Airwing History

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U-2R aboard the USS America

Sea trials took place from 21 to 23 November 1969 aboard USS America off the Virginia coast. The tests were conducted by Lockheed test pilot Bill Park plus four CIA pilots. After undergoing abbreviated carrier training, the pilots began a series of takeoffs and landings that proved completely successful. The aircraft was even transported down the ship's elevator to the hangar deck with no significant difficulties. Even after all this effort, however, the U-2R is not believed to ever have operated from a carrier again.

Ray Dermody
Airwing Representative
USS America Carrier Veteran's Association

USS America (CVA/CV 66) Major Deployments - Airwing Breakdown

This list provides the squadron number, type of aircraft and tail code.

The tail codes have been given in as much detail as possible,
including at least the first number of the series; the remaining series numbers are indicated by X's.

Caribbean shakedown /CVW-6 01 May 1965 - 01 July 1965
VF-102	F-4B	AE1xx
VF-33	F-4B	AE2xx
VA-66	A-4C	AE3xx	Image 1 Image 2 Image 3 Image 4
VA-76	A-4C	AE56xx
VA-64	A-4C	AE56xx
VAW-12 Det66	E-1B	GE7xx
VAW-33 Det66	EA-1F	GD8xx	Image 1
VAP-62 Det66	RA-3B	GBx
HU-2 Det66	UH-2A	HUxx

Mediterranean/CVW-6 30 November 1965 - 10 July 1966
VF-102	F-4B	AE1XX
VF-33	F-4B	AE2XX
VA-66	A-4C	AE3XX	Image 1
RVAH-5	RA-5C	AE40X
VA-64	A-4C	AE6XX
VAW-12 DET66	E-1B	AE71X
VAW-33 DET66	EA-1F	AE81X
VQ-2 DET	EA-3B	JOXX
HC-2 DET66	UH-2A	HUXX

Mediterranean/CVW-6 10 January-20 Septermber 1967
VF-102	F-4B	AE1XX
VF-33	F-4B	AE2XX
VA-66	A-4C	AE3XX	Image 1
FVAH-5	RA-5C	AE40X
VA-36	A-4C	AE5XX
VA-64	4-4C	AE6XX
VAW-12 DET66	E-2A	GE75X
VAW-12 became VAW-122 on 01 APR 1967
VAW-33 DET66	EA-1F	AE81X
VAH-10 DET66	A-3B	AE02X
HS-9 DET66	SH-3A	AW6X
HC-2 DET66	UH-2A	HUXX

Vietnam/CVW-6 10 April-16 December 1968
VF-102	F-4J	AE1XX
VF-3	F-4J	AE2XX
VA-82	A-7A	AE3XX	Image 1
VA-86	A-7A	AE40X
VA-85	A-6A/B	AE5XX	Image 1
RVAH-13	RA-5C	AE60X
VAW-13DET66	EKA-3B	AE71X
(VAW 13 Became VAQ -130 on 01 April)
VAW-122	E-2A	AE72X	Image 1
VAW-10 DET66	E-2A	AE01X
HC-2 DET66	UH-2A/B	HUXX

Vietnam/CVW-9 10 April-21 December 1970
VF-96	F-4J	NG1XX
FJ-92	F-4J	NG2XX
VA-146	A-7E	NG3XX
VA-147	A-7E	NG4XX
VA-165	A-6A/B/C	NG5XX
RVAH-12	RA-5C	NG60X
VAQ-132	EKA/KA-3B	NG61X
VAW-124	E-2A	NG01X
HC-2 DET66	UH-2C	HUXX

Mediterranean/cvw-8 06 July-15 December 1971
VF-101 DET66	F-4J	AJ1XX
VMFA-333	F-4J	AJ2XX
VA-82	A-7E	AJ3XX
VA-86	A-7C	AJ40X
VA-35	A-6A/C	AJ5XX
	AKA-6D	AJ5XX
RVAH-13	RA-5C	AJ60XX
VAQ-135 DET	EKA-3B	AJ61X
VAW-124	E-2B	AJ01X
HC-2DET66	SH-3G	AJ00X
VQ-2 DET66	EA-3B	J0XX

Vietnam/CVW-8 05 June 1972-24 March 1973
VF-74	F-4J	AJ1XX	Image 1
VMFA-333	F-4J	AJ2XX	Image 1
VA-82	A-7C	AJ3XX
VA-86	A-7C	AJ4XX
VA-35	A-6A/C	AJ5XX	Image 1 Image 2
	KA-6D	AJ5XX	Image 1 Image 2
RVAH-6	RA-5C	AJ60X
VAQ-132	EA-6B	AJ61X	Image 1 Image 2
		AJ62X
VAW-124	E-2B	AJ01X
		AJ742
HC-2 DET66	SH-3G	AJ1X

