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3 unusual facts about VAW-12


VAW-12

The squadron had grown to over 200 officers and 800 enlisted personnel, as had VAW-11, its counterpart on the West Coast.

VAW-121, VAW-122, and VAW-123 were formed from former VAW-12 operating detachments.

VAW-121

Like VAW-122, VAW-123 and VAW-120, VAW-121 was created out of the "super squadron" VAW-12 on 1 April 1967.


VAW-110

It had its beginnings on 20 April 1967 as Replacement Airborne Early Warning Squadron 110, RVAW-110, which had been formed when VAW-11 was broken into six separate squadrons.

VAW-112

The Golden Hawks deployed in July 1998 for a short detachment to Hawaii aboard the USS Kitty Hawk and later transferred the newest E-2C Plus Group II Navigation Upgrade aircraft to VAW-115 home bases at Naval Air Facility Atsugi, Japan.

VAW-113

Significant improvements in this aircraft over its predecessors are its APS-145 radar, Joint Tactical Information Distribution System (JTIDS), enhanced high speed processor (EHSP) computer, and Allison T56-A-427 engines.

VAW-114

In 1990 and 1991, VAW-114 upgraded to the E-2C+ version of the Hawkeye and made two drug-interdiction deployments to Howard Air Force Base in Panama.

VAW-116

VAW-116 became "semi-famous" in 2006 for its remake of the "Pump It" music video, by The Black Eyed Peas.

VAW-122

During a 1968 deployment on board the USS America off Vietnam, VAW-122 crews assisted a VF-33 F-4 Phantom crew in downing a North Vietnamese MiG-21 fighter as well as controlling interdiction strikes against North Vietnam.

VAW-125

In December 1976, Vice Admiral Howard E. Greer, COMNAVAIRLANT, presented VAW-125 with the Comnavairlant Battle “E” for readiness, the Cinclantflt “Golden Anchor” Award for career retention, and the CNO Safety “S” Award.

Upon return from deployment, the squadron participated in two national tasking missions VAW squadrons would be assigned over the next twenty-plus years, first providing range control services for the second launch of the NASA space shuttle, STS-2, and second providing detection and monitoring services in the first E-2C Counter-Drug tasking, Operation Thunderbolt.

VAW-77

The aircraft were serviced and maintained by Northrop Grumman civilian contractors who also deployed with the squadron.

VAW-77 continues to operate out of Howard AFB, Panama; Patrick AFB, Florida; Comalapa Air Force Base, El Salvador; Coast Guard Air Station Borinquen, Aguadilla, Puerto Rico; Manta Air Force Base located at the Eloy Alfaro International Airport in Manta, Ecuador; and Hato International Airport, Curaçao, Netherlands Antilles.


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