VA-831 |
Point of Contact = Squadron Duty Officer (SDO). See FAQ/Research/Contact link under [SA] in the menu. |
 Provided by "Creeps" Krall |
 1968 Provided by Adam Martin |
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Patch No info yet. |
Sources David Weber Joe Turpen "Creeps" Krall John Gabbard Adam Martin AMonte Abramson Dave Dollarhide |
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Handle Mohicans Blue Lightning OCT 1968: Broadway Bombers Heritage Circa 1954 - - - - - - - VA-831 was a combination of VA-832 and VA-831 at N.A.S. N.Y. Floyd Bennett Field. 27 JAN 1968- - - - - - - VA-831 Activated. NOV 1968 - - - - - - - - VA-831 de-activated. NOV 1968 to JUL 1970 - - VA-32R |
Home Ports 27 January 1968: NAS New York - Floyd Bennett Field 30 May 1968 - - - NAS Cecil Field, FL |
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Air Wings 1968: - - - - - COMFAIRJACKSONVILLE - - MA* 01 July 1968: - - CVW-1 - - - - - - - - - AB * This tail code was also assigned to two other activated reserve squadrons, VF-661 & VF-931. Monte Abramson |
Aircraft Date Type First Received - - - - - - Type of Aircraft: 1950's- - - - - - F-G1D Corsairs 1950"s- - - - - - TBM Avenger 1959- - - - - - - Grumman F9F-6 Cougar. 1950's- - - - - - North American FJ-4B Fury. 8 February 1968 - Douglas A4D-2 (A-4B) Skyhawk * 5 July 1968 - - - Douglas A4D-2N (A-4C) Skyhawk * * November 30, 1962 The A4D-2 designation changed to A-4B The A4D-2N designation changed to A-4C For A-4 Skyhawk aircraft assigned to this unit see lower in this page: |
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Deployments VF-831: Korean war. VA-831: deployed 01 July 1968 USS John F. Kennedy CVA-67.(Never deployed as a unit) |
Commanding Officers 26 JAN 1968: CDR Ray Ketcham |
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Awards 1963: NARTU New York VA-831 CO Cdr. Andy Avila accepts the Noel Davis Trophy for Battle Ready Proficiency. Photo from Andy Avila Jr. |
Awards continued No additional info |
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Events January 27, 1968: VA-831 is activated after the USS Pueblo (AGER-2) was captured. July 1, 1968:VA-831 was the first activated reserve unit on the east coast assigned to an operational air wing. The squadron was assigned to CVW-1 (AB) on the USS JOHN F. KENNEDY CVA-67, though never deployed as a unit. Provided by: Monte Abramson. The following reserve units were also activated VF-661 - Washington, D.C. VF-703 - Dallas, TX VF-931 - Willow Grove, PA VA-776 - Los Alamitos, CA VA-873 - Alameda, CA July 19, 1968: LCdr. John F. Tylunas perished when his A-4B BuNo 144881 crashed in a wooded area on the edge of the Quabbin Reservoir while on a routine training mission from FL to Westover AFB at Chicopee, MA. October 18, 1968: VA-831 is deactivated and returned to reserve status. Note: VA-831 was a combination of VA-832 & 831 combined at N.A.S. N.Y. Floyd Bennett Field around 1954, at that time they were flying F-G1D Corsairs & TBMs, They transitioned to Jets in 1959 F9F-8 Cougars in 1961 changed over to FJ-3 & FJ-4 Furys. Around 1962 again changed over to A-4A , B, & Cs . VA-831 was the Naval Reserves best Attack Sqd, for yrs 1964,65, &67 was recalled to active duty