A Patrol Wing (PatWing) was a

United States Navy The United States Navy (USN) is the maritime service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the eight uniformed services of the United States. It is the largest and most powerful navy in the world, with the estimated tonnage ...

aviation unit with the commander of a Patrol Wing known as the

Commodore Commodore may refer to: Ranks * Commodore (rank), a naval rank ** Commodore (Royal Navy), in the United Kingdom ** Commodore (United States) ** Commodore (Canada) ** Commodore (Finland) ** Commodore (Germany) or ''Kommodore'' * Air commodore ...

, the ComPatWing or COMPATWING. From 1 November 1942 to 30 June 1973 Patrol Wings were designated "Fleet Air Wings". On 26 March 1999 all then existing Pacific Fleet Patrol Wings were redesignated Patrol and Reconnaissance Wings and on 1 June 1999 all then existing Atlantic Fleet Patrol Wings were redesigned Patrol and Reconnaissance Wings with the Commodore designated as COMPATRECONWING or ComPatReconWing. Currently, there are three Patrol and Reconnaissance Wings in the U.S. Navy

Currently Active Patrol and Reconnaissance Wings

Patrol and Reconnaissance Wing ONE

''Lineage: Patrol Wing 1(1st), Fleet Air Wing 1, Patrol Wing 1(2nd), Patrol and Reconnaissance Wing 1''. The wing was established as Patrol Wing 1 In San Diego on 1 Oct 1937. It relocated to NAS Kaneohe, Hawaii on 16 October 1941. On 19 September 1942 it relocated to Noumea where on 1 November 1942 it was redesignated Fleet Air Wing One (FAW-1). In December 1942 it was relocated to

Espiritu Santo Espiritu Santo (, ; ) is the largest island in the nation of Vanuatu, with an area of and a population of around 40,000 according to the 2009 census. Geography The island belongs to the archipelago of the New Hebrides in the Pacific region o ...

; and in March 1943 to Guadalcanal, and in February 1944 to Munda. In July 1944 it was relocated back to

, and on 11 September 1944 to the

Schouten Islands The Schouten Islands ( id, Kepulauan Biak, also Biak Islands or Geelvink Islands) are an island group of Papua province, eastern Indonesia in the Cenderawasih Bay (or Geelvink Bay) 50 km off the north-western coast of the island of New ...

aboard . On 15 October 1944 the wing was relocated to

Ulithi Ulithi ( yap, Wulthiy, , or ) is an atoll in the Caroline Islands of the western Pacific Ocean, about east of Yap. Overview Ulithi consists of 40 islets totaling , surrounding a lagoon about long and up to wide—at one of the larges ...

, and on 30 December 1944 relocated to Saipan. On 19 February 1945 it was relocated to Iwo Jima during invasion operations aboard Hamlin (AV 15); on 10 March 1945 it relocated to NAF Agana, Guam; and on 26 March 1945 to Kerama Rhetto aboard Hamlin. On 14 July 1945 it was relocated to NAF Chimu Wan, Okinawa. On 16 July 1950 Fleet Air Wing One was relocated to

Naval Air Station Agana Naval Air Station Agana is a former United States Naval air station located on the island of Guam. It was opened by the Japanese Navy in 1943 and closed by the United States government in 1995. During and after its closure, it was operated alongs ...

, Guam, then to NAF

Naha is the capital city of Okinawa Prefecture, the southernmost prefecture of Japan. As of 1 June 2019, the city has an estimated population of 317,405 and a population density of 7,939 persons per km2 (20,562 persons per sq. mi.). The total area ...

, Okinawa. During this period it conducted operations in the

Korean War , date = {{Ubl, 25 June 1950 – 27 July 1953 (''de facto'')({{Age in years, months, weeks and days, month1=6, day1=25, year1=1950, month2=7, day2=27, year2=1953), 25 June 1950 – present (''de jure'')({{Age in years, months, weeks a ...

. In the 3rd Quarter 1952 was relocated to

NAS San Diego Naval Air Station North Island or NAS North Island , at the north end of the Coronado peninsula on San Diego Bay in San Diego, California, is part of the largest aerospace-industrial complex in the United States Navy – Naval Base Coronado (NB ...

, Calif. In the 4th Quarter 1954 returned to NAF Naha, Okinawa. In mid-1958 it relocated to

Buckner Bay is a bay on the southern coast of Okinawa Island on the Pacific Ocean in Japan. The bay covers and ranges between to deep. The bay is surrounded by the municipalities of Uruma, Kitanakagusuku, Nakagusuku, Nishihara, Yonabaru, Nanjō, a ...

, Okinawa, aboard assigned flagship. In mid-1965 it again returned to NAF Naha, Okinawa where on 30 June 1973 Fleet Air Wings were redesigned Patrol Wings and the wing once again became Patrol Wing ONE. A month later it relocated to

Naval Support Facility Kamiseya (UIC 0557A) is a detachment of U.S. Naval Air Facility, NAF Atsugi, Japan. The facility is located on the Kantō Plain, approximately three miles (5 km) northeast of NAF Atsugi, and 7.55 miles (12.15 km) WNW of Yokohama. The base consi ...

, Japan where it assumed the role of a headquarters staff, with no squadrons permanently assigned which exercised operational control of VP squadrons deployed to 7th Fleet as Commander, Task Force 72. In 1995 when U.S. Fifth Fleet was established to conduct operations in the Middle East, PATWING ONE assumed the same role for 5th Fleet as CTF-57. On 1 June 1999 all Pacific Fleet Patrol Wings were redesignated Patrol and Reconnaissance Wings and the wing became Patrol and Reconnaissance Wing ONE.

