VP-23
Encyclopedia
VP-23, Patrol Squadron 23, known as the Seahawks, was a U.S. Navy fixed-wing, anti-submarine and maritime Patrol Squadron based at Brunswick Naval Air Station, Brunswick, Maine
, USA. She was disestablished on February 28, 1995.
VP-10F - Redesignated - 17JUL33
VP-10 - Redesignated - 01OCT37
VP-25 - Redesignated - 01JUL39
VP-23 - Redesignated - 01AUG41
VPB-23 - Redesignated - 01OCT44
VPB-23 - Disestablished - 25JAN46
THREE (VPW-3)-17MAY1946.
VPM-3 - Redesignated - Meteorology Squadron THREE (VPM-
3)-15NOV46.
VP-HL-3 - Redesignated - Heavy Patrol Squadron (Landplane)
THREE (VP-HL-3)-8DEC1947 (the second
squadron to be assigned the VP-HL-3 designation).
VP-23 - Redesignated - Patrol Squadron TWENTY THREE (VP-
23)-1 September 1948 (the third squadron to be assigned
the VP-23 designation).
VP-23 - Disestablished - 28FEB1995.
19 May 1952: VP-23 deployed to Argentia,
Newfoundland, for three months of advanced base
training in cold weather operations, relieving VP-24.
Jan 1953: VP-23 deployed to the Spanish Air Base
at Reus, Tarragona, Spain, for one week of training
with Spanish Air Force personnel. At the end of the
week the squadron flew to Port Lyautey, F.M.
Jun 1953: VP-23 deployed to Argentia,
Newfoundland, with a detachment at Thule AFB,
Greenland.
Apr 1955: VP-23 deployed to Bermuda with new jet-assisted A/C. A three-aircraft detachment
was maintained at Lajes, Azores.
1974 - 13JUN74 to 14NOV74: Naval Station Rota, Spain
and NAF Lajes (Lajes Field
), Azores
1975 - 2JUL75 to 17DEC75: Naval Air Station Bermuda
, Bermuda
and (Lajes Field
), Azores
1976 - 1DEC76 to 5MAY77: Naval Station Rota, Spain
and NAF Lajes (Lajes Field
), Azores
Mar1978 - Sept1978 Naval Station Rota, Spain
and NAV Lajes (Lajes Field
), Azores
Sept1979 - Mar1980 Naval Air Station Keflavik
, Iceland
in February 1980 split deployment to Diego Garcia
, Indian Ocean
in response to the 1980 Iran Hostage Crisis
1981 - 15FEB81-29JUL81: Naval Air Station Keflavik
, Iceland
1982 - Naval Station Rota, Spain
and NAF Lajes (Lajes Field
), Azores
1983 - Naval Air Station Bermuda
1990 - Naval Air Station, Bermuda; UNITAS: Roosevelt Roads, PR,Ecuador, Peru, Chile, Argentina, Brazil
1992 - 1993 Naval Air Station Sigonella, Sicily and Operations Desert Shield and Southern Watch
[under construction—see official history below and feel free to pitch in]
Brunswick, Maine
Brunswick is a town in Cumberland County, Maine, United States. The population was 20,278 at the 2010 census. It is part of the Portland-South Portland-Biddeford metropolitan area. Brunswick is home to Bowdoin College, the Bowdoin College Museum of Art, the Peary-MacMillan Arctic Museum, , and the...
, USA. She was disestablished on February 28, 1995.
History Pre-1946
VP-10S - Established - 01JUL30VP-10F - Redesignated - 17JUL33
VP-10 - Redesignated - 01OCT37
VP-25 - Redesignated - 01JUL39
VP-23 - Redesignated - 01AUG41
VPB-23 - Redesignated - 01OCT44
VPB-23 - Disestablished - 25JAN46
History 1946 to 1995
VPW-3 - Established - Weather Reconnaissance SquadronTHREE (VPW-3)-17MAY1946.
VPM-3 - Redesignated - Meteorology Squadron THREE (VPM-
3)-15NOV46.
VP-HL-3 - Redesignated - Heavy Patrol Squadron (Landplane)
THREE (VP-HL-3)-8DEC1947 (the second
squadron to be assigned the VP-HL-3 designation).
