedly had one. Very frequently the lack of clerical skills, in the squadron and CAG levels, resulted in this task being assigned to the Chief Yeoman in the Air Office. Irrespective, there is little hope that official reconciliation of existing records will ever take place.) [This is my observation and probably should not be included as a part of the historical record of VTB-82.]

Feb 21, 1945--------------Air support and strikes against Iwo Jima.

March 4, 1945------------Returned to Ulithi.
March 14, 1945----------TF 58 sortied from Ulithi
March 18, 1945----------Strikes against aircraft and installation on Kanoya East Field, Southern Honshu.
March 19, 1945----------Strike against Kure-Hiroshima Bay
Marcg 23, 1945----------Pre-invasion strikes on Okinawa.
March 24, 1945----------Strikes on the beach areas of Kerama Retto.
March 27, 1945----------Strikes against Kakeroma Shima, Amami Gunto

April 1, 1944--------------Strikes on Okinawa in support of landings.
April 2-20, 1944----------Continued strikes on Okinawa.
April 29, 1945-------------Arrived Ulithi for rest period.

May 9, 1945---------------Departed Ulithi for combat.
May 12-31, 1945---------Okinawa! Strikes against Kanoya, Saeki and Fzumi airfields. Also support strikes in occupation.

June 1, 1945--------------Special mission over Okinawa: dropped food and other supplies to advanced Marine positions. *(See note appended below. Do not include as a part of the official Navy record.)
June 11, 1945-------------Arrived Leyte Gulf CAG-82 relieved by CAG-1. Departed Leyte aboard USS WHITE PLAINS underway for Guam.

June 21, 1945-------------Arrived Guam.
June 22, 1945-------------Departed Guam underway for Pearl Harbor,

July 2, 1945----------------Arrived Pearl Harbor.
July 3, 1945----------------Departed Pearl Harbor for Alameda, Calif.
July 10, 1945--------------Arrived Alameda, Calif.

Nov 15,m 1945------------Redesignated VA-18A.

NOTE: Included in a previous email, not supported by documents, was a recollection that I included as just that, and which subsequently I recognized as being a frightful, thoughtless error. During the time frame marked with (*) I identified the commander of VTB-82 as an Ensign DeGarmo,USN. It wasn’t until I reread that memo that I realized what I had put in writing.
Lt. Commander Edward Emmet DeGarmo, USN, assumed command of VTB-82 from Cmdr. William Fisher Eadie, USN, while the squadron was tdy NAS Kahalui, Maui. Where it was undergoing advanced torpedo training, waiting for the USS BENNINGTON to put-out to sea.
Commander DeGarmo, was a veteran of previous carrier duty, and amassed; (2) Silver Stars, (1) Air Medal, (1) Purple Heart, (1) Commendation Ribbon, Pending on his last tour of duty were: (1) Navy Cross, (4) Distinguished Flying Cross and (1) Presidential Unit Citation.
My records do not show that any of the pending awards were or were not ever presented. I do not have confirmation that The Commander DeGarmo was shot-down during the food drop on Okinawa.
I’ll make an effort to find closer to this open question. In the mean time I apologize most profusely for any discomfort I may have cause over this egregious