VAQ-137

Electronic Attack Squadron 137
VAQ-137 insignia
Active	December 14, 1973 - present
Country	United States of America
Branch	United States Navy
Role	Airborne Electronic Attack
Part of	Carrier Air Wing One
Garrison/HQ	Naval Air Station Whidbey Island
Nickname	Rooks
Commanders
Current commander	Commander David Edgarton
Aircraft flown
Attack	EA-6B Prowler

Electronic Attack Squadron 137 (VAQ-137) also known as the "Rooks", is a United States Navy electronic attack squadron based at Naval Air Station Whidbey Island Washington.

The "Rooks" are an operational fleet squadron that flies the EA-6B Prowler. The "Rooks" are attached to Carrier Air Wing 1 (CVW-1), which is currently assigned to the USS Enterprise (CVN-65). Their radio callsign is "Rook" and their tailcode is AB.

History

The Rooks were commissioned on 14 December 1973. They first deployed in 1974 aboard USS Enterprise. In 1975, they provided support for Operation Frequent Wind, the American evacuation of Saigon. In 1976, the Rooks provided Electronic Counter-Measures (ECM) support during the evacuation of Beirut. In 1976-1978, they made two cruises aboard USS America (CV-66). In March 1981, a Rook aircrew sighted a group of 138 Vietnamese "boat people", which were in turn rescued by USS Ranger (CV-61). This action earned the ship a Humanitarian Service Medal. In 1983, the Rooks participated in air strikes in Lebanon. The Rooks were also the first EA-6 squadron to upgrade to the ICAP II. In 1989, the Rooks flew support for operations in the Mediterranean from USS America. These operations included support in the evacuation of the US's Beirut Embassy and a trip to the Arctic Circle. Rooks aboard America flew support missions during Operation Desert Storm. These included Suppression (SEAD) of Iraqi Air Defense radar and Surface to Air Missile (SAM) sites. The Rooks also participated in Operation Continue Hope in Somalia, and Operation Deny Flight over Bosnia. The Rooks were disestablished in 1994, but were re-established in 1996. The Rooks set a record by spending 159 days at sea in support of Operation Enduring Freedom. VAQ-137 was the second EA-6B squadron to transition to the ICAP III version of the Prowler. On May 2, 2006 The Rooks deployed aboard USS Enterprise to the Mediterranean and Middle East. On July 7, 2007 the "Rooks" deployed again to the Mediterranean and Middle East on the USS Enterprise. On January 13, 2011 the "Rooks" deployed aboard USS Enterprise (CVN-65) from Norfolk, Virginia to the Mediterranean and Middle East.

External links

• VAQ-137 official homepage

See also

• History of the United States Navy
• List of United States Navy aircraft squadrons