VSF-1 Warhawks Patch Handle Heritage Home Ports Air Wings Deployments Aircraft Unit C.O.s Events Awards Squadron Photograph Album Squadron Off-Duty Album (empty) The Squadron Duty Officer (SDO), is the unit's contact point. They maintain unit rosters, help old friends link up, coordinate with unit reunions, and gather unit information. The SDO List. The Association is particularly interested in your Skyhawk related information and photos, but will gladly accept information about all eras of the unit. e-Mail the Association Webmaster. AND we welcome "anyone with an interest" in the Skyhawk to JOIN The Skyhawk Association. 1965 Jon Selah Warhawks - 1965 "Boom" Powell From John W. Hays Patch The Eagle's head adopted by the small number of plankowners came from the first commanding officer's family crest. There was some justification in a new insignia as the squadron had a new mission; flying fighters from aircraft carriers dedicated to ASW. New? Doesn't that describe VC squadrons from WWII and Korea? There were many Composite Squadrons. Each had an insignia. Each had at least some tradition to build on. When the detachment left at Naval Air Station Alameda grew larger than the deployed VSF-1, it became VSF-3... and an attack squadron in all but name. Here was another opportunity to continue tradition. A tiny cadre persistently submitted the insignia of previous squadrons. The cadre had what they felt was winner; TorpRon Three which was on Yorktown at Midway. The number was the same. The crest a red dragon wrapped around a bomb; VSF-3's color and new mission. Alas, the traditionalists were voted down. R. R. Boom Powell, Cdr, USN (Ret), VSF-1 1966 & VSF-3 1967 Back to Table of Contents Handle Warhawks Back to Table of Contents Heritage 01 JUL 1965: VSF-1 established. 1970 VSF-1 disestablished. Back to Table of Contents Home Ports 1968 -69: NAS Alameda Back to Table of Contents Air Wings Back to Table of Contents Deployments 1966 - 1967: CVS-38 - A-4B - - Mediterranean 1968 - 1969: CVA-62 - A-4B - - Mediterranean 1969: USS Yorkton NATO Cruise Back to Table of Contents Aircraft 22 June 1965 - - - - - - Douglas A4D-2 (A-4B) Skyhawk * 10 August 1967: - - - - Douglas A4D-2n (A-4C) Skyhawk * * November 30, 1962 The A4D-2 designation was changed to A-4B The A4D-2N designation was changed to A-4C A-4 Skyhawk aircraft assigned to this unit Back to Table of Contents Commanding Officers 01 JUL 1965: CDR Charlie E. Waring Back to Table of Contents Events September 1965? VSF-1 is commisioned. 01 JUL 1966: Anti-Submarine Fighter Squadron One -- VSF-1 was split in half: One half remained as VSF-1 and deployed on the USS Shangri-La CVS-38 to the Mediterranean. The other half was called VSF-1 Det Alameda VSF-1 Det Alameda was then renamed VSF-3 Chessmen. Unit history from Jon Selah: I joined the squadron in Sept. 65 at Alameda. At that time we had 0 aircraft. By October we had picked up around 15 A/C from reserve units around the US. Originally the planes were painted Red as we were the first VSF squadron. Orders came down from BUAIR to change to GREEN. All A/C were painted green with the exception of Cdr. Waring's, it remained Red. The squadron made several Carrier Quals on various ships, including Kearserge (sp), Bennington, Hornet, and Yorktown. We also made TAD trips to Yuma and Fallon. The first Detachment was to go WestPac on the Yorktown in Jan. 66. We had gone on an ORI with the Yorktown in late October or early November. While on Christmas leave I received a telegram stating that the cruise was cancelled and to report back on my scheduled day. When I returned to base, I was told the cruise was back on. We packed everything and loaded it into a big Pink 18-wheeler. While we were just below rotation speed in the R4 the pilot braked the plane and we taxi'd back to the OPS Building. The CO. was there in his flight gear and told us the cruise was "Off Again". He then flew back to DC. to find out what was going on. During this time we were restricted to base. The story about the Pink 18- wheeler is funny. The California Highway Patrol was called and asked to stop the truck. I don't think it even made it out of the Bay Area before the driver was stopped. Upon the CO.'s return, we were kept on a possible movement footing pending the Yorktown's departure from Hawaii just in case the Navy again changed it's mind about sending us. Sometime in Feb. 66 it was determined that we were not going to the Yorktown. We then shifted gears and made a TAD to Fallon for bombing practice. It was while we were at Fallon that we were given "Charlie the Chicken-Hawk". The story we were told was that a helo crew just happened to fly over Charlie and he was struggling on the ground, having been shot by some hunter with a shotgun. His wing was torn up pretty badly. The crew landed, picked up Charlie and he was given medical attention for his wound. Since our squadron had the 'Eagle' on our patch, Charlie was given to us as a mascot. There was a competition in the squadron to come up with a design for the patch. An AM2, I don't remember his name, came up with the final design. I have a hand painted "flag" hanging in my office that was used in the final competition. Deployed 1966; returned 1967: VSF-1 deployed on the United States Ship Shangri-La CVS-38 to the Mediterranean. Deployed 1968; returned 1969 VSF-1 deployed on the United States Ship Independence CVA-62 to the Mediterranean. 1969: NATO Cruise on the USS Yorktown. Carrier Quals were conducted aboard the USS INdependence prior to the cruise. Aprox APR 1970: VSF-1 disestablished. Back to Table of Contents Awards None Back to Table of Contents Sources "Boom" Powell M. D. Carey Harry Gann" John Hayes John D. Lowry Jon Selah Gary Verver Tailhook Association Clay Jansson Donald E. Wright Return To The Navy Units Page