VP-8
Encyclopedia
Patrol Squadron Eight is a U.S. Navy land-based patrol squadron that was based at the Naval Air Station Brunswick
, Maine, but is now stationed at Naval Air Station Jacksonville
, Florida. VP-8 is tasked to undertake maritime patrol, anti-submarine warfare (ASW), and intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) missions.
VP-8 served as a land-based anti-submarine patrol squadron in the Battle of the Atlantic during World War II
. VP-8 also became the first operational P-3 Orion
squadron in the United States Navy, occurring in October 1962 just prior to the Cuban Missile Crisis
.
, on September 1, 1942.
VP-201 underwent flight training at the Naval Air Station Banana River
, Florida
, beginning October 9, 1942, and the squadron began receiving its new Martin PBM-3C Mariner
patrol bomber flying boat
s starting on December 1, 1942.
VP-201 returned to the Naval Air Station Norfolk
on February 6, 1943, following the completion of flight training, and began patrol operations along the Atlantic seaboard as a unit of Task Force 28 within the U.S. Navy Eastern Sea Frontier’s area of responsibility (AOR).
VP-201 began receiving the latest model of Mariner flying boats, the PBM-3S, which featured an improved radar
system. Refitted with the PBM-3S aircraft, on May 27, 1943, a six-aircraft detachment was deployed to Naval Air Station Bermuda to protect Allied convoys en route to Europe. Beginning August 1, 1943, the entire squadron was transferred to NAS Bermuda under the administrative control of the Commander Bermuda Air Group
On June 8, 1944, VP-201 was transferred back to NAS Norfolk, and as a unit of Fleet Air Wing Five (FAW-5), began flying personnel and supplies between Norfolk and Bermuda.
Following ASW refresher training, the squadron was transferred to Naval Air Station Coco Solo
in the Panama Canal Zone
, beginning July 12, 1944, as a unit of Fleet Air Wing Three (FAW-3) under the operational control of the Commander Panama Sea Frontier.
On July 27, 1944, VP-201 was re-deployed to Naval Air Station Key West
, and as a unit of Fleet Air Wing Twelve (FAW-12), continued to fly ASW patrol and convoy escort missions. The squadron began outfitting its PBM-3S aircraft with new L-8C Leigh searchlights, and also began rotating to Harvey Point
, South Carolina
, for replacement aircraft training.
VP-201 was re-designated as Patrol Bomber Squadron 201 (VBP-201) effective October 1, 1944. Starting May 29, 1945, VP-201 finished its wartime service at NAS Coco Solo in the Canal Zone.
In total, during World War II, VP-201 flew more than 28,000 hours as a unit of the U.S. Navy involved in the Battle of the Atlantic.
On March 1, 1946, the squadron was assigned to Naval Station San Juan, Puerto Rico, under the operational control of Fleet Air Wing (FAW-11). A detachment was sent to Trinidad
to serve as a unit of the Air Sea Rescue Task Unit. In June 1947, the squadron was assigned to Naval Air Station Quonset Point
, Rhode Island
.
VBP-201 was re-designated as Patrol Squadron 201 (VP-201) effective May 15, 1946, and was subsequently re-designated as Patrol Squadron, Medium Seaplane 1 (VPMS-1) effective November 15, 1946 and Patrol Squadron, Medium Landplane 8 (VP-ML-1) effective June 5, 1947. During December 1947, VP-MS-1 received its first Lockheed P2V-2 Neptune
at NAS Norfolk, its new home base, and began the transition to this new aircraft.
The squadron became the second U.S. Navy land-based patrol squadron to be assigned the VP-9 designation when it was re-designated as Patrol Squadron 8 on September 1, 1948. On March 1, 1949, the squadron deployed to Naval Air Station Argentia
, Newfoundland
, to begin testing the P2V-2 under cold weather conditions.
VP-8 made its first deployment to NAS Argentia with it new P2V-5F aircraft July 15, 1955 Detachments from the squadron operated out of Goose Bay
, Frobisher Bay
, and Thule, Greenland
, providing air cover to supply convoys for Distant Early Warning (DEW)
radar installations.
In April 1958, VP-8 transferred to its new home base at Chincoteague, Virginia
, and began operating with Task Force Alfa, a Hunter-Killer (HUK) group created to develop improved ASW tactics and technology by integrating carrier-based ASW aircraft, land-based patrol aircraft, refitted destroyers, and hunter-killer submarines into a single task force structure.
During the next two years, VP-8 actively participated in the evolution of antisubmarine warfare, to including the development and evaluation of new tactics and equipment.
The VP-8 moved to Naval Air Station Patuxent River
, Maryland in July 1961. After relinquishing the last of its P2V-5FS aircraft to the U. S. Naval Reserve in October 1962, VP-8 became the first operational P-3A Orion squadron in the U.S. Navy.
During the Cuban Missile Crisis
, VP-8 sent a four-aircraft detachment to Bermuda to support the naval quarantine, including monitoring of Soviet submarines operating in the Caribbean and Eastern Atlantic. VP-8 subsequently deployed detachments to Iceland, Ireland, Newfoundland, Bermuda, and Caribbean bases.
VP-8 made the first trans-Atlantic flight by a P-3 Orion when it flew to West Malling, England
, on March 9, 1963. During 1964, VP-8 participated in Fleet Exercise Steel Pike I from bases in Spain. The squadron also began its first P-3B Orion aircraft in December 1965.
