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US Navy - Attack Squadron 153 (ATKRON 153)
VA-153 'Blue Tail Flies'
 

va-153 blue tail flies insignia crest patch badge attack squadron us navy 02x		 va-153 blue tail flies attack squadron us navy ltv a-7 corsair ii cvw uss 12x
 04/19
STATUS:   established as VF-718 (Reserve Squadron)
redesignated VF-831 (Reserve Squadron) in September 1949
VF-831 activated on February 1, 1951
VF-831 redesignated VF-153 on February 4, 1953
VF-153 redesignated VA-153 on December 17, 1956
VA-153 disestablished on September 30, 1977
 AIRCRAFT:   Grumman F9F-8B Cougar (1956-57)
Douglas A4D-1 Skyhawk (1957-58)
Douglas A4D-2 Skyhawk (1958-61)
Douglas A4D-2N Skyhawk (1961-62)
Douglas A-4C Skyhawk (1962-67)
Douglas A-4B Skyhawk (1964 / Det.R)
Douglas A-4E Skyhawk (1967-68)
Douglas A-4F Skyhawk (1968-69)
Ling-Temco-Vought A-7A Corsair II (1969-73)
Ling-Temco-Vought A-7B Corsair II (1973-77)
 DEPLOYMENTS:   February 1958 - October 1958 with CVG-15 aboard USS Hancock (CVA 19)
August 1959 - January 1960 with CVG-15 aboard USS Hancock (CVA 19)
September 1960 - May 1961 with CVG-15 aboard USS Coral Sea (CVA 43)
December 1961 - July 1962 with CVG-15 aboard USS Coral Sea (CVA 43)
April 1963 - November 1963 with CVG-15 aboard USS Coral Sea (CVA 43)
December 1964 - November 1965 with CVW-15 aboard USS Coral Sea (CVA 43)
May 1966 - December 1966 with CVW-15 aboard USS Constellation (CVA 64)
July 1967 - April 1968 with CVW-15 aboard USS Coral Sea (CVA 43)
September 1968 - April 1969 with CVW-15 aboard USS Coral Sea (CVA 43)
May 1970 - December 1970 with CVW-19 aboard USS Oriskany (CVA 34)
May 1971 - December 1971 with CVW-19 aboard USS Oriskany (CVA 34)
June 1972 - March 1973 with CVW-19 aboard USS Oriskany (CVA 34)
October 1973 - June 1974 with CVW-19 aboard USS Oriskany (CVA 34)
September 1975 - March 1976 with CVW-19 aboard USS Oriskany (CV 34)
October 1976 - April 1977 with CVW-19 aboard USS Franklin D. Roosevelt (CV 42)

Detachment deployment only:
VA-153 / Det.R: June 1964 - December 1964 with CVSG-53 aboard USS Kearsarge (CVS 33)
 
images

va-153 blue tail flies attack squadron navy a-7b corsair ii carrier air wing cvw-19 uss oriskany cva-34 11
A-7B Corsair II (VA-153 / CVW-19) embarked on USS Oriskany (CVA 34) - ca. 1974 (NNAM)

va-153 blue tail flies attack squadron navy a-7b corsair ii carrier air wing cvw-19 uss oriskany cva-34 12
excerpt

va-153 blue tail flies attack squadron navy a-7a corsair ii carrier air wing cvw-19 uss oriskany cva-34 13 vietnam bombing
Two A-7A Corsair II from Attack Squadron VA-153 Blue Tail Flies and an A-7B from VA-155 Silver Foxes dropping Mk.82 227 kg bombs over Vietnam.
Both squadrons were assigned to to Carrier Air Wing 19 (CVW-19) aboard the aircraft carrer USS Oriskany (CVA-34) for a deployment
to Vietnam from 5 June 1972 to 30 March 1973

va-153 blue tail flies attack squadron navy a-7a corsair ii carrier air wing cvw-19 uss oriskany cva-34 10
A-7A Corsair II (VA-153 / CVW-19) embarked on USS Oriskany (CVA 34) - ca. 1972

