Attack Squadron 36 (ATKRON 36)

VA-36 ‘Roadrunners’

 

va-36 roadrunners insignia crest patch badge attack squadron atkron us navy

va-36 roadrunners attack squadron atkron skyhawk intruder us navy

 

STATUS:

First VA-36 ‘Roadrunners’:

established as Fighter Squadron 102 (VF-102) on May 1, 1952
VF-102 redesignated Attack Squadron 36 (VA-36) on July 1, 1955
VA-36 disestablished on August 1, 1970

 

Second VA-36 ‘Roadrunners’:

(new)established as Attack Squadron 36 (VA-36) on March 6, 1987
VA-36 disestablished on April 1, 1994

AIRCRAFT:

First VA-36 ‘Roadrunners’:

Grumman F9F-5 Panther (1952-56)
Grumman F9F-8 Cougar (1956-58)
Douglas A4D-2 Skyhawk (1958-61)
Douglas A4D-2N Skyhawk (1961-62)
(A4D-2N redesignated A-4C in 1962)
Douglas A-4C Skyhawk (1962-70)

 

Second VA-36 ‘Roadrunners’:

Grumman A-6E Intruder (1987-94)

 

 

DEPLOYMENTS:

First VA-36 ‘Roadrunners’:

September 1955 - April 1956 with ATG-201 aboard USS Bennington (CVA 20)

August 1959 - February 1960 with CVG-3 aboard USS Saratoga (CVA 60)

August 1960 - February 1961 with CVG-3 aboard USS Saratoga (CVA 60)

November 1961 - May 1962 with CVG-3 aboard USS Saratoga (CVA 60)

March 1963 - October 1963 with CVG-3 aboard USS Saratoga (CVA 60)

November 1964 - July 1965 with CVW-3 aboard USS Saratoga (CVA 60)

October 1965 - June 1966 with CVW-9 aboard USS Enterprise (CVAN 65)

January 1967 - September 1967 with CVW-6 aboard USS America (CVA 66)

June 1968 - February 1969 with CVW-10 aboard USS Intrepid (CVS 11)

December 1969 - July 1970 with CVW-17 aboard USS Forrestal (CVA 59)

    

Second VA-36 ‘Roadrunners’:

August 1988 - October 1988 with CVW-8 aboard USS Theodore Roosevelt (CVN 71)

December 1988 - June 1989 with CVW-8 aboard USS Theodore Roosevelt (CVN 71)

December 1990 - June 1991 with CVW-8 aboard USS Theodore Roosevelt (CVN 71)

March 1993 - September 1993 with CVW-8 aboard USS Theodore Roosevelt (CVN 71)

 

images

 

second VA-36 Roadrunners (1987 - 1994)

 

va-36 roadrunners attack squadron a-6e intruder carrier air wing cvw-8 uss theodore roosevelt cvn 71

A-6E Intruders (VA-36 / CVW-8) aboard USS Theodore Roosevelt (CVN 71) - Suez Canal - 1993

 

A-6E Intruder (VA-36 / CVW-8) landing aboard USS Theodore Roosevelt (CVN 71) - 1993

 

attack squadron va-36 roadrunners atkron cvw-8 uss theodore roosevelt cvn 71

A-6E Intruder (VA-36 / CVW-8) landing aboard USS Theodore Roosevelt (CVN 71) - 1991 (NNAM)

 

attack squadron va-36 roadrunners a-6e intruder carrier air wing cvw-8 uss theodore roosevelt cvn 71

A-6E Intruders (VA-36 / CVW-8) embarked on USS Theodore Roosevelt (CVN 71) - 1991

 

va-36 roadrunners atkron a-6e intruder cvw-8 uss theodore roosevelt cvn 71

A-6E Intruder (VA-36 / CVW-8) embarked on USS Theodore Roosevelt (CVN 71) - Operation Provide Comfort - 1991

 

va-36 roadrunners attack squadron a-6e intruder cvw-8

A-6E Intruder (VA-36 / CVW-8) embarked on USS Theodore Roosevelt (CVN 71) - 1991

 

attack squadron va-36 roadrunners a-6e intruder cvw-8 uss theodore roosevelt cvn 71

