VFA-146
Encyclopedia
Strike Fighter Squadron 146 (VFA-146) also known as the "Blue Diamonds" is a United States Navy
an operational fleet strike fighter squadron based at Naval Air Station Lemoore
California. They fly the F/A-18C Hornet and are attached to Carrier Air Wing 14 (CVW 14), deployed aboard . Their tailcode is NG and their radio callsign is Diamond.
on 23 November 1956, consisting of two concentric circles, a yellow mach wave
symbol and a yellow globe showing North and South America. The first nickname the squadron reported to have used was Blacktails. This name was in reference to the black color assigned to the squadron’s position in the air group. The nickname Blue Diamonds was adopted by the squadron sometime in the late 1950s. In 1968 the squadron elected to simplify their insignia and bring it in concert with their nickname. Their current insignia was revised and approved on 29 August 1968.
On 1 February 1956 Attack Squadron 146 (VA-146) became the Navy
's newest jet attack squadron at NAS Miramar. Since there were no fleet replacement squadron
s at this time, VA-146 started with only a handful of aircraft and began an "in-house" training regime in various models of the F9F Cougar
. Their first deployment was aboard in 1957. In September 1957, the squadron transitioned to the FJ-4B Fury
, deploying twice aboard prior to 1960.
The squadron deployed Furys aboard and .
In May 1962 the squadron moved to NAS Lemoore, and transitioned to the A-4 Skyhawk
in June 1962. The squadron's first Skyhawk deployment was to the Western Pacific aboard .
From June to September 1964, while operating from Constellation off Yankee Station
, VA-146 participated in photo reconnaissance missions over Laos
. The squadron’s A-4C Skyhawks were used to provide tanker and rocket-armed escort support for the photo reconnaissance sorties over Laos and South Vietnam
. During this time, VA-146 aircraft also flew night sorties in support of Desoto Patrol
operations (the collection of signal intelligence) conducted by American destroyers operating in international waters off the coast of North Vietnam. In response to North Vietnamese torpedo boat attacks against and on 2 August 1964, VA-146 participated in Operation Pierce Arrow
. These were retaliatory air strikes against North Vietnamese targets which resulted in the sinking or damaging of 8 torpedo boats, and marked the first use of the A-4 in combat.
On 29 June 1966, a 28-plane strike of VA-146 and other CVW-14 aircraft flying from Constellation struck the Haiphong
Petroleum
storage complex, the first American strike against this complex.
In December 1968 under the instruction of VA-125, VA-146 transitioned to the Vought A-7B Corsair II
. The squadron received its first A-7 on 4 Jun 1968 and deployed aboard USS Enterprise (CVN-65)
on 6 January 1969. Shortly after deployment in Sep 1969, the squadron upgraded to the A-7E.
. For the deployment, Constellation and CVW 9 were awarded the Presidential Unit Citation
.
In November 1974, while aboard Constellation, VA-146 operated in the Persian Gulf
, the first time in 26 years that an American carrier had entered and operated there.
In early 1980, VA 146 was named the safest A-7 squadron in combined Navy
-Air Force
history by surpassing all previous records for accident-free flight operations at 36,175 hours. In Feb 1980, VA-146 made the first Pacific deployment with the new Forward Looking Infrared
(FLIR) system installed on the Corsair. During the 1980 deployment aboard Connie, the squadron spent 110 days at sea, the longest continuous at-sea period for any West Coast carrier since World War II
.
In 1983 the Blue Diamonds were tasked with fleet introduction of the HARM
system, and their 14-year association with Carrier Air Wing 9 was broken when VA-146 was reassigned to Carrier Air Wing 2. Upon their return from a WestPac deployment aboard in August 1984, the Diamonds were again reassigned to CVW-9. In September 1988, the Blue Diamonds embarked aboard for a Western Pacific deployment. The highlight of this cruise were operations in the Sea of Japan
during the 1988 Seoul
Summer Olympics.
On 21 July 1989, VA-146 was redesignated Strike Fighter Squadron ONE HUNDRED FORTY SIX (VFA-146), and they received their first F/A-18 Hornet
on 18 Nov 1989.
. Shortly after their return to Lemoore, the Blue Diamonds were named the 1997 COMNAVAIRPAC Battle "E" winner. The Diamonds were also awarded the Captain Michael J. Estocin, Rear Admiral C. Wade McClusky
and the Scott F. Kirby Awards.
