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AERIAL REFUELING SQUADRON
TWO ZERO EIGHT
VAK-208 "JOCKEYS"

The left patch was the original when the squadron was formed. The "Alpha Foxtrot" was the CAG designation. When the squadron designation was changed to VAK, the whale logo was adopted.

When the Naval Air Reserve was reorganized in 1970 Tactical Electronic Warfare Squadron 208 was established on July 31 at NAS Alameda, California, as part of Carrier Air Wing Twenty. Equipped with KA-3Bs to support CVWR-20 operations, VAQ-208 also began providing air refueling and pathfinding for Navy and Marine tactical aircraft being ferried to Southeast Asia. During the 1971 India-Pakistan conflict and the 1973 Yom Kippur War, VAQ-208 jointly with VAQ-308 provided crews and aircraft to support emergency deployments of U.S. naval aircraft.. During the seventies, the squadron also provided tanking platforms for test and development of the Lockheed S-3A Viking and Grumman F-14A Tomcat. On October 1, 1979, in recognition of its primary use as a refueling and pathfinding unit, the squadron was redesignated VAK-208. They were disestablished 30 September, 1989.

AERIAL REFUELING SQUADRON
THREE ZERO EIGHT
VAK-308 "GRIFFINS"

 

As a result of the overhaul of the Naval Air Reserve, at NAS Alameda, California on May 2, 1970, VAQ-308, under the command of CDR Gregory Bambo Jr., was the first squadron of the first reserve Carrier Air Group to be commissioned. Comprised of a unique complement of civilian reservists and active duty personnel, VAQ-308 was assigned KA-3B’s. At 0750, November 10, 1970, VAQ-308’s Skywarrior, made the first arrested landing for the newly formed Carrier Air Group 30. The landing was made during low ceilings and 14 foot seas aboard USS TICONDERGA (CVS-14) while cruising approximately 100 miles southwest of San Clemente Island. Never before had non-active duty reservists been day and night carrier qualified! This was the first A3 Skywarrior and the first Heavy Attack Squadron ever assigned to the Naval Air Reserve. VAQ-308 along with its later formed sister squadron, VAQ-208, established a new precedence by flying combat support missions in S.E. Asia during the Vietnam War with civilian reservists (not recalled to Active Duty) during short leaves of absence from their civilian occupations. The squadron supported peacetime as well as critical emergency deployments to the Indian Ocean (e.g., during the India-Pakistan conflict in 1971 and the transfer of aircraft to Israel during the Yom Kippur War in 1973). The AERREFRON designation was adopted on October 1, 1979, thus making VAK-308 and VAK-208 the only Navy units ever to have been given air refueling as their primary mission. After adding over 19 years to the "Whale’s" already long operational tenure, VAK-308 was decommissioned at NAS Alameda on September 30, 1989.

Aerial REFUELING SQUADRON
ONE ZERO TWO ZERO
VAQ-1020

During the 1970s, the Navy Reserve had more A-3 aircrewmen than they had squadrons or airplanes in which to fill. So it was decided to form a couple of non-hardware squadrons at Alameda in which to stash these people and keep them current in type. VAQ-1020 was one of two of these stepchildren who had a full chain of command including a CO, XO and on down the line, all of which where aircrew. There were no A-3s aircraft assigned to them though. They drilled on the weekends and flew VAQ-208's and 308's A-3 Skywarriors.

HEAVY PHOTOGRAPHIC
SQUADRON SIXTY-ONE
VAP-61 "WORLD FAMOUS"

Tracing its ancestry to Photographic Squadron Five (VD-5), which had been commissioned June, 1944, and to Composite Squadron (VC-61), which had been organized in January, 1949, this unit was first designated Heavy Photographic Squadron 61 (VAP-61) on July 2, 1956. Homeported at NAS Agana, Guam, VAP-61 was redesignated Composite Photographic Squadron 61 (VCP-61) on July 1,1959 in preparation for its transition from the AJ-2P to a mix of F8U-1Ps and A3D-2Ps. Two years later, the Crusaders were transferred out and the squadron was once again designated VAP-61.

