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VA-153 (U.S. Navy)

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Attack Squadron 153
VA-153 squadron patch
Active1 February 1951-30 September 1977
CountryUnited States
BranchUnited States Navy
RoleAttack aircraft
Part ofInactive
Nickname(s)Blue Tail Flies
EngagementsKorean War
Second Taiwan Straits Crisis
Vietnam War
Aircraft flown
AttackF6F Hellcat
F9 Panther
F9 Cougar
FJ Fury
A-4 Skyhawk
A-7 Corsair II

VA-153 was an Attack Squadron of the U.S. Navy. During a 1949 reorganization of the Naval Air Reserve, a Fighter Squadron at NAS New York (believed to have been VF-718) was redesignated Fighter Squadron VF-831. It was called to active duty on 1 February 1951. The squadron was redesignated as VF-153 on 4 February 1953, and finally as VA-153 on 15 December 1956. It was disestablished on 30 September 1977. The squadron's nickname was the Blue Tail Flies from 1953 onward.[1]

Operational history

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VF-831 F9F-2 on USS Antietam c.1951
VA-153 A-4Es launching from USS Coral Sea in 1967
LTV A-7B Corsair II of VA-153 at NAS Cecil Field Florida after service aboard the U.S.S. F.D.Roosevelt in 1976. The aircraft wears bicentennial markings
  • 21 November 1970: The squadron flew missions in support of Operation Ivory Coast, an attempt to rescue American prisoners of war at the Son Tay prisoner compound, 20 miles west of Hanoi.
  • 11–22 February 1973: Following the ceasefire with North Vietnam the squadron flew combat missions in Laos until a ceasefire was signed with that country on 22 February 1973.
  • February 1973: Commander D. R. Weichman, the squadron's executive officer, completed his 625th combat mission of the Vietnam War. He maintains the record for the highest number of combat missions for a Navy fixed-wing pilot during this conflict.
  • November 1973: USS Oriskany, with VA-153 embarked, departed from operations in the South China Sea to relieve USS Hancock on station in the Arabian Sea due to the unsettled conditions following the Yom Kippur War.[1]

Home port assignments

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The squadron was assigned to these home ports, effective on the dates shown:[1]

Aircraft assignment

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The squadron first received the following aircraft on the dates shown:[1]

* While in a reserve status from September 1949 to January 1951, the squadron was most likely utilizing F6F pool aircraft assigned to NAS New York.

See also

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References

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This article incorporates text from the public domain Dictionary of American Naval Aviation Squadrons.

  1. ^ a b c d Grossnick, Roy A. (1995). Dictionary of American Naval Aviation Squadrons, Volume 1, Chapter 2, Section 8: Attack Squadron Histories for VA-125 to VA-153. Washington, D.C.: Naval Historical Center, Department of the Navy. pp. 194–221. Retrieved 16 June 2016.
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