On November 12, 2001 the Blue Diamonds deployed with CVW-9 on the . This time to conduct combat operations in support of Operation Enduring Freedom over Afghanistan
. The Diamonds deployed two months early in response to the terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001. Port calls on the way included Hong Kong
and Singapore
arriving in the North Arabian Sea. On December 12, 2001 the Blue Diamonds began their first night strikes into Afghanistan. The missions ranged from 4.5 to 6.0 hours with help from the Roosevelt Battle Group and the Kennedy Battle Group. The Blue Diamonds amassed over 3500 flight hours and delivering over 102,000 pounds of ordnance. Milestones included extending their Top Hook Award streak to 24 after the first line period. Weapons included the JDAM, Laser Guided Bombs, and Mk- 82's. The Diamonds returned at the end of May 2002 after a stopover in Australia
and a Tiger Cruise from Hawaii
.The Diamonds began their most recent cruise aboard on January 17, 2005. The "around-the-world" deployment took them across the Pacific and Indian Ocean
s into the Persian Gulf
. For three months the Blue Diamonds, along with the rest of Carrier Air Wing 9, flew missions in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom. The Vinson then turned south to steam around the Sinai Peninsula into the Red Sea, through the Suez Canal
, the Mediterranean Sea
, then across the Atlantic. On July 31, 2005, the Vinson pulled into its new homeport of Norfolk, VA for a scheduled nuclear refuelling.
United States Navy
The United States Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven uniformed services of the United States. The U.S. Navy is the largest in the world; its battle fleet tonnage is greater than that of the next 13 largest navies combined. The U.S...
an operational fleet strike fighter squadron based at Naval Air Station Lemoore
Naval Air Station Lemoore
Naval Air Station Lemoore or NAS Lemoore is a United States Navy base, located in Kings County and Fresno County, California. Lemoore Station, California, a census-designated place, is located inside the base's borders....
California. They fly the F/A-18C Hornet and are attached to Carrier Air Wing 14 (CVW 14), deployed aboard . Their tailcode is NG and their radio callsign is Diamond.
Squadron Insignia and Nickname
The first insignia for VA-146 was approved by CNOChief of Naval Operations
The Chief of Naval Operations is a statutory office held by a four-star admiral in the United States Navy, and is the most senior uniformed officer assigned to serve in the Department of the Navy. The office is a military adviser and deputy to the Secretary of the Navy...
on 23 November 1956, consisting of two concentric circles, a yellow mach wave
Mach wave
In fluid dynamics, a Mach wave is a pressure wave traveling with the speed of sound caused by a slight change of pressure added to a compressible flow. These weak waves can combine in supersonic flow to become a shock wave if sufficient Mach waves are present at any location. Such a shock wave is...
symbol and a yellow globe showing North and South America. The first nickname the squadron reported to have used was Blacktails. This name was in reference to the black color assigned to the squadron’s position in the air group. The nickname Blue Diamonds was adopted by the squadron sometime in the late 1950s. In 1968 the squadron elected to simplify their insignia and bring it in concert with their nickname. Their current insignia was revised and approved on 29 August 1968.
1950s
Navy
A navy is the branch of a nation's armed forces principally designated for naval and amphibious warfare; namely, lake- or ocean-borne combat operations and related functions...
's newest jet attack squadron at NAS Miramar. Since there were no fleet replacement squadron
Fleet Replacement Squadron
A Fleet Replacement Squadron , is a unit of the United States Navy and Marine Corps that trains Naval Aviators and Naval Flight Officers on the specific front-line aircraft they have been assigned to fly...
s at this time, VA-146 started with only a handful of aircraft and began an "in-house" training regime in various models of the F9F Cougar
F9F Cougar
The Grumman F9F/F-9 Cougar was an aircraft carrier-based fighter aircraft for the United States Navy. Based on the earlier Grumman F9F Panther, the Cougar replaced the Panther's straight wing with a more modern swept wing...
. Their first deployment was aboard in 1957. In September 1957, the squadron transitioned to the FJ-4B Fury
FJ Fury
The North American FJ-2/-3 Fury were a series of swept-wing carrier-capable fighters for the United States Navy and Marine Corps. Based on the United States Air Force's F-86 Sabre, these aircraft featured folding wings, and a longer nose landing strut designed to both increase angle of attack upon...
, deploying twice aboard prior to 1960.
1960s
On 17 Jan 1960, VA-146 Furys participated in a coast to coast non-stop cross country flight.The squadron deployed Furys aboard and .
A-4 Skyhawk
The Douglas A-4 Skyhawk is a carrier-capable ground-attack aircraft designed for the United States Navy and United States Marine Corps. The delta winged, single-engined Skyhawk was designed and produced by Douglas Aircraft Company, and later McDonnell Douglas. It was originally designated the A4D...
in June 1962. The squadron's first Skyhawk deployment was to the Western Pacific aboard .
