About: VH-2 (Rescue Squadron)

VH-2 (Rescue Squadron 2) was one of six dedicated (VH) Rescue Squadrons of the U.S. Navy during World War II. A more comprehensive write-up on the VH squadrons can be found in the history of Rescue Squadron 3 (VH-3), which was the US Navy's most active VH squadron. VH-2 was established in August 1944 and disestablished in November 1945. Unlike the other VH squadrons, VH-2 mostly employed the PB2B Catalina during its wartime operations. Late in the war, the PB2B Catalina was no longer used for open sea rescues, since it had proven less rugged in the open sea than its successor the Martin PBM Mariner. Thus VH-2's primary mission was to "spot" survivors in the water and direct other craft to the site to effect the rescue. On at least two occasions, VH-2 did effect rescues with open sea landin