List of A-6 Intruder squadrons

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A-6 Intruder from VA-75.

The following United States Navy and United States Marine Corps squadrons operated the Grumman A-6 Intruder:

[edit] United States Navy squadrons

VA-34 — Blue Blasters. Callsign: "Raygun." Established 1970. Redesignated VFA-34 in 1996, flying F/A-18C Hornets. Naval Air Station Oceana, Virginia.
VA-35 — Black Panthers. Transitioned from the A-1 Skyraider in 1965. Disestablished 1995. NAS Oceana, VA. Was featured in the film The Final Countdown along with the rest of Carrier Air Wing 8 onboard the USS Nimitz.
VA-36 — Roadrunners. Callsign: "Heartless." Established 1987. Disestablished 1994. NAS Oceana, VA.
VA-42 — Green Pawns, Thunderbolts (from 1992). Transitioned from the A-1 Skyraider in 1963. Disestablished 1994. Atlantic Fleet Replacement Squadron (FRS) - Training Unit, NAS Oceana, VA.
VA-52 — Knight Riders. Callsign: "Viceroy." Transitioned from the A-1 Skyraider in 1967. Disestablished 1995. Naval Air Station Whidbey Island, Washington.
VA-55 — Warhorses. Established 1983. Disestablished 1991. NAS Oceana, VA.
VA-65 — World Famous Fighting Tigers. Callsigns: "Cupcake" and "Fighting Tiger." Transitioned from the A-1 Skyraider in 1965. Disestablished 1993. NAS Oceana, VA.
VA-75 — World Famous Sunday Punchers. Callsign: "Flying Ace." Transitioned from the A-1 Skyraider in 1963. First operational Intruder squadron. Disestablished 1997. Last operational Intruder squadron. NAS Oceana, VA.
VA-85 — Black Falcons. Callsign: "Buckeye." Transitioned from the A-1 Skyraider in 1964. Disestablished 1994. NAS Oceana, VA.
VA-95 — Green Lizards. Previously an A-1 Skyraider squadron that transitioned to A-4 Skyhawks and was later disestablished in 1970. Reestablished as an A-6 squadron in 1972. Disestablished 1995. NAS Whidbey Island, WA. Last Vietnam-era A-6 squadron to be established. Significant engagements included Operation Frequent Wind (Saigon evacuation), the SS Mayaguez recapture, and Operation Preying Mantis (actions against Iranian naval units, including the sinking of the Iranian frigate Sahand, the largest ship to be sunk by this aircraft type) [1].
VA-115 — Arabs, Eagles (from 1979). Transitioned from an A-1 Skyraider squadron disestablished in 1967. Reestablished as an A-6 squadron in 1970. Redesignated VFA-115 in 1996, flying F/A-18E Super Hornets, introducing this model into combat during Operation Iraqi Freedom in 2003. NAS Whidbey Island, WA, then forward-deployed at Naval Air Facility Atsugi, Japan from 1973 until redesignation.
VAH-123 — Pros. Established 1957. Disestablished 1971. NAS Whidbey Island, WA. The Pros were the Pacific Fleet's Fleet replacement Squadron (FRS) for the A-3 Skywarrior and provided FRS services for the Pacific Fleet A-6 community for about one year until the establishment of VA-128 in 1967.
VA-128 — Golden Intruders. Callsign: "Phoenix." Established from a detachment of VAH-123 (which see) in 1967. Disestablished 1995. Pacific Fleet Replacement Squadron (FRS) - Training Unit, NAS Whidbey Island, WA. VA-128's insigia and traditions were later adopted by VAQ-128, established 1997 (since disestablished) and flying EA-6B Prowlers.
VA-145 — Swordsmen. Callsigns: "Electron," later "Rustler." Transitioned from the A-1 Skyraider in 1968. Disestablished 1993. NAS Whidbey Island, WA.
VA-155 — Silver Foxes. Callsign: "Vixen." Established 1987. Disestablished 1993. NAS Whidbey Island, WA.
VA-165 — Boomers. Transitioned from the A-1 Skyraider in 1967. Disestablished 1996. NAS Whidbey Island, WA. Unit that filmed the inflight, flight deck, and hangar deck scenes for Flight of the Intruder.
VA-176 — Thunderbolts. Transitioned from the A-1 Skyraider in 1969. Disestablished 1992. NAS Oceana, VA. The only A-6 Squadron in history to win 3 consecutive Battle "E" awards.
VA-185 — Knighthawks. Established 1986. Disestablished 1991. NAS Whidby Island, WA, within a year forward-deployed to NAF Atsugi, Japan until disestablishement. The newest A-6 unit with the shortest history.
VA-196 — Main Battery. Callsign: "Milestone." Transitioned from the A-1 Skyraider in 1966. Disestablished 1997. Unit featured in the movie "Flight Of The Intruder". Last Pacific Fleet unit to operate the Intruder.
VA-205 — Green Falcons. Transitioned from the A-7E Corsair II in 1990. Disestablished 1995. Atlantic Fleet Reserve Squadron, Naval Air Station Atlanta, Georgia. Flew A-6Es and KA-6Ds.
VA-304 — Firebirds. Transitioned from the A-7E Corsair II in 1988. Disestablished 1994. Pacific Fleet Reserve Squadron, Naval Air Station Alameda, California. Flew A-6Es and KA-6Ds. Shares the same name (Firebirds) with VAQ-33.
VAQ-33 — Firebirds. Redesignated from VAW-33 in 1968. Disestablished 1993. Naval Air Station Norfolk, VA & NAS Oceana, VA, in 1980 to Naval Air Station Key West, Florida until disestablishement. Tactical Electronic Warfare Squadron provided the U.S. Navy with valuable training by simulating the electronic signatures of Soviet aircraft. Flew EA-6A version only, in addition to other aircraft types. Shares the same name (Firebirds) with VA-304 (which see). LT Kara Hultgreen flew EA-6As in this squadron prior to becoming the Navy's first fully qualified female F-14 Tomcat combat pilot before she was killed in a tragic aircraft mishap in October 1994.
VX-5 — Vampires. (Almagamated with VX-4 Evaluators to become VX-9 Vampires)