VP-8 made its first deployment to the Western Pacific when it relieved VP-28 at Naval Station Sangley Point, Republic of the Philippines, on May 25, 1966. During this deployment, VP-8 carried out combat missions throughout Southeast Asia for the U.S. Seventh Fleet in support of the Vietnam War
.
From 1969 to 1974, VP-8 made several deployments to Bermuda, and it was transferred to its current homeport at Naval Air Station Brunswick
, Maine
, in July 1971.
From March 1 to March 2, 1972, P-3B Orion aircraft from VP-8 maintained a constant surveillance of the stricken Soviet nuclear-powered ballistic missile submarine
K-19
which had been forced to surface because of an onboard fire that broke ot on February 24.
Starting in February 1976, VP-8 closed out the decade with a number of split deployments.
, Souda Bay, Crete
, and Nîmes-Garon, France.
Between October 27 to December 8, 1985, a two-aircraft detachment on rotation at Roosevelt Roads Naval Station
, Puetro Rico, assisted the U.S. Coast Guard in anti-drug interdiction operation the Caribbean Sea
.
, Saudi Arabia
, to support carrier battle group
s for Operation Desert Shield and Operation Desert Storm, as well as monitor Soviet, Libyan, and Iraqi naval units in the Mediterranean from Naval Air Station Sigonella
in coordination with U.S. Sixth Fleet carrier battle group
s.
In January 1996, VP-8 returned from NAS Sigonella where they flew more than 900 sorties and 6,000 hours in support of Operation Sharp Guard
and Operation Decisive Endeavor.
During its 1997 deployment to NAS Sigonella, VP-8 flew over 100 missions supporting the United Nations’
peacekeeping effort in Bosnia-Herzegovina (Operation Deliberate Guard) and 42 missions in support of Operation Silver Wake
resulting in the safe evacuation of 889 civilians from Albania
.
During its 1998 deployment to NAF Keflavik, NS Roosevelt Roads, and Howard AFB, VP-9 conducted surface and sub-surface surveillance operations in the North Atlantic resulted in tracking 18 individual submarines from eight different countries. Following its return to NAS Brunswick, VP-8 began the transition to Aircraft Improvement Program (AIP) P-3 upgrade aircraft. During its 2000 deployment, the squadron’s new P-3C AIP aircraft flew over 545 missions, consisting of 5300 hours, out of NAF Sigonella in support of Operation Joint Guardian, Operation Determined Forge, and Operation Deliberate Forge
.
Operating out of Naval Station Roosevelt Roads between July 1992 and January 1993, VP-8 flew over 6,000 hours in support of counter-narcotic operations and Sixth Fleet operations in the Mediterranean, with several detachment stationed at Naval Station Guantanamo Bay, Naval Air Station Key West
, NAS Sigonella
, and Naval Air Facility Lajes
.
VP-8 flew nearly 6,000 hours operating out of 18 countries during a tri-site deployment to NAF Keflavik
, NS Roosevelt Roads
, and Howard Air Force Base
, Panama, in 1998. The squadron flew 450 surveillance missions in support of counter-narcotic operations in the Caribbean area of responsibility (AOR), resulting in 13 arrests and the seizure of 11 metric tons of illegal drugs worth $171.4 million USD. Search and rescue
efforts in the region accounted for 14 saved lives.
Operating in a split deployment to NAS Roosevelt Roads from August 2001 to February 2002, VP-8 was active in counter-drug operations in the Caribbean, working with the Coast Guard and U.S. Customs, which interdicted or disrupted $7.6 billion in illegal drugs, including over 28,000 kg of cocaine.
From NAF Keflavik, the squadron participated in NATO exercises, as well as undertaking new operational tasks involving homeland defense
and Operation Enduring Freedom.
, Crete
, to provide 24-hour P-3 support for the two carrier battle group
s in the Mediterranean during Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF), flying nearly 100 overland combat missions and over 4,000 flight hours from Italy, Greece, Germany, Spain, and Senegal. This split-site deployment also included support to Operation Joint Guardian, Operation Deliberate Forge
, Operation Enduring Freedom, and NATO Joint Command Lisbon
.
Its second OIF deployment, starting December 2006, involved VP-8 operation out of Al Udeid Air Base
in Qatar
as part of Task Group 57.2, a maritime patrol and reconnaissance organization consisting of 22 aircrews and 21 aircraft.
and Kadena Air Base
, VP-8 participated in the U.S. military response to the aftermath of 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake
(Operation Unified Assistance
), sending the first U.S. military aircraft on station to the disaster area from to Utaphao, Thailand
, and Diego Garcia
, as well as flying Humanitarian Assistance/Disaster Relief (HADR) missions to the affected region.
Naval Air Station Brunswick
Naval Air Station Brunswick , also known as NAS Brunswick, was a military airport located northeast of Brunswick, Maine. The base was home to a number of Navy-operated Maritime patrol aircraft...
, Maine, but is now stationed at Naval Air Station Jacksonville
Naval Air Station Jacksonville
Naval Air Station Jacksonville or NAS Jacksonville is a military airport located four miles south of the central business district of Jacksonville...
, Florida. VP-8 is tasked to undertake maritime patrol, anti-submarine warfare (ASW), and intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) missions.
VP-8 served as a land-based anti-submarine patrol squadron in the Battle of the Atlantic during 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...
