VAW-122

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Carrier Airborne Early Warning Squadron 122
VAW-122 Insignia
Active1 April 1967 – 31 March 1996
CountryUnited States
BranchUnited States Navy SealUnited States Navy
TypeAirborne Early Warning
Part ofCarrier Air Wing 6
Nickname(s)"Steeljaws", "Hummer Gator"
EngagementsUSS Liberty incident
Vietnam War
Operation Urgent Fury
Operation Provide Comfort

Carrier Airborne Early Warning Squadron 122 (VAW-122) was an aviation unit of the United States Navy in service from 1 September 1967 to 31 March 1996. Originally nicknamed the "Hummer Gators"[1] and later as "Steeljaws" was a U.S. Atlantic Coast Carrier Airborne Early Warning Squadron stationed at NAS Norfolk. During its 30 years of existence, the squadron was deployed around the world and saw action from Vietnam to Desert Storm, conducting operations from the Arctic to the tropics.

Squadron History

1960s

Originally equipped with the E-2A Hawkeye, VAW-122 was first on the scene, establishing communications and directing fighter coverage for the USS Liberty in the Mediterranean in June 1967 after the intelligence-gathering ship was attacked by Israeli aircraft and torpedo boats. During a 1968 deployment on board the USS America off Vietnam, VAW-122 crews assisted a VF-33 F-4 Phantom crew in downing a North Vietnamese MiG-21 fighter as well as controlling interdiction strikes against North Vietnam.[2]

An E-2A Hawkeye of VAW-122 aboard Independence in September 1969.

1970s

After a 1970 deployment to the Mediterranean during the Jordanian crisis with CVW-7 on board the USS Independence, VAW-122 upgraded to the somewhat more capable E-2B. The squadron's next two deployments to the Mediterranean returned its crews to international crises—the 1973 Yom Kippur War and the 1974 Cyprus Crisis.[2]

In April 1975, VAW-122 upgraded to the definitive E-2C Hawkeye. In 1978, the squadron rejoined after a Pacific deployment embarked in USS Kitty Hawk with CVW-6 and over the next 13 years deployed to the Arabian Sea, Mediterranean, and North Atlantic on board the Independence and the USS Forrestal.[2]

1980s

In 1982 VAW 122 deployed on board USS Independence and provided support to operations in Beirut, Lebanon.[3] During the 1983 deployment, VAW-122 supported combat operations in Grenada and Lebanon, then on its last combat carrier deployment in 1991, supported Operation Provide Comfort over Iraq during and subsequent to Operation Desert Storm. Throughout its operational lifetime, VAW-122 participated in numerous cold-war, North Atlantic, Mediterranean, African, Indian Ocean, Eastern European, and Middle Eastern operations, supported several NASA Space Shuttle launches, and devised a variety of original operational tactics and procedures including ABCCC missions.[2]

1990s

VAW-122 made its first major counter-narcotic deployment as a squadron to the Caribbean and Central America in 1990, previously it had been smaller detachments of shorter duration beginning in 1983 with Operation Thunderbolt. In 1992 became permanently assigned to the role of counter-narcotic. By 1996, the unit had completed eight deployments in the Caribbean and Eastern Pacific areas, conducting some missions deep over South or Central America, and far into the Pacific Ocean—and was credited with the seizure of more than 16 metric tons of illegal drugs.[2]

VAW-122 was disestablished at NAS Norfolk on 31 March 1996. Its drug-interdiction mission and aircraft were assumed by VAW-77, stationed at NAS Atlanta.[2]

Deployments

A VAW-122 E-2C Hawkeye with CVW-11 aircraft in 1977.

Deployments of the squadron[1]

Group Dates Location
USS America 1 April 1967 20 September 1967 MED [note 1]
USS America 10 April 1968 16 December 1968 Vietnam
USS Independence 8 July 1970 1 February 1971 MED
USS Independence 16 September 1971 15 March 1972 MED
USS Independence 21 June 1973 19 January 1974 MED
USS Independence 19 July 1974 31 January 1975 MED
USS Kitty Hawk 25 October 1977 May 1978 WESTPAC
USS Independence 24 June 1979 14 December 1979 MED
USS Independence 19 November 1980 10 June 1981 IO
USS Independence 7 June 1982 21 December 1982 MED
USS Independence 18 October 1983 11 April 1984 MED/N. ATLANTIC[note 2]
USS Independence 16 October 1984 19 February 1985 IO
USS Forrestal 2 June 1986 10 November 1986 MED
USS Forrestal April 1988 September 1988 MED
USS Forrestal 4 November 1989 13 April 1990 MED
CTG 4.1 OPS 27 August 1990 25 October 1990 Panama
USS Forrestal 31 May 1991 21 December 1991 MED[note 3]
CJTF-4 OPS 11 November 1992 28 December 1992 Panama
CJTF-4 OPS 7 April 1993 14 May 1993 Panama
CJTF-4 OPS 19 August 1993 11 October 1993 GTMO
CJTF-4 OPS 3 March 1994 3 August 1994 GTMO/PR
DIRJIATFE OPS 14 November 1994 23 December 1994 NSRR, PR
DIRJIATFE OPS 9 May 1995 1 July 1995 NSRR, PR
SOUTHCOM OPS 10 October 1995 30 November 1995 CURACAO
DIRJIATFE OPS 1 December 1995 20 December 1995 NSRR, PR

Notes

  1. ^ Commissioned while deployed
  2. ^ Includes Operation Urgent Fury (Grenada)
  3. ^ Includes Operation Provide Comfort (Iraq)

References

  1. ^ a b "VAW-122". gonavy.jp. Retrieved 15 October 2015.
  2. ^ a b c d e f Burgess, Rick (September 2003). Lest We Forget: VAW-122. Naval Institute Proceedings.
  3. ^ "What IS a Steeljaw?". Steeljaw Scribe. Retrieved 15 November 2016.

See also

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