The VC-2 Falcons


Provided by Cliff Jones


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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:
  • The patch was designed in early 1965 in a Squadron contest. Big deal prize was 30 days of no SDO duty.
    LT. Stephen E. Marshall (Steve) in VC-2 1963-1966

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Handle:
Aircraft:
Date Type First Received - - - - - - Type of Aircraft:
Heritage:
  • Before 1952 Utility Squadron FOUR (VU-4) Detachment Quonset Point, Rhode Island.
  • January 18, 1952, VU-4 Detachment Quonset Point, Rhode Island redesignated Utility Squadron TWO (VU-2).
  • July 1, 1965, VU-2 was redesignated Navy Fleet Support Squadron TWO (VC-2).
  • September 30, 1980, Navy Fleet Support Squadron TWO, Blue Falcons, were disestablished.

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Commanders:
  • Date Assumed Command - - - - - - - Commanding Officer
  • 1952 - - - - - - Lcdr. Carlton Soderholm, USN
  • 1960 - - - - - - Cdr. Kirk Hershey
  • 1961 - - - - - - Cdr. P. O. Harwell
  • 1962 - - - - - - Cdr. R. J. Mattus
  • 1964 - - - - - - Cdr. W. F. Tobin
  • 1965 - - - - - - Cdr. D. E. Cummings
  • 1965 - - - - - - Cdr. W. E. McLuckie
  • 1966 - - - - - - Cdr. R. I. McFarland
  • 1967 - - - - - - Cdr. R. N. Andresen
  • 1968 - - - - - - Cdr. W. C. Larry
  • 1969 - - - - - - Cdr. H. C. Wyhelchel Jr.
  • 1970 - - - - - - Cdr. R. Clifton Jones, USN
  • 1971 - - - - - - Cdr. Larry Renner, USN
  • JUN 1977-1978: CDR Whittiker
  • 1978-79: CDR P.R. Black
  • 1979-80: CDR M. (Brooks) Chesser

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Home Ports:
  • Date - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Location:
  • 1952 - - - - - Naval Air Station Quonset Point, Rhode Island.
  • 1960 - - - - - Naval Air Station Oceana, Virginia Beach, Virginia.
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Air Wings:
Date - - - - - - - - - - - - Tail code - - - - - - - Air Wing
  • - - - - - - - - - JE
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Deployments:
Departure & Return - - - - - - - - Air Wing - Carrier - Aircraft - - Area of Operations:
  • None
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Photograph Albums:
Squadron Photograph Album
Squadron Off-Duty Album (empty)
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Events:
  • 1952:
    FLECOMPRON TWO (VU-2) was originally a Utility Squadron FOUR Detachment stationed at Quonset Point, Rhode Island. On January 8, 1952 demand for utility services had grown to the point where VU-4's Quonset Point detachment was redesignated Utility Squadron TWO (VU-2). Lcdr. Carlton Soderholm, USN was the first Blue Falcon Commanding Officer.
    • VU-2's mission was to train aircraft controllers and ship gun crews; provide flights to assist in the completion of functional radar tests for Atlantic Fleet and NATO naval units; conduct of transition training in the FS aircraft for newly designated aviators; and aerial combat maneuvering flights in conjunction with fleet fighter squadron combat readiness training.

    • The newly commissioned squadron had a complement of 30 officers and 185 enlisted men operating the Douglas JD-1 "Invader" and Grumman F9F "Cougar." VU-2 pilots towed bright red and white targets past firing batteries of U. S. ships from Maine to Puerto Rico. Cougars flew high-speed intercepts for stations and ships in the Atlantic Fleet.

  • 1959:
    VU-2 acquired the KD2R5 and the KDBI target systems to provide experience for Atlantic Fleet gunners. When launched from the fantail of ships, KD's presented small, fast moving, recoverable targets for radar and gunfire tracking.

  • June 1960:
    VU-2 moved to the Naval Air Station Oceana at Virginia Beach, Virginia, leaving VU-2 Detachment Quonset Point, Rhode Island with the squadron's Douglas JD Invaders. The move enabled the Blue Falcons to increase service to the Fleet Anti-Air Warfare Training Center at Dam Neck, Virginia and the fleet in the Norfolk area. Utility Squadron TWO pilots stowed their tow-targets and became "BOGIES" flying the North American FJ-3 "Fury" North American FJ-3 "Fury" for radar tracking exercises and air-to-air intercepts.

  • July 1961:
    Utility Squadron TWO became the first supersonic utility squadron on the Atlantic coast when VU-2 received the Vought F-8U "Crusader." The Crusader's increased performance enabled the Fleet Anti-Air Warfare Training Center to accomplish the complexities of high speed aircraft intercepts.

  • May 1962:
    Utility Squadron TWO was tasked to provide DELMAR tow targets to the fleet. The DELMAR tow profile provided realistic air-to-air and sea-to-air missile firing training for the Atlantic Fleet.

