VFA-151
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| Strike Fighter Squadron 151 | |
|---|---|
 VFA-151 Insignia |
|
| Active | 1948 |
| Country | United States |
| Branch | United States Navy |
| Type | Fighter/Attack |
| Role | Close air support Air interdiction Aerial reconnaissance |
| Part of | Carrier Air Wing 2 |
| Garrison/HQ | NAS Lemoore |
| Nickname | "Vigilantes" |
| Motto | "Go Ugly Early" |
| Colors | Black and Yellow |
| Mascot | "Old Ugly" |
| Battles/wars | Korean War Vietnam War Operation Desert Shield Operation Southern Watch Operation Iraqi Freedom |
| Commanders | |
| Current commander |
CDR R.A.H. Cady |
The Strike Fighter Squadron One Five One Vigilantes (VFA-151) are a United States Navy F/A-18C Hornet fighter squadron stationed at Naval Air Station Lemoore. They are a part of Carrier Air Wing 2 and are attached to the USS Abraham Lincoln.
Contents |
[edit] History
[edit] Origins
Strike FIghter Squadron 151 (VFA-151) was originally established as Fighter Squadron 23 (VF-23) at Naval Air Station Oceana, Virginia on August 6, 1948. The squadron was attached to Air Group Two aboard the USS Midway (CV-41) and flew the F4U Corsair. The squadron adopted the nickname "Flashers" in 1949. Following an initial deployment to the Mediterranean Sea, the squadron was tasked to support the Korean War.
[edit] Korean War
During the Korean War, the squadron flew two combat tours in the mighty Corsair before transitioning to the new F9F-2 Panther. The squadron flew a third combat tour in Korea in the Panther before returning to the United States in 1952. During the conflict, the squadron contributed to the support of the Inchon invasion, as well as the recapture of the Seoul and Kimpo airfields.
[edit] Inter-War Period
Upon returning to the US, the squadron was moved to the West Coast where it transitioned to the F2H Banshee and adopted a new role as an all-weather fighter squadron. During this time, the squadron transitioned to the F4D Skyray and the F3H Demon aircraft. The squadron was re-designated Fighter Squadron 151 (VF-151) on February 23, 1959 and assigned to Carrier Air Group 15 aboard the USS Hancock (CV-19). During this cruise, the squadron changed its nickname to "Vigilantes", symbolizing the unit's "around-the-clock" vigil of readiness. [1]
[edit] Vietnam War
In December 1964 the squadron transitioned to the F-4B Phantom II and deployed to the Vietnam War aboard the USS Coral Sea (CV-43). During the eleven month combat deployment, the squadron flew nearly 1500 combat sorties, including support of the 1965 Operation Rolling Thunder bombing campaign against military targets in North Vietnam. The Vigilantes returned to Southeast Asia on their second deployment in December 1966 aboard USS Constellation (CV-64).
The squadron made its third deployment of the war aboard USS Coral Sea from July 1967 to April 1968. On October 24, 1967 the squadron's commanding officer, CDR C.R. Gillespie, and his RIO, LTJG R.C. Clark, were shot down by a surface-to-air missile over North Vietnam. CDR Gillespie became a POW and was not released until May 1973. LTJG Clark died in captivity.[2]
The squadron deployed with Carrier Air Wing 15 (CVW-15) aboard the USS Coral Sea again following a short turn-around training period in 1968. The squadron made its fifth combat deployment of the war in September 1969 aboard USS Coral Sea and flew more than 2100 combat sorties, more than any other Navy squadron in FY1970. The squadron deployed on its sixth combat cruise of the war in April 1971 with Carrier Air Wing 5 (CVW-5) aboard USS Midway and flew 1012 combat sorties. In April 1972, the squadron deployed on its seventh and final deployment of the Vietnam War. During this deployment, the squadron spent 205 continuous days in combat flight operations, including support of Operation Linebacker I, the bombing campaign designed to disrupt supplies to the North Vietnamese. The squadron's 205 days of continuous combat flight operations was the longest period of combat flight operations in the history of the Vietnam conflict.
From 1965 to 1973 the Vigilantes participated in every major operation of the Vietnam War. The Vigilantes made more combat deployments (7) and spent more time on the line (927 days) than any other carrier based unit - including the longest deployment of the Vietnam War (331 days on USS Coral Sea) and the longest line period of the Vietnam War (208 days on USS Midway). [3]
[edit] Post-War Period
The Vigilantes returned to San Francisco, California from Vietnam in March 1973. At that time, the squadron transitioned to the F-4N variant of the Phantom. On September 11, 1973 the squadron left NAS Alameda for the last time with USS Midway and moved to its new homeport in Yokosuka, Japan. In 1977 the squadron transitioned to the F-4J variant of the Phantom. In 1978 the squadron was named the top TACAIR squadron in CVW-5 and received the Chief of Naval Operations Safety "S" award. The squadron made three Indian Ocean deployments between 1979 and 1980 and transitioned to the F-4S variant of the Phantom in 1981. The squadron made history on March 24, 1986 as it flew off the USS Midway for the last time as VF-151. This event also marked the end of an era as it was the last flight of the F-4 Phantom II from the deck of an aircraft carrier. The squadron reported to NAS Lemoore, California for transition to the new F/A-18 Hornet. The squadron was re-designated Strike Fighter Squadron 151 (VFA-151) on June 1, 1986. In October of that year, the squadron returned to the USS Midway as it took up its new home field at NAF Atsugi, Japan.
From 1973 to 1991, the squadron was a forward deployed unit that participated in numerous operations, including support for the US evacuation of South Vietnam, the US hostage crisis in Iran, the shoot-down of Korean Air Lines Flight 007 in 1983, presence operations over the 1988 Olympics in Seoul, South Korea, and Operation CLASSIC RESOLVE.
