Naval Weapons Evaluation Facility, Kirkland AFB, Albuquerque, NM |
Point of Contact = Squadron Duty Officer (SDO). See FAQ/Research/Contact link under [SA] in the menu. |
 The Skyhawk Association NWEF website page is dedicated to Commander Henry Hooker Strong, Jr. Cdr Strong was the A-4 Project Officer [as a LT.] at NWEF in 1962-1963 and who, while CO of VA-212, was lost during a strike on the Ben Thuy road bridge three miles south of the city of Vinh on 25 May 1972. Cdr Strong's A-4F Skyhawk BuNo 155045, NP-301, operating from the USS Hancock was last seen by his wingman as he rolled in on the target. Several of the Skyhawks were hit and damaged by the intense flak that filled the air over the target. Some of the pilots thought they heard the Commander report "feet wet" as he crossed the coast but there was no sign of an ejection or wreckage. The most likely cause of the loss is that the aircraft was shot down by flak Henry Hooker Strong, Jr. was born 27 February 1933 and resided in North Wales PA. A Board of Inquiry was convened aboard the USS Hancock shortly after CDR Strong disappeared and determined there was a slight chance CDR Strong could have ejected from the crippled aircraft without being seen by other aircrews. However, he wouldn't have escaped detection and capture once on the ground. Because of this small chance for survival, the Board of Inquiry declared CDR Strong to be Missing in Action. CDR Strong was promoted to the rank of Captain during the period he was listed as MIA. |
 Naval Weapons Evaluation Facility, (NWEF) Albuquerque, NM Patch from G. Verver |
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Heritage-Patches The Naval Weapons Evaluation Facility (NWEF) Albuquerque, NM began in 1949 as a Naval Air Detachment at Kirtland AFB created in response to the Navy's increasing involvement with nuclear weapons and was later expanded into the Naval Air Special Weapons Facility with a NOTS detachment providing technical staff. NWEF was formally established in 1961 with the combination of its military and technical sub elements to carry out special-weapons integration, safety engineering, operational evaluation, and Fleet support. |
Sources David Weber Gary Verver T.E. Woolcock |
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Commanding Officers No info yet. |
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19xx - - - - - - - - Beechcraft U-8G Seminole 19xx - - - - - - - - Chance Vought A-7C Corsair II 19xx - - - - - - - - Chance Vought TA-7C Corsair II 19xx - - - - - - - - Douglas AD-6 Skyraider 195x - - - - - - - - Douglas A3D-1 (A-3A) Skywarrior * 16 April 1956- - - - Douglas A4D-1 (A-4A) Skyhawk * 9 August 1957- - - - Douglas A4D-2 (A-4B) Skyhawk * 18 February 1960 - - Douglas A4D-2N (A-4C) Skyhawk * 18 October 1962- - - Douglas A4D-5 (A-4E) Skyhawk * 17 May 1967- - - - - Douglas A-4F Skyhawk 20 March 1970- - - - Douglas TA-4F Skyhawk 30 January 1971- - - Douglas A-4M Skyhawk 19xx - - - - - - - - Douglas C-118B Liftmaster 19xx - - - - - - - - Douglas TA-4F Skyhawk 19xx - - - - - - - - Douglas TA-4J Skyhawk 19xx - - - - - - - - Grumman F9F-8T Cougar 19xx - - - - - - - - McDonnell/Douglas FA/18A Hornet 196x - - - - - - - - North American A3J-1/A-5A Vigilante 19xx - - - - - - - - North American FJ-4B/AF-1E Fury 19xx - - - - - - - - Rockwell OV-10A Bronco * November 30, 1962 A3D-1 designation changed to A-3A A4D-1 designation changed to A-4A A4D-2 designation changed to A-4B A4D-2N designation changed to A-4C A4D-5 designation changed to A-4E For A-4 Skyhawk aircraft assigned to this unit see lower in this page: |
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Events No info yet. |
A-4 Skyhawk aircraft assigned to this unit:
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