VP-23 - Redesignated - Patrol Squadron TWENTY THREE (VP-
23)-1 September 1948 (the third squadron to be assigned
the VP-23 designation).
VP-23 - Disestablished - 28FEB1995.
Deployments
[under construction—see official history below and feel free to pitch in]19 May 1952: VP-23 deployed to Argentia,
Newfoundland, for three months of advanced base
training in cold weather operations, relieving VP-24.
Jan 1953: VP-23 deployed to the Spanish Air Base
at Reus, Tarragona, Spain, for one week of training
with Spanish Air Force personnel. At the end of the
week the squadron flew to Port Lyautey, F.M.
Jun 1953: VP-23 deployed to Argentia,
Newfoundland, with a detachment at Thule AFB,
Greenland.
Apr 1955: VP-23 deployed to Bermuda with new jet-assisted A/C. A three-aircraft detachment
was maintained at Lajes, Azores.
1974 - 13JUN74 to 14NOV74: Naval Station Rota, Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
and NAF Lajes (Lajes Field
Lajes Field
Lajes Field or Lajes Air Base , officially designated Air Base No. 4 , is a multi-use air field, home to the Portuguese Air Force Base Aérea Nº4 and Azores Air Zone Command , a United States Air Force detachment , and a regional air passenger terminal located near Lajes...
), Azores
Azores
The Archipelago of the Azores is composed of nine volcanic islands situated in the middle of the North Atlantic Ocean, and is located about west from Lisbon and about east from the east coast of North America. The islands, and their economic exclusion zone, form the Autonomous Region of the...
1975 - 2JUL75 to 17DEC75: Naval Air Station Bermuda
Naval Air Station Bermuda
Naval Air Station Bermuda , was located on St. David's Island, Bermuda from 1970 to 1995, on the former site of Kindley Air Force Base...
, Bermuda
Bermuda
Bermuda is a British overseas territory in the North Atlantic Ocean. Located off the east coast of the United States, its nearest landmass is Cape Hatteras, North Carolina, about to the west-northwest. It is about south of Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada, and northeast of Miami, Florida...
and (Lajes Field
Lajes Field
Lajes Field or Lajes Air Base , officially designated Air Base No. 4 , is a multi-use air field, home to the Portuguese Air Force Base Aérea Nº4 and Azores Air Zone Command , a United States Air Force detachment , and a regional air passenger terminal located near Lajes...
), Azores
Azores
The Archipelago of the Azores is composed of nine volcanic islands situated in the middle of the North Atlantic Ocean, and is located about west from Lisbon and about east from the east coast of North America. The islands, and their economic exclusion zone, form the Autonomous Region of the...
1976 - 1DEC76 to 5MAY77: Naval Station Rota, Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
and NAF Lajes (Lajes Field
Lajes Field
Lajes Field or Lajes Air Base , officially designated Air Base No. 4 , is a multi-use air field, home to the Portuguese Air Force Base Aérea Nº4 and Azores Air Zone Command , a United States Air Force detachment , and a regional air passenger terminal located near Lajes...
), Azores
Azores
The Archipelago of the Azores is composed of nine volcanic islands situated in the middle of the North Atlantic Ocean, and is located about west from Lisbon and about east from the east coast of North America. The islands, and their economic exclusion zone, form the Autonomous Region of the...
Mar1978 - Sept1978 Naval Station Rota, Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
and NAV Lajes (Lajes Field
Lajes Field
Lajes Field or Lajes Air Base , officially designated Air Base No. 4 , is a multi-use air field, home to the Portuguese Air Force Base Aérea Nº4 and Azores Air Zone Command , a United States Air Force detachment , and a regional air passenger terminal located near Lajes...
), Azores
Azores
The Archipelago of the Azores is composed of nine volcanic islands situated in the middle of the North Atlantic Ocean, and is located about west from Lisbon and about east from the east coast of North America. The islands, and their economic exclusion zone, form the Autonomous Region of the...
Sept1979 - Mar1980 Naval Air Station Keflavik
Naval Air Station Keflavik
United States Naval Air Station Keflavik is a former NATO facility at Keflavík International Airport, Iceland. It is located on the Reykjanes peninsula on the south-west portion of the island...