Patrol and Reconnaissance Wing 1 Patrol and Reconnaissance Wing 1 is a maritime patrol aircraft wing of the United States Navy, responsible to Commander, Naval Air Forces, Pacific. It is located at Misawa Air Base, Japan, a Japan Air Self-Defense Force base. The wing was est ...

continued operations from Kamiseya as Commander Task Force 72 for 7th Fleet, and Commander Task Force 57 for 5th Fleet until September 2003 when the Navy elevated the rank of the Commander from Captain to that of Rear Admiral. At that time the wing ceased being called Commander, Patrol and Reconnaissance Wing 1 (COMPATRECONWING ONE) and it became Commander, Patrol and Reconnaissance Force 5th Fleet and Commander, Patrol and Reconnaissance Force 7th Fleet (COMPATRECONFOR 5TH/7TH Fleet), it also retained the titles Commander, Task Force 72 and Commander Task Force 57. It was also dual hatted as Commander, Fleet Air Western Pacific (COMFAIRWESTPAC). At that time it relocated to Naval Air Facility Misawa which is located aboard

Misawa Air Base is an air base of the Japan Air Self-Defense Force (JASDF), List of United States Air Force installations, the United States Air Force, and the United States Navy located in Misawa, Aomori, Misawa, Aomori Prefecture, Aomori, in the northern p ...

in Northern Japan. In 2010 part of the COMPATRECONFOR 5th/7th Fleet staff (to include the Commander) was relocated to NAF Atsugi, while the remainder of the staff remained in Misawa. In 2011 the 5th Fleet stood up COMPATRECONWING 57, a Headquarters staff, to function as Commander, Task Force 57 which reported to COMPATRECONFOR 5th/7th Fleet. In 2012 COMFAIRWESTPAC became Commander, Fleet Air Forward. In July 2013 the Rear Admiral commanding COMPATRECONFOR 5th/7th Fleet was replaced with a Captain and at some point after that the COMPATRECONFOR 5th/7th Fleet designation ceased being used and the COMPATRECONWING ONE designation reappeared attached to the Commander, Task Force 72 and Commander, Fleet Air Forward Designations.

Patrol and Reconnaissance Wing Ten

''Lineage: Patrol Wing 10(2nd), Patrol and Reconnaissance Wing 10''. Patrol and Reconnaissance Wing Ten is located at

NAS Whidbey Island Naval Air Station Whidbey Island (NASWI) is a naval air station of the United States Navy located on two pieces of land near Oak Harbor, on Whidbey Island, in Island County, Washington. The main portion of the base, Ault Field, is about t ...

, Washington. It was established at

NAS Moffett Field Moffett Federal Airfield , also known as Moffett Field, is a joint civil-military airport located in an unincorporated part of Santa Clara County, California, United States, between northern Mountain View and northern Sunnyvale. On November 10, ...

, California as Patrol Wing Ten (the third Wing to use either the Patrol Wing or Fleet Air Wing Ten designation) on 1 June 1981. The wing relocated to NAS Whidbey Island on 1 July 1994. Patrol and Reconnaissance Wing 10 consisted of

VP-1 Patrol Squadron One (VP-1), established 15 February 1943, is an active aviation squadron (aviation), squadron of the United States Navy operating the Boeing P-8A Poseidon aircraft from its home port at Naval Air Station Whidbey Island, Washington ...

VP-4 Patrol Squadron Four (VP-4) is a U.S. Navy land-based patrol squadron based at the Naval Air Station Whidbey Island, Oak Harbor, Washington, which is tasked to undertake maritime patrol, anti-submarine warfare (ASW), and intelligence, surveillance ...

VP-9 Patrol Squadron 9 (VP-9) is a U.S. Navy patrol squadron with its homeport located at Naval Air Station Whidbey Island. As of 2018, VP-9 is part of Patrol and Reconnaissance Wing Ten, Commander, Naval Air Forces, Pacific. The squadron was establ ...

VP-40 VP-40 was a Patrol Squadron of the U.S. Navy. The squadron was established as Patrol Squadron 55 (VP-55) on 1 August 1940, redesignated Patrol Squadron 74 (VP-74) on 1 July 1941, redesignated Patrol Bombing Squadron 74 (VPB-74) on 1 October 1944, ...

VP-46 Patrol Squadron 46 (VP-46), also known as the "Grey Knights", is a maritime patrol squadron of the United States Navy based at Naval Air Station Whidbey Island, Washington. Part of Patrol and Reconnaissance Wing Ten, VP-46 is the oldest maritime p ...

VP-47 Patrol Squadron 47 (VP-47), also known as "The Golden Swordsmen", is a maritime patrol squadron of the United States Navy based at Naval Air Station Whidbey Island, Washington (USA), attached to Patrol and Reconnaissance Wing 10. The squadron curr ...

