On August 31 this group commenced daily coverage of two 600-mile search sectors southwest across the China Sea.
Training activities and flight checkouts for Patrol Plane Commander candidates continued during the period of this report and an additional eight First Pilots were designated Patrol Plane Commanders.
A rapid stepping up in the replacement of both planes and crews occurred during August. Eleven new PBY-6A’s had been received prior to September 2 with one additional plane to complete the squadron’s complement scheduled for delivery within a few days. Twelve of the original eighteen crews had returned to the United States before September 2 with two more scheduled to go within a week and the prospect that the last four crews of the original squadron would be relieved by the middle of September.
On August 28 operational and administrative control of the squadron passed from the SEVENTH Fleet to the Philippine Sea Frontier. An internal change of command also took place on August 24 when Commander Norman C. GILLETTE, Jr., USN, who had served as Commanding Officer since the re-foming of the squadron at San Diego on April 25, 1944, was detached and returned to the United States. With the assumption of command by Lieutenant Commander William L. KAUBER, USN, Patrol Bombing Squadron SEVENTY-ONE concludes its War History.
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