During the Southeast Asia War, VAP-61 sent RA-3B detachments to DaNang AS, South Vietnam, and aboard CTF-77 carriers for operations over North Vietnam and the Ho Chi Minh Trail. Other operational detachments operated at one time or another from locations throughout the Pacific as well as on the Asian mainland, CONUS and Bermuda. VAP-61 was decommissioned on July 1, 1971.

HEAVY PHOTOGRAPHIC
SQUADRON SIXTY-TWO
VAP-62 "TIGERS"

Commissioned as Photographic Squadron 62 (VJ-62) on April 10, 1952, this squadron was redesignated VAP-62 on Julv 2. 1956 while homeported at NAS Norfolk, Virginia. It moved to NAS Jacksonville, Florida, in August, 1957 and soon thereafter evaluated the YA3D-1 P prototype.

After transitioning from the AJ-2P in late 1959, VAP-62 retained its A3D-2P/RA-3Bs until its inactivation on October 15,1969. During this ten-year period, in addition to performing its normal duties from shore bases and carriers, the squadron undertook several special assignments (e.g., photographing the launch of early manned satellites, cartographic survey of the Great Lakes region, photographic survey of flood damage, and tracking and seeding of hurricanes). Moreover, beginning in the fall of 1966, VAP-62 sent RA-3B detachments to Southeast Asia to operate under the control of VAP-61.  During this period of time detachments covered much of the world. Far East deployments include Vietnam and Austrailia while Europe detachments were sent to Italy, Greece, Norway, Spain and many other countries. Detachments also included Panama and Peurto Rico.

TACTICAL ELECTRONIC WARFARE
SQUADRON THIRTY-THREE
VAQ-33 "FIREBIRDS"

Providing realistic electronic warfare simulation during fleet exercises, VAQ-33 traces its origin to the commissioning of Composite Squadron Thirty-Three in May, 1949. The unit, which initially flew Grummann TBM-3Es and later became a major user of multi-seat Douglas Skyraiders, was redesignated VA(AW)-33 in July, 1956, VAW-33 in June, 1959, and VAQ-33 in February, 1968.

Making the last Skyraider carrier deployment in 1969 aboard the USS John F. Kennedy, VAQ-33 was reorganized at NAS Norfolk in early 1970 to become an "electronic aggressor" as the flying unit of the Fleet Electronic Warfare Support Group (FEWSG). To fulfill its new missions VAQ-33 has since operated several types of specially modified aircraft including A-3Bs (first assigned in 1970), ERA-3Bs (the unit's core equipment), KA-3Bs, and TA-3Bs. In October, 1977, VAQ-33 also assumed responsibility as the A-3 Fleet Replacement Squadron (FRS) and Fleet Replacement Aviation Maintenance Program (FRAMP). In 1978, most of the unit's activities were transferred to NAS Oceana, Virginia, and in 1980, VAQ-33 was finally relocated at NAS Key West, Florida.

TACTICAL ELECTRONIC WARFARE
SQUADRON THIRTY-FOUR
VAQ-34 "ELECTRIC HORSEMEN"

On March 1, 1983, as the need for electronic warfare training increased, VAQ-34 was established at NAS Point Mugu to support West Coast operations. The latest Skywarrior squadron flew KA-3Bs prior to receiving its four EKA-3Bs. It is also equipped with six Vought A-7Ls and one KA-3B. Like those of VAQ-33, VAQ-34s aircraft bear the GO tail code of their common operational commander, FEWSG.

The Red Star patch is the replacement for the Horsemen patch. It was designed by members of the squadron to better reflect their mission as 'The Aggressors'. The blue background and red and white stripes with the stars in the rockets trail represent the U.S. flag. The Cyrillic at the top says 'The Aggressors'. The patch to the right is a crewchief patch.

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