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HistoryVAW-12 HistoryHistory

Circa 1976

HistoryA BIT OF HISTORY: NAS ThumbnailCameraNAS Quonset Point "...This is Sea Plane Hanger Two (SPH-2) at NAS Quonset Point, Rhode Island taken in February of 1976! This hanger is where VC-12 lived from 1952 until 1962, when VC-12 became VAW-12! Another waste of Tax Payer Money here!..." Contributed by NETTLES, Bullet Bob bulletbob_1@email.msn.com [16JAN2003]


Circa 1966

HistoryA BIT OF HISTORY: Naval Aviation June 1966 "...E-2A Goes To East Coast Squadron - Page 14 to 15 - Naval Aviation News - June 1966..." WebSite: http://www.history.navy.mil/nan/backissues/1960s/1966/jun66.pdf [05SEP2004]

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Circa 1965-1967

HistoryA BIT OF HISTORY: "...VAW-12 (Vietnam Cruise) Detachment 42 aboard the USS Franklin D. Roosevelt (CV-42) from 21JUN65 - 21FEB67..." Contributed by RYSEWYK, ATW3 John "Jack" jackrysewyk@sbcglobal.net [07FEB2011]

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Circa 1962

HistoryA BIT OF HISTORY: Naval Aviation News November 1962 "...VAW-12 Completes Move - Page 15 - Naval Aviation News - November 1962..." WebSite: http://www.history.navy.mil/nan/backissues/1960s/1962/nov62.pdf [24AUG2004]

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HistoryA BIT OF HISTORY: Naval Aviation News August 1962 "...The Case Of The Ubiquitous 'Mr. C' - Page 12 to 13 - Naval Aviation News - August 1962..." WebSite: http://www.history.navy.mil/nan/backissues/1960s/1962/aug62.pdf [23AUG2004]

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HistoryA BIT OF HISTORY: Naval Aviation News May 1962 "...'Black Knight' Of VAW-12 - Page 34 - Naval Aviation News - May 1962..." WebSite: http://www.history.navy.mil/nan/backissues/1960s/1962/may62.pdf [23AUG2004]

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Circa 1961

HistoryA BIT OF HISTORY: Naval Aviation News November 1961 "...Duty Spook Strikes Again - Page 29 - Naval Aviation News - November 1961..." WebSite: http://www.history.navy.mil/nan/backissues/1960s/1961/nov61.pdf [21AUG2004]

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Circa 1960

HistoryA BIT OF HISTORY: Naval Aviation News June 1960 "...VAW-12 Pilot Not hexed - Page 3 - Naval Aviation News - June 1960..." WebSite: http://www.history.navy.mil/nan/backissues/1960s/1960/jun60.pdf [18AUG2004]

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HistoryA BIT OF HISTORY: Naval Aviation News April 1960 "...VAW-12 Receives Tracers - Page 38 - Naval Aviation News - April 1960..." WebSite: http://www.history.navy.mil/nan/backissues/1960s/1960/apr60.pdf [18AUG2004]

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Circa 1959

HistoryA BIT OF HISTORY: "...USS Valley Forge (CVS-45) in February 1959..." Contributed by MAYFIELD, PN Terry D. tdmayf@gmail.com [30JUL2009]

LEFT to RIGHT:

    Detachment 52, AD5W Damage to Tailwheel and Elevator (23FEB59), AD5W Damage to Tailwheel (23FEB59) and AD5W Damage to Fulesage (23FEB59).
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HistoryA BIT OF HISTORY: Naval Aviation News July 1959 "...38,000th Landing Logged - Page 2 - Naval Aviation News - July 1959..." WebSite: http://www.history.navy.mil/nan/backissues/1950s/1959/jul59.pdf [15AUG2004]

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HistoryA BIT OF HISTORY: Naval Aviation News March 1959 "...VAW-12's Safety Contest - Page 14 - Naval Aviation News - March 1959..." WebSite: http://www.history.navy.mil/nan/backissues/1950s/1959/mar59.pdf [15AUG2004]

