Fighter Squadron 52 or VF-52 was an aviation unit of the
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 ...
. Originally established as Bombing Fighting Squadron 5 (VBF-5) on 8 May 1945, it was redesignated Fighting Squadron 6A (VF-6A) on 15 November 1946, redesignated as Fighter Squadron 52 (VF-52) on 16 August 1948 it was disestablished on 23 February 1959. It was the third US Navy squadron to be designated as VF-52.
Operational history
![McDonnell F2H-3 Banshees of VF-52 are launched from USS Ticonderoga (CVA-14), in 1958](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/62/McDonnell_F2H-3_Banshees_of_VF-52_are_launched_from_USS_Ticonderoga_%28CVA-14%29%2C_in_1958.jpg)
VF-52 was the only Navy squadron equipped with the
TO-1 Shooting Star
The Lockheed T-33 Shooting Star (or T-Bird) is an American subsonic jet trainer. It was produced by Lockheed and made its first flight in 1948. The T-33 was developed from the Lockheed P-80/F-80 starting as TP-80C/TF-80C in development, then d ...
, a version of the Air Force's F-80C that was acquired to familiarise Navy pilots with jet aircraft due to delays in developing naval jets.
VF-52 was assigned to
Carrier Air Group 5 (CVG-5) on board the and was deployed to the Western Pacific and Korea from 1 May to 1 December 1950. VF-52 along with VF-51, where the first Navy jet squadrons to see combat. On 18 November 1950 VF-52 pilot LtCom William E. Lamb was credited with shooting down a
Korean People's Air Force
The Korean People's Army Air and Anti-Air Force (KPAAF; ; Hanja: 朝鮮人民軍 航空 및 反航空軍 ) is the unified military aviation force of North Korea. It is the second largest branch of the Korean People's Army comprising an estimated ...
MiG-15
The Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-15 (russian: Микоя́н и Гуре́вич МиГ-15; USAF/DoD designation: Type 14; NATO reporting name: Fagot) is a jet fighter aircraft developed by Mikoyan-Gurevich for the Soviet Union. The MiG-15 was one of ...
, this was the Navy's second jet vs jet kill.
VF-52 served its second Korean War deployment assigned to Air Task Group 1 (ATG-1) aboard the from 15 Oct 1951 to 03 July 1952.
VF-52 served its third Korean War deployment assigned to Air Task Group 1 (ATG-1) aboard the from 30 Mar 1953 to 28 Nov 1953.
VF-52 embarked on the for a WestPac deployment as part of ATG1 from 1 Sep 1954 to 11 Apr 1955.
VF-52 embarked on the for a Western Pacific deployment from 28 May to 20 December 1956.
VF-52 embarked on the for a Western Pacific deployment from 4 October 1958 to 16 February 1959.
Home port assignments
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NAS North Island
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 ...
Aircraft Assignment
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F4U-4 Corsair
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TO-1 Shooting Star
The Lockheed T-33 Shooting Star (or T-Bird) is an American subsonic jet trainer. It was produced by Lockheed and made its first flight in 1948. The T-33 was developed from the Lockheed P-80/F-80 starting as TP-80C/TF-80C in development, then d ...
*
F9F-2 F9F-5 Panther
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F2H-3 Banshee
Notable former members
James L. Holloway III
James Lemuel Holloway III (February 23, 1922 – November 26, 2019) was a United States Navy admiral and naval aviator who was decorated for his actions during World War II, the Korean War, and the Vietnam War. After the Vietnam War, he was poste ...
Deceased
See also
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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 ...
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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 ...
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List of United States Navy aircraft squadrons
This is a list of active United States Navy aircraft squadrons. ''Deactivated'' or ''disestablished'' squadrons are listed in the List of inactive United States Navy aircraft squadrons.
Navy aircraft squadron (aviation), squadrons are composed of ...
References
External links
{{DEFAULTSORT:VF-52
Strike fighter squadrons of the United States Navy