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US Navy - Fighter Squadron 153 (FITRON 153)
VF-153 'Blue Tail Flies'
 
vf-153 blue tail flies insignia crest patch badge fighter squadron us navy 02x
 vf-153 blue tail flies fighter squadron us navy grumman f9f cougar cvg-15 02a
 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
 AIRCRAFT:   Grumman F9F-2 Panther (1951-52)
Grumman F9F-5 Panther (1952-53)
Grumman F9F-6 Cougar (1953-55)
North American FJ-3 Fury (1955)
Grumman F9F-8 Cougar (1955-56)
Grumman F9F-8B Cougar (1956)
 DEPLOYMENTS:   September 1951 - May 1952 with CVG-15 aboard USS Antietam (CV 36)
January 1953 - September 1953 with CVG-15 aboard USS Princeton (CVA 37)
July 1954 - February 1955 with CVG-15 aboard USS Yorktown (CVA 10)
April 1956 - October 1956 with CVG-15 aboard USS Wasp (CVA 18)
 
images

vf-153 blue tail flies fighter squadron us navy f9f-8b cougar carrier air group cvg-15 uss wasp cva-18 03
F9F-8B Cougar (VF-153 / CVG-15) embarked on USS Wasp (CVA 18) - 1956

vf-153 blue tail flies fighter squadron us navy grumman f9f-6 cougar carrier air group cvg-15 uss yorktown cva-10 02
F9F-6 Cougar (VF-153 / CVG-15) embarked on USS Yorktown (CVA 10) over Mount Fuji, Japan - December 1954


vf-831 blue tail flies fighter squadron navy reserve cvg-15 uss antietam cv-36 02
A rocket-armed Grumman F9F-2 Panther of Naval Reserve fighter squadron VF-831, Carrier Air Group 15 (CVG-15),
aboard USS Antietam (CV-36), which was deployed to Korea from 8 September 1951 to 2 May 1952.
   
 
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:

Feb 1955:
Squadron aircraft flew sorties in supportof the evacuation of Chinese Nationalists from theTachen Islands.


VA-153:

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 activeduty 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
 
 
 
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