VAQ-33 |
Point of Contact = Squadron Duty Officer (SDO). See FAQ/Research/Contact link under [SA] in the menu. |
 VC-33 Iron Men 1949 Provided by John Gabbard |
 VC-33 Iron Men |
 VA(AW)-33 Night Hawks OCT 52-16 SEPT 70 |
 VAQ-33 Firebirds Spad |
 VAQ-33 Firebirds |
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Patch 1949: insignia was a steel gauntlet crushing a submarine. 1952: insignia was a shield, chess knight and a hawk. 16 DEP 1970: insignia changed to a red bird riding a lightning bolt. |
Sources David Weber Bud Southworth Marsh Wise Fran (Laton) Smart Dave McKinney |
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Handle 1952: Night Hawks SEP 1970: Firebirds Heritage JAN 1943 - - - - -- - - - VC-33 established NOV 1945- - - - - - - - - VC-33 disestablished 31 MAY 1949 - - - - - - - VC-33 re-established 2 JUL 1956 VC-33- - - - - redesignated VA(AW)-33 30 JUN 1959 VA(AW)-33 - - redesignated VAW-33 1 FEB 1969 VAW-33 - - - - redesignated VAQ-33 01 OCT 1993 VAQ-33- - - - disestablished. |
Home Ports Date - - - - - - - - - Location: 1943 - - - - - - - - - NAS Alameda, CA. 1949 - - - - - - - - - NAS Norfolk, VA. 1950 - - - - - - - - - NAS Atlantic City, NJ. 1956 - - - - - - - - - NAS Quonset Point, RI. 01 FEB 1968: - - - - - NAS Norfolk, VA. 01 OCT 1977: - - - - - NAS Norfolk and NAS Oceana VA. 1980 - - - - - - - - - NAS Key West, FL. |
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Air Wings No info yet. |
Aircraft Date Type First Received - - - - - - Type of Aircraft: 1943 - - - - - - - - - F4F Wildcats 1943 - - - - - - - - - TBF Avenger 1949 - - - - - - - - - AD-5NL Skyraider 1968 - - - - - - - - - EA-1F Skyraider 1968 - - - - - - - - - RA-3B Skywarrior 1968 - - - - - - - - - F-4 Phantom II 1968 - - - - - - - - - A-6 Intruder 1968 - - - - - - - - - EC-121 WV 6 March 1970 - - - - - Douglas EA-4F Skyhawk 24 June 1987 - - - - - Douglas TA-4J Skyhawk For A-4 Skyhawk aircraft assigned to this unit see lower in this page: |
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Deployments No info yet |
Commanding Officers No info yet. |
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Awards No info yet |
Awards continued No additional info |
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Events JAN 1943: VC-33 established flying F4F Wildcats and TBF Avengers. 31 MAY 1949: VC-33 serves as an antisubmarine squadron. JUN 1950: Night Attack role. OCT 1952: VC-33 provided detachments to carriers in the Atlantic Fleet, aboard USS Leyte, USS Bon Homme Richard, and USS Lake Champlain, for combat in Korea. 01 FEB 1968: VAW-33 re-designated VAQ-33 JUN 1969: VAQ-33 relinquished all its aircraft, is transfered to NAS Norfolk and becomes a pert of the newly formed "FEWSG" (Fleet Electronic Warfare Support Group." 01 OCT 1977: VAQ-33 is split between NAS Norfolk and NAS Oceana to accommodate the diversity of their aircraft and to support their special mission. 1980: VAQ-33 is transfered to NAS Key West and continured their FEWSG mission until they were disestablished on 1 October 1993. April 14, 1980: Lt(jg). Kirk Putnam of Key West, FL, ejected safely when his A-4 (BuNo 152869) developed engine trouble and crashed near (27 miles NE) Grand Junction, CO, Monday. He was picked up unharmed by an oil company helicopter and taken to Walker Field in Grand Junction. The Burlington Free Press, Tuesday, 15 April 1980. Lt(jg). Kirk Putnam of Key West, FL, ejected safely when his A-4 developed engine trouble and he diverted to Grand Junction, CO, Monday. The plane then lost hydraulic pressure and crashed 27 miles NE of Grand Junction. He was flying from Whidbey Island near Seattle to Buckley ANG near Denver. The Orlando Sentinel, Wednesday, 16 April 1980. VAQ-33 EA-4F BuNo 152869 was destroyed at Colorado when the aircraft crashed during flight over mountainous terrain, 14 April 1980. Pilot ejected. Naval Safety Center via Jim Winchester. May 25, 1985: Lt. Matt Hawley was killed when he ejected on impact with the water and Lt. Kathy Cullen, 25, was injured when she ejected on impact with the water in the middle of about 15 pleasure boats in San Diego Bay, CA after take-off from NAS North Island Saturday. Their A-4 Skyhawk (BuNo 154655) attached to VAQ-33 based at NAS Key West. Pacific Stars and Stripes, Monday, May 27, 1985. Aircraft had an engine fire and it failed on a GCA approach through a low ceiling. From Lance Patterson. VAQ-33 EA-4F BuNo 154655 was destroyed at North Island when aircraft crashed into water following missed approach. 25 May 1985. 1 fatality. Naval Safety Center via Jim Winchester. |