VQ-1 Fleet Air Reconnaissance Squadron 1 (VQ-1) is an aviation unit of the United States Navy established on 1 June 1955. Its role is aerial reconnaissance and signals intelligence. The squadron is nicknamed the "World Watchers" and is based at NAS Whi ...

and VPU-2 in mid-2016.OPNAVNOTE 5400 dated 10 May 2016

and

were transferred to Commander, Patrol and Reconnaissance Forces, US Pacific Fleet (formerly Commander, Patrol Wings, Pacific) in Hawaii in 1994. They returned to the wing in 2016 and 2017 when PATRECONWING, PACFLT/PATRECONWING TWO was disestablished. The wing's former squadrons included VP-19 and

VP-48 VP-48 was a Patrol Squadron of the U.S. Navy. It was established as VP-208 on 15 December 1942, redesignated Patrol Bombing Squadron VPB-208 on 1 October 1944, redesignated VP-208 on 15 May 1946, redesignated Medium Patrol Squadron (Seaplane) VP-M ...

, which were inactivated during the Navy's post-Cold War drawdown in the mid-1990s; and

VQ-2 Fleet Air Reconnaissance Squadron VQ-2, also known as "Batmen" and later "Sandeman," was an air reconnaissance squadron of the United States Navy, established on 1 September 1955 and based at NAS Whidbey Island, previously at NAVSTA Rota, Spain, ...

, which was merged into VQ-1 in 2012. Although not part of the wing, the Navy Reserve's

VP-69 VP-69 is a Patrol Squadron of the United States Navy Reserve. The squadron was established on 1 November 1970. Operational history *1 November 1970: VP-69 was established at NAS Whidbey Island, Washington, as a Naval Air Reserve land-based patr ...

which is part of the Navy Reserve's "Maritime Support Wing" is also located at NAS Whidbey Island. Also not part of the wing,

VP-31 (This article is about the 1960s-90s training squadron not the 1940s VPB-31 anti-submarine patrol squadron which operated from Key West) VP-31, Patrol Squadron 31 was a maritime patrol squadron of the United States Navy. It was established on 30 ...

, the Pacific Fleet Replacement Squadron (training unit) for the P-3B, P-3C and EP-3E, was also located at NAS Moffett Field. VP-31 was disestablished before NAS Moffett Field closed on 31 July 1994.

Patrol and Reconnaissance Wing ELEVEN

''Lineage: Patrol Wing 11(1st), Fleet Air Wing 11, Patrol Wing 11(2nd), Patrol and Reconnaissance Wing 11''. Patrol and Reconnaissance Wing ELEVEN is located at

NAS Jacksonville Naval Air Station Jacksonville (NAS Jacksonville) is a large naval air station located approximately eight miles (13 km) south of the central business district of Jacksonville, Florida, United States., effective 2007-10-25 Location NAS Jack ...

, Florida. It was established as Patrol Wing 11 on 15 August 1942 at Naval Air Station Norfolk but five days later it relocated to NAS Isla Grande, Puerto Rico, where on 1 November 1942 it was redesignated Fleet Air Wing-11. In April 1959 the wing relocated to NAS Jacksonville. The wing received control of

VP-56 VP-56, nicknamed the ''Dragons'', was a long-lived Patrol Squadron of the U.S. Navy. It was originally established as Patrol Squadron VP-900 on 1 July 1946, redesignated Medium Patrol Squadron (Landplane) VP-ML-71 on 15 November 1946, redesignated ...

in 1971 and VP-24 and

VP-49 VP-49 was a long-lived Patrol Squadron of the U.S. Navy, having held that designation for 45 years from 1948 to 1994. Its nickname was the ''Woodpeckers'' from 1973 to 1994. It was established as VP-19 on 1 February 1944, redesignated Patrol ...

following their relocation from

NAS 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 Headquarters, Naval Air Sys ...

, Maryland to NAS Jacksonville. On 30 June 1973 still existing Fleet Air Wings were redesignated Patrol Wings and the wing once again became Patrol Wing ELEVEN. On 26 March 1999 all Atlantic Fleet Patrol Wings were redesignated Patrol and Reconnaissance Wings and the wing became Patrol and Reconnaissance Wing ELEVEN. The wing includes

VP-5 Patrol Squadron FIVE (VP-5) is a long-lived maritime patrol squadron of the United States Navy. It is the second squadron to bear the VP-5 designation. VP-5 is the second oldest patrol squadron, the fourth oldest in the United States Navy, and t ...

VP-8 Patrol Squadron Eight (VP-8) is a U.S. Navy land-based patrol squadron stationed at Naval Air Station Jacksonville, Florida (USA). VP-8 is tasked to undertake maritime patrol, anti-submarine warfare (ASW), and intelligence, surveillance and recon ...

VP-10 Patrol Squadron 10 (VP-10) is a United States Navy Patrol Squadron based at Naval Air Station Jacksonville in Jacksonville, Florida, United States. It is nicknamed the "Red Lancers" and is equipped with the Boeing P-8A Poseidon. It is the third sq ...

VP-16 VP-16, nicknamed the ''War Eagles'', is an active Patrol Squadron of the U.S. Navy. It has been based at NAS Jacksonville, Florida since its founding in 1946. The squadron's mission is to operate Maritime patrol aircraft to the fleet in support ...

, VP-26, and VP-45 operating the P-8A Poseidon and VUP-19 operating the

MQ-4C Triton The Northrop Grumman MQ-4C Triton is an American high-altitude long endurance unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) under development for the United States Navy as a surveillance aircraft. Together with its associated ground control station, it is an ...

