VP-26
VP-26 Tridents | |
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The VP-26 Tridents are a United States Navy aircraft squadron based at Naval Air Station Jacksonville in Florida. The squadron flies Boeing P-8A patrol aircraft. It was established as Bombing Squadron 114 (VB-114) on 26 August 1943 and renamed Patrol Bombing Squadron 114 (VPB-114) on 1 October 1944; Patrol Squadron 114 (VP-114) on 15 May 1946; Heavy Patrol Squadron (Landplane) 6 (VP-HL-6) on 15 November 1946, and Patrol Squadron 26 (VP-26) on 1 September 1948. The Tridents are the third squadron to be designated VP-26; the first VP-26 was renamed VP-102 on 16 December 1940, and the second VP-26 was renamed VP-14 on 1 July 1941.[1]
Mission
As a member of Patrol Wing Eleven, VP-26 is a maritime patrol squadron with a worldwide theater of operations. Mission areas include anti-submarine warfare (ASW); anti-morale warfare (AMW); anti-surface warfare (ASU); command and control warfare (C2W); command, control and communications (CCC); intelligence (INT); mine warfare (MIW).[2]
History
1940s
VB-114 was established on 26 August 1943 at
Between 12 February and 4 March 1944, transfer orders were received for
A detachment of three crews and aircraft was sent to
The two remaining VB-114 aircraft and crews at NAF Port Lyautey were relocated to Lajes Field in the Azores between 20 July and 1 August 1944, leaving no squadrons in French Morocco. Two aircraft from the Dunkeswell detachment arrived on 24 July to supplement the group, and movement of all equipment, supplies, personnel and aircraft was completed by 28 July. The Azores detachment was under the administrative control of FAW-9. The first combat mission flown from neutral Portuguese territory took place on 1 August; the Azores belonged to Portugal, which was neutral in World War II. Britain, a longtime Portuguese ally, had been allowed to establish an air base on the Azores in 1943. Although the airfield could be used as a staging post by U.S. aircraft, it could not be a permanent base unless its aircraft had British markings. An agreement was reached for the squadron to be based on Terceira Island, operating under RAF Coastal Command control with British and U.S. markings. The detachment remaining in the UK continued under the operational control of FAW-7.
From 18 November 1944 to 14 February 1945, tour completion and crew rotation were imminent for the squadron. To have enough aircraft and experienced aircrews for replacement-crew training, the Dunkeswell detachment was reduced to four aircrews and four aircraft and the remainder were sent to supplement the Lajes Field detachment. Replacement crews began arriving in the Azores on 8 December 1944, and began the night-searchlight training program. The four aircraft and crews left at Dunkeswell rejoined the squadron on 14 February 1945.
On 26 May 1945, orders were received to establish a squadron detachment of six aircraft and seven crews for hurricane reconnaissance at NAS Boca Chica in Key West, Florida. The aircraft left the Azores for Florida on 31 May. Administrative control of the Lajes Field squadron was transferred from FAW-9 to FAW-11 on 29 May. On 29 June, VB-114 deployed a detachment of three aircraft and four crews to NAF Port Lyautey; this left six aircraft at Lajes Field with the squadron's administrative-command staff.
In October and November 1945, squadron detachments at Boca Chica and NS San Juan in Puerto Rico were closed and moved to NAAS Edenton in North Carolina. The squadron was ordered to move its headquarters from the Azores to NAS Edenton on 29 November, maintaining detachments at NAS Port Lyautey and Lajes Field, and came under the operational control of FAW-5.
It was based at
The squadron deployed to
1950s
On 8 April 1950,
VP-26 was relocated to a new home base at NAS Patuxent River under the operational control of
It participated in Operation LANTFLEX, the annual
1960s
On 25 January 1960, VP-26 deployed a six-aircraft detachment to NAS Rota. The squadron participated in NATO ASW exercise Dawn Breeze, based at Lann-Bihoué in France, in March; it was the first to operate from the base in nearly a decade.
