Attack Squadron 65 (ATKRON 65) VA-65 ‘Tigers’
STATUS:		established as Torpedo Squadron 74 (VT-74) on 1 May 1945 VT-74 redesignated Attack Squadron 2B (VA-2B) on 15 November 1946 VA-2B redesignated Attack Squadron 25 (VA-25) on 1 September 1948 VA-25 redesignated Attack Squadron 65 (VA-65) on 1 July 1959 VA-65 disestablished on 31 March 1993
AIRCRAFT:		Douglas AD-6 (A-1H) Skyraider (1959-65) Grumman A-6A Intruder (1965-68) Grumman A-6B Intruder (1968-72) Grumman A-6E Intruder (1972-93) Grumman KA-6D Intruder (1971-)
DEPLOYMENTS:		August 1960 - February 1961 with CVG-6 aboard USS Intrepid (CVA 11) August 1961 - March 1962 with CVG-6 aboard USS Intrepid (CVA 11) August 1962 - October 1962 with CVG-6 aboard USS Enterprise (CVAN 65) October 1962 - December 1962 with CVG-6 aboard USS Enterprise (CVAN 65) February 1963 - September 1963 with CVG-6 aboard USS Enterprise (CVAN 65) February 1964 - October 1964 with CVW-6 aboard USS Enterprise (CVAN 65) May 1966 - December 1966 with CVW-15 aboard USS Constellation (CVA 64) June 1967 - September 1967 with CVW-17 aboard USS Forrestal (CVA 59) December 1968 - September 1969 with CVW-11 aboard USS Kitty Hawk (CVA 63) June 1970 - February 1971 with CVW-7 aboard USS Independence (CVA 62) September 1971 - March 1972 with CVW-7 aboard USS Independence (CVA 62) June 1973 - January 1974 with CVW-7 aboard USS Independence (CVA 62) July 1974 - January 1975 with CVW-7 aboard USS Independence (CVA 62) October 1975 - May 1976 with CVW-7 aboard USS Independence (CV 62) March 1977 - October 1977 with CVW-7 aboard USS Independence (CV 62) January 1979 - July 1979 with CVW-7 aboard USS Dwight D. Eisenhower (CVN 69) April 1980 - December 1980 with CVW-7 aboard USS Dwight D. Eisenhower (CVN 69) August 1981 - October 1981 with CVW-7 aboard USS Dwight D. Eisenhower (CVN 69) January 1982 - July 1982 with CVW-7 aboard USS Dwight D. Eisenhower (CVN 69) April 1983 - December 1983 with CVW-7 aboard USS Dwight D. Eisenhower (CVN 69) May 1984 - June 1984 with CVW-7 aboard USS Dwight D. Eisenhower (CVN 69) October 1984 - May 1985 with CVW-7 aboard USS Dwight D. Eisenhower (CVN 69) September 1987 - March 1988 with CVW-13 aboard USS Coral Sea (CV 43) May 1989 - September 1989 with CVW-13 aboard USS Coral Sea (CV 43) December 1990 - June 1991 with CVW-8 aboard USS Theodore Roosevelt (CVN 71)
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A-6E Intruder (VA-65 / CVW-8) embarked on USS Theodore Roosevelt (CVN 71) - 1991 (courtesy of the National Naval Aviation Museum) A-6E Intruder (VA-65 / CVW-8) embarked on USS Theodore Roosevelt (CVN 71) - 1991 A-6E Intruder (VA-65 / CVW-8) embarked on USS Theodore Roosevelt (CVN 71) - 1991 A-6E Intruder (VA-65 / CVW-8) embarked on USS Theodore Roosevelt (CVN 71) - 1991 A-6E Intruder (VA-65 / CVW-8) embarked on USS Theodore Roosevelt (CVN 71) - 1991 A-6E Intruder (VA-65 / CVW-8) during USS Abraham Lincoln’s (CVN 72) shakedown cruise - 1990 A-6E Intruder (VA-65 / CVW-8) during USS Abraham Lincoln’s (CVN 72) shakedown cruise - 1990 A-6E Intruders (VA-65 / CVW-7) assigned to USS Dwight D. Eisenhower (CVN 69) - 1987 A-6E Intruder (VA-65 / CVW-7) assigned to USS Dwight D. Eisenhower (CVN 69) - 1983 A-6E Intruder (VA-65 / CVW-7) assigned to USS Dwight D. Eisenhower (CVN 69) - 1983 KA-6D Intruder (VA-65 / CVW-7) assigned to USS Dwight D. Eisenhower (CVN 69) - 1983 A-6E Intruder (VA-65 / CVW-7) assigned to USS Dwight D. Eisenhower (CVN 69) - 1983 A-6E Intruder (VA-65 / CVW-7) assigned to USS Dwight D. Eisenhower (CVN 69) - 1983 A-6E Intruders (VA-65 / CVW-7) embarked on USS Dwight D. Eisenhower (CVN 69) - 1982 A-6E Intruders (VA-65 / CVW-7) embarked on USS Dwight D. Eisenhower (CVN 69) - 1980 A-6E Intruder (VA-65 / CVW-7) embarked on