During WWII VT17 made two combat cruises flying the Grumman Avenger. The first was aboard Bunker Hill in 1943/4, the second on Hornet in 1945.
While stationed at NAAS Fallon in January 1946 Air Group 17 received word that it had been selected as the third Battle Carrier Air Group, for service aboard the new Midway-class carriers. This change also brought a transfer to the east coast. As soon as VT17 arrived at NAS Brunswick at the beginning of February it began the transition from the TBM-3E to its new aircraft complement, 24 SB2C-4Es. Conversion and training continued for the rest of the year, with the air group moving to NAS Norfolk in August. SB2C-5s replaced the -4Es in November 1946, and in that same month the squadron was redesignated VA6B (CVG17 became CVBG5). In December carquals were conducted on Franklin D. Roosevelt.
In January 1947 the squadron went aboard the new Valley Forge for her shakedown cruise to the Caribbean, and returned to Norfolk in March. September 1947 brought the first AD-1 Skyraiders and by the end of the year all the SB2C-5s had been replaced.
C.O.s:
Cdr. R.H. Konig to 31 October 1947
LtCdr. G.B. Butler from 13 October 1947
PERSONNEL LOSSES
| 30 January 1946 | Ens. R.R. Kinney |