. The wing previously included VP-24,

and

, which were disestablished during the Navy's post-Cold War drawdown in the mid-1990s, and VPU-1, which was later merged into VPU-2 in 2012. Although not part of the wing,

VP-30 Patrol Squadron 30 (VP-30) is a maritime patrol squadron of the United States Navy, established on 30 June 1960. It is based at Naval Air Station Jacksonville, Florida. Mission VP-30's mission is to provide Lockheed P-3C Orion and Boeing P ...

, the combined P-8A, P-3C and EP-3E Aries Fleet Replacement Squadron (FRS) for the Atlantic Fleet and Pacific Fleet and the United States Navy Reserve's

VP-62 VP-62 was a Patrol Squadron of the U.S. Navy. The squadron was established as Patrol Squadron 62 (VP-62) on 1 May 1942 and disestablished on 1 July 1943. Operational history *1 May 1942: VP-62 was established at NAS Alameda, California, under the ...

operating the

P-3C Orion The Lockheed P-3 Orion is a four-engined, 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.

Former Patrol and Reconnaissance, Patrol, and Fleet Air Wings

Patrol Wing Two

''Lineage: Patrol Wing 2(1st), Fleet Air Wing 2, Patrol Wing 2(2nd)''. Patrol Wing Two was established at FAB Pearl Harbor on 1 October 1937.{{cite web , url=http://public.navy.mil/airfor/cprw2/pages/history.aspx , title=Commander, Naval Air Forces > COMPATRECONWING TWO > History , access-date=2012-05-26 , archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170514094108/http://www.public.navy.mil/AIRFOR/cprw2/Pages/History.aspx , archive-date=2017-05-14 , url-status = dead On 15 September 1942 it relocated to NAS Kaneohe Bay, where on 1 November 1942 it was redesignated Fleet Air Wing 2 (FAW-2). The wing remained at NAS Kaneohe Bay until 1949 when it relocated to NAS Barbers Point on 30 June of that year. Since the 1950s Barbers Point was most famous for its "Rainbow Fleet"—the patrol squadrons that routinely deployed with P-2 and later P-3 aircraft to the northern and western Pacific, Indian Ocean and

Persian Gulf The Persian Gulf ( fa, خلیج فارس, translit=xalij-e fârs, lit=Gulf of Fars, ), sometimes called the ( ar, اَلْخَلِيْجُ ٱلْعَرَبِيُّ, Al-Khalīj al-ˁArabī), is a mediterranean sea in Western Asia. The bod ...

. These squadrons tracked Soviet submarines patrolling off the western coast of the United States and supported operations in the Vietnam War, the Gulf War and most recently the NATO air campaign over Kosovo. On 30 Jun 1973, Fleet Air Wings were redesignated Patrol Wings and the wing once again became Patrol Wing 2. Of the squadrons present during the 1960s and 1970s, VP-28 was disestablished in the 1970s and

VP-6 VP-6 was a long-lived Patrol Squadron of the U.S. Navy, nicknamed the ''Blue Sharks''. Originally established as Bombing Squadron VB-146 on 15 July 1943, it was redesignated Patrol Bombing Squadron VPB-146 on 1 October 1944, redesignated VP-146 on ...

VP-17 VP-17, nicknamed the ''White Lightnings'', was a Patrol Squadron of the U.S. Navy. The squadron was established as Reserve Patrol Squadron VP-916 on 1 July 1946. It was redesignated as Medium Patrol Squadron VP-ML-66 on 15 November 1946, as VP-72 ...

, and

VP-22 VP-22 was a Patrol Squadron of the U.S. Navy. The squadron was established as Patrol Squadron 4D-14 (VP-4D14) on 15 September 1928, redesignated Patrol Squadron 4-B (VP-4B) on 21 January 1931, redesignated Patrol Squadron 4-F (VP-4F) on 17 July ...

were disestablished by the mid-1990s, leaving only

and

. During the mid-1990s, however, two squadrons, VP-9 and VP-47, transferred to the Rainbow Fleet from

, Calif., when Moffett Field was disestablished as a USN installation and transferred to

NASA The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA ) is an independent agencies of the United States government, independent agency of the US federal government responsible for the civil List of government space agencies, space program ...

and the

California Air National Guard The California Air National Guard (CA ANG) is one of three components of the California National Guard, a reserve of the United States Air Force, and part of the National Guard of the United States. As militia units, the units in the California ...

as a "

Moffett Federal Airfield Moffett Federal Airfield , also known as Moffett Field, is a joint civil-military airport located in an unincorporated part of Santa Clara County, California, United States, between northern Mountain View and northern Sunnyvale. On November 10 ...

" via BRAC action. VP-1 later transferred to Patrol and Reconnaissance Wing 10 and relocated to

, Wash. The Rainbow Fleet also was the home of Special Projects Patrol Squadron Two (VPU-2) since 1982. The end of the Cold War, in which

NAS Barbers Point Naval Air Station Barbers Point , on O'ahu, also called John Rodgers Field (the original name of Honolulu International Airport), is a former United States Navy airfield closed in 1999, and renamed Kalaeloa Airport. Parts of the former air station ...

figured so heavily, also eventually brought about its closure. Congress accepted the recommendation of the 1993 Base Realignment and Closure Commission (BRAC) that NAS Barbers Point be closed and as part of that a closure, on 8 June 1993 Patrol Wing TWO was disestablished. After the disestablishment of Patrol Wing 2, its role was assumed by the staff of Commander, Patrol and Reconnaissance Forces, US Pacific Fleet (formerly Commander, Patrol Wings, Pacific) and the wings former squadrons (

and VPU-2) along with HSL-37 all moved from NAS Barber's Point upon its closure to what was then Marine Corps Air Station Kaneohe Bay, now

Marine Corps Air Facility Kaneohe Bay Marine Corps Air Station Kaneohe Bay or MCAS Kaneohe Bay is a United States Marine Corps (USMC) airfield located within the Marine Corps Base Hawaii complex, formerly known as Marine Corps Air Facility (MCAF) Kaneohe Bay or Naval Air Station (NAS ...

