Bombing Squadron 104 (VB-104)
Patrol Bombing Squadron 104 (VPB-104)
"Screaming 104 / The Buccaneers"
U.S. Navy (USN)

Background
On April 10, 1943 Bombing Squadron 104 (VB-104) was commissioned in the U.S. Navy (USN) in Fleet Air Wing Two (FAW-2) under Commanding Officer (C. O.) Commander Harry E. Sears at NAS Kaneohe Bay with a cadre of personnel from VP-71 operating the PB4Y-1 Liberator. Nicknamed "Screaming 104" also "The Buccaneers".

The squadron began training at NAS Kaneohe Bay and conducts patrol missions to cover the approaches to Midway, Johnston and Canton. During May 1943, one section was stationed at Midway Airfield in conjunction with U.S. Army Air Force (USAAF) B-24 bombing mission against Wake Island on May 15, 1943. By the middle of July 1943 the squadron was fully equipped with personnel and aircraft and ready of overseas duty. Afterwards, departs NAS Kaneohe Bay overseas via Canton to the South Pacific (SoPAC).

First Tour of Duty
During August 1943 arrives at Carney Field on Guadalcanal and initially shared a camp area with the 104th Naval Construction Battalion (104th NCB) "Seabees" until a suitable camp area could be constructed. When completed, their camp included a club house that opened on October 1, 1943 and several ranking officers were invited, including one Army nurse.

On August 15, 1943 the squadron flew their first combat mission. On August 26, 1943 eight PB4Y-1 led by Commander Harry E. Sears attacked a Japanese destroyer task force 90 miles off Buka Passage that resulted in one destroyer heavily damaged disrupted their mission to evacuate personnel from Rekata Bay on Santa Isabel. Other early missions included bombing Kahili Airfield and Kolombangara.

On November 15, 1943 lost is PB4Y-1 "Jungle Fever" 32012 pilot Lt(jg) Norwood M. Honey (MIA) on a search mission.

During October 1943 and November 1943 VB-104 bombers began operating from Munda Airfield on New Georgia.

On January 8, 1944 lost is PB4Y-1 "Vulnerable Virgin" 32077 pilot Lt. Harold E. Dvorachek (MIA) lost on a patrol.

On February 6, 1944 the squadron moves to Munda Airfield on New Georgia.

On March 7, 1944 lost is PB4Y-1 32079 piloted by Searls (MIA) lost on a mission to Kapingamarangi Atoll.

On March 9, 1944 lost is PB4Y-1 "The Schooner" 32069 piloted by Anderson (MIA) searching for the lost bomber.

On March 22, 1944 assigned is PB4Y-1 "Stoop-N-Droop" 31975 for training, navigation, instrument, radio and radar practice, and administrative flights.

On March 29, 1944 the squadron ends their first tour of duty that spanned seven months flying 1,252 sorties and claims 30 Japanese planes, 51 ships sunk or damaged. Relieved by VB-115 the squadron departs flying their bombers to NAS Kaneohe Bay then onward to NAAS Camp Kearney in San Deigo where some of their bombers were transferred to other squadrons.

On May 15, 1944 reformed at NAAS Camp Kearney the squadron was reformed under Fleet Air Wing 14 (FAW-14). Assigned mostly new personnel who underwent training PB4Y-1 flight training at NAS Hutchinson in Kansas and arrived at the end of June 1944. On July 28, 1944 departs for NAS Kaneohe Bay and comes under the control of Fleet Air Wing 2 (FAW-2) and continues training and conducts patrols and anti-submarine training off Hawaii.

On October 1, 1944 redesignated Patrol Bombing Squadron 104 (VPB-104).

Second Tour of Duty
On October 30, 1944 departs NAS Kaneohe Bay bound for the South West Pacific Area (SWPA) for their second tour of duty.

On November 3, 1944 squadron arrives Morotai and assigned to Fleet Air Wing 17 (FAW-17) and begins search and reconnaissance patrols, bombing missions against enemy shipping, night patrols and tracking missions.

On November 11, 1944 lost is PB4Y-1 Liberator pilot Lieutenant Maurice Hill on a patrol between Leyte and Cebu wen intercepted by a Japanese figher and shot down near Pacijan Island. Filipino natives rescued the four survivors of the crash and tended their wounds until they could be rescued by a PT boat one week later. The Filipino were later executed by the Japanese for aiding the Americans.

On December 12, 1944 the squadron moves to Tacloban Airfield on Leyte in the Philippines.

On March 2, 1945 the squadron moves to Clark Field on Luzon in the Philippines.

During the second tour of duty, the squadron flew a total of 12,500 hours and claimed 49 planes, 253 vessels sunk.

Postwar
On October 18, 1945 ordered back to the United States. On October 26, 1945 the squadron begins departing by section on a flight across the Pacific back to NAS San Diego then cross country to NAS Floyd Bennett FIeld in New York. On December 26, 1945 the entire squadron was at NAS Floyd Bennett Field. On November 26, 1945 assigned to Fleet Air Wing 5 (FAW-5).

On April 8, 1946 moves to NAAS Edenton in North Carolina for anti-submarine warfare training.

On May 15, 1946 redesignated Patrol Squadron 104 (VP-104).

On November 15, 1946 redesignated Heavy Patrol Squadron (Landplane) 4 (VP-HL-4).

On September 1, 1948 redesignated Patrol Squadron 24 (VP-24).

On July 1, 1956 redesignated Attack Mining Squadron Thirteen (VA-HM-13).

On July 1, 1959 redesignated Patrol Squadron Twenty Four (VP-24).

On April 30, 1955 disestablished.

Awards
For their World War II service, the squadron earned two Presidential Unit Citation, the only U.S. Navy patrol squadron to do so.

On August 1, 1944 at Camp Kearney, the entire unit earned the Presidential Unit Citation, presented to Commander Harry E. Sears. VB-104 earned five battle stars for participation in New Georgia, Treasury-Bougainville, Gilbert Island, Bismarck Archipelago and Caroline Islands operations. Citation: "For outstanding performance above the normal call of duty while engaged in reconnaissance and search missions in the most forward areas of Japanese controlled territory in the South Pacific from August 15, 1943 to March 1944. Rendering pioneer service in changing the passive, defensive search into a daring and powerful offensive, bombing squadron one hundred four has utilized to the full the potentialities of the PB4Y and its equipment, striking at enemy task force units and initiating the hazardous masthead bombing attack to insure direct hits on the target. Patrolling approximately 125,000 miles daily regardless of weather and frequently extending the search radius beyond specified sector limits in order to harass the enemy and intercept shipping, this gallant force typifies individual responsibility in the collective effort of a combat group, unique in its tactics and in the comprehensiveness of its service. Dauntless and aggressive in the fulfillment o each assignment, the pilots and crews of bombing squadron one hundred four have inflicted substantial damage on hostile ships and installations and have provided information of inestimable value to our forces in their sustained drive against the Japanese in this vital area."

References
Pacific Wrecks - Bombing Squadron 104 (VB-104) / Patrol Bombing Squadron 104 (VPB-104) PB4Y-1 Liberators
VB-104 Album (1944)
We Flew Alone (2000)
The Buccaneers of Harry Sears
VPB-104 PB4Y Squadron