VA-106 was an Attack Squadron of the

U.S. 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 of ...

. Originally established as Bomber-Fighter Squadron Seventeen (VBF-17) on 2 January 1945, it was redesignated Fighter Squadron Six B (VF-6B) on 15 November 1946, redesignated VF-62 on 28 July 1948, redesignated Attack Squadron 106 (VA-106) on 1 July 1955, it was disestablished on 7 November 1969. It was the second US Navy squadron to be designated VA-106.

Operational history

World War II

*16–17 February 1945: The squadron participated in strikes against targets in and around the Tokyo area. *20–22 February 1945: Squadron aircraft participated in strikes against Iwo Jima and provided air support for the landings on the island. *18–19 March 1945: Major strikes were conducted by squadron aircraft against

Kanoya is a city in Kagoshima Prefecture, Japan. It is located in the southeastern Kyushu region in the central part of Ōsumi Peninsula. Kanoya is the most populous city in Japan without any connection to railway services, after the abolition of the ...

, the largest airfield on Kyushu and against the Japanese Fleet anchored at

Kure Naval Base was the second of four main administrative districts of the pre-war Imperial Japanese Navy. Its territory included the Inland Sea of Japan and the Pacific coasts of southern Honshū from Wakayama to Yamaguchi prefectures, eastern and northern Kyū ...

. *March–May 1945: The squadron conducted strikes in support of the

Okinawa campaign The , codenamed Operation Iceberg, was a major battle of the Pacific War fought on the island of Okinawa by United States Army (USA) and United States Marine Corps (USMC) forces against the Imperial Japanese Army (IJA). The initial invasion of ...

*7 Apr 1945: The unit participated in the combined task force strikes against the super battleship

Yamato was originally the area around today's Sakurai City in Nara Prefecture of Japan, which became Yamato Province and by extension a name for the whole of Japan. Yamato is also the dynastic name of the ruling Imperial House of Japan. Japanese his ...

and its accompanying escorts, resulting in the sinking of Yamato, two cruisers and three destroyers. *May 1945: The squadron participated in strikes against Kyushu and Shikoku, hitting aircraft plants and airfields. On 14 May the squadron's commanding officer, LTCDR H. W. Nicholson, was killed in action during a strike against Kyushu.

1950s

*26 April to 4 December 1953, VF-62 was assigned to Carrier Air Group 4 (CVG-4) aboard for a deployment to Korea and the Western Pacific. *August–November 1956: During the

Suez Crisis The Suez Crisis, or the Second Arab–Israeli war, also called the Tripartite Aggression ( ar, العدوان الثلاثي, Al-ʿUdwān aṯ-Ṯulāṯiyy) in the Arab world and the Sinai War in Israel,Also known as the Suez War or 1956 Wa ...

, was ordered to the eastern Mediterranean as tensions increased and France and the United Kingdom began preparations for military action against Egypt. ''Coral Sea'' was on station during the American evacuation of Western nationals from Egypt and Israel. *July 1959: During the NATO exercise Riptide, held off the east coast of the United States, the squadron conducted cross-deck operations with the British carrier .

1960s

*15–28 November 1960: The squadron operated from as part of the patrol force off the coast of Guatemala and Nicaragua to prevent infiltration by communists from Cuba. *2–19 June 1961: Following the assassination of dictator General

Rafael Trujillo Rafael Leónidas Trujillo Molina ( , ; 24 October 189130 May 1961), nicknamed ''El Jefe'' (, "The Chief" or "The Boss"), was a Dominican dictator who ruled the Dominican Republic from February 1930 until his assassination in May 1961. He ser ...

, the squadron operated from USS ''Shangri-La'' off the coast of the Dominican Republic. *22 October–28 November 1962: During the

Cuban Missile Crisis The Cuban Missile Crisis, also known as the October Crisis (of 1962) ( es, Crisis de Octubre) in Cuba, the Caribbean Crisis () in Russia, or the Missile Scare, was a 35-day (16 October – 20 November 1962) confrontation between the United S ...

the squadron was temporary assigned (TAD) to the U.S. Air Force's

Nineteenth Air Force The Nineteenth Air Force (19 AF) is an active Numbered Air Force of the United States Air Force. During the Cold War it was a component of Tactical Air Command, with a mission of command and control over deployed USAF forces in support of Unit ...

, in an alert status aboard the as the USS ''Shangri-La'' was in the

New York Navy Yard The Brooklyn Navy Yard (originally known as the New York Navy Yard) is a shipyard and industrial complex located in northwest Brooklyn in New York City, New York (state), New York. The Navy Yard is located on the East River in Wallabout Bay, a ...

. *May 1963: The squadron operated from USS ''Shangri-La'' in the Caribbean during the period of unrest in Haiti and the Dominican Republic.

Vietnam War

*6 June-15 September 1967, the squadron was assigned to Attack Carrier Air Wing Seventeen (CVW-17) embarked on for a Vietnam deployment *29 Jul 1967: In the USS ''Forrestal'' fire the squadron suffered 10 killed and 62 injured. *4 June 1968 – 8 February 1969, the squadron was assigned to Attack Carrier Air Wing Ten (CVW-10) embarked on for a Vietnam deployment.

Home port assignments

The squadron was assigned to these home ports, effective on the dates shown: *

NAS 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 ...

-2 January 1945 *

NAS Alameda Naval Air Station Alameda (NAS Alameda) was a United States Navy Naval Air Station in Alameda, California, on San Francisco Bay. NAS Alameda had two runways: 13–31 measuring and 07-25 measuring . Two helicopter pads and a control tower were ...

- 8 July 1945 *

NAAS Fallon Naval Air Station Fallon or NAS Fallon is the United States Navy's premier air-to-air and air-to-ground training facility. It is located southeast of the city of Fallon, east of Reno in western Nevada. Since 1996, it has been home to the U.S. Na ...

- September 1945 *

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 ...

- February 1946 *

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 Hamp ...

- 1946 *

NAS Oceana Naval Air Station (NAS) Oceana or NAS Oceana is a United States Navy Naval Air Station located in Virginia Beach, Virginia. Nowadays, the station is located on 23.9 km2. It has total of 250 aircraft deployed and buildings valued at $800 mill ...

- 25 September 1948 *NAS Norfolk - 22 November 1948 *NAS Oceana - 20 January 1949 *

NAS Cecil Field Naval Air Station Cecil Field or NAS Cecil Field was a United States Navy air base, located in Duval County, Florida. Prior to October 1999, NAS Cecil Field was the largest military base in terms of acreage in the Jacksonville, Florida area. NA ...

- 18 September 1950 *

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 ...

- 13 October 1952 *NAS Cecil Field - December 1954

Aircraft assignment

The squadron first received the following aircraft on the dates shown: * F6F-5 Hellcat - January 1945 *

F4U Corsair The Vought F4U Corsair is an American fighter aircraft which saw service primarily in World War II and the Korean War. Designed and initially manufactured by Chance Vought, the Corsair was soon in great demand; additional production contract ...

- September 1945 *F4U-4 - February 1946 * F8F-2 - 30 June 1948 *F8F-1B - February 1950 * F2H-2 Banshee - 3 August 1950 * F9F-8B Cougar - October 1955 * A4D-2 Skyhawk - 4 June 1958 * A-4C - 18 December 1962 *A-4E - November 1966 *A-4B February 1969 *A-4C March 1969

References

External links

{{DEFAULTSORT:Va-106 Aircraft squadrons of the United States Navy Wikipedia articles incorporating text from the Dictionary of American Naval Aviation Squadrons