PatWing is a standard U.S Navy abbreviation for "Patrol Wing." The commander of a PatWing is called ComPatWing or COMPATWING.
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Currently there are three Patrol and Reconnaissance Wings:
Patrol and Reconnaissance Wing One, Naval Support Facility Kamiseya, Japan, may have been redesignated Fleet Air Forward after 2008. PATRECONWING ONE, formerly Patrol Wing One and Fleet Air Wing One, fought in the Korean War. Patrol Wing One was established as Patrol Wing 1 1 Oct 1937; and redesignated from Fleet Air Wing One at Noumea on 1 November 1942. In December 1942 it was relocated to Espiritu Santo; and in March 1943 to Guadalcanal, and in February 1944 to Munda. In July 1944 it was relocated to Espiritu Santo, and on 11 September 1944 relocated to the Schouten Islands aboard USS Hamlin (AV-15). On 15 October 1944 the wing was relocated to Ulithi, and on 30 December 1944 relocated to Saipan. On 19 February 1945 it was relocated to Iwo Jima during invasion operations aboard Hamlin (AV 15); on 10 March 1945 relocated to NAF Agana, Guam; and on 26 March 1945: Relocated to Kerama Rhetto aboard Hamlin. On 14 July 1945 it was relocated to NAF Chimu Wan, Okinawa.
On 16 July 1950 Fleet Air Wing One was relocated to Naval Air Station Agana, Guam, to NAF Naha, Okinawa. In the 3rd Quarter 1952 was relocated to NAS San Diego, Calif. In the 4th Quarter 1954: Relocated to NAF Naha, Okinawa. Mid-1958: Relocated to Buckner Bay, Okinawa, aboard assigned flagship. In mid-1965: Relocated to NAF Naha, Okinawa. On 30 June 1973 it was redesignated PatWing-1. On 1 June 1999 it was redesignated Patrol and Reconnaissance Wing One.[2]
Previously Patrol Wings were known as Fleet Air Wings. Among previous Fleet Air Wings were Fleet Air Wing Three, which participated in Operation Strikeback in the Atlantic. FAW-3 was redesignated at NAS Coco Solo, Panama, on 1 November 1942. On 1 July 1950 it was relocated to NAS Quonset Point, R.I. In mid-1957 it was relocated to NAS Brunswick, Maine. On 30 June 1971 FAW-3 was disestablished. Fleet Air Wing Four (FAW-4) was redesignated at NAS Kodiak, Alaska, on 1 November 1942. On 15 March 1943: Relocated from NAS Kodiak to NAS Adak, Alaska. On 26 April 1944: Relocated from NAS Adak, Alaska, to NAF Attu, Aleutian Islands. On 17 April 1949: Relocated to NAS Whidbey Island, Wash., COMFAIR Seattle became dual hatted with additional duty as FAW-4 in May 1949. 15 February 1954: COMFAIR Seattle redesignated COMFAIR Whidbey and FAW-4 (dual hatted). On 15 March 1970 FAW-4 was disestablished.
Patrol Wing Five at NAS Brunswick was disbanded in 2009. It had previously included VP-23.
Other Fleet Air Wings included Fleet Air Wing Four, which fought in the Aleutian Islands campaign alongside Eleventh Air Force. During the winter of 1943–44, the burden of operations against the Kuriles was carried by Navy Consolidated PBY Catalinas and Lockheed Ventura of Fleet Air Wing Four. They carried small bomb loads and their primary objective was the securing of night photographs.
Fleet Air Wing Six which participated in the Korean War.
Reserve Patrol Wings in the Pacific and Atlantic were established in the 1970s. Squadrons under these wings included Patrol Squadron 92 at NAS South Weymouth, and VP-94 at NAS New Orleans.