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Circa 1958

HistoryA BIT OF HISTORY: Naval Aviation News September 1958 "...ASW They Keep The Killers Going - Page 3 - Naval Aviation News - September 1958..." WebSite: http://www.history.navy.mil/nan/backissues/1950s/1958/sep58.pdf [13AUG2004]

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Circa 1956

HistoryA BIT OF HISTORY: "...THE GREYHAWKS OF VAW-120..." WebSite: National Museum of Naval Aviation http://www.naval-air.org/flightlog/VA-120.asp [05AUG2002]

THE "EYES OF THE FLEET". The history of VAW-120 goes back to 6 July 1948 when Carrier Airborne Early Warning Squadron TWO (VAW-2) was commissioned at NAS Norfolk, Virginia. Shortly after being formed, the squadron moved to NAS Quonset Point, Rhode Island, and was redesignated Composite Squadron TWELVE (VC-12).

In those early days, the squadron successively operated the TBM Avenger, the AF Guardian, and the AD-5W Skyraider. In 1956, the squadron was redesignated Carrier Airborne Early Warning Squadron TWELVE (VAW-12). With the new name came a new aircraft, the "Guppy" version of the AD Skyraider. In 1961, the WF-2 Tracer, more affectionately known as the E-1B "Willie Fudd," arrived to begin its long tour in AEW service, and the following year the squadron returned to Breezy Point at NAS Norfolk, Virginia.

In July 1966, VAW-12 received the first E-2A Hawkeye, and was supplying detachments utilizing two different aircraft aboard ten Atlantic Fleet aircraft carriers in addition to training personnel for those detachments. With over 200 officers and 800 enlisted personnel, VAW -12 was reorganized as an Air Wing, and on 1 April 1967, Admiral T.E. Moore, Commander in Chief, U.S. Atlantic Fleet, commissioned Carrier Airborne Early Warning Wing Twelve with six operating squadrons. That same year on 1 July, RVAW-120 was commissioned as Wing Twelve's training squadron with a formalized training mission.

The squadron received the second generation E-2B Hawkeye aircraft in 1970, followed by the arrival of the E-2C on 31 May 1973. With the delivery of the first Advanced Radar Processing System (ARPS) aircraft in 1978, RVAW 120 trained Naval Flight Officers (NFOs), Flight Technicians and maintenance personnel in both the APS-120 and APS-125 radars. This continued unitl 1980 when all east coast VAW squadrons completed transition to the APS-125. In 1984, RVAW 120 trained aircrew and maintenance personnel in the APS-125 and APS-138 radars as east and west coasts continued to prepare for full transition to the TRAC A/APS-138 Radar System.

In May 1980, the 2F110 Operational Flight Trainer (OFT) was delivered and ready for use in early May 1981. The OFT is designed to simulate actual in-flight emergencies and train Replacement Pilots handle such emergencies prior to receiving E-2C training flights. The 15F8B Weapon System Trainer(WST) arrived in October 1984 and was accepted for training on 19 November 1984. This latest arrival provided staff and Replacement NFOs with the latest technology for the Grumman Hawkeye.

In May 1983, RVAW-120 officially became VAW-120, Carrier Airborne Early Warning Squadron ONE HUNDRED TWENTY, reflecting the task load of a fleet squadron and a training squadron. NFO training was moved to a new site in April 1983 where the new 15F8B WST is currently housed. Pilot training was also moved to the new E-2 Training Building in late 1984 for consolidation of the training mission.

In June 1985, VAW-120 received the first reprocured C-2A delivered to the Navy. This delivery marked the commencement of a long range procurement program designed to greatly enchance the Carrier On-board Delivery (COD) capability for Carrier Battle Groups. The addition of the reprocured C-2A Greyhound brought the added responsibility of creating a new training program for Fleet Logistics Support Squadrons VRC-30 and VRC-40, pilots and aircrewman, which included the first ever C-2A night carrier qualification.

