Sea Control Squadron 24 (VS-24) was a squadron 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 VB-17 on 1 January 1943, it was redesignated as VA-5B on 15 November 1946, redesignated as VA-64 on 27 July 1948, redesignated as VC-24 on 8 April 1949 and redesignated as VS-24 on 20 April 1950, it was disestablished on 1 June 1956. It was however reestablished again before being decommissioned in 2007.

History

SB2C-1 VB-17 sans tail on USS Bunker Hill (CV-17) 1943

First VS-24 (1943-1956)

VB-17 based on , used the

SB2C Helldiver The Curtiss SB2C Helldiver is a dive bomber developed by Curtiss-Wright during World War II. As a carrier-based bomber with the United States Navy (USN), in Pacific theaters, it supplemented and replaced the Douglas SBD Dauntless. A few surv ...

in its combat debut, attacking Rabaul on 11 November 1943. VB-17 formed part of Carrier Air Group 17 (CVG-17) and operated from from February–June 1945. VS-24 became the first fleet squadron to operate the AF-2S/W Guardian, receiving its first aircraft on 27 September 1950.

Second VS-24 (1960 - 2007)

VS-24 was re-established in 8 Apr 1960 at

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 as Air Antisubmarine Squadron TWO FOUR, nicknamed the Scouts, flying the

S-2 Tracker The Grumman S-2 Tracker (S2F prior to 1962) was the first purpose-built, single airframe anti-submarine warfare (ASW) aircraft to enter service with the United States Navy. Designed and initially built by Grumman, the Tracker was of conventiona ...

and deploying aboard ESSEX / HANCOCK class aircraft carriers of the Atlantic Fleet. With the 1974 closure of NAS Quonset Point due to post-Vietnam War force reductions, the squadron relocated to

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 ...

, Florida and transitioned from the prop-driven S-2G Tracker to the jet-powered

S-3 Viking The Lockheed S-3 Viking is a four-crew, twin-engine turbofan-powered jet aircraft designed and produced by the American aerospace manufacturer Lockheed Corporation. Because of its characteristic sound, it was nicknamed the "War Hoover" after th ...

for deployment aboard FORRESTAL, KITTY HAWK and NIMITZ class aircraft carriers. In 1991 the Scouts deployed to the

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 ...

in support of Operation DESERT STORM; VS-24 crews were responsible for the first S-3B land strike over enemy territory and the first sea strike against a hostile patrol craft. Following the war, Sea Control Squadron TWENTY-FOUR participated in Operation PROVIDE COMFORT rendering aid to Kurdish refugees fleeing Iraq. In 1993, having transitioned from the S-3A to the S-3B Viking, VS-24 was re-designated as Sea Control Squadron TWO FOUR (VS-24) to better reflect the multi-mission role of the S-3B. In 1995 the Scouts deployed aboard USS THEODORE ROOSEVELT (CVN-71) for operations in the Red Sea and the Persian Gulf supporting Operation SOUTHERN WATCH, and in the eastern Mediterranean in support of NATO strikes against Bosnian-Serb military targets. During Operation DELIBERATE FORCE, VS-24 became the first S-3B squadron to launch Tactical Air Launched Decoys (TALD) in support of overland strikes. In 1997 VS-24 returned to the Red Sea and Persian Gulf to support the ongoing efforts of Operation SOUTHERN WATCH, and participated in Operation DELIBERATE GUARD in the Mediterranean and Adriatic Seas. During this deployment, the Scouts were the most heavily utilized squadron in the air wing accumulating over 2,300 flight hours while maintaining a 100 percent mission completion rate. Scout crews repeatedly proved the Viking to be the platform of choice for conducting Surface Warfare and Electronic Surveillance. The movement of VS-24 and its eight S-3B Viking aircraft on 27 Oct 1997 began the relocation of VS-24 from NAS Cecil Field to

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 ...

, ten miles east. This move was in compliance with the 1993 Base Realignment and Closure (BRAC) Commission, which ordered NAS Cecil Field be closed by 1 Oct 1999. The remainder of VS-24's parent S-3 wing was scheduled to relocate to NAS Jacksonville before the end of December 1997. A total of 48 aircraft in six VS squadrons comprising the entire Atlantic Fleet VS wing ultimately moved to NAS Jacksonville, along with nearly 2,000 military and civilian employees. Over the years, VS-24 received numerous awards for excellence in operational readiness. These included the Captain Arnold J. Isbell trophy for antisubmarine warfare (ASW) excellence, the COMNAVAIRLANT Battle Efficiency Award, the Silver Anchor Award for retention, the Golden Anchor Award for 1996, the Arleigh Burke Award for the most improved squadron, and the Carrier Air Wing EIGHT ( CVW-8) Santa Barbara Shrine Award for ordnance excellence. VS-24 alsi received the Conventional Weapons Squadron of the Year, the Electronic Warfare Squadron of the Year, and the Commander, U.S. Sixth Fleet's Hook 'Em Award for 1997. The squadron was also awarded multiple Sea Control Wing Atlantic Golden Wrench Awards for maintenance proficiency. As part of the retirement of the S-3B Viking from the U.S. Navy's operational aircraft inventory, VS-24 was disestablished in ceremonies at NAS Jacksonville in Mar 2007.

Home port assignments

* 1950-1951

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 * 1951-1954; 1960-1974

, Rhode Island * 1974-1997

, Florida * 1997-2007

, Florida

Aircraft assignment

* AF-2S/W Guardian * Grumman S-2 Tracker *

Lockheed S-3A Viking The Lockheed S-3 Viking is a four-crew, twin-engine turbofan-powered jet aircraft designed and produced by the American aerospace manufacturer Lockheed Corporation. Because of its characteristic sound, it was nicknamed the "War Hoover" after th ...

*Lockheed S-3B Viking

References

External links

{{DEFAULTSORT:Vs-24 Sea control squadrons of the United States Navy Anti-submarine squadrons of the United States Navy