| Fighter Squadron 3 All Weather | |
|---|---|
| Active | 1944–1963 |
| Country | United States |
| Branch | United States Navy |
| Type | fighter |
| Role | all weather interceptor |
| Part of | Composite, air defense, inactive |
| Nickname | Blue Nemesis |
| Engagements | Cuban Missile Crisis Blockade |
| Commanders | |
| Current commander |
CDR John "Tex" O'Neill, 1959 |
| Aircraft flown | |
| Fighter | F4D Skyray A-4 Skyhawk |
VFAW-3 All Weather Fighter Squadron 3 of the US Navy was active in the 1950s. It was the only Navy unit in North American Air Defense Command (NORAD) with assignment to detect and defend enemy aircraft approaching Alaska, Canada, and the lower United States.[1] VFAW-3 was decommissioned in April 1963.[2] The units nickname was known as "Blue Nemesis".[3]
Contents |
The first Navy squadron that received the A4D/F-6 Skyrays was VC-3 Composite Squadron 3 assigned to NAS Moffett Field, California on April 16, 1956. VC-3 was then redesignated VFAW-3 and attached to ADC (Air Defense Command) at NAS North Island, San Diego, California. THe A4Ds were to participate with NORAD. Thse aircraft carried special electronics packages on the centerline pylon with two 300-gallon drop tanks for fuel, two 12-rocket dispensers of 2.75-inch unguided rockets, and outside pylons with 2 AIM-9 Sidewinder air-to-missiles.[4]
The unit primarily flew the Douglas F4D Skyray(F-6) carrier-based supersonic fighter/interceptor built by the Douglas Aircraft Company in the 1950s and Douglas A4D Skyhawk sub-sonic attack fighter in the late 1950s and 1960s.[5] Other aircraft were assigned during earlier predicessor designations.
On March 29, 1957, LtCdr Patrick F. Cunningham had an in-flight emergency and had to bail out of his A4D-1 fighter (BuNo 139924) over San Joaquin Valley, CA.[5] CDR John "Tex" O'Neill was the squadron commander of VFAW-3 in 1959.[10]
From 24 Oct - 31 Dec 62, Detachment Echo of VFAW-3 received the Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal for participating in the Cuban Missile Crisis of 1962;[11] at NAS Key West.[12] VFAW-3 won NORAD’s "best performing unit" trophy (twice).[12]
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||