VP-26 deployed a six-aircraft detachment to NAS Argentia for a planned five-month tour in September 1962, but the October
In October 1964, VP-26 supplied one aircraft and crew for a month to work with U.S. Army Special Forces personnel at Pope AFB in North Carolina. The SP-2E aircraft was reconfigured as a jump platform for Special Forces parachutists making high-altitude day and night jumps. From October 1965 to 5 January 1966, VP-26 began transition training from the P2V Neptune (flown by the squadron for over 15 years) to the new P-3B Orion. The first P-3B arrived at NAS Brunswick on 5 January 1966, when VP-26 was the Navy's first operational P-3B squadron. It deployed to NAS Argentia on 19 July 1966, with a detachment at NAS Keflavik. Squadron personnel could see the newly formed, ephemeral volcanic island of Syrtlingur (Little Surtsey), which rose from the sea in July 1965 before eroding and disappearing in late October.
From 24 November 1967 to April 1968, VP-26 deployed to the western Pacific with detachments based at
1970s
VP-26 deployed to NAS Sigonella in Sicily from 19 June to October 1970, relieving VP-5. This coincided with the Black September events in Jordan; the squadron averaged two sorties each day in the eastern Mediterranean from 10 September to 22 October, when the situation stabilized.[1]
It received the Fleet Air Wing Atlantic Chief of Naval Operations Safety Award for 1972. As a result of the squadron's tactical efforts in 1973 and 1974, VP-26 received the Captain Arnold Jay Isbell Trophy for excellence in anti-submarine warfare. In 1975, the squadron was involved in celebrating the
1980s
The squadron deployed to
In November 1983 VP-26 deployed to NAS Bermuda, with detachments to Lajes Field and NS Roosevelt Roads (where they averaged over 1,000 flight hours per month for three consecutive months). VP-26 again deployed to Kadena, Japan in January 1985. It operated with units of the
1990s
With the
It received the Joint Meritorious Unit Commendation for meritorious service in support of Operation Desert Calm, United Nations sanctions against the former Republic of Yugoslavia, and operations with deployed marine amphibious readiness groups and carrier battle groups from September 1993 to February 1994. VP-26 flew over 620 armed sorties during this time (including daily Maverick Surface Unit Combat Air Patrol) in support of Operation Sharp Guard, amassing 4,800 flight hours, and completed the first live Maverick warshot by an operational P-3 squadron. In October 1994 VP-26 conducted a formation Mining Readiness Certification Inspection (MRCI), the first MRCI flown in close formation by a VP squadron in five years. VP-26 was called on to conduct a December 1994 SAR effort 950 miles (1,530 km) off the coast of New England for the 450-foot (140 m) Ukrainian freighter, Salvador Allende, which was taking on water in stormy seas. VP-26 flew over 85 hours in six days in support of the effort, during which two people were rescued after the vessel sank. In January 1995, the Tridents returned to NAS Sigonella for their third consecutive Mediterranean deployment; VP-26 flew over 5,000 hours and 468 armed sorties in support of Operations Sharp Guard and Deny Flight.
From July 1995 to February 1996, the squadron began a seven-month transition to the P-3C Update III aircraft. In August 1996, VP-26 conducted a tri-site deployment to Iceland, Puerto Rico and Panama. It had the highest drug-interdiction rate, with more than $1.9 billion in cocaine and marijuana arrests. Cocaine alone was over 38 metric tons, equivalent to over 20 percent of estimated US consumption. The crews at NAS Keflavik had the highest total contact time on submarines of all US maritime patrol squadrons in the previous four years. VP-26 was the first US military unit invited to participate in the Norwegian FLOTEX 96 national exercise, and the squadron received its fourth Battle "E" Award in 1996.
VP-26 returned home to Brunswick, Maine, in January 1997 for another home cycle, beginning preparations for its February 1998 deployment to NAS Sigonella. The squadron flew over 180 flights in
2000s
VP-26 accumulated 275,000 mishap-free flight hours in over 38 years by 2000, a world record for civilian and military aviation. In preparation for its next Mediterranean deployment, the squadron trained its 12 aircrews in the new P-3C Update III AIP (anti-surface-warfare improvement program) aircraft with state-of-the-art improvements in command, control, communications and intelligence; surveillance, and survivability. The squadron received its first AIP aircraft in September 2000. VP-26 also conducted extensive training to employ the SLAM and Maverick missiles.
