Fleet Air Wing 8

Fleet Air Wing 8 (FAW-8) was a unit of the United States Navy established during World War II to provide long-range maritime patrol and anti-submarine warfare capabilities. Activated in 1942, FAW-8 was initially based in the Caribbean and the Panama Canal Zone, where it played a critical role in protecting Allied shipping from German U-boats. The wing operated various patrol aircraft, including the PBY Catalina and PBM Mariner, conducting reconnaissance, convoy escort, and search-and-rescue missions. After the war, the unit was eventually disestablished as part of the postwar drawdown and restructuring of U.S. Navy aviation forces.