. VP-8 also became the first operational P-3 Orion
P-3 Orion
The Lockheed P-3 Orion is a four-engine turboprop anti-submarine and maritime surveillance aircraft developed for the United States Navy and introduced in the 1960s. Lockheed based it on the L-188 Electra commercial airliner. The aircraft is easily recognizable by its distinctive tail stinger or...
squadron in the United States Navy, occurring in October 1962 just prior to the Cuban Missile Crisis
Cuban Missile Crisis
The Cuban Missile Crisis was a confrontation among the Soviet Union, Cuba and the United States in October 1962, during the Cold War...
.
World War II
The lineage for Patrol Squadron 8 can be traced to Patrol Squadron 201 (VP-201), a unit of Fleet Air Wing 5 (FAW-5), which was established at Brunswick Naval Air Station in Brunswick, MaineBrunswick, 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...
, on September 1, 1942.
VP-201 underwent flight training at the Naval Air Station Banana River
Naval Air Station Banana River
Naval Air Station Banana River was a U.S. Navy airfield and seaplane base located just north of Satellite Beach, Florida along the Banana River prior to and during World War II...
, Florida
Florida
Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
, beginning October 9, 1942, and the squadron began receiving its new Martin PBM-3C Mariner
PBM Mariner
The Martin PBM Mariner was a patrol bomber flying boat of World War II and the early Cold War period. It was designed to complement the PBY Catalina in service. A total of 1,366 were built, with the first example flying on 18 February 1939 and the type entering service in September 1940.-Design and...
patrol bomber flying boat
Flying boat
A flying boat is a fixed-winged seaplane with a hull, allowing it to land on water. It differs from a float plane as it uses a purpose-designed fuselage which can float, granting the aircraft buoyancy. Flying boats may be stabilized by under-wing floats or by wing-like projections from the fuselage...
s starting on December 1, 1942.
VP-201 returned to the Naval Air Station Norfolk
Naval Station Norfolk
Naval Station Norfolk, in Norfolk, Virginia, is a base of the United States Navy, supporting naval forces in the United States Fleet Forces Command, those operating in the Atlantic Ocean, Mediterranean Sea, and Indian Ocean...
on February 6, 1943, following the completion of flight training, and began patrol operations along the Atlantic seaboard as a unit of Task Force 28 within the U.S. Navy Eastern Sea Frontier’s area of responsibility (AOR).
VP-201 began receiving the latest model of Mariner flying boats, the PBM-3S, which featured an improved radar
Radar
Radar is an object-detection system which uses radio waves to determine the range, altitude, direction, or speed of objects. It can be used to detect aircraft, ships, spacecraft, guided missiles, motor vehicles, weather formations, and terrain. The radar dish or antenna transmits pulses of radio...
system. Refitted with the PBM-3S aircraft, on May 27, 1943, a six-aircraft detachment was deployed to Naval Air Station Bermuda to protect Allied convoys en route to Europe. Beginning August 1, 1943, the entire squadron was transferred to NAS Bermuda under the administrative control of the Commander Bermuda Air Group
On June 8, 1944, VP-201 was transferred back to NAS Norfolk, and as a unit of Fleet Air Wing Five (FAW-5), began flying personnel and supplies between Norfolk and Bermuda.
Following ASW refresher training, the squadron was transferred to Naval Air Station Coco Solo
Coco Solo
Coco Solo was a United States Navy submarine base established in 1918 on the Atlantic Ocean side of the Panama Canal Zone, near Colón, Panama....
in the Panama Canal Zone
Panama Canal Zone
The Panama Canal Zone was a unorganized U.S. territory located within the Republic of Panama, consisting of the Panama Canal and an area generally extending 5 miles on each side of the centerline, but excluding Panama City and Colón, which otherwise would have been partly within the limits of...
, beginning July 12, 1944, as a unit of Fleet Air Wing Three (FAW-3) under the operational control of the Commander Panama Sea Frontier.
On July 27, 1944, VP-201 was re-deployed to Naval Air Station Key West
Naval Air Station Key West
Naval Air Station Key West , is a naval air station and military airport located on Boca Chica Key, four miles east of the central business district of Key West, Florida, United States....
, and as a unit of Fleet Air Wing Twelve (FAW-12), continued to fly ASW patrol and convoy escort missions. The squadron began outfitting its PBM-3S aircraft with new L-8C Leigh searchlights, and also began rotating to Harvey Point
Harvey Point
The Harvey Point Defense Testing Activity facility, owned by the Department of Defense, is located on a peninsula in Perquimans County, North Carolina, along the Albemarle Sound, near the city of Hertford, NC. Established in World War II as an operating base for sea planes conducting anti-submarine...
, South Carolina
South Carolina
South Carolina is a state in the Deep South of the United States that borders Georgia to the south, North Carolina to the north, and the Atlantic Ocean to the east. Originally part of the Province of Carolina, the Province of South Carolina was one of the 13 colonies that declared independence...
, for replacement aircraft training.
VP-201 was re-designated as Patrol Bomber Squadron 201 (VBP-201) effective October 1, 1944. Starting May 29, 1945, VP-201 finished its wartime service at NAS Coco Solo in the Canal Zone.