USS Dwight D. Eisenhower (CVN 69) - 1980 KA-6D Intruder (VA-65 / CVW-7) embarked on USS Dwight D. Eisenhower (CVN 69) - 1980 KA-6D Intruder (VA-65 / CVW-7) embarked on USS Dwight D. Eisenhower (CVN 69) - 1980 KA-6D Intruder (VA-65 / CVW-7) embarked on USS Dwight D. Eisenhower (CVN 69) - 1980 KA-6D Intruder (VA-65 / CVW-7) embarked on USS Dwight D. Eisenhower (CVN 69) - 1980 KA-6D Intruder (VA-65 / CVW-7) embarked on USS Dwight D. Eisenhower (CVN 69) - 1980 KA-6D Intruder (VA-65 / CVW-7) embarked on USS Dwight D. Eisenhower (CVN 69) - 1980 KA-6D Intruder (VA-65 / CVW-7) embarked on USS Dwight D. Eisenhower (CVN 69) - 1980 KA-6D Intruder (VA-65 / CVW-7) embarked on USS Dwight D. Eisenhower (CVN 69) - 1980 KA-6D Intruder (VA-65 / CVW-7) embarked on USS Dwight D. Eisenhower (CVN 69) - 1980 A-6E Intruder (VA-65 / CVW-7) embarked on USS Dwight D. Eisenhower (CVN 69) - 1980 A-6E Intruder (VA-65 / CVW-7) embarked on USS Dwight D. Eisenhower (CVN 69) - 1979 KA-6D Intruder (VA-65 / CVW-7) embarked on USS Dwight D. Eisenhower (CVN 69) - 1978 A-6E Intruders (VA-65 / CVW-7) assigned to USS Independence (CVA 62) - August 1972 (NNAM) A-6A Intruder (VA-65 / CVW-15) embarked on USS Constellation (CVA 64) - 1966 (NNAM) A-6A Intruder (VA-65 / CVW-15) embarked on USS Constellation (CVA 64) with two F-4B Phantom II of VF-151 - 1966 A-6A Intruder (VA-65) at NAS North Island, California - 1966 (NNAM) AD-6 Skyraider (VA-65 / CVG-6) embarked on USS Enterprise (CVAN 65) - early 1960’s (courtesy of the National Naval Aviation Museum) AD-6 Skyraider (VA-65 / CVG-6) embarked on USS Enterprise (CVAN 65) - early 1960’s (NNAM) AD-6 Skyraider (VA-65 / CVG-6) embarked on USS Enterprise (CVAN 65) - early 1960’s (NNAM) AD-6 Skyraider (VA-65 / CVG-6) embarked on USS Enterprise (CVAN 65) - early 1960’s (NNAM) AD-6 Skyraider (VA-65 / CVG-6) embarked on USS Intrepid (CVA 11) - late 1950 / early 1960’s (NNAM)
history
Chronology of significant events: 1–20 Jun 1961: Following a four-hour notice for an emergency deployment, VA-65 deployed to the Caribbean Sea aboard Intrepid (CVA 11) due to unsettled conditions in the Dominican Republic following the assassination of General Trujillo. 3 Aug–11 Oct 1962: VA-65 was aboard for the maiden cruise of the world’s first nuclear powered aircraft carrier, Enterprise (CVAN 65), during her deployment to the Mediterranean Sea. 19 Oct–6 Dec 1962: VA-65 was back at sea aboard Enterprise one week after returning from a Med cruise and headed for the Caribbean Sea due to the Cuban missile crisis. The squadron participated in the naval quarantine of Cuba. 31 Jul–3 Oct 1964: The squadron participated in Operation Sea Orbit as part of CVW-6 aboard Enterprise. This operation was an around-the-world voyage of a task force composed of all nuclear powered ships. The sixty-five day cruise was accomplished without logistic support, which demonstrated the capability of these ships to steam to any area in the world and project power without support. 15 Jun 1966: VA-65 conducted its first combat sortie. 1 Jul 1966: VA-65’s aircraft joined other CVW-15 aircraft in attacking and sinking three North Vietnamese patrol vessels that were approaching Coontz (DLG 9) at high speed. 25–31 Oct 1966: Due to the inclement weather, the squadron’s all-weather A-6As were used to the maximum. During this period VA-65 flew 37 percent of all Yankee Team sorties in North Vietnam. 