FAGU (Fleet Air Gunnery Unit) |
Point of Contact = Squadron Duty Officer (SDO). See FAQ/Research/Contact link under [SA] in the menu. |
 MCAS Yuma patch. |
 Contributed by Jerry Geer |
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Patch MCAS Yuma patch. |
Sources David Weber Gary Verver |
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No info yet. Heritage 26 MAY 1952: FAGU established. 29 FEB 1960: FAGU disestablished. |
Home Ports
JUN 1956: NAS El Centro, California. JUN 1959 to 29 FEB 1960: MCAS Yuma, Arizona. |
| Air Wings
No info yet. |
Aircraft
Date Type First Received - - - - - - Type of Aircraft: AUG 1958: Douglas A-4B (A4D-2) Skyhawk * November 30, 1962 The A4D-2 designation was changed to A-4B For A-4 Skyhawk aircraft assigned to this unit see lower in this page: |
| Deployments
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Commanding Officers li>26 MAY 1952: LCdr. Alvin R. Lyle (Acting CO)
08 AUG 1952: Cdr. Hoffman 1956: Cdr. Elwood Butts 10 JAN 1959: Col. L.K. Davis 1959: Cdr. R. D. (Ace) King 10 July 1959: Cdr. James S. (Bud) Brown 19??: Capt. David S. Crockett |
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Awards No info yet |
No additonal info |
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Events 1928: The federal government leased 640 acres near Yuma, from Yuma County. The field was name "Fly Field" after Col. Benjamin F. Fly. "Fly Field" served as training base during World War II, training pilots on AT-6 single engine trainers, T-17 multi-engine trainers and B-17 Flying Fortresses. At the end of the war, all flight activity here ceased. 07 JUL 1951: The Air Force reactivates the base, and the 4750th Air Base Squadron resumed training. The airfield was known as the Yuma Air Base, but was renamed "Vincent Air Force Base" in 1956. 1952: My name is Terry Lyle, and I'm the son of LCdr. Alvin R. (Ace) Lyle, USNR 1918-1997. ... My dad served on the Yorktown (CV-10) during WWII, and on the Princeton and Valley Forge during the Korean War. My dad was named acting CO of the Fleet Air Gunnery Unit at its commissioning in May of 1952. A few months later, he was replaced by Cdr. Hoffman. 26 May 1952: Fleet Air Gunnery Unit, was commissioned at NAAS El Centro. Official U.S. Navy photos courtesy of Terry Lyle. FAGU trained Weapons Training Officers for Navy and Marine Fleet Squadrons. FAGU, LCDR Alvin R. Lyle. Photo from Terry Lyle. FAGU, NAAS El Centro, CA. June 1956 to June 1959. JUNE 27-28, 1956 The first annual Fleet Air Gunnery Meet was held at NAAS El Centro, Calif. 14 April 1958: The U.S. Navy today unveiled a new pod-mounted weapon, a 20mm aircraft gun capable of firing 4,000 rounds per minute. This gun, called the Mark 11, was shown to Naval Aviators and representatives of the press at the Third Annual Naval Air Weapons Meet, held at NAAS El Centro, CA. This new weapon, which will offer a significant contribution to Naval Air Attack Capability, is carried and fired in an external pod which is fitted to the bomb rack of carrier-based aircraft. Its primary application is in air-to-ground attack, where its controlled variable rate of fire makes it extremely effective. Ease of rearming, replacement of the gun, and maintenance are notable features which add to the practicability of the gun. RAdm. Paul D. Stroop, Chief of the Bureau of Ordnance, indicated that with the Mark 11 gun and POD meeting the firepower requirements of future attack aircraft, there will be a gain in aircraft structural simplicity, since there would be no need for internal fixed guns. Mr. Frank Markquaret, a Naval Ordnance Engineer in the Bureau of Ordnance, conceived the Mark 11 gun and POD. It was developed for the U.S. Navy by Flier Industrialist, Howard Hughes. The Mark 11 is presently undergoing evaluation at the Naval Aviation Ordnance Test Station, Chincoteague, Virginia, and is expected to be operational in 1959. September 24-25 1958: Received six A4D-2 Skyhawks. FAGU also flew the F4D-1, F8U, and FJ-4B aircraft: June 1959 to 29 February 1960: FAGU based at MCAS Yuma, Arizona. 01 JAN 1959: The facility is signed over to the Navy and Marine Corps Auxiliary Air Station Yuma is born. 04 DEC 1959: Crack teams from selected Fleet squadrons completed 4 days of competitive gunnery, bombing, and missile firing at MCAAS Yuma in the championship round of the annual weapons meet. The last Commanding officer was Bud Brown of F7U Cutlass fame. 29 FEB 1960: FAGU disestablished |
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Unit Photos FAGU commissioning and change of command pictures. Photos from Terry Lyle. 08 AUG 1952: FAGU, LCDR Lyle 2nd from the left in front row. Photo from Terry Lyle. 08 AUG 1952: Alvin R. Lyle seated 4th from the left. Photo from Terry Lyle. Circa 1957: Captain Slim Russell USN at FAGU. March 1959 FAGU formation consisting of (cw from top) F4D Skyray TR-23, FJ-4B Fury TR-44, A4D-2 Skyhawk and F8U-1 Crusader. March 1959: March 1959 FAGU BuNo 1428xx as LT D.N. Mealy discusses flight with students. Date unknown: FAGU (NAF El Centro CA. and MCAS Yuma, AZ.) Photo taken from a frame of a U.S. Navy video, TR-5 is an A-4B assigned to the FAGU (Fleet Air Gunner Unit), either NAF El Centero, or MCAS Yuma, AZ. From Gary Verver. Off-Duty Photos No info yet. |
A-4 Skyhawk aircraft assigned to FAGU:
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