In total, during World War II, VP-201 flew more than 28,000 hours as a unit of the U.S. Navy involved in the Battle of the Atlantic.
| Deployment Duration | Wing | Base | Aircraft | Operating Area |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| May 2, 1943 – June 1944 | FAW-5 | Bermuda | PBM-3S | Atlantic |
| July 12, 1944 – July 27, 1944 | FAW-3 | Panama | PBM-3S | Caribbean |
1946–1949
Trinidad
Trinidad is the larger and more populous of the two major islands and numerous landforms which make up the island nation of Trinidad and Tobago. It is the southernmost island in the Caribbean and lies just off the northeastern coast of Venezuela. With an area of it is also the fifth largest in...
to serve as a unit of the Air Sea Rescue Task Unit. In June 1947, the squadron was assigned to Naval Air Station Quonset Point
Naval Air Station Quonset Point
Naval Air Station Quonset Point was a United States Naval Base in Quonset Point, Rhode Island that was deactivated in 1974. Next to NAS Quonset Point was Camp Endicott at Davisville, home of the Naval Construction Battalions known as the Seabees. Quonset Point also gave its name to the Quonset hut,...
, Rhode Island
Rhode Island
The state of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations, more commonly referred to as Rhode Island , is a state in the New England region of the United States. It is the smallest U.S. state by area...
.
VBP-201 was re-designated as Patrol Squadron 201 (VP-201) effective May 15, 1946, and was subsequently re-designated as Patrol Squadron, Medium Seaplane 1 (VPMS-1) effective November 15, 1946 and Patrol Squadron, Medium Landplane 8 (VP-ML-1) effective June 5, 1947. During December 1947, VP-MS-1 received its first Lockheed P2V-2 Neptune
P-2 Neptune
The Lockheed P-2 Neptune was a Maritime patrol and ASW aircraft. It was developed for the United States Navy by Lockheed to replace the Lockheed PV-1 Ventura and PV-2 Harpoon, and being replaced in turn with the Lockheed P-3 Orion...
at NAS Norfolk, its new home base, and began the transition to this new aircraft.
The squadron became the second U.S. Navy land-based patrol squadron to be assigned the VP-9 designation when it was re-designated as Patrol Squadron 8 on September 1, 1948. On March 1, 1949, the squadron deployed to Naval Air Station Argentia
Naval Station Argentia
Naval Station Argentia is a former base of the United States Navy that operated from 1941-1994. It was established in the community of Argentia in what was then the Dominion of Newfoundland, which later became the tenth Canadian province .-Construction:Established under the British-U.S...
, Newfoundland
Newfoundland and Labrador
Newfoundland and Labrador is the easternmost province of Canada. Situated in the country's Atlantic region, it incorporates the island of Newfoundland and mainland Labrador with a combined area of . As of April 2011, the province's estimated population is 508,400...
, to begin testing the P2V-2 under cold weather conditions.
| Deployment Duration | Wing | Base | Aircraft | Operating Area |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| October 24, 1945 – October 31, 1945 | FAW-5 | Galapagos | PBM-5 | South Atlantic |
| June 1, 1946 – June 10, 1946 | FAW-1 | Chaguaramas | P2V-3 | Caribbean |
| May 1, 1949 – May 1, 1949 | FAW-5 | Argentia | P2V3 | North Atlantic |
1950–1959
CFB Goose Bay
Canadian Forces Base Goose Bay , is a Canadian Forces Base located in the town of Happy Valley-Goose Bay, Newfoundland and Labrador....
, Frobisher Bay
Frobisher Bay
Frobisher Bay is a relatively large inlet of the Labrador Sea in the Qikiqtaaluk Region of Nunavut, Canada. It is located in the southeastern corner of Baffin Island...
, and Thule, Greenland
Thule Air Base
Thule Air Base or Thule Air Base/Pituffik Airport , is the United States Air Force's northernmost base, located north of the Arctic Circle and from the North Pole on the northwest side of the island of Greenland. It is approximately east of the North Magnetic Pole.-Overview:Thule Air Base is the...
, providing air cover to supply convoys for Distant Early Warning (DEW)
Distant Early Warning Line
The Distant Early Warning Line, also known as the DEW Line or Early Warning Line, was a system of radar stations in the far northern Arctic region of Canada, with additional stations along the North Coast and Aleutian Islands of Alaska, in addition to the Faroe Islands, Greenland, and Iceland...
radar installations.
In April 1958, VP-8 transferred to its new home base at Chincoteague, Virginia
Chincoteague, Virginia
Chincoteague is a town on Chincoteague Island in Accomack County, Virginia, United States. The population was 4,317 at the 2000 census. The town is perhaps best known for the Chincoteague Ponies, although these are not actually on the island of Chincoteague but on nearby Assateague Island...
, and began operating with Task Force Alfa, a Hunter-Killer (HUK) group created to develop improved ASW tactics and technology by integrating carrier-based ASW aircraft, land-based patrol aircraft, refitted destroyers, and hunter-killer submarines into a single task force structure.
During the next two years, VP-8 actively participated in the evolution of antisubmarine warfare, to including the development and evaluation of new tactics and equipment.
| Deployment Duration | Wing | Base | Aircraft | Operating Area |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| February 1, 1949 – April 1, 1950 | FAW-5 | Argentia | P2V3 | North Atlantic |
| February 22, 1950 – March 28, 1950 | FAW-5 | Cuba | P2V-3 | Caribbean |
| January 5, 1952 – May 20, 1952 | FAW-3 | Keflavik | P2V-3 | North Atlantic |
| December 1952 – July 1953 | FAW-3 | Keflavik | P2V-3 | North Atlantic |
| August 1, 1953 – January 1954 | FAW-3 | Keflavik | P2V-3 | North Atlantic |
| April 1, 1954 – September 1954 | FAW-3 | Morocco | P2V-3 | Mediterranean |
| February 19, 1955 – March 4, 1955 | FAW-11 | San Juan | P2V-3 | Caribbean |
| July 15, 1955 – October 8, 1955 | FAW-3 | Argentia | P2V-5F | North Atlantic |
| December 1, 1955 – January 10, 1955 | FAW-3 | Argentia | P2V-5F | North Atlantic |
| October 31, 1956 – April 4, 1957 | FAW-3 | Morocco | P2V-5F | Mediterranean |
| October 1, 1957 – January 1957 | FAW-3 | Argentia | P2V-5F | North Atlantic |
1960–1969
Naval Air Station Patuxent River
"Pax River" redirects here. For the river, see Patuxent River.Naval Air Station Patuxent River , also known as NAS Pax River, is a United States Naval Air Station located in St. Mary's County, Maryland on the Chesapeake Bay near the mouth of the Patuxent River. It is home to the U.S...
