Intrepid's Fighting Squadron 18: Flying High with Harris' Hellcats

USS Intrepid’s Fighting Squadron 18 (VF-18) was one of the U.S. Navy’s highest-scoring carrier units of World War II. Despite having only one combat veteran in its roster, its aviators—including Cecil “Speedball” Harris, the Navy’s second-ranking ace—were credited with shooting down more than 170 planes during their 81-day tour of duty, earning the squadron the nickname “Two-a-Day 18” in newspapers nationwide. How did a novice unit with a comparatively short time in theater accomplish such ...