, part of Marine Corps Base Hawaii, located on the windward side of Oahu.

Patrol and Reconnaissance Wing Two

''Lineage: Patrol and Reconnaissance Wing 2''. In October 2003, Patrol and Reconnaissance Wing TWO was established at Marine Corps Air Station Kaneohe Bay to assume control over the former Patrol Wing TWO squadrons which had been moved there from

Naval Air Station Barbers Point Naval Air Station Barbers Point , on O'ahu, also called John Rodgers Field (the original name of Honolulu International Airport), is a former United States Navy airfield closed in 1999, and renamed Kalaeloa Airport. Parts of the former air stati ...

when that Air Station was closed and Patrol Wing TWO was disestablished in 1993. Those squadrons were

, and VPU-2. Though the new wing assumed the disestablished Patrol Wing TWO's insignia and traditions in honor of the distinguished history of that wing it was a new wing, not a redesignation of Patrol Wing TWO. Patrol and Reconnaissance Wing TWO was disestablished effective 1 May 2017 and its squadrons were all realigned under Patrol and Reconnaissance Wing TEN.

Fleet Air Wing Three

''Lineage: Patrol Wing 3, Fleet Air Wing 3''. Fleet Air Wing 3 was established as Patrol Wing 3 at FAB Coco Solo, Panama on 1 October 1937. On 1 November 1942 it was redesigned Fleet Air Wing 3 (FAW-3). It participated

Operation Strikeback Exercise Strikeback was a major naval exercise of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) that took place over a ten-day period in September 1957. As part of a series of exercises to simulate an all-out Soviet attack on NATO, Exercise S ...

in the Atlantic. On 1 July 1950 it was relocated to

NAS Quonset Point Quonset Point Air National Guard Station is the home base of the Rhode Island Air National Guard 143d Airlift Wing. Naval Air Station (NAS) Quonset Point was a United States Naval Base in Quonset Point, Rhode Island that was deactivated in 1974. ...

, Rhode Island and in mid-1957 it was relocated to NAS Brunswick, Maine. Fleet Air Wing-3 was disestablished on 30 June 1971.

Fleet Air Wing Four

''Lineage: Patrol Wing 4, Fleet Air Wing 4''. Fleet Air Wing 4 was established as Patrol Wing 4 at FAB Seattle, Washington (NAS Sand Point, Washington) on 1 October 1937. On 27 May it relocated to NAS Kodiak, Alaska where on 1 November 1942 it was redesignated Fleet Air Wing 4 (FAW-4). On 15 March 1943 it relocated to NAS Adak, Alaska then on 26 April 1944 to NAF Attu, Aleutian Islands. The wing fought in the Aleutian Islands campaign alongside Eleventh Air Force. During the winter of 1943–44, the burden of operations against the Kuriles was carried by Navy

Consolidated PBY Catalina The Consolidated PBY Catalina is a flying boat and amphibious aircraft that was produced in the 1930s and 1940s. In Canadian service it was known as the Canso. It was one of the most widely used seaplanes of World War II. Catalinas served wi ...

s and Lockheed Ventura of Fleet Air Wing Four. They carried small bomb loads and their primary objective was the securing of nighttime reconnaissance photographs. On 17 April 1949 the wing relocated to NAS Whidbey Island, Washington and became dual hatted with Commander Fleet Air (COMFAIR) Seattle with additional duty as FAW-4 in May 1949. On 15 February 1954 COMFAIR Seattle was redesignated COMFAIR Whidbey and FAW-4 (dual hatted). Fleet Air Wing 4 was disestablished on 15 March 1970.

Patrol and Reconnaissance Wing Five

''Lineage: Patrol Wing 5(1st), Fleet Air Wing 5, Patrol Wing 5(2nd), Patrol and Reconnaissance Wing 5''. Patrol and Reconnaissance Wing 5 was established as Patrol Wing 5 at FAB Norfolk on 1 October 1937. It was redesignated Fleet Air Wing 5 (FAW-5) on 1 November 1942 relocating to

NAS Brunswick Naval Air Station Brunswick , also known as NAS Brunswick, was a military airport located southeast of Brunswick, Maine, with a number of Navy-operated maritime patrol aircraft. As of November 28, 2009, the last aircraft ( P-3 Orions) left. The ...

, Maine on 30 June 1971. On 1 July 1973 Fleet Air Wing 5 was redesignated Commander, Patrol Wings Atlantic (COMPATWINGSLA/PATWING FIVENTd). On 1 July 197e COMPATWINGSLAN became a separate Headquarters.5. On 26 March 1999 all Atlantic Fleet Patrol Wings were redesignated Patrol and Reconnaissance Wings and Patrol Wing 5 became Patrol and Reconnaissance Wing 5. During the wing's existence it included

VP-11 Patrol Squadron 11 (VP-11), nicknamed ''Proud Pegasus'', was a Patrol Squadron of the U.S. Navy. The squadron was established at NAS Quonset Point, Rhode Island on 15 May 1952 and was disestablished on 2 August 1997. It was the fourth squadron to ...

