and had five aircraft shotdown. A total of six planes and eighteen men were lost during the attack. Four of the eighteen men survived the loss of the six TBFs that evening. Of the four, none survived captivity. One was murdered at Tunnel Hill, two died of starvation / disease / medical neglect, and a fourth was murdered by the Japanese Navy sometime in April. In April 1944, they returned to the United States and were stationed at Marine Corps Air Station Santa Barbara, California. During their time at MCAS Santa Barbara they trained as part of the Marine Corps' new escort carrier program. They were assigned to Marine Carrier Air Group 1 (MCVG-1) where they were partnered with VMF-511 on the USS Block Island. The squadron left the West Coast on March 20, 1945. During this time the squadron's commanding officer, Major Robert Vaupell, was killed in a crash in February 1945. VMTB-233 saw its first action during the Battle of Okinawa on May 5, 1945, when it conducted rocket and bomb runs against Japanese strongpoints in the vicinity of Naha. Their mission alternated between close air support for the Marines fighting on the ground and strikes against Sakashima Gunto, a kamikaze base complex some 175 miles southwest of Okinawa on Miyako Island. In mid-June, the Block Island was relieved from the coast of Okinawa and ordered to Leyte in the Philippines. From here they supported the early stages of the Australian 7th Division invasion of Balikpapan in July 1945. They returned to Leyte on July 4 and would not see combat for the rest of the war. Still aboard the Block Island when WWII ended, VMTB-233's final missions were flown in support of the Japanese surrender of Formosa. Following World War II, the squadron returned to the United States, was briefly assigned to Marine Aircraft Group 46 (MAG-46) and was finally decommissioned on March 1, 1946, as part of the post war draw-down of forces. Reserve years The squadron was quickly reactivated later in 1946 as part of the Marine Air Reserves flying out of Naval Air Station Norfolk, Virginia. In October 1951 the unit was called to active duty for the Korean War, but it did not see action during the conflict. They were officially decommissioned in 1969. See also United States Marine Corps Aviation List of active United States Marine Corps aircraft squadrons List of decommissioned