▁of ▁an ▁assigned ▁complement ▁of ▁ 1 2 . ▁ 2 1 ▁June ▁ 1 9 4 3 : ▁Lieutenant ▁( j g ) ▁Arthur ▁A . ▁Stein met z ▁and ▁crew ▁were ▁reported ▁over due ▁from ▁a ▁routine ▁bomb ing ▁practice ▁hop ▁west ▁of ▁Key ▁West . ▁Sub sequ ent ▁searches ▁over ▁a ▁three - day ▁period ▁found ▁no ▁trace ▁of ▁crew ▁or ▁aircraft . ▁Appro xim ately ▁one ▁year ▁later ▁the ▁w reck age ▁of ▁the ▁aircraft ▁was ▁found ▁in ▁shall ow ▁water ▁ ▁off ▁B oca ▁Ch ica ▁Key . ▁ 2 8 ▁Jun ▁ 1 9 4 3 : ▁VB - 1 3 1 ▁was ▁transferred ▁to ▁NAS ▁Gu ant an amo ▁Bay , ▁Cuba , ▁under ▁the ▁oper ational ▁control ▁of ▁FA W - 1 1 . ▁Two ▁days ▁later ▁a ▁det achment ▁of ▁aircraft ▁was ▁sent ▁to ▁NS ▁San ▁Juan , ▁Puerto ▁Rico ▁for ▁a ▁two - week ▁period . ▁The ▁same ▁det achment ▁was ▁sent ▁on ▁ 1 2 ▁July ▁to ▁Cam ag ü ey ▁Air ▁Base , ▁Cuba , ▁remaining ▁until ▁ 4 ▁September . ▁With ▁a ▁primary ▁mission ▁of ▁AS W , ▁the ▁squad ron ▁aircraft ▁carried ▁full ▁wing ▁and ▁cabin ▁t anks , ▁full ▁drop ▁t anks ▁and ▁six ▁ 3 2 5 - p ound ▁depth ▁charges . ▁During ▁the ▁entire ▁deployment ▁only ▁one ▁sub marine ▁was ▁sight ed , ▁which ▁sub mer ged ▁quickly ▁before ▁coming ▁into ▁effective ▁attack ▁range . ▁ 1 0 ▁July ▁ 1 9 4 3 :