From June to September 1964, while operating from Constellation off Yankee Station
Yankee Station
Yankee Station was a point in the Gulf of Tonkin off the coast of Vietnam used by the U.S. Navy aircraft carriers of Task Force 77 to launch strikes in the Vietnam War. While its official designation was "Point Yankee," it was universally referred to as Yankee Station...
, VA-146 participated in photo reconnaissance missions over Laos
Laos
Laos Lao: ສາທາລະນະລັດ ປະຊາທິປະໄຕ ປະຊາຊົນລາວ Sathalanalat Paxathipatai Paxaxon Lao, officially the Lao People's Democratic Republic, is a landlocked country in Southeast Asia, bordered by Burma and China to the northwest, Vietnam to the east, Cambodia to the south and Thailand to the west...
. The squadron’s A-4C Skyhawks were used to provide tanker and rocket-armed escort support for the photo reconnaissance sorties over Laos and South Vietnam
Vietnam
Vietnam – sometimes spelled Viet Nam , officially the Socialist Republic of Vietnam – is the easternmost country on the Indochina Peninsula in Southeast Asia. It is bordered by China to the north, Laos to the northwest, Cambodia to the southwest, and the South China Sea –...
. During this time, VA-146 aircraft also flew night sorties in support of Desoto Patrol
DESOTO patrol
DESOTO patrols were patrols conducted by U.S. Navy destroyers equipped with a mobile "van" of signals intelligence equipment used for intelligence collection in hostile waters....
operations (the collection of signal intelligence) conducted by American destroyers operating in international waters off the coast of North Vietnam. In response to North Vietnamese torpedo boat attacks against and on 2 August 1964, VA-146 participated in Operation Pierce Arrow
Operation Pierce Arrow
Operation Pierce Arrow was a U.S. military operation during the Vietnam War.In response to the Gulf of Tonkin Incident when the USS Maddox of the United States Navy engaged North Vietnamese ships, sustaining light damage as it gathered electronic intelligence while in the international waters of...
. These were retaliatory air strikes against North Vietnamese targets which resulted in the sinking or damaging of 8 torpedo boats, and marked the first use of the A-4 in combat.
On 29 June 1966, a 28-plane strike of VA-146 and other CVW-14 aircraft flying from Constellation struck the Haiphong
Haiphong
, also Haiphong, is the third most populous city in Vietnam. The name means, "coastal defence".-History:Hai Phong was originally founded by Lê Chân, the female general of a Vietnamese revolution against the Chinese led by the Trưng Sisters in the year 43 C.E.The area which is now known as Duong...
Petroleum
Petroleum
Petroleum or crude oil is a naturally occurring, flammable liquid consisting of a complex mixture of hydrocarbons of various molecular weights and other liquid organic compounds, that are found in geologic formations beneath the Earth's surface. Petroleum is recovered mostly through oil drilling...
storage complex, the first American strike against this complex.
In December 1968 under the instruction of VA-125, VA-146 transitioned to the Vought A-7B Corsair II
A-7 Corsair II
The Ling-Temco-Vought A-7 Corsair II is a carrier-based subsonic light attack aircraft introduced to replace the United States Navy's Douglas A-4 Skyhawk, initially entering service during the Vietnam War...
. The squadron received its first A-7 on 4 Jun 1968 and deployed aboard USS Enterprise (CVN-65)
USS Enterprise (CVN-65)
USS Enterprise , formerly CVA-65, is the world's first nuclear-powered aircraft carrier and the eighth US naval vessel to bear the name. Like her predecessor of World War II fame, she is nicknamed the "Big E". At , she is the longest naval vessel in the world...
on 6 January 1969. Shortly after deployment in Sep 1969, the squadron upgraded to the A-7E.
1970s
In April 1970, the squadron embarked aboard at NS Norfolk for her extended combat deployment to Vietnam, returning in December 1970. In December 1971, VA-146 became the first Navy squadron to use a laser guided bomb (LGB) in combat. In May 1972 the squadron’s A-7Es conducted night mining missions to North Vietnamese rivers. On January 5, 1973, VA 146 headed west with Carrier Air Wing Nine embarked again in Constellation. This cruise would bring to an end Navy's participation in the Vietnam WarVietnam War
The Vietnam War was a Cold War-era military conflict that occurred in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia from 1 November 1955 to the fall of Saigon on 30 April 1975. This war followed the First Indochina War and was fought between North Vietnam, supported by its communist allies, and the government of...