VP-23 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, United States. It was established as Weather Reconnaissance Squa ...

, VP-26,

VP-44 VP-44 was a Patrol Squadron of the U.S. Navy. It was established as VP-204 on 15 October 1942, redesignated as Patrol Bombing Squadron VPB-204 on 1 October 1944, redesignated as VP-204 on 15 May 1946, redesignated as VP-MS-4 on 15 November 1946, r ...

, VPU-1 and the Navy Reserve's

VP-92 Patrol Squadron 92 (VP-92) is a former U.S. Navy Reserve patrol squadron. Established on 1 November 1970, it was disestablished on 17 October 2007. It was the second squadron to be designated VP-92, the first VP-92 was redesignated VPB-92 on 1 Oc ...

. With the decision to close NAS Brunswick, VP-8, VP-10, VP-26 and VPU-1 were transferred to Patrol and Reconnaissance Wing Eleven at

, Florida.a, VP-11, VP-23 and VP-44 having been previously disestablished during the Navy's post-Cold War drawdown of the mid-1990s which eliminated 50% of the Navy's active duty patrol squadrons. VP-92 was disestablished in 20 when the Naval Reserve reduced the total number of patrol squadrons from ts thirteve to ons. VP-92 had previously been assigned to Reserve Patrol Wing Atlantic (RESPATWINGLANT), but was transferred to COMPATRECONWING FIVE following RESPATWINGLANT's inactivation a closure of om

NAS South Weymouth Naval Air Station South Weymouth was an operational United States Navy airfield from 1942 to 1997 in South Weymouth, Massachusetts. It was first established as a regular Navy blimp base during World War II. During the postwar era the base became p ...

, Massachusetts due to an earlier BRAC decision in the mid-1990s.

Fleet Air Wing Six(1st)

''Lineage: Fleet Air Wing 6(1st)''. The first wing to use the Fleet Air Wing 6 (FAW-6) designation was established at NAS Seattle, Washington on 2 November 1942. It relocated to NAS Whidbey Island, Washington on 29 December 1942 and was disestablished there on 1 December 1945.

Fleet Air Wing Six(2nd)

''Lineage: Fleet Air Wing 6(2nd).'' On 4 August 1950 the Fleet Air Wing 6 designation was used again to establish a new Fleet Air Wing at NAS Yokosuka, Japan to conduct operations in support of the

. On 1 December 1950 the wing relocated to NAS Atsugi, Japan. It relocated to NAS Alameda, California during the 3rd quarter of 1952. In January 1955 the wing transferred back to Japan, this time to NAF Iwakuni where it was ultimately disestablished on 1 July 1972.

Fleet Air Wing Seven

''Lineage: Patrol Wing Support Force, Patrol Wing 7, Fleet Air Wing 7.'' Fleet Air Wing 7 (FAW-7) was established as Patrol Wing Support Force at NAF Argentia, Newfoundland on 1 March 1941. It was redesignated Patrol Wing 7 there on 1 July 1941. On 15 December 1941 it relocated to NAF Keflavik, Iceland and then to NAS Quonset Point, Rhode Island on 20 February 1942. On 15 May it relocated back to NAF Argentina where on 1 November 1942 it was redesignated Fleet Air Wing 7 (FAW-7). On 21 August 1943 it relocated to Plymouth, England then to NAS Dunkeswell, England on 10 July 1945. On 14 July 1945 it embarked ''USS Albemarle'' (AV 5) for return to the United States and was disestablished at NAS Norfolk on 4 August 1945.

Fleet Air Wing Eight(1st)

''Lineage:Patrol Wing 8, Fleet Air Wing 8(1st)''. The first wing to use the Fleet Air Wing 8 (FAW-8) designation was established as Patrol Wing 8 at Naval Air Facility Breezy Point, Norfolk, VA on 8 July 1941. On 15 December 1941 it relocated to NAS Alameda, California where it was redesignated Fleet Air Wing 8 (FAW-8) (the first wing to use that designation). It was disestablished there on 3 July 1946

Fleet Air Wing Eight(2nd)

''Lineage: Fleet Air Wing 8(2nd).'' On 1 July 1965 the Fleet Air Wing 8 designation was used again to establish a new Fleet Air Wing at Naval Air Station Moffett Field, California. This second wing to use the Fleet Air Wing 8 designation was disestablished on 1 August 1972.

Fleet Air Wing Nine

''Lineage: Patrol Wing 9, Fleet Air Wing 9.'' Fleet Air Wing 9 (FAW-9) was established as Patrol Wing 9 at NAS Norfolk, Virginia in April 1942. On 1 May 1942 it relocated to NAS Quonset Point, Rhode Island where on 1 November of that year it was redesignated Fleet Air Wing 9 (FAW-9). On 24 August 1943 it relocated to NAS New York where it was disestablished on 19 July 1945.