, Iceland
Iceland
Iceland , described as the Republic of Iceland, is a Nordic and European island country in the North Atlantic Ocean, on the Mid-Atlantic Ridge. Iceland also refers to the main island of the country, which contains almost all the population and almost all the land area. The country has a population...
in February 1980 split deployment to Diego Garcia
Diego Garcia
Diego Garcia is a tropical, footprint-shaped coral atoll located south of the equator in the central Indian Ocean at 7 degrees, 26 minutes south latitude. It is part of the British Indian Ocean Territory [BIOT] and is positioned at 72°23' east longitude....
, 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...
in response to the 1980 Iran Hostage Crisis
Iran hostage crisis
The Iran hostage crisis was a diplomatic crisis between Iran and the United States where 52 Americans were held hostage for 444 days from November 4, 1979 to January 20, 1981, after a group of Islamist students and militants took over the American Embassy in Tehran in support of the Iranian...
1981 - 15FEB81-29JUL81: Naval Air Station Keflavik
Naval Air Station Keflavik
United States Naval Air Station Keflavik is a former NATO facility at Keflavík International Airport, Iceland. It is located on the Reykjanes peninsula on the south-west portion of the island...
, Iceland
1982 - Naval Station Rota, Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
and NAF Lajes (Lajes Field
Lajes Field
Lajes Field or Lajes Air Base , officially designated Air Base No. 4 , is a multi-use air field, home to the Portuguese Air Force Base Aérea Nº4 and Azores Air Zone Command , a United States Air Force detachment , and a regional air passenger terminal located near Lajes...
), Azores
Azores
The Archipelago of the Azores is composed of nine volcanic islands situated in the middle of the North Atlantic Ocean, and is located about west from Lisbon and about east from the east coast of North America. The islands, and their economic exclusion zone, form the Autonomous Region of the...
1983 - Naval Air Station Bermuda
Naval Air Station Bermuda
Naval Air Station Bermuda , was located on St. David's Island, Bermuda from 1970 to 1995, on the former site of Kindley Air Force Base...
1990 - Naval Air Station, Bermuda; UNITAS: Roosevelt Roads, PR,Ecuador, Peru, Chile, Argentina, Brazil
1992 - 1993 Naval Air Station Sigonella, Sicily and Operations Desert Shield and Southern Watch
[under construction—see official history below and feel free to pitch in]
Famous alumni
- Austin Boyd, Author.
- Michael ForemanMichael ForemanMichael James Foreman is an American astronaut.-Personal:Foreman was born in Columbus, Ohio, and grew up in Wadsworth, Ohio. He is married to Lorrie Dancer of Oklahoma City, Oklahoma...
, Mission Specialist on STS-123STS-123-Mission parameters:* Mass:* Orbiter liftoff: * Orbiter landing: * Perigee: 336 kilometers * Apogee: 346 kilometers * Inclination: 51.6 degrees* Period: 91.6min-Mission payloads:...
and STS-129STS-129-Crew seat assignments:-Mission payload:-ExPRESS Logistics Carriers 1 and 2:The primary payload of STS-129 was the ExPRESS Logistics Carrier and the ELC-2. The mass capacity of each ELC is with a volume of 30 meters cubed...
. - Rear Admiral Jeffrey Lemmons
- Michael McKinnon, CEO of
- Rear Admiral Mark Skinner
See also
- History of the United States NavyHistory of the United States NavyThe history of the United States Navy divides into two major periods: the "Old Navy", a small but respected force of sailing ships that was also notable for innovation in the use of ironclads during the American Civil War, and the "New Navy", the result of a modernization effort that began in the...
- List of inactive United States Navy aircraft squadrons
- List of United States Navy aircraft squadrons
External links
- VP-23 Pages from Military.Com
- Patrol Squadron 23 - Primarily from '50s and before
- History Page from VP Navy.Org
- Official VP-23 History from DICTIONARY OF AMERICAN NAVAL AVIATION SQUADRONS—Volume 2, Chapter 3, pgs. 141-152
- Squadron History from Dave's Warbirds
- VP-23 Patch History
- Biography of Francis H. Clifton, VP-23/VPB-23, USN
- Photo of the crew of the Patrol Squadron 23 (VP-23) PBY-5A that found the approaching Japanese fleet's Midway Occupation Force