VT-23 Professionals 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. Courtesy of Frank Garza Patch VT-23 Griffin patch Back to Table of Contents Handle Professionals Back to Table of Contents Heritage November 1, 1958 - - Advanced Training Unit TWO HUNDREDTWENTY-TWO (ATU-222) established. May 1, 1960- - - - - Advanced Training Unit TWO HUNDRED TWENTY-TWO (ATU-222) redesignated Training Squadron TWENTY-THREE (VT-23). Back to Table of Contents Home Ports Date - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Location: 1958 - - - - - - - - - - - - - Naval Air Station Kingsville, Texas Back to Table of Contents Air Wings Date - - - - - - - - - - - - Tail code - - - - - - - Air Wing No info yet Back to Table of Contents Deployments None Back to Table of Contents Aircraft Date Type First Received - - - - - - Type of Aircraft: 1958 - - - - - - - - - - - - Grumman F-11 Tiger. 1965 - - - - - - - - - - - - Grumman TF-9J Cougar. 10 April 1970- - - - - - - - Douglas TA-4J Skyhawk. 1972 - - - - - - - - - - - - North American T-2C Buckeye. 199? - - - - - - - - - - - - Boeing - McDonnald Douglas - British Aerospace T-45 Goshawk. September 30, 1999 - - - - - VT-23 Boeing T-45C Goshawks were transfered to VT-7 . A-4 Skyhawk aircraft assigned to VT-23 Back to Table of Contents Commanding Officers 1973 - - - - - - - - - - - CDR Donald Martin. 1998 - - - - - - - - - - - CDR J. E. Tibbels 1999 - - - - - - - - - - - CDR W. V. Martin Back to Table of Contents Events November 1, 1958: Advanced Training Unit TWO HUNDRED TWENTY-TWO (ATU-222) was established at Naval Air Station Kingsville, Texas, flying the Grumman F-11 Tiger. November 1958: ATU-222 was assigned the advanced pilot training final phases including: swept wing familiarization, formation flying, all weather instrument flying, tactics and air-to-air and air-to-ground gunnery. May 1, 1960: Advanced Training Unit TWO HUNDRED TWENTY-TWO (ATU-222) was redesignated Training Squadron TWENTY-THREE (VT-23). June 1965: Training Squadron TWENTY-THREE was assigned the Grumman TF-9J Cougar. Carrier qualification and air-to-ground rocketry training were added to the syllabus. April 1970: Training Squadron TWENTY-THREE was assigned the Douglas TA-4J Skyhawk. October 1972: The Navy switched training concept to parallel flow and the "Single Base Training Concept." VT-23s training mission changed to provided basic flight training in Transition, Precision Acrobatics, Basic Instruments, Radio Instruments, Night Flying, Formation Flying, Air-to-air Gunnery and Carrier Qualification. Training Squadron TWENTY-THREE was assigned the North American T-2C Buckeye to accomplish basic flight training. Advanced flight training was now also accomplished at Naval Air Station Kingsville, Texas. VT-23 graduates went "next door" to VT-21 or VT-22 for advanced flight training in the TA-4J Skyhawk . 1982: Training Squadron TWENTY-THREE was tasked with Grumman E-2 pilot training comprised of 68 training flights in the T-2C Buckeye. In 1985 this task was transferred to VT-4. 199?: Training Squadron TWENTY-THREE was assigned the Boeing T-45C Goshawk. September 30, 1999: VT-23 Professionals were disestablished. Assets were transferred to Training Squadron SEVEN at Naval Air Station Meridian, Mississippi. Back to Table of Contents Awards Award - - - - - - - - - Inclusive Dates: 1959 - - - - - - Chief of Naval Operations Safety Award. 1960 - - - - - - Chief of Naval Operations Safety Award. 1967 - - - - - - Top Jet Squadron Award. 1970 - - - - - - Top Jet Squadron Award. 1970 - - - - - - The John H. Tower Trophy. 1972 - - - - - - Meritorious Unit Commendation. 1973 - - - - - - Vice Admiral Robert Goldthwaite Award. 1981 - - - - - - Chief of Naval Operations Safety Award. 1982 - - - - - - Chief of Naval Operations Safety Award. 1983 - - - - - - Chief of Naval Operations Safety Award. 1984 - - - - - - Chief of Naval Air Training Effectiveness Award. 1985 - - - - - - Chief of Naval Air Training Effectiveness Award. 1986 - - - - - - Chief of Naval Air Training Effectiveness Award. Back to Table of Contents Sources: Frank Garza Tony Suglio Harry S. Gann John Gabbard Return To The Navy Units Page