USS Nehenta Bay (CVE-74) muster report February 6th 1944

On February 4th 1944 Seaman Raymond S. Finn reported aboard the USS Nehenta Bay (CVE-74) in San Francisco. The ship departed for Hawaii two days later carrying replacement aircraft and military personnel, arriving at Pearl Harbor on February 12th 1944. Raymond was assigned to VB-148 and his squadron was stationed at Kaneohe flying PV-1 Ventura's. Presumably he was then transferred to VT-100 at Barbers Point Oahu and trained as a turret gunner in TBF/TBM Avenger aircraft.

USS Copahee (CVE-12) muster report June 3rd 1944

After finishing up his training at VT-100 AOM3c Raymond Finn reported aboard the USS Copahee on June 2nd 1944. The USS Copahee departed Pearl Harbor the next day carrying replacement aircraft and military personnel heading to the Marshall and Marianas Islands.

USS Copahee (CVE-12) muster report June 21st 1944

After about 12 days and some 4000 miles traveled Petty Officer Finn was delivered aboard the USS Yorktown as a "replacement air crewman" on June 14th 1944. The Air Group on the USS Yorktown had experienced their first combat action over Guam on June 11th and VT-1 lost an airplane there on June 12th. The gunner missing (killed) on that flight was AOM2c Stanley Carr.

Raymond S. Finn, Jr