. For the deployment, Constellation and CVW 9 were awarded the Presidential Unit Citation
Presidential Unit Citation (US)
The Presidential Unit Citation, originally called the Distinguished Unit Citation, is awarded to units of the Armed Forces of the United States and allies for extraordinary heroism in action against an armed enemy on or after 7 December 1941...
.
In November 1974, while aboard Constellation, VA-146 operated in the Persian Gulf
Persian Gulf
The Persian Gulf, in Southwest Asia, is an extension of the Indian Ocean located between Iran and the Arabian Peninsula.The Persian Gulf was the focus of the 1980–1988 Iran-Iraq War, in which each side attacked the other's oil tankers...
, the first time in 26 years that an American carrier had entered and operated there.
1980s
Navy
A navy is the branch of a nation's armed forces principally designated for naval and amphibious warfare; namely, lake- or ocean-borne combat operations and related functions...
-Air Force
Air force
An air force, also known in some countries as an air army, is in the broadest sense, the national military organization that primarily conducts aerial warfare. More specifically, it is the branch of a nation's armed services that is responsible for aerial warfare as distinct from an army, navy or...
history by surpassing all previous records for accident-free flight operations at 36,175 hours. In Feb 1980, VA-146 made the first Pacific deployment with the new Forward Looking Infrared
Forward looking infrared
Forward looking infrared cameras, typically used on military aircraft, use an imaging technology that senses infrared radiation.The sensors installed in forward looking infrared cameras, as well as those of other thermal imaging cameras, use detection of infrared radiation, typically emitted from a...
(FLIR) system installed on the Corsair. During the 1980 deployment aboard Connie, the squadron spent 110 days at sea, the longest continuous at-sea period for any West Coast carrier since World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
.
In 1983 the Blue Diamonds were tasked with fleet introduction of the HARM
AGM-88 HARM
The AGM-88 High-speed Anti-Radiation Missile is a tactical, air-to-surface missile designed to home in on electronic transmissions coming from surface-to-air radar systems. It was originally developed by Texas Instruments as a replacement for the AGM-45 Shrike and AGM-78 Standard ARM system...
system, and their 14-year association with Carrier Air Wing 9 was broken when VA-146 was reassigned to Carrier Air Wing 2. Upon their return from a WestPac deployment aboard in August 1984, the Diamonds were again reassigned to CVW-9. In September 1988, the Blue Diamonds embarked aboard for a Western Pacific deployment. The highlight of this cruise were operations in the Sea of Japan
Sea of Japan
The Sea of Japan is a marginal sea of the western Pacific Ocean, between the Asian mainland, the Japanese archipelago and Sakhalin. It is bordered by Japan, North Korea, Russia and South Korea. Like the Mediterranean Sea, it has almost no tides due to its nearly complete enclosure from the Pacific...
during the 1988 Seoul
Seoul
Seoul , officially the Seoul Special City, is the capital and largest metropolis of South Korea. A megacity with a population of over 10 million, it is the largest city proper in the OECD developed world...
Summer Olympics.
On 21 July 1989, VA-146 was redesignated Strike Fighter Squadron ONE HUNDRED FORTY SIX (VFA-146), and they received their first F/A-18 Hornet
F/A-18 Hornet
The McDonnell Douglas F/A-18 Hornet is a supersonic, all-weather carrier-capable multirole fighter jet, designed to dogfight and attack ground targets . Designed by McDonnell Douglas and Northrop, the F/A-18 was derived from the latter's YF-17 in the 1970s for use by the United States Navy and...
on 18 Nov 1989.
1990s
The Blue Diamonds spent the majority of 1997 preparing for a World Cruise aboard Nimitz, and extended their 13-year history of over 55,000 hours without a Class "A" safety mishap. The highlight of the work-up cycle was a 96-hour sortie surge operation in which the Diamonds flew 226 sorties. On 4 September 1997, the Blue Diamonds departed San Diego with the Nimitz Battle Group in support of Operation Southern WatchOperation Southern Watch
Operation Southern Watch was an operation conducted by Joint Task Force Southwest Asia with the mission of monitoring and controlling airspace south of the 32nd Parallel in Iraq, following the 1991 Gulf War until the 2003 invasion of Iraq.-Summary:Operation Southern Watch began on 27 August 1992...
. Shortly after their return to Lemoore, the Blue Diamonds were named the 1997 COMNAVAIRPAC Battle "E" winner. The Diamonds were also awarded the Captain Michael J. Estocin, Rear Admiral C. Wade McClusky
C. Wade McClusky
Rear Admiral Clarence Wade McClusky, Jr., was a United States Navy aviator during World War II. He is credited with playing a major part in the Battle of Midway...
and the Scott F. Kirby Awards.
