Light Photographic Squadron 62 (VFP-62) 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 ...
in service from 1949 to 1968. The squadron provided a detachment of reconnaissance planes for each of the
carrier air wing
A carrier air wing (abbreviated CVW) is an operational naval aviation organization composed of several aircraft squadron (aviation), squadrons and detachments of various types of fixed-wing aircraft, fixed-wing and rotorcraft, rotary-wing aircr ...
s of the U.S.
Atlantic Fleet.
History
VFP-62 was established in January 1949 as Composite Squadron SIX TWO (VC-62), nicknamed the ''Fighting Photos'', and was equipped with
Grumman F8F-2P Bearcat and
Vought F4U-5P Corsair fighter aircraft converted to reconnaissance platforms. The first VC-62 detachment was assigned to
Carrier Air Group 7 (CVG-7) aboard the aircraft carrier from September 1949 to January 1950 for a deployment to the Mediterranean Sea.
Detachments of the squadron operated from all Atlantic Fleet attack aircraft carriers based on the U.S. east coast. From September 1950 to February 1951, a VC-62 detachment also operated during 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 ...
from the USS ''Leyte'' as part of
CVG-3.
In 1951, the squadron converted to jet aircraft and was equipped with the
McDonnell F2H-2P Banshee. On 2 July 1956, the squadron was redesignated Photographic Reconnaissance Squadron SIX TWO (VFP-62) and transitioned to the
Grumman F9F-6P Cougar (later F9F-8P).
Renamed Light Photographic Squadron SIX TWO (VFP-62) in order to distinguish it from Heavy Photographic squadrons that were being established, the squadron received its first
Vought F8U-1P Crusader aircraft in 1959, which were redesignated as the RF-8A in 1962. In 1966, these aircraft were upgraded to a new standard designated as the RF-8G.
VFP-62 is best known as the squadron that took the first low-level photos of the Soviet missile bases in Cuba 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 ...
in October 1962. At the time, it was commanded by then-Commander
William Ecker
William Ecker (April 6, 1924 – November 5, 2009) was a United States Navy officer.
He was born in Omaha, Nebraska. A career officer and Naval Aviator, he served in the United States Navy from 1942 until 1974. He is most famous for his role in ...
, USN. In 2000, the movie
Thirteen Days (film)
''Thirteen Days'' is a 2000 American historical political thriller film directed by Roger Donaldson. It dramatizes the Cuban Missile Crisis of 1962, seen from the perspective of the US political leadership. Kevin Costner stars as top White Hous ...
, produced by
Kevin Costner
Kevin Michael Costner (born January 18, 1955) is an American actor, producer, film director and musician. He has received various accolades, including two Academy Awards, two Golden Globe Awards, a Primetime Emmy Award, and two Screen Actor ...
, showed the actions of Ecker and the other members of VFP-62 during the Cuban Missile Crisis.
From June 1966 to February 1967, VFP-62 Det 42 operated from the off
Vietnam
Vietnam or Viet Nam ( vi, Việt Nam, ), officially the Socialist Republic of Vietnam,., group="n" is a country in Southeast Asia, at the eastern edge of mainland Southeast Asia, with an area of and population of 96 million, making i ...
as part of
CVW-1. VFP-62 was subsequently disestablished on 1 January 1968, with its role assumed by its Pacific Fleet sister squadron, VFP-63, also flying the RF-8G, and by several reconnaissance attack squadrons (RVAH) flying the
North American RA-5C Vigilante.
Gallery
File:F8F-2P Bearcat of VC-62 in flight over USS Midway (CVB-41), in 1952.jpg, An F8F-2P over USS ''Midway'' 1949/50
File:F2H-2P VFP-62 CVA-43 1956.jpeg, An F2H-2P in 1956
File:F9F-6Ps VC-62 NAN3-57.jpg, F9F-6Ps in 1956
File:F9F-8P VFP-62 CVA-60 1958.jpg, F9F-8Ps over Malta, 1958
File:A4D-2 Skyhawk of VA-83 refuels F8U-1P Crusader of VFP-62, circa 1961 (6418322).jpg, An A4D-2 refuels an F8U-1P in 1960
File:RF-8G VFP-62 damaged Vietnam 1967.jpg, A VFP-62 RF-8G damaged by flak over Vietnam, 1967
Unit awards
On November 26, 1962, VFP-62 was awarded the first peacetime
Navy Unit Commendation
The Navy Unit Commendation (NUC) is a United States Navy unit award that was established by order of the Secretary of the Navy James Forrestal on 18 December 1944.
History
Navy and U.S. Marine Corps commands may recommend any Navy or Marine Co ...
, personally by President
John F. Kennedy
John Fitzgerald Kennedy (May 29, 1917 – November 22, 1963), often referred to by his initials JFK and the nickname Jack, was an American politician who served as the 35th president of the United States from 1961 until his assassination ...
for the squadron's actions 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 ...
.
External links
VFP-62 website for former members
{{DEFAULTSORT:Vfp-62
Fleet air reconnaissance squadrons of the United States Navy