VAW-120 received its first E-2C+ (Group I) aircraft in November 1993. This aircraft introduced the enhanced APS-139 radar system and the more powerful and efficient T56-A-427 Allison engine. The E-2C continued its technological growth and in February 1994 the command took custody of its first E-2C (Group II) aircraft. This version of the E-2C introduced the powerful and innoviate APS-145 radar and an impressively accurate Global Positioning System (GPS) to aid in navigation. As a result, the Group II curriculum for pilots and NFOs was established to provide training in the new aircraft. The E-2C's navigation system received a face-lift with the introduction of the dual ASN-139 laser ring gyro inertial navigation system in 1997. In November 2001, VAW-120 received the fleet's first E-2C Plus Hawkeye 2000 aircraft that includes the new mission computer and ACIS display system and a new ARC-210 SATCOM system. The aircraft will eventually have CEC and a new ESM system.

VAW-120 became the single site Fleet Replacement Squadron (FRS) in September 1994 when VAW-110, its west coast counterpart, was decommissioned. As a result, VAW-120 is the sole training site for all E-2C and C-2A aircrew. This consolidated resulted in a dramatic increase in personnel, aircraft and tasking. VAW-120 is continuing to provide the world's finest aircrew for the essential missions of Carrier Airborne Early Warning and Fleet Logistics Support.

COMMANDING OFFICERS OF VAW-120

CAPT S.L. CORNER 01JUL67-30SEP68
CDR T.E. NEWARK 01OCT68-07AUG69
CDR R.A. PETTIGREW 08AUG69-16JUL70
CDR D.G. TERRY 17JUL70-11JUL71
CDR R.A. SPARGO 12JUL71-24JUL72
CDR W.P. COURTNEY 25JUL72-05JUL73
CDR T.P. MCCLENAHAN 06JUL73-24JUL74
CDR J.D. LARISON 25JUL74-18DEC75
CDR BERNSEN 19DEC75-14APR77
CDR C.J. KING, JR 15APR77-28JUL78
CDR J.J. DITTRICK 29JUL78-18JAN80
CAPT R.A. ALLEN 19JAN80-22MAY81
CAPT J.R. CONDON 23MAY81-26AUG82
CDR A.J. MURPHY 27AUG82-06JAN84
CAPT L.N. ODEN 07JAN84-24MAY85
CAPT J.W. SPRAGUE 25MAY85-25APR86
CDR C.M. KRAFT, JR. 26APR86-18SEP87
CDR R.K. ZIA 19SEP87-10FEB89
CAPT R.F. BRADEN 11FEB89-23FEB90
CDR T.C. "DU"LANG 24FEB90-23AUG91
CDR E.F. CAFFREY 24AUG91-19NOV92
CAPT V.C. HUBER 20NOV92-12APR95
CAPT F.N. CLARK 13APR95-07NOV96
CDR D.T. "TEX" KEUHLEN 08NOV96-14SEP98
CAPT B.M. ROBY 14SEP98-13APR00
CAPT E.D. ROSEQUIST 14APR00-19FEB02
CDR E.M. CHICOINE 19FEB02-PRESENT

HistoryA BIT OF HISTORY: "...The Trader led in turn to another Tracker derivative, the "WF-1 Tracer" airborne early-warning (AEW) variant, which first flew in March 1957. The production version, the "WF-2", went into operational service in February 1958, serving with Squadrons VAW-11 and VAW-12. It was know as "Willie Fudd" by crews, in reference to its designation code, and sometimes as "Stoof With A Roof"..." http://www.vectorsite.net/avtrakr.html [04AUG2002]

HistoryA BIT OF HISTORY: "...The history of VAW-123 begins in 1945 with the commissioning of VC-12, officially known as Composite Squadron Twelve. VC-12 was redesignated VAW-12, Carrier Airborne Warning Squadron Twelve, in 1956. During its history, the organization of VAW-12 changed internally many times. The last change resulted in the establishment of Carrier Early Warning Wing Atlantic and the commissioning of all E-2A detachments as independent squadrons. As a result of this reorganization, VAW-12 Detachment 59 was commissioned VAW-123 in April 1967, under the command of CDR Hill...." http://www02.clf.navy.mil/vaw123/history.htm [05AUG2002]



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