A-6E Intruder (VA-36 / CVW-8) embarked on USS Theodore Roosevelt (CVN 71) - Operation Provide Comfort - 1991

 

attack squadron va-36 roadrunners a-6e intruder cvw-8 uss theodore roosevelt cvn 71

A-6E Intruder (VA-36 / CVW-8) embarked on USS Theodore Roosevelt (CVN 71) - Operation Provide Comfort - 1991

 

va-36 roadrunners a-6e intruder cvw-8 uss theodore roosevelt cvn 71

A-6E Intruders (VA-36 / CVW-8) embarked on USS Theodore Roosevelt (CVN 71) - 1991

 

va-36 roadrunners a-6e intruder nose art heartless

A-6E Intruder (VA-36 / CVW-8) embarked on USS Theodore Roosevelt (CVN 71) - 1991

 

va-36 roadrunners attack squadron a-6e intruder cvw-8 uss theodore roosevelt

A-6E Intruder, 542 (VA-36 / CVW-8) embarked on USS Theodore Roosevelt (CVN 71) - 1991

 

va-36 roadrunners atkron a-6e intruder cvw-8

A-6E Intruder (VA-36 / CVW-8) embarked on USS Theodore Roosevelt (CVN 71) - Operation Provide Comfort - 1991

 

va-36 roadrunners a-6e intruder cvw-8

A-6E Intruder (VA-36 / CVW-8) embarked on USS Theodore Roosevelt (CVN 71) - Operation Provide Comfort - 1991

 

A-6E Intruder (VA-36 / CVW-8) embarked on USS Theodore Roosevelt (CVN 71) with a F-14 Tomcat of VF-14 - 1990

 

attack squadron va-36 roadrunners atkron a-6e intruder carrier air wing cvw-8 uss theodore roosevelt cvn 71

A-6E Intruder (VA-36 / CVW-8) embarked on USS Theodore Roosevelt (CVN 71) - circa 1990 (NNAM)

 

va-36 roadrunners a-6e intruder atkron cvw-8 uss abraham lincoln cvn 72 shakedown cruise

A-6E Intruder (VA-36 / CVW-8) landing aboard USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN 72) during her shakedown cruise - 1990

 

A-6E Intruder (VA-36 / CVW-8) embarked on USS Theodore Roosevelt (CVN 71) - 1988

 

attack squadron va-36 roadrunners a-6e intruder carrier air wing cvw-8 uss theodore roosevelt cvn 71 atkron us navy

A-6E Intruder (VA-36 / CVW-8) embarked on USS Theodore Roosevelt (CVN 71) - 1987 (NNAM)

 

 

 

first VA-36 Roadrunners (1955 - 1970)

 

va-36 roadrunners attack squadron a-4c skyhawk carrier air wing cvw-10 uss intrepid cvs 11 atkron

A-4C Skyhawk (VA-36 / CVW-10) embarked on USS Intrepid (CVS 11) - 1969 (courtesy of the National Naval Aviation Museum)

 

attack squadron va-36 roadrunners a-4c skyhawk cvw-10 uss intrepid cvs 11 atkron 1969

A-4C Skyhawk (VA-36 / CVW-10) embarked on USS Intrepid (CVS 11) - 1969 (NNAM)

 

attack squadron va-36 roadrunners atkron a-4c skyhawk cvw-10 uss intrepid cvs 11 vietnam 1969

A-4C Skyhawk (VA-36 / CVW-10) embarked on USS Intrepid (CVS 11) - Vietnam 1969 (NNAM)

 

 

pilots of VA-36 aboard USS Intrepid (CVA 11) - 1968/69

 

va-36 roadrunners attack squadron a-4c skyhawk carrier air wing cvw-6 uss america cva 66

A-4C Skyhawks (VA-36 / CVW-6) embarked on USS America (CVA 66) - 1967 (NNAM)

 

attack squadron va-36 roadrunners a-4c skyhawk carrier air wing cvw-9 uss enterprise cvan 65 atkron

A-4C Skyhawks (VA-36 / CVW-9) embarked on USS Enterprise (CVAN 65) - 1965-66 (NNAM)