  • 1963:
    UTRON TWO flew 4,539 accident free hours during fiscal 1963, receiving a COMNAVAIRLANT citation for the outstanding achievement. In August VU-2 was chosen to "pilot" the Navy Maintenance Data Collection System, a counterpart of the Air Force 66-1 Program.

  • 1964:
    Utility Squadron TWO established UC-2 Detachment 33 Jacksonville, Florida and VU-2 Detachment Key West, Florida. The VU-2 Jacksonville Detachment serviced ships from Charleston, South Carolina and Mayport, Florida as well as air units from Naval Air Station Cecil Field, Florida. The VU-2 Key West Detachment towed DELMAR targets providing air-to-air missile firing training for fleet squadrons.

  • January 1965:
    UTRON TWO flew an all time record 570 "Crusader" hours. The record was achieved using the F-8C Crusader which had been assigned in April 1964. The hour accumulated as UC-2 trained Blue Falcon pilots for all-weather high-speed intercepts in the enhanced radar ability F-8C Crusader. Meanwhile the Blue Falcons performed high-speed intercepts to train and evaluate sea and land based student air controllers.
    • July 1, 1965:
      UTRON TWO (VU-2)was redesignated Fleet Composite Squadron TWO (VC-2).

    • December 1965:
      Fleet Composite Squadron TWO increased emphasis on Crusader squadron pilot weapon platform training. VC-2 became the first Composite Squadron to fire live Sidewinder missiles. All squadron pilots participated in live Sidewinder firing exercises with a 76% kill record. Sidewinder training was accomplished while the squadron perfected techniques to tow a new supersonic Hayes target. These two demanding tasks did not hinder the squadron's busy aircraft service mission.

  • 1967:
    VC-2 transitioned from F-8C Crusaders to F-8A Crusaders while the squadron provided its traditional Atlantic Fleet service. The Blue Falcons also flew service missions for the German Navy ships "Z-2" and "Z-3" and the Spanish ship DEDALO.

  • August 1968:
    VC-2 Blue Falcons received a COMNAVAIRLANT aviation safety citation for flying 3240 accident-free hours.

  • July 1969:
    The Blue Falcons transitioned from the F-8A Crusader to a modernized F-8K Crusader.

    • 1969:
      VC-2 Detachment Quonset Point, Rhode Island completed its 10th year of accident free operation.

    • December 1969:
      Even with austere funding which limited Blue Falcon potential the squadron operated accident free, transitioned eight pilots to the F-8K Crusader and was often commended for its outstanding services.

  • 1970:
    Commanding Officer Cdr. R. C. Jones guided the Blue Falcons through a series of major evolutions, including transitioning from the F-8K Crusader to the Douglas A-4E & A-4C "Skyhawks" and US-2C "Tracker."
    • VC-2 formed a new permanent VC-2 Detachment at Naval Air Station Cecil Field, Florida.

    • VC-2 Detachment Quonset Point received a COMNAVAIRLANT aviation safety citation for its 1970 accident-free operations.

  • May 1971:
    FLECOMPRON TWO became the only East Coast utility squadron when sister squadron, VC-4, was disestablished. VC-2 met increased tasking for the Atlantic Fleet and NATO units spread along the United States coast from Maine to Mexico.
    • July 1971:
      While transitioning to new aircraft types and meeting increased mission tasking, VC-2 continued operating accident free for a second consecutive year.

    • VC-2 Detachment Quonset Point completed its 11th year of accident free operation, having flown more than 16,000 hours since forming July 1960.

    • 1971:
      Fleet Composite Squadron Two Officer Roster:
      CDR R. C. Jones, JR. - Commanding Officer, CDR L. E. Renner - Executive Officer, LCDR S. T. Clinton, LCDR R. G. Snow, LT R. L. Carter, LT R. L. Corper, LT J. B. Flaherty, LT J. C. Larson, LT W. J. Neville, JR., LT D. J. Nielsen, LT R. L. Sanborn, LTJG M. A. Akin, LTJG J. R. Altemus, LTJG S. F. Buck, LTJG M. Cheikin, LTJG M. D. Fowler, LTJG H. W. Jones, JR., LTJG K. J. Reed, LTJG M. R. Willis, CW02 G. H. Baron, and CWO2 F. E. Roach, JR.

  • 1974:
    Ed Jennings tell us about the "FIGAT".

  • September 30, 1980:
    Navy Fleet Support Squadron TWO the Blue Falcons, was disestablished. The unit had 5,000 plus accident free flight hours.

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Awards:
    Award - - - - - - - - - Inclusive Dates:
  • Navy E: 1975
  • Battle E: MAY 1977
  • Meritorious Unit Commendation: 1980 decommissioning.

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Sources of information:
  • Cliff Jones
  • Harry S. Gann.
  • Al Heinz
  • Bob Herrman
  • Ed Jennings
  • LCDR Lumpy Sudbeck.
  • Christopher Weisse
  • Steve Marshall
  • John Gabbard
  • James W. Perrine
  • Ted Synnott
  • John J. Kresse

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