, Maryland in July 1961. After relinquishing the last of its P2V-5FS aircraft to the U. S. Naval Reserve in October 1962, VP-8 became the first operational P-3A Orion squadron in the U.S. Navy.
During the Cuban Missile Crisis
Cuban Missile Crisis
The Cuban Missile Crisis was a confrontation among the Soviet Union, Cuba and the United States in October 1962, during the Cold War...
, VP-8 sent a four-aircraft detachment to Bermuda to support the naval quarantine, including monitoring of Soviet submarines operating in the Caribbean and Eastern Atlantic. VP-8 subsequently deployed detachments to Iceland, Ireland, Newfoundland, Bermuda, and Caribbean bases.
VP-8 made the first trans-Atlantic flight by a P-3 Orion when it flew to West Malling, England
West Malling
West Malling is a historic market town in the Tonbridge and Malling district of Kent, England. It has a population of about 3000-5000.-Landmarks:...
, on March 9, 1963. During 1964, VP-8 participated in Fleet Exercise Steel Pike I from bases in Spain. The squadron also began its first P-3B Orion aircraft in December 1965.
VP-8 made its first deployment to the Western Pacific when it relieved VP-28 at Naval Station Sangley Point, Republic of the Philippines, on May 25, 1966. During this deployment, VP-8 carried out combat missions throughout Southeast Asia for the U.S. Seventh Fleet in support of the Vietnam War
Vietnam 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...
.
| Deployment Duration | Wing | Base | Aircraft | Operating Area |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| August 31, 1962 – December 1962 | FAW-11 | Cuba | P-3A | Caribbean Cuban Missile Crisis The Cuban Missile Crisis was a confrontation among the Soviet Union, Cuba and the United States in October 1962, during the Cold War... |
| May 25, 1966 – December 2, 1966 | FAW-8 | Sangley Pt. | P-3B | Western Pacific Vietnam 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... |
| December 1967 – June 8, 1968 | FAW-5 | Bermuda | P-3B | Atlantic |
| February 28, 1969 – June 28, 1969 | FAW-5 | Bermuda | P-3B | Atlantic |
1970–1979
Naval Air Station Brunswick
Naval Air Station Brunswick , also known as NAS Brunswick, was a military airport located northeast of Brunswick, Maine. The base was home to a number of Navy-operated Maritime patrol aircraft...
, Maine
Maine
Maine is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States, bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the east and south, New Hampshire to the west, and the Canadian provinces of Quebec to the northwest and New Brunswick to the northeast. Maine is both the northernmost and easternmost...
, in July 1971.
From March 1 to March 2, 1972, P-3B Orion aircraft from VP-8 maintained a constant surveillance of the stricken Soviet nuclear-powered ballistic missile submarine
Hotel class submarine
The Hotel class is the general NATO classification for a type of nuclear-powered ballistic missile submarine that was originally put into service by the Soviet Union around 1959. The Soviet designation is Project 658.-Design:...
K-19
Soviet submarine K-19
K-19, KS-19, BS_19 was one of the first two Soviet submarines of the 658, 658м, 658с class , the first generation nuclear submarine equipped with nuclear ballistic missiles, specifically the R-13 . Its keel was laid down on 17 October 1958, christened on 8 April 1959 and launched on 11 October 1959...
which had been forced to surface because of an onboard fire that broke ot on February 24.
Starting in February 1976, VP-8 closed out the decade with a number of split deployments.
| Deployment Duration | Wing | Base | Aircraft | Operating Area |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| March 2, 1970 – July 17, 1970 | FAW-5 | Multiple | P-3B | Mediterranean |
| October 25, 1970 – February 26, 1971 | FAW-5 | Multiple (split) | P-3B | Mediterranean |
| November 1970 – April 1971 | FAW-5 | Bermuda (split) | P-3B | Atlantic |
| November 1971 – March 1, 1972 | FAW-5 | Bermuda | P-3B | Atlantic |
| October 3, 1972 – November 3, 1972 | FAW-5 | Rota | P3B | Mediterranean |
| January 10, 1973 – June 6, 1973 | FAW-5 | Bermuda | P-3B | Atlantic |
| July 1975 – February 1976 | PatWing-5 | Rota | P-3B | Mediterranean |
| October 1976 – March 1977 | PatWing-5 | Bermuda/Lajes | P-3B | Atlantic |
| February 8, 1978 – August 8, 1978 | PatWing-5 | Bermuda/Lajes | P-3B | Atlantic |
| July 1979 – December 1979 | PatWing-5 | Rota/Lajes | P-3B | Mediterranean/Atlantic |
1980–1991
From 1980 through 1988, VP08 carried out deployments to Rota, Lajes, Bermuda, and Sigonell. Its deployment to Sigonella included VP-8 participating in numerous ASW exercises with detachments operating out of RotaNaval Station Rota, Spain
Naval Station Rota is a Spanish naval base commanded by a Spanish Vice Admiral and fully funded by the United States of America. Located in Rota, Spain, and near the Spanish town of El Puerto de Santa María, NavSta Rota is the largest American military community in Spain and houses US Navy...
