VAW-122

Carrier Airborne Early Warning Squadron 122 (VAW-122) was an aviation unit of the United States Navy in service from 1 September 1967 to 31 March 1996. VAW-122, nicknamed "Steeljaws" (colloquially the "Fightin'-Bitin' Steejaws") was a U.S. Atlantic Coast VAW squadron (Carrier Airborne Early Warning Squadron) stationed at NAS Norfolk, Virginia (USA). During its 30 years of existence, the squadron was deployed around the world and saw action from Vietnam to Desert Storm, conducting operations from the Arctic to the tropics. The Steeljaws conducted Airborne Early Warning, Air Defense, Air Intercept Control, ISR, NCTR activity, Command, Control, Communications and Intelligence (C4I), Strike Control, Combat Search and Rescue (CSAR), Drug Interdiction, Forward Air Control (FAC) handoff, Air Traffic Control, Netcentric Warfare, Data Link, and other missions.

History

Originally equipped with the E-2A Hawkeye, VAW-122 was first on the scene, establishing communications and directing fighter coverage for the USS Liberty in the Mediterranean in June 1967 after the intelligence-gathering ship was attacked by Israeli aircraft and torpedo boats. During a 1968 deployment on board the USS America off Vietnam, VAW-122 crews assisted a VF-33 F-4 Phantom crew in downing a North Vietnamese MiG-21 fighter as well as controlling interdiction strikes against North Vietnam.

An E-2A Hawkeye of VAW-122 aboard Independence in September 1969.

After a 1970 deployment to the Mediterranean during the Jordanian crisis with CVW-7 on board the USS Independence, VAW-122 upgraded to the somewhat more capable E-2B. The squadron's next two deployments to the Mediterranean returned its crews to international crises—the 1973 Yom Kippur War and the 1974 Cyprus Crisis.

In April 1975, VAW-122 upgraded to the definitive E-2C Hawkeye. In 1978, the squadron rejoined after a Pacific deployment embarked in USS Kitty Hawk CVW-6 and over the next 13 years deployed to the Arabian Sea, Mediterranean, and North Atlantic on board the Independence and the USS Forrestal. During the 1983 deployment, VAW-122 supported combat operations in Grenada and Lebanon, and, on its last combat carrier deployment in 1991, supported Operation Provide Comfort over Iraq during and subsequent to Operation Desert Storm. Throughout its operational lifetime, VAW-122 participated in numerous cold-war, North Atlantic, Mediterranean, African, Indian Ocean, Eastern European, and Middle Eastern operations, supported several NASA Space Shuttle launches, and devised a variety of original operational tactics and procedures (such as performing ABCCC missions in lieu of other airborne assets' doing so).

VAW-122 made its first major drug-interdiction deployment as a squadron to the Caribbean/Central America in 1990 (previously it had been smaller detachments of shorter duration beginning in 1983 with Operation Thunderbolt), and in 1992 became permanently assigned to this role. By 1996, the unit had completed eight deployments in the Caribbean and Eastern Pacific areas, conducting some missions deep over South or Central America, and far into the Pacific Ocean—and was credited with the seizure of more than 16 metric tons of illegal drugs.

VAW-122 was disestablished at NAS Norfolk on 31 March 1996. Its drug-interdiction mission and aircraft were assumed by a new reserve squadron at that time, VAW-77, stationed at NAS Atlanta, GA.

Deployments

A VAW-122 E-2C Hawkeye with CVW-11 aircraft in 1977.

Notes:

• Commissioned while deployed
• Includes Operation Urgent Fury (Grenada)
• Includes Operation Provide Comfort (Iraq)

Former CO's

References

Bibliography

• Dossel, Will. "The History of VAW-122," The Hook Summer 1996
• Burgess, Rick "Lest We Forget: VAW-122" Naval Institute Proceedings September 2003

See also

• History of the United States Navy
• List of inactive United States Navy aircraft squadrons
• List of United States Navy aircraft squadrons

United States Navy Portal: United States Navy Category: United States Navy Leadership Secretary of the Navy Under Secretary of the Navy Chief of Naval Operations Vice Chief of Naval Operations Master Chief Petty Officer of the Navy 4-star admirals House Armed Services Subcommittee on Seapower and Projection Forces Senate Subcommittee on Seapower Structure Navy Navy Reserve Fleet Marine Force Expeditionary Combat Command Merchant Marine Operating forces Fleet Forces Command Pacific Fleet Naval Forces Europe Naval Forces Central Command Naval Forces Southern Command Naval Special Warfare Command Naval Reserve Forces Operational Test and Evaluation Force Naval Network Warfare Command Military Sealift Command Shore establishments Naval Sea Systems Command Naval Air Systems Command Naval Facilities Engineering Command Naval Supply Systems Command Space and Naval Warfare Systems Command Fleet Cyber Command Naval Academy Naval Education and Training Command Naval Meteorology and Oceanography Command Office of Naval Intelligence Naval Strike and Air Warfare Center Naval Legal Service Command Naval Observatory Navy Occupational Safety & Health Bureau of Naval Personnel Bureau of Medicine and Surgery Fleets Third Fleet Fourth Fleet Fifth Fleet Sixth Fleet Seventh Fleet Tenth Fleet Structure The Pentagon Units Aircraft wings Aircraft squadrons Carrier strike group Installations Naval Observatory Master jet base Ships A–B C D–F G–H I–K L M N–O P Q–R S T–V W–Z Aircraft carriers Airships Amphibious warfare ships Auxiliaries Battleships Cruisers Destroyers Destroyer escorts Escort carriers Frigates Mine warfare vessels Monitors Patrol vessels Sailing frigates Steam frigates Steam gunboats Ships of the line Sloops of war Submarines Torpedo boats Personnel & training People Officers Officer insignia Designators Enlisted Enlisted insignia Ratings Classification Personnel Chaplain Corps (Chief of Chaplains) United States Navy EOD Medical Corps Dental Corps Nurse Corps Medical Service Corps Supply Corps Civil Engineer Corps JAG Corps (JAG) NCIS Boatswain's mates Hospital corpsman Naval Aviator SEALs Seabees SWCCs Hispanic sailors Training: Recruit training United States Naval Academy Officer Candidate School STA-21 NROTC BESS BFTT CNATT COMPTUEX NAWCTSD AIM Naval Chaplaincy School Naval Hospital Corps School Naval Justice School Naval Postgraduate School Navy School of Music Navy Senior Enlisted Academy Navy Supply Corps School Naval War College Nuclear Power School JMTC TOPGUN USNTPS Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences Equipment Uniforms Awards Badges Current fleet Reserve fleet Aircraft Weapons Naval reactors History & traditions History "Anchors Aweigh" Blue Angels Continental Navy Ensign Fleet bands Fleet Week Jack Line-crossing ceremony National Museum Navy Band Navy Flag Navy Hymn Navy Memorial Navy service numbers Sailor's Creed Ship commissioning Ship decommissioning USS Constitution Wetting-down