Keywords: SBD-3 CV-4 Norway 1943 NAN10-1-45.jpg A Douglas SBD-5 Dauntless of U S Navy bombing squadron VB-4 during Operation Leader on 4 October 1943 flying from the aircraft carrier USS Ranger CV-4 The objective of the force was the Norwegian port of Bodø The task force reached launch position off Vestfjord before dawn 4 October completely undetected At 0618 Ranger launched 20 Dauntless dive bombers and an escort of eight Grumman F4F-4 Wildcat fighters of VF-4 One division of dive bombers attacked the 8 000-ton freighter LaPlata while the rest continued north to attack a small German convoy They severely damaged a 10 000-ton tanker and a smaller troop transport They also sank two of four small German merchantmen in the Bodø roadstead <br> The SBD 4-B-19 was piloted by Lt jg Clyde A Tucker with ARM2c Stephen D Bakran as gunner and passes Kunna Head South of Bodø It was one of two planes later lost in the attack U S Navy Naval Aviation News 1 October 1945 http //www history navy mil/nan/backissues/1940s/1945/1Oct45 pdf 1943-10-04 USN PD-USGov-Military-Navy Operation Leader 1943 1943 in aviation in Norway Douglas SBD Dauntless Historical images of Bodø Fighter Squadron 14 United States Navy |