World War II
Following the attack on Pearl Harbor, Felt was transferred to command the air group on the carrier Saratoga, with promotion to Commander in January 1942. During the Battle of the Eastern Solomons on August 24, 1942, Felt led Air Group 3 (AG-3) from Saratoga in an attack that sank the Japanese light carrier Ryujo. Diving with his second wave of bombers through enemy flak and fighters, Felt personally scored the first of his group's several 1000-lb bomb hits on the carrier.
In January 1943, he was commanding officer of Naval Air Station Daytona Beach, and of Naval Air Station Miami in February. He was promoted to captain in July. In March 1944, Felt became the first naval aviator assigned to the U.S. Military Mission to Moscow. He commanded the escort carrier Chenango from February 1945 to January 1946, a tour that included heavy participation in the Battle of Okinawa from March through June, followed by Magic Carpet duty ferrying servicemen home at war's end.
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