, Souda Bay, Crete
Souda Bay
Souda Bay is a bay and natural harbour on the northwest coast of the Greek island of Crete. The bay is about 15 km long and only two to four km wide, and a deep natural harbour. It is formed between the Akrotiri peninsula and Cape Drapano, and runs west to east...
, and Nîmes-Garon, France.
Between October 27 to December 8, 1985, a two-aircraft detachment on rotation at Roosevelt Roads Naval Station
Roosevelt Roads Naval Station
Roosevelt Roads Naval Station is a former United States military air base in the town of Ceiba, Puerto Rico. The site is run today as José Aponte de la Torre Airport, a public use airport.-History:...
, Puetro Rico, assisted the U.S. Coast Guard in anti-drug interdiction operation the Caribbean Sea
Caribbean Sea
The Caribbean Sea is a sea of the Atlantic Ocean located in the tropics of the Western hemisphere. It is bounded by Mexico and Central America to the west and southwest, to the north by the Greater Antilles, and to the east by the Lesser Antilles....
.
| Deployment Duration | Wing | Base | Aircraft | Operating Area |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| November 4, 1980 – May 12, 1981 | PatWing-5 | Rota/Lajes | P-3B | Mediterranean/Atlantic |
| August 5, 1982 – January 12, 1983 | PatWing-5 | Bermuda | P-3B | Atlantic |
| October 5, 1983 – March 13, 1984 | PatWing-5 | Sigonella | P-3C UII.5 | Mediterranean |
| February 1985 – July 15, 1985 | PatWing-5 | Rota/Lajes | P-3C UII.5 | Mediterranean/Atlantic |
| October 27, 1985 – December 8, 1985 | PatWing-5 | Roosevelt Roads | P-3C UII.5 | Caribbean |
| May 24, 1986 – November 10, 1986 | PatWing-5 | Keflavik | P-3C UII.5 | North Atlantic |
| December 10, 1987 – June 10, 1988 | PatWing-5 | Rota/Lajes | P-3C UII.5 | Mediterranean/Atlantic |
| May 2, 1989 – November 9, 1989 | PatWing-5 | Keflavik | P-3C UII.5 | North Atlantic |
| December 2, 1990 – June 10, 1991 | PatWing-5 | Sigonella (split) | P-3C UII.5 | Mediterranean |
| December 1990 – March 10, 1991 | PatWing-1 | Jeddah (split) | P-3C UII.5 | Persian Gulf |
Operation Desert Storm
Starting December 31, 1990, VP-8 deployed to JeddahJeddah
Jeddah, Jiddah, Jidda, or Jedda is a city located on the coast of the Red Sea and is the major urban center of western Saudi Arabia. It is the largest city in Makkah Province, the largest sea port on the Red Sea, and the second largest city in Saudi Arabia after the capital city, Riyadh. The...
, Saudi Arabia
Saudi Arabia
The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia , commonly known in British English as Saudi Arabia and in Arabic as as-Sa‘ūdiyyah , is the largest state in Western Asia by land area, constituting the bulk of the Arabian Peninsula, and the second-largest in the Arab World...
, to support carrier battle group
Carrier battle group
A carrier battle group consists of an aircraft carrier and its escorts, together composing the group. The first naval task forces built around carriers appeared just prior to and during World War II. The Imperial Japanese Navy was the first to assemble a large number of carriers into a single...
s for Operation Desert Shield and Operation Desert Storm, as well as monitor Soviet, Libyan, and Iraqi naval units in the Mediterranean from Naval Air Station Sigonella
Naval Air Station Sigonella
Naval Air Station Sigonella , "The Hub of the Med", is a U.S. Navy installation at NATO Base Sigonella and an Italian Air Force base in Sicily, Italy. Although a tenant of the Italian Air Force, NAS Sigonella acts as landlord to more than 40 other U.S. commands and activities. It is located west...
in coordination with U.S. Sixth Fleet carrier battle group
Carrier battle group
A carrier battle group consists of an aircraft carrier and its escorts, together composing the group. The first naval task forces built around carriers appeared just prior to and during World War II. The Imperial Japanese Navy was the first to assemble a large number of carriers into a single...
s.
Military operations
In January 1996, VP-8 returned from NAS Sigonella where they flew more than 900 sorties and 6,000 hours in support of Operation Sharp Guard
Operation Sharp Guard
Operation Sharp Guard was a multi-year joint naval blockade in the Adriatic Sea by NATO and the Western European Union on shipments to the former Yugoslavia. Warships and maritime patrol aircraft from 14 countries were involved in searching for and stopping blockade runners.The operation began on...
and Operation Decisive Endeavor.