for Operation Graphic Hand on January 26,1968. Was attached to AirLant Carrier Wing One, based out of Cecil Field, Carrier Air Group C.O. was Cdr. Hal Marr, C.O. of VA-831 was CDR Ray Ketcham, VA-831 was part of CAW 1, commissioning SQD. for the" John F. Kennedy CV-67". In OCT.1968. VA-831 was called the "Broadway Bombers." They were designated all weather attack. The Sqd. lost one pilot during the call up, LCDR. John Tylunas, The Sqd. was decommissioned in November 1968 & returned back to N.A.S. NY as VA-32R until air station was closed in July 1970. Submitted by AOCM Bob Ruggiero, original member. February 24, 1970: Pete Peterson was killed in A-4B BuNo 148515, the night of 2-24-1970 at Whitehouse OLF. |
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Unit Photos Circa 1957: Jack Waterbury in cockpit of an VA-831 F9F-8 in. Photo provided by Jack Waterbury. 17 May 1958: NAS New York P2V-6M Neptune BuNo 131555, 7R-207. P2V-6M Neptune's BuNo 131553 and BuNo 131556 at left. Circa 1959: FJ-3 Fury BuNo 135834, 7R-9, flown by Jack Waterbury, is refueled by NAS Oceana VA-83 Rampagers A4D-2Skyhawk BuNo 142125, AJ-310. Photo provided by Jack Waterbury. Circa 1959: NARTU NY FJ-3 Fury BuNo 135775, 7R-2, probably flown by LCdr Andy Avila, is refueled by NAS Oceana VA-83 Rampagers A4D-2 Skyhawk BuNo 142125, AJ-310. Photo from Andy Avila Jr. 1961: NARTU New York VA-831 FJ-4B Fury BuNo 139536, 7R-63, and squadron personnel. Row 1 (L-r) Ron Betts, Fred Wilson, Al Alman, Bob Pike and Lee Hill. Row 2 (L-r) Joe Maguire, Hal Silvert, Warren Omark, Ken Ludwig, Rupe Lowe, Ray Ketcham, Bill Holland, Dutch Schulden and Jessie Thornton. Row 3 (L-r sitting on wing) Frank Granito, Hank Bosker, Dick Scalo, Jack Garelle, Scotty MacLeod and Dick Schieber. Row 3 (L-r standing on wing) Dave Horton, Newt Churchill, CO Cdr. Andy Avila, XO LCdr. Joseph Sapinsky and Walt Stock. Photo from Andy Avila Jr. 1961-1962: NARU New York VA-831 FJ-4B Furys BuNo 143608, 7R-52, BuNo 143580, 7R-44, BuNo 143547, 7R-54, and BuNo 141477, 7R-43, inflight over the Statue of Liberty. 1961-62: A4D-2 Skyhawk BuNo 142113, 7R-2. 1962: A4D-2 Skyhawk BuNo 142743, 7R-9. 1962-63: NAS New York A-4B BuNo 142113, 7R-2, and NAS Jacksonville A-4B's 6F-2, BuNo 144990, 6F-6, BuNo 144951, 6F-5, 6F-7, BuNo 144953, 6F-8, 6F-9 and BuNo 144919, 6F-12, NAS Roosevelt Roads. 1968: A-4B Skyhawk BuNo 142937, AB-500, on the ramp at NAS Cecil following the activation of VA-831. Duane Kasulka via Monte Abramson. 1968-69: TA-4B Skyhawk BuNo 142730, 7R-20, Lakehurst ramp with three drop tanks. R. Besecker photo. 04 March 1969: A-4B Skyhawk BuNo 142862, 7R-, AQM-37A Challenger Target system on a stand in the foreground, NAS Point Mugu. 1969: A-4B Skyhawk BuNo 142946, 7R-8, on the flight line next to A-4B BuNo 145003. Circa 1970: A-4C Skyhawk BuNo 148491, 7R-21, was stationed at NAS New York, Floyd Bennet Field. Name associated with this photo was James Emory Walker. Steve Moore. 1971: A-4B Skyhawk BuNo 142771, 7R-2, NAS Oceana. R.W. Harrison photo. 08 September 1978: Former NAS New York A-4B Skyhawk BuNo 142833, 7R-1. G.B. Rhodes photo. Off-Duty Photos No info yet. |
A-4 Skyhawk aircraft assigned to VA-831:
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