va-153 blue tail flies attack squadron navy a-7a corsair ii carrier air wing cvw-19 uss oriskany cva-34 09
A-7A Corsair II (VA-153 / CVW-19) embarked on USS Oriskany (CVA 34) - 1970


va-153 blue tail flies attack squadron navy a-4f skyhawk carrier air wing cvw-15 uss coral sea cva-43 08
A-4F Skyhawk (VA-153 / CVW-15) embarked on USS Coral Sea (CVA 43) - March 1969 (NHHC)

va-153 blue tail flies attack squadron navy a-4e skyhawk carrier air wing cvw-15 uss coral sea cva-43 07
A-4E Skyhawk (VA-153 / CVW-15) embarked on USS Coral Sea (CVA 43) - 1967

va-153 blue tail flies attack squadron navy a-4c skyhawk carrier air wing cvw-15 uss constellation cva-64 03
A-4C Skyhawk (VA-153 / CVW-15) embarked on USS Constellation (CVA 64) - January 1966 (NNAM)

va-153 blue tail flies attack squadron navy a-4c skyhawk carrier air wing cvw-15 uss constellation cva-64 06
A-4C Skyhawk (VA-153 / CVW-15) embarked on USS Constellation (CVA 64) - January 1966

va-153 blue tail flies attack squadron navy a-4c skyhawk carrier air wing cvw-15 uss constellation cva-64 04
A-4C Skyhawk (VA-153 / CVW-15) embarked on USS Constellation (CVA 64) - January 1966

va-153 blue tail flies attack squadron navy a-4c skyhawk carrier air wing cvw-15 uss constellation cva-64 05
A-4C Skyhawk (VA-153 / CVW-15) embarked on USS Coral Sea (CVA 43) - March 1965 (NHHC)

va-153 blue tail flies attack squadron navy a-4b skyhawk carrier anti submarine air group cvsg-53 uss kearsarge cvs-33 02
A-4B Skyhawk from Attack Squadron VA-153 Detachment R "Blue Tail Flies" in flight, armed with two AIM-9B Sidewinder missiles.
VA-153 Det.R was assigned to Carrier Anti-Submarine Air Group 53 (CVSG-53) aboard USS Kearsarge (CVS 33) for a deployment
to the Western Pacific and Vietnam from 19 June to 16 December 1964 (NNAM)

va-153 blue tail flies attack squadron navy a-4c skyhawk carrier air wing cvw-15 uss coral sea cva-43 15
A-4C Skyhawk (VA-153 / CVW-15) embarked on USS Coral Sea (CVA 43) - 1963 (NHHC)

va-153 blue tail flies attack squadron navy a4d-2n skyhawk carrier air group cvg-15 uss coral sea cva-43 16
A4D-2N Skyhawk (VA-153 / CVG-15) embarked on USS Coral Sea (CVA 43) - 1961-62

va-153 blue tail flies attack squadron navy a4d-1 skyhawk carrier air group cvg-15 uss hancock cva-19 14
A4D-1 Skyhawk (VA-153 / CVG-15) embarked on USS Hancock (CVA 19) during a deployement to the Western Pacific from 15 February to 2 October 1958 (NNAM)
 
 
History:

During a reorganization of the Naval Air Reserve, a Fighter Squadron at NAS New York (believed to havebeen VF-718) was redesignated Fighter Squadron EIGHT HUNDRED THIRTY ONE (VF-831) in September 1949.

Reserve Fighter Squadron EIGHT HUNDRED THIRTY ONE (VF-831) was called to active duty on 1 February 1951.
Redesignated Fighter Squadron ONE HUNDRED FIFTY THREE (VF-153) on 4 February 1953.
Redesignated Attack Squadron ONE HUNDRED FIFTY THREE (VA-153) on 15 December 1956.
Disestablished on 30 September 1977.
The first squadron to be assigned the VA-153 designation.



Squadron Insignia and Nickname:

The squadron’s insignia was approved by CNO on 17 May1951.