Fleet Air Wing Ten(1st)

''Lineage:Patrol Wing 10(1st), Fleet Air Wing 10(1st)''. The first wing to use the Patrol Wing 10 designation was established as Patrol Wing 10 at Naval Station Cavite, Philippines in December 1940. It relocated to

Ambon Ambon may refer to: Places * Ambon Island, an island in Indonesia ** Ambon, Maluku, a city on Ambon Island, the capital of Maluku province ** Governorate of Ambon, a colony of the Dutch East India Company from 1605 to 1796 * Ambon, Morbihan, a c ...

on 28 December 1941 and to Soerabaja on 15 January 1942. On 7 March it relocated to

Crawley, Western Australia Crawley is an affluent western suburb of Perth, the capital city of Western Australia. Whole area is part of the local government area of the City of Perth and previously shared between the City of Subiaco and City of Perth. It is about fro ...

where on 1 November 1942 it was redesignated Fleet Air Wing 10 (FAW-10) (first use of the Fleet Air Wing 10 designation). On 17 October 1944 it relocated to Los Negros, Admiralty Islands. On 17 October 1944 it relocated back to the Philippines where it was ultimately disestablished on 1 June 1947 at NAB Sangley Point.

Fleet Air Wing Ten(2nd)

''Lineage: Fleet Air Wing 10(2nd).'' On 29 June 1963 the Fleet Air Wing 10 designation was used again to establish a new Fleet Air Wing at

Naval Air Station Moffett Field Moffett Federal Airfield , also known as Moffett Field, is a joint civil-military airport located in an unincorporated part of Santa Clara County, California, United States, between northern Mountain View and northern Sunnyvale. On November 10, ...

, California. This second wing to use the Fleet Air Wing 10 designation was disestablished on 30 June 1973.

Fleet Air Wing Twelve

''Lineage: Patrol Wing 12, Fleet Air Wing 12.'' Fleet Air Wing 12 (FAW-12) was established as Patrol Wing 12 at

NAS Key West Naval Air Station Key West , is a naval air station and military airport located on Boca Chica Key, four miles (6 km) east of the central business district of Key West, Florida, United States., effective 2007-10-25 NAS Key West is an air ...

, Florida on 16 September 1942. On 1 November 1942 it was redesignated Fleet Air Wing 12 (FAW-12). On 15 September 1943 it relocated to Naval Air Station Miami, Florida until 1 June 1945 when it transferred back to Key West and disestablished on 14 July 1945.

Fleet Air Wing Fourteen

''Lineage: Patrol Wing 14, Fleet Air Wing 14.'' Fleet Air Wing 14 (FAW-14) was established as Patrol Wing 14 at NAS San Diego, California on 15 October 1942. On 1 November 1942 it was redesignated Fleet Air Wing 14 (FAW-14). In June 1963 it also became Commander Fleet Air (COMFAIR) San Diego and was known as COMFAIR San Diego/FAW-14. It was disestablished in 1969.

Fleet Air Wing Fifteen

''Lineage: Fleet Air Wing 15.'' Fleet Air Wing 15 (FAW-15) was established at NAS Norfolk, Virginia on 1 December 1942 then relocated to NAF Port Lyautey, French Morocco on 10 January 1943 to direct patrol plane operations in the Mediterranean and Gibraltar Strait Area. On 10 June 1945 it returned to NAS Norfolk where it was disestablished on 28 July 1945.

Fleet Air Wing Sixteen

''Lineage: Fleet Air Wing 16.'' Fleet Air Wing 16 (FAW-16) was established at Naval Air Station Norfolk, Virginia on 16 February 1943 then relocated to Natal, Brazil on 14 April 1943. On 20 July 1943 it relocated to Recife, Brazil where it was ultimately disestablished on 27 June 1945.

Fleet Air Wing Seventeen

''Lineage: Fleet Air Wing 17.'' Fleet Air Wing 17 (FAW-17) was established at Brisbane, Australia on 15 September 1943. On 31 December 1943 it relocated to the island of Samari, Papua, New Guinea then to Manus, Admiralty Islands on 27 July 1944. On 9 September 1944 it relocated to Woendi, Schouten Islands, then to Morotai, N.E.I on 19 October 1944. On 30 December 1944 it relocated to Leyte Gulf, Philippines, then on 28 January 1945 to Lingayen Gulf, Philippines and based aboard USS Tangier (AV 8). On 26 February 1945 it relocated to Clark Field, Luzon, Philippines. It was disestablished on 2 January 1946 in Japan.

Fleet Air Wing Eighteen

''Lineage: Fleet Air Wing 18.'' Fleet Air Wing 18 (FAW-18) was established at Naval Station Agana, Guam on 5 May 1945, to NAF Tinian on May 25, 1945 and disestablished there on 30 June 1947.

Reserve Patrol Wing Atlantic

Reserve Patrol Wing Atlantic (RESPATWINGLANT) was established in 1970 and located at

NAS Norfolk Naval Station Norfolk is a United States Navy base in Norfolk, Virginia, that is the headquarters and home port of the U.S. Navy's Fleet Forces Command. The installation occupies about of waterfront space and of pier and wharf space of the Hampt ...

, Virginia until relocating to

Naval Air Station Willow Grove Naval Air Station Joint Reserve Base Willow Grove or NASJRB Willow Grove was a Naval Air Station owned by the U.S. Navy and located in Horsham Township, Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, United States four miles (6 km) northwest of the cen ...

, Pennsylvania in 2000. A subordinate element of Naval Air Reserve Force (NAVAIRESFOR), RESPATWINGLANT provided maritime patrol aircraft, flight crews and maintenance/support personnel in seven Reserve patrol squadrons (VP) to support Commander, U.S. Patrol Wings Atlantic. RESPATWINGLANT, an Echelon IV command, comprised

Naval Air Station Jacksonville Naval Air Station Jacksonville (NAS Jacksonville) is a large naval air station located approximately eight miles (13 km) south of the central business district of Jacksonville, Florida, United States., effective 2007-10-25 Location NAS Jac ...

