Air Development Squadron FIVE (VX-5), was commissioned on 18 June 1951 at NAS Moffett Field, California, with 15 officers, 100 enlisted men, and nine AD Skyraider aircraft. The Squadron, under the operational control of Commander, Operational Development Force, now Commander Operational Test and Evaluation Force (COMOPTEVFOR), was assigned to develop and evaluate aircraft tactics and techniques for delivery of airborne special weapons.

    Over the years, VX-5 has maintained numerous detachments around the U.S. to take full advantage of the variety and diversity of facilities available, and to help keep the Squadron abreast of the latest fleet tactics. These detachments have included NAS Oceana, VA; Naval Weapons Evaluation Facility, Albuquerque, NM; NAS Whidbey Island, WA; and NAS Sanford, FL.

    In July 1956 VX-5 moved to the Naval Air Facility, China Lake, CA, as an independent tenant command because of the availability of vastly improved ranges and instrumentation facilities. In January of 1985, the VX-5 Detachment at Whidbey Island, which oversaw developments relating to the EA-6B weapon system, was relocated to China Lake. Since then, temporary detachments have been made nationwide from Alaska to Florida, as required to test airborne weapons in a variety of conditions. To keep pace with the changes and improvements in Navy weapon systems since VX-5's commissioning, the Squadron's mission has evolved over the years to include independent operational test and evaluation of all air-dropped munitions destined for use in the attack role by the Fleet and Marine Corps; development of initial tactics to be employed with new weapon systems; and incorporation of electronic warfare advances into the self-defense capability of attack aircraft.

    In June 1993, the CNO directed the consolidation of VX-4 and VX-5 into a single operational test and evaluation squadron designated as VX-9, with a permanent F-14 Detachment located at Point Mugu, CA. This initiative was launched as part of the "right-sizing" of our Naval Forces in the aftermath of the Cold War.

Squadron Patch:

• In 1951 the original VX-5 squadron members sat down to design an emblem that would reflect their squadron's mission. They faced several problems: first, the design had to be within guidelines set by the Chief of Naval Operations, and the proposed emblem would have to be officially approved. Second, since the mission of VX-5 was to develop day and night, all-weather attack tactics, the task of designing a meaningful symbol to signify that broad a charter was not a simple one.
•  The central symbol, the "Vampire" bat, was picked for its notorious night-flying abilities. The blue and gold background (as well as being Navy colors) represents the squadron's all-weather capabilities, with the sun and moon included to represent day and night capabilities. Lightning bolts from under the bat's wings depict VX-9's role in strike aviation. The burst at the bottom of the emblem represents a bomb burst and is normally depicted in red, gold and green. In 1994, the four stars were added in remembrance of the disestablishment of VX-4.
• The squadron's emblem is used on everything from aircraft to stationery and can also be seen on the patches worn on jackets and flight gear by squadron personnel. The largest examples of the Vampires' emblem can be seen today on the east and west walls of VX-9's Hangar One at Armitage Field.

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Handle:

• Vampires

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Aircraft:

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VX-5 Vampires Heritage:

• No Info Yet

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Commanding Officers:

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Home Ports:

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Photograph Albums:

• VX-5 PHOTOGRAPH ALBUM
  
• VX-5 Off-Duty Album (empty)

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Events:

• 1957 - 1958:
  VX-5 aircraft flown by VX-5 project pilot Commander Larry Cauble, USN:
  Grumman F9F-8B Cougar (1957):

  BuNo. 131075
  BuNo. 131086
  BuNo. 131089
  BuNo. 141056

  Lockheed TV-2 Sea Star:

  BuNo. 131824
  BuNo. 141545

  North American FJ-4B Fury most of Commander Cauble's hours were in the Fury:

  BuNo. 139549
  BuNo. 139551
  BuNo. 139554
  BuNo. 139555
  BuNo. 143493 (these latter two FJ-4Bs appeared in August 1958)
  BuNo. 143494

  Douglas AD-5N Skyraider:

  BuNo. 132498
  BuNo. 132598

  Douglas A4D-2 Skyhawk:

  BuNo. 142095
  BuNo. 142121
  BuNo. 142122
  BuNo. 142417
  BuNo. 142727 - during a May 26, 1958 Corpus Christi, TX air show, Commander Cauble ejected after a flameout.
  BuNo. 142792

  Douglas A3D-2 Skywarrior:

  BuNo. 142250 - passenger time. After his May 26, 1958 ejection and at the insistence of a flight surgeon - Commander Cauble was flown back to China Lake on a stretcher placed on the A3D flight deck floor.

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Awards:

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Sources of VX-5 information:

Lawrence Cauble
Ken Savage
Gary Verver

DEDICATION:

This Skyhawk Association VX-5 Vampires website page is posthumously dedicated to:

Lieutenant Bennett W. Hooks, United States Navy Bennett Hooks attended the United States Naval Academy and was graduated with the 1946 Naval Academy class.

Following graduation he served aboard the USS Philippine Sea (CVA-47) as a division officer in the gunnery department for three years. During this period he acted for a short time as an Aide to Admiral Richard E. Byrd on an expedition to the Antartcic.

He was then assigned duty with Anti-Submarine Squadron 22 and later served on the staff of Commander Carrier Division Eighteen. During this assignment he served as an Aide to Admiral A. B. Vosseler and Admiral F. T. Ward.

    Lt. Hooks was 33 years old and was survived by his wife, a son, a daughter and his mother..