During its 1997 deployment to NAS Sigonella, VP-8 flew over 100 missions supporting the United Nations’
United Nations
The United Nations is an international organization whose stated aims are facilitating cooperation in international law, international security, economic development, social progress, human rights, and achievement of world peace...
peacekeeping effort in Bosnia-Herzegovina (Operation Deliberate Guard) and 42 missions in support of Operation Silver Wake
Operation Silver Wake
Operation Silver Wake was a non-combatant evacuation operation led by the United States to evacuate American citizens, noncombatants and designated third country nationals from Albania in March 1997. The operation was performed by U.S. Marines from the 26th Marine Expeditionary Unit conducting...
resulting in the safe evacuation of 889 civilians from Albania
Albania
Albania , officially known as the Republic of Albania , is a country in Southeastern Europe, in the Balkans region. It is bordered by Montenegro to the northwest, Kosovo to the northeast, the Republic of Macedonia to the east and Greece to the south and southeast. It has a coast on the Adriatic Sea...
.
During its 1998 deployment to NAF Keflavik, NS Roosevelt Roads, and Howard AFB, VP-9 conducted surface and sub-surface surveillance operations in the North Atlantic resulted in tracking 18 individual submarines from eight different countries. Following its return to NAS Brunswick, VP-8 began the transition to Aircraft Improvement Program (AIP) P-3 upgrade aircraft. During its 2000 deployment, the squadron’s new P-3C AIP aircraft flew over 545 missions, consisting of 5300 hours, out of NAF Sigonella in support of Operation Joint Guardian, Operation Determined Forge, and Operation Deliberate Forge
SFOR
The Stabilisation Force was a NATO-led multinational peacekeeping force in Bosnia and Herzegovina which was tasked with upholding the Dayton Agreement. It replaced the previous force IFOR...
.
Counter-narcotic operations
Operating out of Naval Station Roosevelt Roads between July 1992 and January 1993, VP-8 flew over 6,000 hours in support of counter-narcotic operations and Sixth Fleet operations in the Mediterranean, with several detachment stationed at Naval Station Guantanamo Bay, Naval Air Station Key West
Naval Air Station Key West
Naval Air Station Key West , is a naval air station and military airport located on Boca Chica Key, four miles east of the central business district of Key West, Florida, United States....
, NAS Sigonella
Naval Air Station Sigonella
Naval Air Station Sigonella , "The Hub of the Med", is a U.S. Navy installation at NATO Base Sigonella and an Italian Air Force base in Sicily, Italy. Although a tenant of the Italian Air Force, NAS Sigonella acts as landlord to more than 40 other U.S. commands and activities. It is located west...
, and Naval Air Facility Lajes
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...
.
VP-8 flew nearly 6,000 hours operating out of 18 countries during a tri-site deployment to NAF Keflavik
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...
, NS Roosevelt Roads
Roosevelt Roads Naval Station
Roosevelt Roads Naval Station is a former United States military air base in the town of Ceiba, Puerto Rico. The site is run today as José Aponte de la Torre Airport, a public use airport.-History:...
, and Howard Air Force Base
Howard Air Force Base
Howard Air Force Base is a former United States Air Force base located in Panama. It was closed on 1 November 1999 as a result of the Torrijos-Carter Treaties which specified that United States military facilities in the former Panama Canal Zone be closed and the facilities be turned over to the...
, Panama, in 1998. The squadron flew 450 surveillance missions in support of counter-narcotic operations in the Caribbean area of responsibility (AOR), resulting in 13 arrests and the seizure of 11 metric tons of illegal drugs worth $171.4 million USD. Search and rescue
Search and rescue
Search and rescue is the search for and provision of aid to people who are in distress or imminent danger.The general field of search and rescue includes many specialty sub-fields, mostly based upon terrain considerations...
efforts in the region accounted for 14 saved lives.
Operating in a split deployment to NAS Roosevelt Roads from August 2001 to February 2002, VP-8 was active in counter-drug operations in the Caribbean, working with the Coast Guard and U.S. Customs, which interdicted or disrupted $7.6 billion in illegal drugs, including over 28,000 kg of cocaine.
From NAF Keflavik, the squadron participated in NATO exercises, as well as undertaking new operational tasks involving homeland defense
Homeland defense
Homeland defense is the protection of U.S. territory, sovereignty, domestic population, and critical infrastructure against external threats and aggression....
and Operation Enduring Freedom.
Operation Iraqi Freedom
From February to August 2003, VP-8 deployed to NAF Sigonella and Souda BaySouda Bay
Souda Bay is a bay and natural harbour on the northwest coast of the Greek island of Crete. The bay is about 15 km long and only two to four km wide, and a deep natural harbour. It is formed between the Akrotiri peninsula and Cape Drapano, and runs west to east...
, Crete
Crete
Crete is the largest and most populous of the Greek islands, the fifth largest island in the Mediterranean Sea, and one of the thirteen administrative regions of Greece. It forms a significant part of the economy and cultural heritage of Greece while retaining its own local cultural traits...
, to provide 24-hour P-3 support for the two carrier battle group
Carrier battle group
A carrier battle group consists of an aircraft carrier and its escorts, together composing the group. The first naval task forces built around carriers appeared just prior to and during World War II. The Imperial Japanese Navy was the first to assemble a large number of carriers into a single...
s in the Mediterranean during Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF), flying nearly 100 overland combat missions and over 4,000 flight hours from Italy, Greece, Germany, Spain, and Senegal. This split-site deployment also included support to Operation Joint Guardian, Operation Deliberate Forge
SFOR
The Stabilisation Force was a NATO-led multinational peacekeeping force in Bosnia and Herzegovina which was tasked with upholding the Dayton Agreement. It replaced the previous force IFOR...
, Operation Enduring Freedom, and NATO Joint Command Lisbon
Joint Command Lisbon
Allied Joint Force Command Lisbon or JFC Lisbon is one of the three main subdivisions of NATO's Allied Command Operations. It is based in Oeiras, near Lisbon, Portugal...
