DEPLOYMENTS:
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February
1954 - August 1954 with CVG-14 aboard USS
Randolph (CVA 15)
June
1955 - February 1956 with CVG-14 aboard USS Boxer
(CVA 21)
January
1957 - July 1957 with CVG-14 aboard USS Hornet
(CVA 12)
June
1958 - August 1958 with CVG-14 aboard USS Ranger
(CVA 61)
January
1959 - July 1959 with CVG-14 aboard USS Ranger (CVA 61)
May
1960 - December 1960 with CVG-14 aboard USS
Orskany (CVA 34)
November
1961 - May 1962 with CVG-14 aboard USS
Lexington (CVA 16)
February
1963 - September 1963 with CVG-14 aboard USS
Constellation (CVA 64)
May
1964 - February 1965 with CVW-14 aboard USS Constellation (CVA 64)
December
1965 - August 1966 with CVW-14 aboard USS Ranger (CVA 61)
May
1967 - December 1967 with CVW-10 aboard USS
Intrepid (CVS 11)
January
1969 - July 1969 with CVW-9 aboard USS
Enterprise (CVAN 65)
October
1970 - June 1971 with CVW-2 aboard USS Ranger (CVA 61)
November
1972 - June 1973 with CVW-2 aboard USS Ranger (CVA 61)
May
1974 - October 1974 with CVW-2 aboard USS Ranger (CVA 61)
January
1976 - September 1976 with CVW-2 aboard USS Ranger (CV 61)
February
1979 - September 1979 with CVW-2 aboard USS Ranger (CV 61)
September
1980 - May 1981 with CVW-2 aboard USS Ranger (CV 61)
April
1982 - October 1982 with CVW-2 aboard USS Ranger (CV 61)
January
1984 - August 1984 with CVW-2 aboard USS
Kitty Hawk (CV 63)
May
1986 - July 1986 with CVW-2 aboard USS Ranger (CV 61)
August
1986 - October 1986 with CVW-2 aboard USS Ranger (CV 61)
March
1987 - April 1987 with CVW-2 aboard USS Ranger (CV 61)
July
1987 - December 1987 with CVW-2 aboard USS Ranger (CV 61)
February
1989 - August 1989 with CVW-2 aboard USS Ranger (CV 61)
December
1990 - June 1991 with CVW-2 aboard USS Ranger (CV 61)
August
1992 - January 1993 with CVW-2 aboard USS Ranger (CV 61)
May
1993 - July 1993 with CVW-2 aboard USS Constellation (CV 64)
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A-6E Intruder (VA-145 / CVW-2) embarked
on USS Ranger (CV 61) - 1993
A-6E Intruder (VA-145 / CVW-2) embarked
on USS Ranger (CV 61) - 1993
A-6E Intruder (VA-145 / CVW-2) embarked
on USS Ranger (CV 61) - 1993
A-6E Intruders (VA-145 / CVW-2) embarked
on USS Ranger (CV 61) - 1992
A-6E Intruder (VA-145 / CVW-2) during
maintenance aboard USS Ranger (CV 61) - 1991
A-6E Intruder (VA-145 / CVW-2) during
maintenance aboard USS Ranger (CV 61) - 1991
A-6E Intruders (VA-145 / CVW-2) with S-3
Vikings and EA-6B Prowlers aboard USS Ranger (CV 61) - 1990
A-6E Intruder (VA-145 / CVW-2) embarked
on USS Ranger (CV 61) - 1989
A-6E Intruder (VA-145 / CVW-2) embarked
on USS Ranger (CV 61) refuels a F-14 Tomcat of VF-1 - 1989
A-6E Intruder (VA-145 / CVW-2) at NAS
Fallon, Nevada - 1988
A-6E Intruders (VA-145) over NAS Fallon,
Nevada - 1986
A-6E Intruders (VA-145) over NAS Fallon,
Nevada - 1986
A-6E Intruders (VA-145 / CVW-2) embarked
on USS Ranger (CV 61) - 1980
A-6E Intruders (VA-145 / CVW-2) embarked
on USS Ranger (CV 61) - 1980
KA-6D & A-6E Intruders (VA-145 /
CVW-2) embarked on USS Ranger (CV 61) - 1980
A-6A Intruders (VA-145 / CVW-9) embarked
on USS Enterprise (CVAN 65) - 1968
A-1H Skyraiders (VA-145 / CVW-14)
embarked on USS Constellation (CVA 64) in flight with an E-1B Tracer - 1963
A-1H Skyraiders (VA-145 / CVW-14)
embarked on USS Constellation (CVA 64) - 1960’s
AD-6 Skyraider (VA-145 / CVG-14) embarked
on USS Ranger (CVA 61) - 1959
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Significant events:
27 Mar 1951: The squadron conducted its first combat sortie, flying close air
support missions in Korea. Apr 1951: The squadron, embarked in Boxer (CV 9),
operated in the Formosa Straits.
20 Sep 1951: VA-702 flew its last close air support sortie in Korea and
thereafter, concentrated its strikes on enemy facilities and targets of opportunity
as part of the interdiction program. This policy, the result of fairly stable
front lines, was effective 21 September and applied to all units of the Fast
Carrier Task Force. Close air support missions were now flown only by the
Marine Corps and Air Force. This policy was modified later in the war and
Fast Carrier Task Force squadrons again flew close air support missions.