Mediterranean/CVW-8 03 January-03 August 1974
VF-143	F-4J	AJ1XX
VF-142	F-4J	AJ2XX
VA-82	A-7C	AJ3XX
VA-86	A-7C	AJ4XX	Image 1 Image 2
VA-35	A-6E/KA-6D	AJ5XX
RVAH-1	RA-5C	AJ60X
VAQ-133	EA-6B	AJ61X
VAW-124	E-2C	AJ74X
HC-2 DET66	SH-3G	AJ00X

North Atlantic/CVW-8 (NATO Northern Merger) 06 Septermber-12 October 1974
VF-213	F-4J	NH1XX
VF-103	F-4J	AC2XX
VA-82	A-7C	AJ3XX
VA-86	A-7C	AJ4XX
VA-35	A-6E/KA-6D	AJ5XX
RVAH-1	RA-5C	AJ60X
VMCJ-2 DETB	EA-6A	CY62X
VAW-126	E-2C	AA76X
HC-2 DET66	SH-3G	AJ00X

Mediterranean/CVW-6 15 April-25 October 1976
VF-143	F-14A	AE1XX
VF-143	F-14A	AE2XX
VA-15	A-7E	AE3XX
VA-87	A-7E	AE4XX
VA-176	A-63	AE5XX
	KA-6D	AE52X
VS-28	S-3A	AE61XX
VAQ-137	EA-6B	AE70X
VFP-63 DET5	RF-8G	AE71X	Image 1
VAW-124	E-2C	AE72X
HS-15	SH-3D	AE00X	Image 1
VQ-2 DET	EA-3B	JOXX



Mediterranean/CVW-6 29-Septermber 1977-25 April 1978
VF-143	F-14A	AE1XX
VF-142	F-14A	AE2XX
VA-15	A-7E	AE3XX
VA-87	A-7E	AE4XX	Image 1 Image 2 Image 3 Image 4
VA-176	A-6E/KA-6D	AE5XX
VS-28	S-3A	AE6XX	Image 1 Image 2 Image 3 Image 4 Image 5 Image 6 Image 7 Image 8 Image 9 Image 10 Image 11 Image 12
VAQ-137	EA-6B	AE70X
VFP-63 DET5	RF-8G	AE71X
VAW-124	E-2C	AE72X
HS-15	SH-3D	AE00X

Mediterranean/CVW-11 13-March-22 September 1979
VF-114	F-14A	NH1XX
VF-213	F-14A	NH2XX
VA-192	A-7E	NH3XX
VA-195	A-7E	NH4XX
VA-95	A-6E/KA-6D	NH5XX
VAW-124	E-2C	NH60X
VFP-63 DET4	RF-8G	NH62X
VAQ-131	EA-6B	NH61X
VS-33	S-3A	NH7XX
HS-12	SH-3H	NH74X

Indian Ocean/CVW-11 14 April-12 November 1981
VF-114	F-14A	NH1XX
VF-213	F-14A	NH2XX
VA-192	A-7E	NH3XX
VA-195	A-7E	NH4XX
VA-95	A-6E/KA-6D	NH5XX
VAQ-133	EA-6B	NH6XX
VS-33	S-3A	NH7XX
HS-12	SH-3H	NH74X
VAW-123	E-2C	NH01X
VA2 DET-A	EA-3B	JQ1X

North Atlantic/Med/Carib/CVW-1 (NATO Northern Wedding) 22 August-04 November 1982
VF-102	F-14A	AB1XX
VF-33	F-14A	AB2XX
VA-46	A-7E	AB3XX
VA-72	A-7E	AB4XX
VA-34	A-6E/KA-6D	AB5XX
VAW-123	E-2C	AB60X
VAQ-135	EA-6B	AB60X
HS-11	SH-3H	AB61X
VS-32	S-3A	AB7XX

Med/10/Atlantic/CVW-1 08 December 1982-02 June 1983
VF-102	F-14A	AB1XX
VF-33	F-14A	AB2XX
VA-46	A-7E	AB3XX
VA-72	A-7E	AB4XX	Return from a NATO cruise VA-72 packing it up VA-72 launches Joint exercise w/ USAF VA72 pilot self pic Off the coast of Libya Libya #2
VA-34	A-6E/KA-6D	AB5XX
VAW-123	E-2C	AB60X
VAQ-136	EA-6B	AB60X
HS-11	SH-3H	AB61X	Image 1 Image 2 Image 3 Image 4 Image 5
VS-32	S-3A	AB7XX