.
Its second OIF deployment, starting December 2006, involved VP-8 operation out of Al Udeid Air Base
Al Udeid Air Base
Al Udeid Air Base is a military base west of Doha, Qatar. It houses foreign coalition personnel and assets. It is host to a forward headquarters of United States Central Command, headquarters of United States Air Forces Central Command, and home to both No. 83 Expeditionary Air Group RAF and the...
in Qatar
Qatar
Qatar , also known as the State of Qatar or locally Dawlat Qaṭar, is a sovereign Arab state, located in the Middle East, occupying the small Qatar Peninsula on the northeasterly coast of the much larger Arabian Peninsula. Its sole land border is with Saudi Arabia to the south, with the rest of its...
as part of Task Group 57.2, a maritime patrol and reconnaissance organization consisting of 22 aircrews and 21 aircraft.
Operation Unified Assistance
During its Western Pacific deployment to Misawa Air BaseMisawa Air Base
right|thumb|A US Navy C-2 at Misawa is a United States military facility located northeast of the railway station in Misawa, west of the Pacific Ocean, northeast of Towada, northwest of Hachinohe, and north of Tokyo, in Aomori Prefecture, in the Tōhoku region in the northern part of the...
and Kadena Air Base
Kadena Air Base
, is a United States Air Force base in the towns of Kadena and Chatan and the city of Okinawa, in Okinawa Prefecture, Japan. Kadena Air Base is the hub of U.S. airpower in the Pacific, and home to the USAF's 18th Wing and a variety of associate units.-Units:The 18th Wing is the host unit at Kadena...
, VP-8 participated in the U.S. military response to the aftermath of 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake
2004 Indian Ocean earthquake
The 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake was an undersea megathrust earthquake that occurred at 00:58:53 UTC on Sunday, December 26, 2004, with an epicentre off the west coast of Sumatra, Indonesia. The quake itself is known by the scientific community as the Sumatra-Andaman earthquake...
(Operation Unified Assistance
Operation Unified Assistance
Operation Unified Assistance is the name of the United States military's response to the tsunami of 2004.-Overview:On 28 December, the first elements of the Combined Support Force were deployed to Utapao, Thailand following that country's approval of the use of that base.More than 12,600...
), sending the first U.S. military aircraft on station to the disaster area from to Utaphao, Thailand
Thailand
Thailand , officially the Kingdom of Thailand , formerly known as Siam , is a country located at the centre of the Indochina peninsula and Southeast Asia. It is bordered to the north by Burma and Laos, to the east by Laos and Cambodia, to the south by the Gulf of Thailand and Malaysia, and to the...
, and 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....
, as well as flying Humanitarian Assistance/Disaster Relief (HADR) missions to the affected region.
Awards & Commendations
- Joint Meritorious Unit AwardJoint Meritorious Unit AwardThe Joint Meritorious Unit Award is a military award that was established on June 4, 1981 by Secretary of Defense Caspar Weinberger and was implemented by Department of Defense Directive 1348.27 dated July 22, 1982...
– 1990, 1991 - Navy Unit CommendationNavy Unit CommendationThe Navy Unit Commendation of the United States Navy is an award that was established by order of the Secretary of the Navy James Forrestal on 18 December 1944...
- 1978, 1983, 1991, 2003 - Meritorious Unit CommendationMeritorious Unit CommendationThe Meritorious Unit Commendation is a mid-level unit award of the United States military which is awarded to any military command which displays exceptionally meritorious conduct in the performance of outstanding service, heroic deeds, or valorous actions....
- 1970, 1971, 1977, 1979, 1983, 1986, 1997 - Navy Expeditionary MedalNavy Expeditionary MedalThe Navy Expeditionary Medal is an award of the United States Navy which was first created in August 1936 by General Orders of the Department of the Navy...
- 1982 - Coast Guard Unit CommendationCoast Guard Unit CommendationThe Coast Guard Unit Commendation is the highest peacetime unit award that may be awarded to military commands of the United States Coast Guard. The decoration was first created in 1963 and is presented to members of any Coast Guard unit that distinguishes itself by valorous or extremely...
- 1985 - Southwest Asia Service MedalSouthwest Asia Service MedalThe Southwest Asia Service Medal is a military award of the United States armed forces which was created by order of President George H.W. Bush on March 12, 1991. The award is intended to recognize those military service members who performed duty during the years of the Persian Gulf War...
- 1991 - Navy "E" Ribbon - 1950, 1960, 1962, 1983, 1991, 1997, 2000, 2007
- CINCLANTFLT Golden Anchor Award - 1995, 2005
- Isbell TrophyArnold J. IsbellCaptain Arnold J. Isbell, USN was a United States Navy officer and Naval Aviator who was killed near the end of World War II.-Early life and career:...
- 1962, 1984, 1986, 1988, 1996 - U.S. Sixth Fleet "Hook 'em" Award - 1980, 1983, 1984, 1988, 1991
- Golden Wrench Award for Maintenance - 2007, 2008
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 United States Navy aircraft squadrons
External links
- Official Web Site – U.S. Navy
- VP-8 Alumni Association
- VP-8 – U.S. Navy Patrol Squadrons – VPNavy.org
- Patrol Squadron Eight – Globalsecurity.org
- VP-8 Unit Page – Military.com
- VP-8 Web Page – Tiger-Lair.org
- VP-8 Web Page – NATO Tiger Association