29 Jul 1967: VA-65 personnel were among those killed or injured when a flight deck explosion and fire occurred on Forrestal (CVA 59) during operations on Yankee Station. Jul–Dec 1967: Due to the fire on the Forrestal and her departure from combat duty on Yankee Station, VA-65 sent a detachment (Det-64) to the Constellation (CVA 64) to augment VA-196 for the remainder of the ship’s 1967 combat tour in Vietnam. May–Jun 1969: Kitty Hawk (CVA 63), with VA-65 aboard, relieved Enterprise in the Sea of Japan. Enterprise had been ordered to operate in the area as a result of the shoot down in April of an unarmed Navy EC-121 reconnaissance aircraft by North Korean MiGs. VA-65 conducted operations in the area during this two month period. 9 Sep–5 Oct 1970: VA-65 operated from Independence (CVA 62) on Bravo Station off the coast of Israel as a result of the crisis in Jordan and the hijacking of three commerical airliners. 7 Oct–3 Nov & 9–21 Nov 1973: After the outbreak of the Yom Kippur War (Arab-Israeli War of 1973), VA-65 operated from Independence in an area southwest of Crete and provided tanker support to fighter aircraft escorting Air Force One on Secretary of State Kissinger’s mission to Israel as well as tanker support for A-4 Skyhawks being ferried to Israel from the United States. 4–22 Aug 1974: Independence, with VA-65 embarked, operated between Crete and Cyprus in response to the crisis in Cyprus and the death of the American Ambassador to Cyprus at the hands of anti- American demonstrators. 12 Mar 1975: During exercises in the Caribbean Sea, VA-65 conducted cross deck operations with HMS Ark Royal. Nov 1975: During the NATO exercise Ocean Safari in the North Altantic, the squadron once again conducted cross deck operations with HMS Ark Royal. 15 Apr 1980: VA-65 deployed aboard Dwight D. Eisenhower (CVN 69) to the Indian Ocean after Iranians took the American Embassy personnel hostage. 22 Dec 1980: VA-65 returned from its deployment that included only one port visit of five days in duration and a total of 246 days at sea. 24 Jun 1982: VA-65 provided support during the evacuation of American and foreign civilians from Beiruit, Lebanon. 7 Mar 1985: VA-65 and Dwight D. Eisenhower cut short a port visit to Palma, Spain and departed on a high speed transit to the Eastern Mediterranean due to the increased tension in Lebanon. The squadron operated in the vicinity of Lebanon until early April. 1 Sep 1986: VA-65 was assigned to CVW-13 and Coral Sea (CV 43) as part of the Coral Sea Concept whereby two A-6 Intruder squadrons would be part of the air wing and share a common aircraft maintenance department. The concept was intended to reduce the number of personnel needed to support the squadrons. 29 Sep 1987: VA-65 deployed to the Mediterranean Sea aboard Coral Sea as the first Night Vision Goggle (NVG) capable A-6 squadron. Aug–Sep 1989: Coral Sea (CV 43), with VA-65 embarked, was ordered to operate off the coast of Lebanon following terrorist claims to have killed an American hostage, Lieutenant Colonel William R. Higgins, and the capture of Sheik Obeid from Lebanon by Israeli forces. The unstable situation in Lebanon ultimately led to the evacuation of the American Embassy. Squadron aircraft flew missions in support of the evacuation. Jan–Feb 1990: The squadron was embarked in Abraham Lincoln (CVN 72) for her shakedown cruise. Jan–Feb 1991: The squadron participated in Operation Desert Storm, the liberation of Kuwait from Iraqi forces. Squadron aircraft struck targets in Iraq, Iraqi forces in Kuwait, and Iraqi naval units. The squadron claimed the destruction (sinking) of 22 Iraqi naval vessels during the conflict. Apr–May 1991: VA-65 participated in Operation Provide Comfort, flying close air support sorties over Northern Iraq in support of the 24th Marine Expeditionary Unit’s mission to aid the Kurdish refugees in Iraq. 26 Mar 1993: The squadron held a disestablishment ceremony at NAS Oceana, it was officially disestablished on 31 March 1993.
patches
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