Hobby Master Archive

Operation Torch was an Anglo-American invasion of French Morocco and Algeria that were the bases for the Vichy French forces and navy. On November 8, 1942 the invasion began and was completed on November 16. Part of Task Force 34 was the USS Ranger with VF-9 as one of the squadrons onboard. One sortie carried out by VF-9 included nine F4F led by Lt. Cmdr Jack Raby. The aircraft made three-abreast passes over Cazes airfield located southwest of Casablanca destroying many aircraft still on the ground. VF-9 also shot down six Vichy airborne aircraft.