2000s
Afghanistan
Afghanistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, is a landlocked country located in the centre of Asia, forming South Asia, Central Asia and the Middle East. With a population of about 29 million, it has an area of , making it the 42nd most populous and 41st largest nation in the world...
. The Diamonds deployed two months early in response to the terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001. Port calls on the way included Hong Kong
Hong Kong
Hong Kong is one of two Special Administrative Regions of the People's Republic of China , the other being Macau. A city-state situated on China's south coast and enclosed by the Pearl River Delta and South China Sea, it is renowned for its expansive skyline and deep natural harbour...
and Singapore
Singapore
Singapore , officially the Republic of Singapore, is a Southeast Asian city-state off the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, north of the equator. An island country made up of 63 islands, it is separated from Malaysia by the Straits of Johor to its north and from Indonesia's Riau Islands by the...
arriving in the North Arabian Sea. On December 12, 2001 the Blue Diamonds began their first night strikes into Afghanistan. The missions ranged from 4.5 to 6.0 hours with help from the Roosevelt Battle Group and the Kennedy Battle Group. The Blue Diamonds amassed over 3500 flight hours and delivering over 102,000 pounds of ordnance. Milestones included extending their Top Hook Award streak to 24 after the first line period. Weapons included the JDAM, Laser Guided Bombs, and Mk- 82's. The Diamonds returned at the end of May 2002 after a stopover in Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
and a Tiger Cruise from Hawaii
Hawaii
Hawaii is the newest of the 50 U.S. states , and is the only U.S. state made up entirely of islands. It is the northernmost island group in Polynesia, occupying most of an archipelago in the central Pacific Ocean, southwest of the continental United States, southeast of Japan, and northeast of...
.The Diamonds began their most recent cruise aboard on January 17, 2005. The "around-the-world" deployment took them across the Pacific and Indian Ocean
Indian Ocean
The Indian Ocean is the third largest of the world's oceanic divisions, covering approximately 20% of the water on the Earth's surface. It is bounded on the north by the Indian Subcontinent and Arabian Peninsula ; on the west by eastern Africa; on the east by Indochina, the Sunda Islands, and...
s into the Persian Gulf
Persian Gulf
The Persian Gulf, in Southwest Asia, is an extension of the Indian Ocean located between Iran and the Arabian Peninsula.The Persian Gulf was the focus of the 1980–1988 Iran-Iraq War, in which each side attacked the other's oil tankers...
. For three months the Blue Diamonds, along with the rest of Carrier Air Wing 9, flew missions in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom. The Vinson then turned south to steam around the Sinai Peninsula into the Red Sea, through the Suez Canal
Suez Canal
The Suez Canal , also known by the nickname "The Highway to India", is an artificial sea-level waterway in Egypt, connecting the Mediterranean Sea and the Red Sea. Opened in November 1869 after 10 years of construction work, it allows water transportation between Europe and Asia without navigation...
, the Mediterranean Sea
Mediterranean Sea
The Mediterranean Sea is a sea connected to the Atlantic Ocean surrounded by the Mediterranean region and almost completely enclosed by land: on the north by Anatolia and Europe, on the south by North Africa, and on the east by the Levant...
, then across the Atlantic. On July 31, 2005, the Vinson pulled into its new homeport of Norfolk, VA for a scheduled nuclear refuelling.
External links
- Skyhawk Association
- VFA-146 (Official Website)
- Carrier Air Wing Nine (Official Website)
See also
- Naval aviationNaval aviationNaval aviation is the application of manned military air power by navies, including ships that embark fixed-wing aircraft or helicopters. In contrast, maritime aviation is the operation of aircraft in a maritime role under the command of non-naval forces such as the former RAF Coastal Command or a...
- Modern US Navy carrier air operationsModern US Navy carrier air operationsModern United States Navy aircraft carrier air operations include the operation of fixed wing and rotary aircraft on and around an aircraft carrier for performance of combat or non-combat missions. Modern United States Navy aircraft carrier flight operations are highly evolved, based on experiences...
- List of military aircraft of the United States (naval) / List of US Naval aircraft
- United States Naval AviatorUnited States Naval AviatorA United States Naval Aviator is a qualified pilot in the United States Navy, Marine Corps or Coast Guard.-Naming Conventions:Most Naval Aviators are Unrestricted Line Officers; however, a small number of Limited Duty Officers and Chief Warrant Officers are also trained as Naval Aviators.Until 1981...
- List of United States Navy aircraft squadrons