16 Oct 1952: Commander B. T. Simonds, the squadron’s commanding officer, was
lost when his plane crashed into the water immediately following its launch
from Kearsarge (CVA 33).
Jun-Aug 1958: The squadron was embarked in Ranger (CVA 61) for her transit
from Norfolk, via Cape Horn, to her new home port at Alameda.
5-8 Jul 1959: The squadron, embarked in Ranger, flew sorties from the carrier
while it operated off Taiwan due to increasing tensions between the Chinese
Nationalists and Chinese Communists.
Jun 1964-Jan 1965: The squadron participated in Yankee Team Operations,
flying Rescue Combat Air Patrols in South Vietnam and Laos.
5 Aug 1964: VA-145 participated in Operation Pierce Arrow, air strikes
against North Vietnam in retaliation for the attacks on the American
destroyers Turner Joy (DD 951) and Maddox (DD 731) in the Gulf of Tonkin on 4
August. The squadron’s Skyraiders, along with other aircraft from the air
wing, struck torpedo boats and other targets at Hon Gay, North Vietnam. A
second sortie of squadron aircraft, along with Skyhawks from VA-144, attacked
five enemy naval vessels that were at sea, near the Lach Chao Estuary and Hon
Me Island. The two vessels attacked by VA-145 were left dead in the water and
smoking. During this attack Lieutenant (jg) Richard C. Sather was shot down.
He was the first naval aviator lost in the Vietnam conflict.
31 Jan 1966: The squadron’s commanding officer, Commander H. F. Griffith, was
awarded the Silver Star for his actions as a flight leader directing and
coordinating simultaneous attacks, under extremely adverse weather
conditions, against a heavily defended primary enemy line of communications
and for his participation in the successful rescue of a downed naval aviator.
1 Feb 1966: During one of the squadron’s combat missions over North Vietnam,
Lieutenant (jg) Dieter Dengler was shot down. He was captured in Laos and
imprisoned. On 30 June 1966 he escaped from a prisoner- of-war stockade, was
rescued and returned to the squadron on 21 July. For his daring escape he was
awarded the Navy Cross.
Jun-Nov 1967: During 120 days on Yankee Station, the squadron assisted in the
recovery of 14 downed airmen, both Navy and Air Force.
16 Apr 1969: Enterprise, with VA-145 embarked, departed Yankee Station en
route to Korean waters in response to the downing of a VQ-1 EC-121 aircraft
by the North Koreans on 15 April. The squadron operated in the Sea of Japan
and the Yellow Sea until 11 May.
Dec 1972: The squadron participated in Linebacker II Operations, heavy air
strikes against targets primarily around Hanoi and Haiphong.
15 Jan 1973: The squadron led the first massive laser bombing attack against
targets in North Vietnam. A coordinated strike was launched involving
squadron A-6s, which used their Pave Knife Laser Designation System, and A-7s
from VA-113 and VA-25. These strikes succeeded in destroying 14 bridges in
North Vietnam.
Jan-Feb 1973: Following the cease-fire with North Vietnam on 27 January, the
squadron concentrated its attention on strikes against lines-of-communication
targets in Laos until an agreement was reached with that country.
Feb-Mar 1973: The squadron flew limited sorties in support of Operation
Endsweep, minesweeping operations in North Vietnamese waters.
Jul 1976: Following the Israeli raid on Entebbe and the threatened military
operations against Kenya by Uganda, the Ranger (CV 61), with VA-145 embarked,
was ordered to transit from the South China Sea to the western Indian Ocean
and operate off the coast of Kenya.
November 1981: the unit received A-6E TRAM
Intruders - this version was capable to carry and fire the HARPOON anti ship
missile.
Aug-Nov 1987: The squadron provided support for Operation Earnest Will, the
escorting of reflagged Kuwaiti oil tankers through the Persian Gulf.
Oct 1987: VA-145 and other assets from CVW-2 provided support for Operation
Nimble Archer, retaliatory strikes by surface forces against an Iranian oil
platform used as a base by Iranian small boats that were attacking oil
tankers.
Aug 1989: During a routine mission, a squadron aircraft sighted a foundering
Vietnamese refugee boat leading to the rescue of 39 refugees by HS-14 and
Ranger.
15 Jan 1991: Ranger (CV 61), with VA-145 embarked, transited to station in
the Persian Gulf.
16 Jan-28 Feb 1991: The squadron participated in Desert Storm, flying combat
missions against targets in Iraq and Kuwait. VA-145 flew 621 combat sorties,
striking land based and sea based targets. Squadron strikes resulted in the
destruction of 33 tanks, 1 bridge, 48 artillery pieces, 41 Iraqi naval
vessels, 20 ammunition storage bunkers, 3 chemical weapon storage facilities,
and 7 command and control sites. All of this was accomplished by the squadron
without the loss of a single person or damage to its aircraft.
17 Sep-3 Dec 1992: Squadron aircraft flew missions in support of Operation
Southern Watch. This operation was in support of UN Resolution 688, which
demanded that Iraqi government stop the repression of its Shi’ite population
in southern Iraq and banned Iraqi planes from flying south of the 32nd
parallel.
7-18 Dec 1992: Squadron aircraft flew missions in support of Operation
Restore Hope, a UN authorized effort to relieve mass starvation amid
factional fighting in Somalia.
Homeport assignments:
NAS Miramar: 1953-62
NAS Moffett Field: 1962-63
NAS Alameda: 1963-68
NAS Whidbey Island: 1968-93
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