waldron flew observation aircraft off "colorado" (bb-45), before he joined patrol squadron 1b (vp-1b), battle force, for a brief period in late 1936. subsequently flying from "saratoga" (cv-3) with fighter squadron 3 (vf-3) until the early summer of 1939, he reported back to nas pensacola, for further instructor's duty on june 27, 1939. waldron then served three successive tours of shore duty, all involving flying, at the naval proving ground, dahlgren, va.; the bureau of ordnance, washington, d.c.; and finally in the 3rd naval district, where he was appointed naval inspector of ordnance at the plant of carl l. norden, inc., in new york city—makers of the famed norden bombsight. detached from that duty in the summer of 1941, lieutenant commmader waldron took command of the newly formed torpedo squadron 8 (vt-8), part of the embryonic air group being assembled for the new fleet carrier "hornet" (cv-8) at newport news, virginia. the pearl harbor attack, though, meant that his training of his men had to be intensive.