, Florida; VP-64 and VP-66 at

, Pennsylvania;

VP-67 VP-67 was a Patrol Squadron of the U.S. Navy Reserve. The squadron was established on 1 November 1970 at NAS Memphis, Tennessee, where it was based for its entire life. It was disestablished on 30 September 1994, after 24 years of service. The squ ...

Naval Air Station Memphis Naval Support Activity Mid-South (NSA Mid-South, NAVSUPPACT Mid-South, NSAMS), in Millington, Tennessee, is a base of the United States Navy. A part of the Navy Region Southeast and the Navy Installations Command, NSA Mid-South serves as the Navy ...

, Tennessee; VP-68 at NAF Washington/

Andrews AFB Andrews Air Force Base (Andrews AFB, AAFB) is the airfield portion of Joint Base Andrews, which is under the jurisdiction of the United States Air Force. In 2009, Andrews Air Force Base merged with Naval Air Facility Washington to form Joint Bas ...

, Maryland; VP-92 at

, Massachusetts (later relocating to

, Maine following the BRAC closure of NAS South Weymouth); and

VP-94 VP-94 ''Crawfishers'' was a Patrol Squadron of the U.S. Navy Reserve. Originally established on 1 November 1970 at NAS Belle Chase, Louisiana, it was disestablished in September 2006. It was the second squadron to be designated VP-94, the first ...

NAS New Orleans Naval Air Station Joint Reserve Base New Orleans is a base of the United States military located in Belle Chasse, unincorporated Plaquemines Parish, Louisiana, United States. NAS JRB New Orleans is home to a Navy Reserve strike fighter squadron ...

, Louisiana. Upon the inactivation of RESPATWINGLANT in 2004, the transition of VP-64 to a fleet air logistics squadron redesignated as VR-64, and the inactivation of all but two remaining Atlantic Fleet Reserve VP squadrons, operational control/administrative control (OPCON/ADCON) of VP-62 was passed to Commander, Patrol and Reconnaissance Wing Eleven and OPCON/ADCON of VP-92 to Commander, Patrol and Reconnaissance Wing Five. VP-92 was later inactivated as part of the inactivation of Patrol and Reconnaissance Wing Five and the BRAC-directed closure of NAS Brunswick, leaving VP-62 as the sole remaining Naval Air Reserve VP squadron in the Atlantic Fleet.

Reserve Patrol Wing Pacific/Patrol Wing Four

Reserve Patrol Wing Pacific (RESPATWINGPAC), later dual-designated as Patrol Wing Four (PATWING FOUR), was established in 1970 and located at

, California. A subordinate element of Naval Air Reserve Force (NAVAIRESFOR), RESPATWINGPAC provided maritime patrol aircraft, flight crews and maintenance/support personnel in six Reserve patrol squadrons (VP) to support Commander, U.S. Patrol Wings Pacific. RESPATWINGLANT an Echelon IV command, comprised VP-60 and

VP-90 VP-90 was a Patrol Squadron of the U.S. Navy Reserve. The squadron was established on 1 November 1970 at NAS Glenview, Illinois, where it was based for the rest of its life. It was disestablished on 30 September 1994, after 25 years of service. T ...

NAS Glenview Naval Air Station Glenview or NAS Glenview was an operational U.S. Naval Air Station from 1923 to 1995. Located in Glenview, Illinois, a suburb of Chicago, the air base primarily operated training aircraft as well as seaplanes on nearby Lake M ...

, Illinois;

VP-65 VP-65, nicknamed the ''Tridents'', was a Patrol Squadron of the U.S. Navy Reserve. The squadron was established on 16 November 1970 at NAS Los Alamitos, California, and moved on 6 January 1971 to NAS Point Mugu. It was disestablished on 4 March 20 ...

NAS Point Mugu Naval Air Station Point Mugu was a United States naval air station near Oxnard, California, which operated as an independent base from 1941 to 2000, when it merged with nearby Naval Construction Battalion Center Port Hueneme to form Naval Base V ...

, California;

, Washington;

VP-91 Patrol Squadron 91 (VP-91) was a patrol squadron of the U.S. Naval Reserve. It was the second squadron to bear the VP-91 designation, the first VP-91 was redesignated VPB-91 on 1 October 1944. The squadron was established on 1 November 1970 and ...

, California and

VP-93 VP-93, nicknamed the ''Executioners'', was a Patrol Squadron of the U.S. Navy Reserve. It was the second squadron to be assigned the VP-93 designation. The squadron was established on 1 July 1976 and disestablished 18 years later, on 30 September ...

at NAF Detroit/ Selfridge ANGB, Michigan. Following the closure of NAS Moffett Field in the mid-1990s due to BRAC action, RESPATWINGPAC/PATWING FOUR and VP-91 remained at the renamed

as a tenant activity named Naval Air Facility Santa Clara. Upon the inactivation of VP-91, RESPATWINGLANT/PATWING FOUR and the inactivation of all but one remaining Pacific Fleet Reserve VP squadron, operational control/administrative control (OPCON/ADCON) of VP-69 was passed to Commander, Patrol and Reconnaissance Wing Ten.

References

External links

U.S. Navy Abbreviations of World War II
Air wings of the United States Navy