[edit] Operations DESERT SHIELD & DESERT STORM
The Vigilantes deployed on board USS Midway in October 1990 in support of Operation DESERT SHIELD. Hostilities escalated in Iraq, and on January 17, 1991 the squadron participated in the initial air strikes of Operation DESERT STORM. During the campaign, the squadron dropped more than 817,000 pounds of ordnance on key targets in Iraq, Kuwait, and the Northern Persian Gulf.
[edit] New Homeport and Around the Horn
In August 1991, the squadron left Japan aboard USS Midway bound for Pearl Harbor, Hawaii on the USS MIDWAY's last underway period. At Pearl Harbor, CVW-5 transferred to the USS Independence (CV-62); however, the Vigilantes remained on board all the way to San Diego, California where the USS Midway was decommissioned under a Vigilante fly-by. In February 1993 the squadron transitioned to upgraded F/A-18C Hornet Lot XV aircraft. In May 1993, the Vigilantes embarked on USS Constellation and brought her from the East Coast around the tip of South America to her new homeport in San Diego, California.
[edit] Operation Southern Watch
The squadron contributed to the enforcement of "no-fly" zones over southern Iraq during combat-zone WestPac deployments in support of Operation SOUTHERN WATCH in 1994-1995. One VFA-151 F/A-18 jet fighter was lost at sea during the 1994 WESTPAC deployment. The surviving pilot which ejected was recovered by the CVW-2 helicopter squadron HS-2 whose team specializes in search and rescue operations.
Additional WESTPAC deployments in support of Operation Southern Watch continued on-board the USS Constellation in 1997, 1999, and 2001.
In October 2000 an Vigilante fighter jet was lost at sea during workups off the coast of San Diego. The pilot, LT Darren Jewell, was killed during the mishap, which occurred during a night catapult launch. The squadron was the recipient of Strike Fighter Wing Pacific's Battle "E" award for CY2000.
[edit] Operation IRAQI FREEDOM
The squadron deployed for its final deployment aboard USS Constellation in November 2002. Following a successful combat deployment, the USS Constellation was decommissioned in San Diego, California August 7, 2003. The Vigilantes, along with CVW-2, moved to the USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN-72). In October 2004, the squadron deployed on its first WESTPAC/Surge in support of the US Navy's new Fleet Response Plan. While deployed, the Vigilantes participated in Operation UNIFIED ASSISTANCE, the humanitarian relief effort to assist survivors of the tsunami that struck Southeast Asia on December 26, 2004.
[edit] Awards
Included among the many achievements in VFA-151's proud history are the receipt of the Presidential Unit Citation, eight Armed Forces Expeditionary Medals, four Battle “E” awards, five Safety S's, six Navy Unit Commendations, and seven Republic of Vietnam Meritorious Unit Citations.
[edit] Commanding Officers
VF-23 LCDR T. J. Gallagher, Jr. (AUG48-OCT49), LCDR C. E. Russell (JUL50-MAR51), LCDR R. C. Mueller (MAR51-FEB52), LCDR C. C. Aikins (FEB52-JUN53), CDR W. J. Maran (JUN53-OCT54), CDR W. H. Neal (OCT54-OCT56), CDR C. A. Knight (OCT56-FEB58), CDR J. H. Stewart (FEB58-FEB59)
VF-151 CDR J. H. Stewart (FEB59-FEB60), CDR M. S. Alexatos (FEB60-JUN61), CDR R. H. Prothro (JUN61-JUL62), CDR C. C. Brooks (JUL62-JUN63), CDR E. P. Hermann (JUL63-JUL64), CDR J. M. Schnelders (JUL64-APR65), CDR J. D. Ward (APR65-APR66), CDR J. J. Chambers (APR66-MAR67), CDR C. R. Gillespie, Jr. (MAR67-OCT67), CDR B. D. Willard (NOV67-NOV68), CDR R. E. Davis (NOV68-NOV69), CDR R. B. Winton, Jr. (NOV69-NOV70), CDR B. F. Keene (NOV70-DEC71), CDR C. G. Kother (DEC71-DEC72), CDR J. S. Disher (DEC72-AUG73), CDR D. T. Schwaab (AUG73-DEC74), CDR E. D. Conner (DEC74-APR76), CDR J. D. Curry (APR76-JUL77), CDR J. H. Hall (JUL77-OCT78), CDR H. D. Wisely (OCT78-SEP79), CDR G. M. Hughes (SEP79-DEC80), CDR R. S. Farrell (DEC80-APR82), CDR C. C. Buchanan, Jr. (APR82-OCT83), CDR C. L. Robinson (OCT83-APR85), CDR R. M. Taylor II (APR85-MAY86)
VFA-151 CDR T. S. Heath (MAY86-APR88), CDR T. A. Perkins (APR88-SEP89), CDR J. R. Goddard (SEP89-MAR91), CDR J. L. Schubert (MAR91-JUN92), CDR J. V. Stivers (JUN92-OCT93), CDR T. W. Trotter (OCT93-DEC94), CDR T. A. Hejl (DEC94-FEB96), CDR D. L. Philman (FEB96-APR97), CDR V. A. Steinman (APR97-SEP98), CDR S. C. Grant (SEP98-NOV99), CDR C. B. Conners (NOV99-MAR01), CDR S. C. Bos (MAR01-JUN02), CDR K. D. Bohnstedt (JUN02-AUG02), CDR M. A. Hubbard (AUG02-FEB04), CDR K. F. Greene (FEB04-MAY05), CDR J.T. Ross (MAY05-AUG06) CDR R. A. H. Cady (AUG06- )