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Unit Photos Banner drawn by Marsh Wise. 1970: Firebirds Skyhawk BuNo 153481, GD-6, parked on the flight-line. Unknown photographer via W. Mutza. VAQ-33 Skyhawk BuNo 152852. VAQ-33 EA-4F Skyhawk BuNo. 152852, side number GD 8, sitting in the sun at Boca Chica Field, Naval Air Station Key West, Florida. The photograph comes from Joe Hawkins the webmaster of the (www.vaq34.com) VAQ-34 Website. The photograph was taken by Michael Klaver, the Webmaster of the F-4 Phantom II Website. VAQ-33 Skyhawk BuNo 152852. 152869, GD-7, on West line of LP-3 with its Plane Captain AMH2 Dave McKinney. Photo from Dave McKinney. 05 Aug 1974: BuNo 152852, GD-8, configured with two drop tanks on the NAS Norfolk flight line. Gary Verver Collection. Date unknown: BuNo 152852, EA-4F, GD-8 parked with no visible chocks. Gary Verver Collection. FEB 1974: Firebirds Skyhawk BuNo 154655, GD-5, assigned to ENS Dan Shea and ENS Greg Gerard, parked on the transient line. Lionel Paul. 01 Jan 1975: VAQ-33 Skyhawk BuNo 152852, GD-8, configured with two drop tanks and an ESS pod on the NAS Norfolk flight line. US Navy Photo, Gary Verver Collection. 01 Jan 1975: close-up right side view of VAQ-33 Skyhawk BuNo 152852, GD-8, ESS pod on the NAS Norfolk flight-line. US Navy Photo, Gary Verver Collection. 11 Oct 1975: VAQ-33 Skyhawk BuNo 152852, GD-8, parked on the flight line. Gary Verver Collection. FEB 1976: Left side view of VAQ-33 Firebirds EA-4F Skyhawk BuNo 153481, GD-6, on the ramp, NAS Miramar, February 1976. Names below the canopy rail ar LTJG Herb Doumitt and LTJG Jose Jim... Name on the nose gear door is Sherman. Copyright R.W. Harrison. AUG 1978: left rear view of Firebirds Skyhawk BuNo 153481, GD-6, assigned to LCDR John Patterson, parked on the flight-line. Rob Mignard. 10 Sep 1978: VAQ-33 Skyhawk BuNo 152852, GD-8, assigned to LTJG Al Miller and LTJG Eric Bondshu parked on the flight line. Photo by G.B. Rhodes, Gary Verver Collection. JAN79: BuNo 152869, GD-7, on the Dobbins AFB ramp. Gary Verver Collection. SEP79: BuNo 154655, GD-5, EA-4F at Dobbins AFB. Gary Verver Collection. Two shots of BuNo 154655, GD-5. Pic1; Pic2. Gary Verver Collection. Date unknown: BuNo 152869, GD-7, parked at unknown location. Another shot of GD-7. Gary Verver Collection. 1980s: Firebirds Skyhawk BuNo 153481, GD-6, parked on the ramp. Verver Collection. 1980: Firebirds Skyhawk BuNo 152852, GD-8, assigned to LTJG Al Miller and LTJG Eric Bondshu parked on the ramp. Unknown via W. Mutz. NOV82 TA-4J: BuNo 154343, GD-7, with a droopy tailhook, NAS Key West. Gary Verver Collection. April 1983: BuNo 152869, GD-7, parked on the flight line alongside Skyhawk BuNo 154655, GD-5. Gary Verver Collection. JUL87: Firebirds electronic warfare Skyhawk BuNo 153481, GD-106, parked on the ramp. G. Verver collection. BuNo.153481 Official U.S. Navy photo from the Don Scott collection. BuNo.154655 Official U.S. Navy photo from the Don Scott collection. 1983: Firebirds Skyhawk BuNo 154655, GD-5, assigned to LCDR M.E. Naber and LTJG S.W. Lalley, parked on the line. Unknown photographer via W. Mutza. VAQ-33 EA-4F BuNo 152852, GD-8, flies formation on VAQ-34 KA-3B Skywarrior BuNo 138944, GD-220, during Fleet Readiex 83-4 against Task Force-175 near San Diego, CA. Flying lead is VAQ-34 CO, CDR John E. Millward with crew members LCDR Don Greaser and PO1c J. D. Deal. Awaiting tanker services in Firebird-08 is LT Robert W. Makowski and ECM operator LTjg Richard M. Buchter. Photo courtesy of Bob Lawson. Off-Duty Photos No info yet. |
A-4 Skyhawks assigned to this unit:
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