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In August 1943, he was made the commanding officer of VF-15 (Fighter Squadron 15), flying [[F6F Hellcat|Hellcats]], and in February 1944, he became the commanding officer of Carrier Air Group 15, later known as the “Fabled Fifteen”, which was assigned to the USS ''Essex''.  The ''Essex'' had just completed an overhaul and was going into action again against the Japanese Empire.  David McCampbell flew his first combat mission as commander of the air group on May 19, 1944, a fighter sweep over Marcus Island, and on June 11, he shot down his first enemy plane, a [[Mitsubishi Zero|Zero]], over [[Saipan]].  He scored his second kill on June 13 when he shot down a Japanese bomber while returning from a strike on a convoy.  Six days later, in the [[Battle of the Philippine Sea]], the Essex and the rest of the American fleet around Saipan were attacked by hundreds of Japanese planes in an action that would come to be called, “the Great Marianas Turkey Shoot”.  Commander McCampbell racked up seven victories and two probables on this day, five of them during morning patrol, one Zero during afternoon patrol, and while returning from afternoon patrol, he and another pilot from his unit came across two more Zeroes attacking a rescue float plane.  Each pilot shot down one Zeke, allowing the float plane to continue on its mission.<ref>''Clash of the Carriers: the True Story of the Marianas Turkey Shoot of World War II'', by Barrett Tillman, New American Library, 2005</ref>

In August 1943, he was made the commanding officer of VF-15 (Fighter Squadron 15), flying [[F6F Hellcat|Hellcats]], and in February 1944, he became the commanding officer of Carrier Air Group 15, later known as the “Fabled Fifteen”, which was assigned to the USS ''Essex''.  The ''Essex'' had just completed an overhaul and was going into action again against the Japanese Empire.  David McCampbell flew his first combat mission as commander of the air group on May 19, 1944, a fighter sweep over Marcus Island, and on June 11, he shot down his first enemy plane, a [[Mitsubishi Zero|Zero]], over [[Saipan]].  He scored his second kill on June 13 when he shot down a Japanese bomber while returning from a strike on a convoy.  Six days later, in the [[Battle of the Philippine Sea]], the Essex and the rest of the American fleet around Saipan were attacked by hundreds of Japanese planes in an action that would come to be called, “the Great Marianas Turkey Shoot”.  Commander McCampbell racked up seven victories and two probables on this day, five of them during morning patrol, one Zero during afternoon patrol, and while returning from afternoon patrol, he and another pilot from his unit came across two more Zeroes attacking a rescue float plane.  Each pilot shot down one Zeke, allowing the float plane to continue on its mission.<ref>''Clash of the Carriers: the True Story of the Marianas Turkey Shoot of World War II'', by Barrett Tillman, New American Library, 2005</ref>

By October, when the Navy was readying for the invasion of the [[Philippines]], McCampbell had raised his score to 19, tying with [[Alex Vraciu]] for top scoring ace of the Navy.  On the day of the invasion, McCampbell downed a [[Mitsubishi Ki-46|Dinah]] and a [[Nakajima Ki-27|Nate]], becoming the first US Navy pilot, and the first carrier pilot, to score more than twenty aerial victories.  Four days, Japanese naval units responded to the landings, sparking the [[Battle of Leyte Gulf]], the largest naval battle of World War II.  On the first day of the battle, planes from the ''Essex'' sank the battleship ''Musashi'' (sister ship to the ''[[Yamato (battleship)|Yamato]],'' which was damaged in the same action), and McCampbell flew the mission that would win him the [[Medal of Honor]].  After launching a strike on the Japanese ships, the ''Essex'' detected incoming Japanese planes, and McCampbell led seven Hellcats to defend the ship.  He and his wingman, Lieutenant Roy Rushing, went high and ran into 40 Japanese fighters ([[Mitsubishi Zero|Zeros]] and [[Nakajima Ki-43|Oscars]]).  A running battle followed, with McCampbell and Rushing making repeated passes on the enemy formation.  Before dwindling fuel forced them to return to the ''Essex'', McCampbell shot down nine planes (and probably shot down two others), while Rushing downed six.  More importantly, not a single enemy plane got close enough to drop a bomb, the surviving planes turning back in the face of the American fighters.  The following day, Commander McCampbell coordinated a strike which sank a Japanese aircraft carrier, a cruiser, and two destroyers.<ref>''Aircraft vs. Aircraft'', by Norman Franks, Barnes & Noble Books, 1998</ref>

By October, when the Navy was readying for the invasion of the [[Philippines]], McCampbell had raised his score to 19, tying with [[Alex Vraciu]] for top scoring ace of the Navy.  On the day of the invasion, McCampbell downed a [[Mitsubishi Ki-46|Dinah]] and a [[Nakajima Ki-27|Nate]], becoming the first US Navy pilot, and the first carrier pilot, to score more than twenty aerial victories.  Four days later, Japanese naval units responded to the landings, sparking the [[Battle of Leyte Gulf]], the largest naval battle of World War II.  On the first day of the battle, planes from the ''Essex'' sank the battleship ''Musashi'' (sister ship to the ''[[Yamato (battleship)|Yamato]],'' which was damaged in the same action), and McCampbell flew the mission that would win him the [[Medal of Honor]].  After launching a strike on the Japanese ships, the ''Essex'' detected incoming Japanese planes, and McCampbell led seven Hellcats to defend the ship.  He and his wingman, Lieutenant Roy Rushing, went high and ran into 40 Japanese fighters ([[Mitsubishi Zero|Zeros]] and [[Nakajima Ki-43|Oscars]]).  A running battle followed, with McCampbell and Rushing making repeated passes on the enemy formation.  Before dwindling fuel forced them to return to the ''Essex'', McCampbell shot down nine planes (and probably shot down two others), while Rushing downed six.  More importantly, not a single enemy plane got close enough to drop a bomb, the surviving planes turning back in the face of the American fighters.  The following day, Commander McCampbell coordinated a strike which sank a Japanese aircraft carrier, a cruiser, and two destroyers.<ref>''Aircraft vs. Aircraft'', by Norman Franks, Barnes & Noble Books, 1998</ref>

The ''Essex'' concluded her cruise in November.  The “Fabled Fifteen” under McCampbell had established an impressive combat record, with 318 enemy aircraft shot down (34 by McCampbell himself) and 296,500 tons of enemy shipping sunk, including the ''Musashi'', three aircraft carriers, and a heavy cruiser.  In addition to the [[Medal of Honor]], McCampbell was awarded the [[Navy Cross]], the [[Silver Star]], and the [[Distinguished Flying Cross]].  Not only was he the top-scoring ace of the U.S. Navy, he holds the American record for most aerial victories in a single tour of duty.  If the ''Essex'' had been sent into combat again, it’s entirely possible that David McCampbell would have been the top-scoring fighter pilot in United States history.

The ''Essex'' concluded her cruise in November.  The “Fabled Fifteen” under McCampbell had established an impressive combat record, with 318 enemy aircraft shot down (34 by McCampbell himself) and 296,500 tons of enemy shipping sunk, including the ''Musashi'', three aircraft carriers, and a heavy cruiser.  In addition to the [[Medal of Honor]], McCampbell was awarded the [[Navy Cross]], the [[Silver Star]], and the [[Distinguished Flying Cross]].  Not only was he the top-scoring ace of the U.S. Navy, he holds the American record for most aerial victories in a single tour of duty.  If the ''Essex'' had been sent into combat again, it’s entirely possible that David McCampbell would have been the top-scoring fighter pilot in United States history.