In addition to his duties as commander of the "Fabled Fifteen", then Commander McCampbell became the Navy's "ace of aces" during the missions he flew in 1944. McCampbell entered combat on May 14 and flew at least four Grumman F6F Hellcats while aboard the "Essex": an F6F-3 named "Monsoon Maiden" (damaged by AA, removed from service on 20 May 1944), an F6F-3 named "The Minsi" ( kills), an F6F-5 named "Minsi II", and an F6F-5 named "Minsi III" (Bureau Number 70143), in which he scored the last of his 34 kills.