In February 2001 VP-26 returned to NAS Sigonella to support the United Nations Operations Deliberate Forge and Joint Guardian, and participated in several multinational exercises in Africa and Europe. During its six months in Sicily the squadron flew over 5,000 mishap-free operational hours, with a 93-percent sortie-completion rate. VP-26 deployed detachments to 15 countries (including NS Rota, Spain; Souda Bay, Crete; Nordholtz, Germany; Visby, Sweden; Nîmes, France; RAF Kinloss, Scotland; Malta, and Turkey), and flew missions over the Atlantic Ocean, Baltic Sea, Black Sea, North Sea and the Mediterranean. The missions included support for two US carrier battle groups and NATO surface combatants, overland reconnaissance in support of NATO stabilization forces (SFOR) and its Kosovo Force (KFOR), and over 20 multinational exercises with 24 nations. On 10 August 2001, VP-26 arrived at its home base at Brunswick, Maine, for an inter-deployment cycle. After the September 11 attacks, the squadron had a heightened state of readiness and supported the war on terrorism by participating in homeland-defense operations.[2]
In August 2002, VP-26 began its six-month, split-site deployment to NAS Keflavik
On 4 April 2003, VP-26 held its 57th change of command as Commander Matthew J. Carter relieved Commander Sean S. Buck. In attendance were the squadron's friends and family and members of
VP-26 celebrated 41 years of mishap-free flying in August 2003, a record recognized by the Navy and the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). On this basis the squadron was the safest organization in military and civilian aviation, flying over 296,000 hours without a mishap since 1962 (when a P-2E Neptune caught fire and exploded during a ground-maintenance engine check). On 17 September, Combat Air Crew 1 (CAC-1) flew to NAS Jacksonville to participate in a composite training unit exercise with the USS Enterprise carrier battle group. The following day, CAC-1 was joined by CAC-5 and a maintenance detachment. VP-26 participated for two weeks and flew over 75 hours in the exercise, which had been moved from the Florida coast due to Hurricane Isabel.
The squadron deployed at the end of January 2004, relieving
VP-26 was relieved by VP-16 at NAS Sigonella, and returned to NAS Brunswick in the beginning of July; most squadron personnel returned home on 4 July. During the rest of the year, the squadron continued training. It commemorated 42 years of mishap-free flying, totaling over 303,420 hours, in August. In September, one crew detached for six days to NAS Jacksonville. With Hangar 6 under construction, VP-26 moved in with VP-92. Two squadrons sharing a hangar was beneficial because VP-26 was the test squadron for active-reserve integration. In December, two crews from VP-92 joined VP-26 as the first reserve crews which were part of an active squadron. VP-26 earned several awards during the year, including the Global War on Terrorism Medal, Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal and Kosovo Campaign Medal; two crews earned the Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal. The squadron again won the Golden Anchor Award for Retention Excellence.
