The VC-10 Challengers


Crusader's Cross - 1961
Drawn by Anna Vanderpool
Black Celtic Fighting Lion - 1983
Courtesy of Christopher Weisse


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The Squadron Duty Officer is the squadron contact point, who communicates
with former squadron members about squadron information, sea stories,
squadron pictures, scuttlebutt, and gathers information about squadron buddies.
Please contact the Squadron SDO as listed here.

The Table Of Content:
Patch:
  • From 1943 through 1961, VU-16 and VU-10's patch displayed a Proud Pelican pulling a target sleeve symbolic of the squadron mission.

  • From 1961 through 1969, VU-10 and VC-10's patch displayed a Crusader's Cross on a shield.

  • From 1969 through 1993, VC-10's patch displayed a Black Celtic Fighting Lion superimposed on a red, white and blue background.

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Handle:
  • 1943 - Mallards. Official name is Mallards but when assigned the F-8 Crusader, Squadron pilots unofficially took the name "Challengers".
  • 1961 - 1993, Challengers.
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Aircraft:
Date Type First Received - - - - - - Type of Aircraft:
Heritage:
  • October 26, 1943, Utility Squadron SIXTEEN (VU-16) was established in San Juan, Puerto Rico.

  • August 16, 1946, VU-16 was redesignated as Utility Squadron TEN (VU-10) at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba.

  • July 1, 1965, VU-10 was redesignated as Fleet Composite Squadron TEN (VC-10) at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba.
  • July 1, 1993, Fleet Composite Squadron TEN (VC-10) disestablished at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba.
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Commanders:
  • Date Assumed Command - - - - - - - Commanding Officer
  • 1943 - - - - - - - LCDR V. C. Wright
  • 1945 - - - - - - - LCDR W. D. Wilder
  • 1946 - - - - - - - LCDR C. G. Strum
  • 1947 - - - - - - - CDR T. L. Conroy
  • 1949 - - - - - - - CDR G. R. Egbert
  • 1950 - - - - - - - LCDR R. J. Sutherlin
  • 1951 - - - - - - - CDR S. Sterling, Jr.
  • 1952 - - - - - - - CDR T. B. Wolfe
  • 1954 - - - - - - - CDR D. E. McCoy
  • 1955 - - - - - - - CDR S. R. Stanul
  • 1957 - - - - - - - CDR A. L. Lane
  • 1958 - - - - - - - CDR M. E. Hrischi
  • 1959 - - - - - - - CDR R. H. Bookhamer
  • 1959 - - - - - - - CDR H. R. Poorman
  • 1960 - - - - - - - CDR F. C. Nugent
  • 1962 - - - - - - - CDR G. E. Buker
  • 1962 - - - - - - - CDR W. B. Moore
  • 1963 - - - - - - - CDR E. W. Keegan, Jr.
  • 1964 - - - - - - - CDR H. E. Lang
  • 1965 - - - - - - - CDR H. W. Kiker
  • 1965 - - - - - - - CDR T. D. Brown
  • 1966 - - - - - - - CDR R. C. James
  • 1967 - - - - - - - CDR D. F. Cross
  • 1968 - - - - - - - CDR P. Goslow
  • 1969 - - - - - - - CDR B. H. Ashley
  • 1970 - - - - - - - CDR T. D. Barrett
  • 1971 - - - - - - - CDR L. P. Walsh
  • 1972 - - - - - - - CDR E. W. Oehlbeck
  • 1973 - - - - - - - CDR S. L. Zwick
  • 1974 - - - - - - - CDR W. W. Miller
  • 1976 - - - - - - - CDR K. A. MacGillivary
  • 1977 - - - - - - - CDR K. J. Jaskolski
  • 1978 - - - - - - - CDR D. M. Snyder
  • 1979 - - - - - - - CDR J. J. Drew
  • 1981 - - - - - - - CDR F. P. Riordan
  • 1982 - - - - - - - CDR J. L. Unrau
  • 1983 - - - - - - - CDR C. E. Jones III
  • 1985 - - - - - - - CDR W. E. Mahew
  • 1986 - - - - - - - CDR J. E. Hilburn
  • 1988 - - - - - - - CDR E. D. Ulrich
  • 1989 - - - - - - - CDR G. G. Evens
  • 1991 - - - - - - - CDR J. W. Bean
  • 1993 - - - - - - - CDR K. C. Naumann
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Home Ports:
  • Date - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Location:
  • Oct 1943 - - - - - - San Juan, Puerto Rico
  • May 1944 - - - - - - Miami, Florida
  • Apr 1945 - - - - - - Guantanamo Bay, Cuba
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Air Wings:
Date - - - - - - - - - - - - Tail code - - - - - - - Air Wing
  • No info yet
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Deployments:
Departure & Return - - - - - - - - Air Wing - Carrier - Aircraft - - Area of Operations:
  • No info yet
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Photograph Albums:
Squadron Photograph Album
Squadron Off-Duty Album
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Events:
  • October 26, 1943:
    Utility Squadron SIXTEEN (VU-16) was established in San Juan, Puerto Rico. The Mallards were assigned the JM-1 Martin Marauder.
    Nicknamed the "3 a day in Tampa Bay" and "Martin Murder"
    Photo by Harry S. Gann.

  • 1943 through 1945:
    VU-16 participated in World War II (Caribbean).

  • August 16, 1946:
    VU-16 was redesignated as Utility Squadron TEN (VU-10) at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba.

  • 1947:
    VU-16 was assigned the Grumman F-8F Bearcat.

  • 1954:
    VU-16 was assigned the Grumman F-9F Cougar.

  • 1958:
    VU-16 was assigned the North American FJ-3 Fury.

  • 1961:
    VU-16 was assigned the Chance Vought F-8 Crusader.

  • October 1962:
    Participated in Cuban Missile Crisis.

  • July 1, 1965:
    VU-10 was redesignated as Fleet Composite Squadron TEN (VC-10) at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba.

  • 1966:
    VC-10 was assigned the US-2 Grumman Tracker.

  • 19??:
    VC-10 was assigned the Douglas A-4F Skyhawk and Douglas TA-4J Skyhawk.

  • 1983:
    Participated in Grenada Invasion.

  • 1991:
    Participated in Haiti Crisis.

  • July 1, 1993:
    Fleet Composite Squadron TEN (VC-10) disestablished at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba.

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Awards:
    Award - - - - - - - - - Inclusive Dates:
  • Battle E- - - - - - - - - - - - - 1983 & 1989.
  • CNO Safety Award- - - - - - - - - 1979, 1982, & 1987.
  • Meritorious Unit Commendation - - 1991.
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Sources of information:
  • Harry S. Gann.
  • LCDR Lumpy Sudbeck.
  • Frank J. Mirande.
  • Christopher Weisse
  • Jim Harvey
  • PH3 Logan
  • R.E. Kling
  • Gary Verver

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