 

attack squadron va-36 roadrunners a-4c skyhawk carrier air wing cvw-3 uss saratoga cva 60

A-4C Skyhawk (VA-36 / CVW-3) embarked on USS Saratoga (CVA 60) - 1960’s (NNAM)

 

va-36 roadrunners attack squadron atkron cvw-3 uss saratoga cva 60

A-4C Skyhawks (VA-36 / CVW-3) embarked on USS Saratoga (CVA 60) - 1960’s (NNAM)

 

attack squadron va-36 roadrunners carrier air group cvg-3 uss saratoga cva 60

A4D-2 Skyhawk (VA-36 / CVG-3) embarked on USS Saratoga (CVA 60) - 1959-60 (NNAM)

 

va-36 roadrunners attack squadron a-4c skyhawk atkron us navy

A-4C Skyhawk (VA-36) - undated (NNAM)

 

 

history

First VA-36:

 

 

Chronology of significant events:


Nov 1953–Sep 1954: During the squadron’s world cruise aboard Tarawa (CVA 40), it visited 14 different ports in 10 foreign countries and transited the Suez and Panama Canals.

Jul–Aug 1961: While deployed on a training cruise aboard Saratoga in the Caribbean, the squadron was on an alert status due to the Bay of Pigs invasion.

2 Dec 1965: The squadron conducted its first combat operations, flying from Enterprise (CVAN 65) on Dixie Station in the South China Sea off the coast of Vietnam. This marked the first time a nuclear powered ship had engaged in combat.

Dec 1965–Jun 1966: During this period of combat operations squadron personnel were awarded over 170 Air Medals.

May–Jun 1967: VA-36, embarked on America, was on station in the eastern Mediterranean during the Middle East War between Israel and Egypt and Syria. Units of America’s air wing were launched to provide air cover for Liberty (AGTR 5) when it came under attack by Israeli forces.

 

va-36 roadrunners oversea deployments 1953-1970

 

 

 

Second VA-36:

 

 

Chronology of significant events:

 

30 Dec 1988: VA-36 deployed aboard Theodore Roosevelt (CVN 71) for the carrier’s maiden cruise to the Mediterranean Sea.

20 Jan–28 Feb 1991: The squadron participated in Operation Desert Storm, combat operations against Iraq.

Apr–Jun 1991: The squadron participated in Operation Provide Comfort, a multi-national operation providing relief and aid for Kurdish refugees in northern Iraq.

Mar–Sep 1993: The squadron, along with other units of CVW-8, deployed aboard Roosevelt (CVN 71) in a new approach to joint operations to test the Navy’s ability to project a wide range of power and mobility from the sea. The composition on the carrier during the deployment included the regular air wing, minus an F-14 and S-3 squadron, and a Special Marine Air- Ground Task Force consisting of a Marine Corps fixedwing and helo squadron and a company of Marines. The mix of units provided the carrier with the ability to project air and ground striking power ashore from a single deck.

Jun 1993: The squadron, along with other units embarked on Theodore Roosevelt (CVN 71), operated in the Red Sea in support of a strike on the Iraqi Intelligence Service headquarters building in Baghdad in response to Iraq’s attempt on the life of former President Bush while on a visit to Kuwait in April. During this time, the squadron also participated in Operation Southern Watch missions, enforcing the U.N. no-fly zone within southern Iraq.

 

va-36 roadrunners deployments 1988-1993

 

patches

 

   attack squadron va-36 roadrunners crest insignia patch badge atkron navy

first VA-36 Roadrunners

 

 

va-36 roadrunners attack squadron hotrodus supersonicus patch crest insignia badgeattack squadron va-36 roadrunners patch insignia badge crest atkron

 

va-36 roadrunners attack squadron cruise patch uss philippine sea cvs-47

first VA-36 Roadrunners (3 patches courtesy of the National Naval Aviation Museum)

 

 

 

 

va-36 roadrunners atkron attack squadron patch crest insignia badge intruder   attack squadron va-36 roadrunners atkron intruder insignia crest patch badge

second VA-36 Roadrunners

 

 

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