Colors for the griffin insignia were:
light blue background outlined in orange; the griffin’s body was black with white highlights, its beak and claws were orange and yellow, and the eagle head was white. Following the squadron’s two designation changes the basic insignia continued in use with minor modifications.
Nickname: Blue Tail Flies (1953-1977)



Chronology of Significant Events:

23 Aug-9 Sep 1958:
The squadron flew sorties in the Taiwan Straits after the Chinese Communists bombarded Quemoy Island.

Jan 1961:
USS Coral Sea (CVA 43), with VA-153 embarked, operated in the South China Sea after Pathet Lao forces captured strategic positions in Laos.

2 Feb 1965:
The squadron began participating in operations in Laos. These operations involved Yankee Team, Barrel Roll and Steel Tiger missions.

7 and 11 Feb 1965:
The squadron participated in Flaming Dart I and II, reprisal strikes against targets in North Vietnam following a Viet Cong attack on the American advisors compound at Pleiku and the American billet in Qui Nhon, South Vietnam.

Mar 1965:
The squadron participated in Rolling Thunder operations, the bombing of military targets in North Vietnam.

13 Aug 1965:
The squadron’s commanding officer, Commander H. E. Thomas, was killed in action over North Vietnam.

Mar 1968:
USS Coral Sea (CVA 43), with VA-153 embarked, operated on station off the coast of Korea following the capture of USS Pueblo (AGER 2) in January by North Korea.

21 Nov 1970:
The squadron flew missions in support of an attempt to rescue American prisoners-of-war at the Son Tay prisoner compound, 20 miles west of Hanoi.

11-22 Feb 1973:
Following the cease fire with North Vietnam the squadron flew combat missions in Laos until a cease fire was signed with that country on 22 February 1973.

Feb 1973:
Commander D. R. Weichman, the squadron’s executive officer, completed his 625th combat mission of the Vietnam Conflict. He maintains the record for the highest number of combat missions for a Navy fixed-wing pilot during this conflict.

Nov 1973:
USS Oriskany (CVA 34), with VA-153 embarked, departed from operations in the South China Sea to relieve USS Hancock (CVA 19) on station in the Arabian Sea due to the unsettled conditions following the Yom Kippur War in the Middle East.


Home Port Assignments - Assignment Date:
NAS New York, Floyd Bennett Field
Assigned to NAS New York prior to the squadron’s recall to active duty on 1 February 1951
NAS Alameda, California - 01 Apr 1951
NAS Moffett Field, California - 05 May 1952
NAS Lemoore, California - 21 Aug 1961


Commanding Officers - Date assumed Command:
LCDR G. E. Miller - 05 May 1952
LCDR Loys M. Satterfield - Sep 1953
CDR W. L. Abbott - Mar 1955
CDR Alexander D. C. Byers -1956
LCDR Hildry L. Nelson - 27 Feb 1957
CDR John F. Bauman - 17 Oct 1958
CDR Vernon R. Fierce, Jr. - 08 Feb 1960
CDR W. C. May - 21 Jun 1961
CDR Zeb V. Knott - 30 Jul 1962
CDR William C. Raposa - 10 Jul 1963
CDR Peter Mongilardi, Jr. - 26 May 1964
CDR Harry E. Thomas - Apr 1965 (acting commanding officer) 13 Aug 1965
CDR K. V. McArthur - 15 Sep 1965
CDR D. E. Leue - 25 Jul 1966
CDR T. E. Woolcock - 1967
CDR R. J. Dapogny - 08 May 1968
CDR Olaf M. Carlson, Jr. 23 - May 1969
CDR Peter G. Frederick - 20 Aug 1970
CDR William J. M. O’Connor - 11 Jun 1971
CDR Paul D. Stephenson - 01 Jun 1972
CDR Denis R. Weichman - 27 Jul 1973
LCDR Keith S. Jones - 20 Sep 1974
LCDR Robert F. Hofford - 12 Sep 1975
CDR Lawrence H. Price - 15 Dec 1976

source: NHHC
 
 
 
patches + more

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