VA-128 was an Attack Squadron of the
U.S. Navy, nicknamed the ''Golden Intruders''. It was established on 1 September 1967,
and disestablished in September 1995.
Operational history
*September 1967: The squadron was assigned the mission of training combat ready flight crews and replacement maintenance personnel for the
A-6 ''Intruder''.
*October 1968: Two U.S. Air Force exchange officers reported aboard for training in the A-6A.
*June 1973: A Naval Officer from the
Federal Republic of Germany
Germany,, officially the Federal Republic of Germany, is a country in Central Europe. It is the second most populous country in Europe after Russia, and the most populous member state of the European Union. Germany is situated between ...
reported aboard for training in the A-6.
*March–May 1980: The squadron’s
TC-4C, Target Recognition Attack Multisensor (TRAM) equipped aircraft, was used to monitor the hot spots on
Mount St. Helens
Mount St. Helens (known as Lawetlat'la to the indigenous Cowlitz people, and Loowit or Louwala-Clough to the Klickitat) is an active stratovolcano located in Skamania County, Washington, in the Pacific Northwest region of the United St ...
in
Washington state
Washington (), officially the State of Washington, is a state in the Pacific Northwest region of the Western United States. Named for George Washington—the first U.S. president—the state was formed from the western part of the Washington ...
prior to a major eruption on 18 May. The squadron’s work with
U.S. Geological Survey
The United States Geological Survey (USGS), formerly simply known as the Geological Survey, is a scientific agency of the United States government. The scientists of the USGS study the landscape of the United States, its natural resources, and ...
authorities provided the forewarning necessary to save hundreds of lives since the mountain was a popular place for campers, boaters and mountain climbers.
*October 1986: The squadron assumed the additional duty of training all
U.S. Marine Corps
The United States Marine Corps (USMC), also referred to as the United States Marines, is the maritime land force service branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for conducting expeditionary and amphibious operations through comb ...
personnel on the A-6 following the disestablishment of VMAT(AW)-202.
*1990: The squadron received the first composite wing A-6E on the West Coast.
Home port assignments
The squadron was assigned to these home ports, effective on the dates shown:
*
NAS Whidbey Island – 01 Sep 1967
Aircraft assignment
The squadron first received the following aircraft on the dates shown:
*
A-6A ''Intruder'' – 01 Sep 1967
*
TC-4C ''Academe'' – 15 Mar 1968
*
A-6E ''Intruder'' – 16 Dec 1973
See also
*
*
Attack aircraft
An attack aircraft, strike aircraft, or attack bomber is a tactical military aircraft that has a primary role of carrying out airstrikes with greater precision than bombers, and is prepared to encounter strong low-level air defenses while pre ...
*
List of inactive United States Navy aircraft squadrons
There are hundreds of US Navy aircraft squadrons which are not currently active dating back to before World War II (the U.S. Navy operated aircraft prior to World War I, but it did not organize them in squadrons until after that war). To be mo ...
*
History of the United States Navy
The history of the United States Navy divides into two major periods: the "Old Navy", a small but respected force of sailing ships that was notable for innovation in the use of ironclads during the American Civil War, and the "New Navy" the ...
References
External links
The Intruder Association VA-128 website
{{DEFAULTSORT:Va-128
Attack squadrons of the United States Navy
Wikipedia articles incorporating text from the Dictionary of American Naval Aviation Squadrons