VP-26 again deployed to NAS Sigonella and
In 2007, VP-26 passed 410,000 hours of mishap-free flying. An inter-deployment training cycle, with surge detachments to the Fifth Fleet
The 2005
2010s
VP-26 deployed in December 2011 to the Fifth Fleet AOR. The squadron flew missions in support of
VP-26 deployed in May 2013 to the Seventh Fleet AOR, marking the first integrated active and reserve P-3C deployment. They executed 245 operational missions and 3,808 flight hours in support of 28 multi-national exercises, 20 U.S. maritime exercises, and 23 detachments to 12 countries, including the first U.S. P-3C detachment to New Zealand since 1984. The squadron also performed the first dual LSRS[definition needed] mission, the first VQ-LSRS cross-cueing operation and the first complete image collection of a priority target in support of Commander, U.S.[2]
VP-26 crews executed 184 ASW missions and accumulated 412 ASW contact hours on nine different classes of foreign submarines. Following Typhoon Haiyan, the squadron responded with the first U.S. Navy aircraft on scene to provide humanitarian assistance and disaster relief to the Republic of the Philippines in support of Operation Damayan.[2]
In January 2015, VP-26 deployed to Isa Air Base, Bahrain and maintained detachment sites in Incirlik, Turkey and Comalapa, El Salvador. This deployment marked the last deployment of P-3C's from east coast squadrons. Early in the El Salvador detachment, the crew seized more than 530 kilograms of cocaine worth an estimated $17 million and, ultimately, disrupted $625 million worth of narcotics shipments in cooperation with U.S. Coast Guard and Canadian forces. The squadron also executed 3,500 overland combat hours across the Fifth and Sixth Fleet AORs in support of Operation Inherent Resolve and other multi-national efforts, including the Struggle Against Violent Extremism. VP-26 participated in a ceremony that marked the 65th anniversary of the first US aircraft shot down by the Soviets in the Cold War and was attended by key leaders and over one hundred members of the Latvia military.[2]
In March 2016, VP-26 accepted their first P-8A Poseidon and completed their squadron transition to the P-8A in May 2016. In March 2017, the Tridents left for their first operational deployment in the P-8A to the Seventh Fleet AOR.[2]
VP-26 was the last active navy P-3 squadron at NAS Jacksonville to convert to the P-8A.[6]
In October 2017 VP-26 returned from its first overseas deployment with its P-8A aircraft. The deployment to the Western Pacific lasted six-months.[7]
Awards
VP-26 has received five
Aircraft assignments
The squadron was assigned the following aircraft on the following dates:[1]
- PB4Y-1 - August 1943
- PB4Y-2 - 1945
- P2V-4 - March 1951
- P2V-5 (MAD) - May 1954
- P2V-5F - March 1955
- P-3B - January 1966
- P-3C UII - July 1979
- P-3C UII.5 - 1993
- P-3C UIIIR - 1994
- Boeing P-8 Poseidon - 2016
Home-port assignments
The squadron was assigned to the following home ports:[1]
- NAS Norfolk, Virginia - 26 August 1943
- NAAS Oceana, Virginia - 14 October 1943
- NAS Port Lyautey, French Morocco - 21 February 1944
- Lajes Field, Azores - 20 July 1944
- NAS Edenton, North Carolina - 29 November 1945
- NAS Atlantic City, New Jersey - May 1946
- NAS Patuxent River, Maryland - 16 April 1948
- NAS Port Lyautey - March 1949
- NAS Patuxent River - 30 June 1950
- NAS Brunswick, Maine - 11 January 1952
- NAS Jacksonville, Florida - January 2010
See also
- History of the United States Navy
- List of United States Navy aircraft squadrons
- List of squadrons in the Dictionary of American Naval Aviation Squadrons
References
- ^ a b c d e f g Roberts, Michael D. (2000). Dictionary of American Naval Aviation Squadrons, Volume 2, Chapter 3 Patrol Squadron (VP) Histories(2nd VP-26 to 1st VP-29). Washington, D.C.: Naval Historical Center, Department of the Navy. pp. 169–76. Archived from the original on 2 May 2016. Retrieved 26 June 2016.
- ^ Allen, Michael E. (2005). The Gulag Study (PDF). Washington, D.C.: Joint Commission Support Directorate, Defense Prisoner of War/Missing Personnel Office. p. 50. Retrieved 20 March 2021.
- ^ "VP-26 Celebrates Successful Deployment". www.news.navy.mil. Archived from the original on 30 November 2005.
- ^ Stephen P. Weaver. "VP-26 Aids in Rescue Near Malta". navy.mil.
- ^ "Vignettes of Standing Up and Operating the P-8 at Jacksonville Air Station". 10 June 2016. Retrieved 8 August 2019.
- ^ "VP-26 returns from first P-8 deployment". Retrieved 8 August 2019.