Caribbean/10/Atlantic/CVW-1 24 April to 14 November 1984
VF-102	F-14A	AB1XX
VF-33	F-14A	AB2XX
VA-46	A-7E	AB3XX
VA-72	A-7E	AB4XX
VA-34	A-6E/KA-6D	AB5XX
VAW-123	E-2C	AB60X
VAQ-135	EA-6B	AB60X
HS-11	SH-3H	AB61X
VS-32	S-3A	AB7XX
VQ-2 DETA	EA-3B	JQ1X

Mediterranean/CVW-1 (Operation Eldorado Canyon) 10 March-10 September 1986
VF-102	F-14A	AB1XX
VF-33	F-14A	AB2XX
VA-46	A-7E	AB3XX
VA-72	A-7E	AB4XX	Image 1 Image 2 Image 3 Image 4
VA-34	A-6E/KA-6D	AB5XX
VAW-123	E-2C	AB60X
VMAQ-D DETY	EA-6B	AB60X
HS-11	SH-3H	AB61X
VS-32	S-3A	AB7XX
VQ-2 DET	EA-3B	JQ1X

Caribbean/North Atlantic/CVQ-1 (NATO North Star) 08 February -03 April 1989
VF-102	F-14A	AB1XX
VF-33	F-14A	AB2XX
VFA-82	FA-18C	AB3XX
VFA-86	FA-18C	AB4XX
VA-85	A-6E/KA-6D	AB5XX
VAW-123	E-2C	AB60X
VAQ-137	EA-6B	AB60X
HS-11	SH-3H	AB61X
VS-32	S-3A	AB7XX

Med/Indian Ocean/CVW-1 11 May-10 November 1989
VF-102	F-14A	AB1XX
VF-33	F-14A	AB2XX
VFA-82	FA-18C	AB3XX
VFA-86	FA-18C	AB4XX
VA-85	A-6E/KA-6D	AB5XX
VAW-123	E-2C	AB60X
VAQ-137	EA-6B	AB60X
HS-11	SH-3H	AB61X
VS-32	S-3A	AB7XX

Red Sea/Persian Gulf/CVW-1 (Operation Desert Storm) 28 December 1990-18 April 1991
VF-102	F-14A	AB1XX	Image1
VF-32	F-14A	AB2XX
VFA-82	FA-18C	AB3XX
VFA-86	FA-18C	AB4XX
VA-85	A-6E/KA-6D	AB5XX	Image 1 Image 2 Image 3 Image 4 Image 5 Image 6 Image 7 Image 8 Image 9 Image 10
VAW-123	E-2C	AB60X
HS-11	SH-3H	AB60X
VAQ-137	EA-6B	AB61X
VS-32	S-3B	AB7XX

Med/Red Sea/Persian Gulf/CVW-1 02 December 1991-06 June 1992
VF-102	F-14A	AB1XX
VF-33	F-14A	AB2XX
VFA-82	FA-18C	AB3XX
VFA-86	FA-18C	AB4XX
VA-85	A-6E/KA-6D	AB5XX
VAW-123	E-2C	AB60X
HS-11	SH-3H	AB61X
VAQ-137	EA-6B	AB62X
VS-32	S-3B	AB7XX

Med/Indian Ocean/CVW-1 (Operation Deny Flight/Continue Hope) 11 August 1993 - 05 February 1994
VF-102	F-14A	AB1XX
VFA-82	FA-18C	AB3XX
VFA-86	FA-18C	AB4XX
VA-85	A-6E/KA-6D	AB5XX
VAW-123	E-2C	AB60X
HS-11	SH-3H	AB61X
VAQ-137	EA-6B	AB62X
VS-32	S-3B	AB7XX
VRC-40 DET3	C-2A	AB4X
HMM-162	CH-46E	YSOX

Caribbean (Operation uphold Democracy) 13 September-22 October 1994
HCS-4 DET	HH-60H	NWXXX
HS-3 DET	SH-60H	AJ61X

Mediterranean/Persian Gulf/CVW-1 (Operation Deliberate Force/So. Watch) 28 August 1995 - 24 February 1996
VF-102	F-14B	AB1XX
VMFA-251	FA-18C	AB2XX
VFA-82	FA-18C	AB3XX
VFA-86	FA-18C	AB3XX
VAW-123	E-2C	AB60X
HS-11	HH/SH-60F/H	AB61X
VS-32	S-B3	AB7xx
VMAQ-3	EA-6B	AB62X	Image 1 Image 2 Image 3

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