Bombing Squadron 84 was commissioned at NAS San Diego on 1 May 1944, equipped with the SB2C-3. From July onwards the -3s were supplemented, and eventually replaced by SB2C-4s. In October the squadron spent two weeks at NAAS Twenty Nine Palms for rocket training, while in November, December and early January 1945 carrier landings were practiced aboard Takanis Bay and Ranger. On 19 January Air Group 84 transferred to Alameda for assignment to Bunker Hill. The carrier sailed westwards on the 24th and after only a short stop at Pearl Harbor reached Ulithi on 7 February, where she joined Task Force 58.
VB84's first period of combat, which lasted from 16 February to 1 March, included strikes on the Tokyo area and support of the Iwo Jima landings. The second period opened with attacks on Kyushu airfields on 18 March, and shipping at Kure on the 19th. There then followed two months spent in support of the campaign for Okinawa. As part of this, strikes were flown against neighbouring islands such as Kikai Jima and Minami Daito, Kyushu was hit again in late March, and the squadron participated in the sinking of the battleship Yamato on April 7. However, tragedy brought the cruise to a premature end on 11 May when Bunker Hill was crashed by two kamikazes. Two officers and 19 enlisted men were killed, and all fifteen of the squadron's SB2Cs destroyed.
VB84 reformed at NAAS Los Alamitos on 10 July 1945, and remained there flying a mix of -4 and -5 Helldivers until 8 October when it was decommissioned.
C.O.s:
LtCdr J.P. Conn to May 1945
Lt R.L. Richard 10 July to 27 August 1945
LtCdr H. Wood to 8 October 1945
PERSONNEL LOSSES
| 3 July 1944 | Ens. T.B. Pritchard/ARM3c R.A. Vickers |
| 19 March 1945 | ARM2c D.M. McKown (C---AA Kure, pilot, Lt.(jg) J.D. Welsh, POW) |
| 19 March 1945 | ARM2c M. Wilcox (C---AA Kure, pilot, Lt. C.L. Carper, rescued) |
| 29 March 1945 | Lt.(jg) H.B. Ditto |
| 29 March 1945 | Lt.(jg) R.C. Turpin/ARM2c J.J. Williams |