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RVAH-13

April 11, 2024

RVAH-13 was a Reconnaissance Attack (Heavy) Squadron of the U.S. Navy. Originally established as Heavy Attack Squadron Thirteen (VAH-13) on 3 January 1961 it was redesignated as Reconnaissance Attack (Heavy) Squadron Thirteen (RVAH-13) on 1 November 1964. The squadron was disestablished on 30 June 1976.[1]

Reconnaissance Attack (Heavy) Squadron 13
RVAH-13 squadron patch
Active3 January 1961–30 June 1976
CountryUnited States
BranchUnited States Navy
RolePhoto-reconnaissance
Part ofInactive
Nickname(s)Bats
EngagementsVietnam War

Operational history edit

 
RIM-2 Terrier missile launches behind 2 VAH-13 A-3B Skywarrior on USS Kitty Hawk c.1962
 
Camouflaged RVAH-13 RA-5C Vigilante lands on USS Kitty Hawk in 1966

VAH-13 edit

VAH-13 was established on 3 January at Naval Air Station Sanford, Florida, with twelve A3D-2 Skywarrior aircraft assigned. Upon completion of initial training, the squadron was assigned to Carrier Air Group 11 (later Carrier Air Wing 11) and deployed aboard the newly commissioned USS Kitty Hawk for her shakedown cruise in the Caribbean. Shortly thereafter, VAH-13 transferred to the Pacific Fleet, the squadron's Detachment A embarking aboard Kitty Hawk for her 11 August - 1 November 1961 transit from the Western and Southern Atlantic to the Eastern Pacific en route to her new homeport of Naval Air Station North Island in San Diego, California, while the remainder of the squadron relocated to its new home station of Naval Air Station Whidbey Island, Washington. In September 1962, in accordance with a new DoD aircraft designation systems, the squadron's A3D-2 aircraft were redesignated as the A-3B Skywarrior.

For the next three years, VAH-13 maintained readiness requirements and served with the U.S. Seventh Fleet, deploying as follows:

  • 13 September 1962 – 2 April 1963, VAH-13 embarked aboard USS Kitty Hawk for its first Western Pacific (WESTPAC) deployment.[2]
  • 17 October 1963 – 20 July 1964, VAH-13 embarked aboard USS Kitty Hawk for a WESTPAC deployment.[2][3]


In anticipation of its transition to the RA-5C Vigilante, VAH-13 moved back to Naval Air Station Sanford in August 1964. The squadron received its first RA-5C on 5 October 1964, followed by its redesignation as RVAH-13 on 1 November 1964.[4]

RVAH-13 / Cold War and Vietnam edit

With the increasing U.S. military involvement in Vietnam after 1964, RVAH-13 was added to the mix of RVAH squadrons participating in combat operations in Southeast Asia. In conducting pre- and post-strike reconnaissance, the RA-5C would incur the highest loss rate of any U.S. Navy combat aircraft during the Vietnam War, and RVAH-13's experience would more than reflect this.

RVAH-13's Cold War / Vietnam-era deployments were as follows:

  • 19 October 1965 – 13 June 1966, RVAH-13 embarked aboard USS Kitty Hawk for a WESTPAC and Vietnam deployment.[3]
    • On 20 December 1965, RA-5C BuNo 151624 was hit by antiaircraft fire and lost in combat over North Vietnam.[5] Both crewmen were initially listed as Missing in Action (MIA) until 1977 when the Vietnamese government confirmed that the pilot, LCDR Guy D. Johnson,[6] and the reconnaissance attack navigator, LTJG Lee "Shack" Nordahl,[7] were killed.[8][9][10] LCDR Johnson's remains (promoted to CDR and CAPT while MIA), were returned to the United States in March 1977. LTJG Nordahl's remains (promoted to LT and LCDR while MIA) were never recovered.[11]
    • On 22 December 1965, RA-5C BuNo 151632 was hit by an SA-2 surface-to-air missile and lost in combat over North Vietnam.[5] Reconnaissance attack navigator, LTJG Glenn Daigle,[12] successfully ejected, was captured by the North Vietnamese as a POW, and repatriated to the United States on 12 February 1973.[11] The pilot, LCDR Max Lukenbach,[13] was Killed in Action, body not recovered (KIA/BNR).[10]
    • On 3 February 1966, RA-5C BuNo 151625 was lost in combat due to AAA fire.[5] Crew ejected and landed near Cap Bouton, North Vietnam. The pilot, LT Gerald Coffee,[14] was captured by the North Vietnamese[15] as a POW (promoted to LCDR and CDR while a POW) and repatriated to the United States on 12 February 1973.[11] Remains of the RRAN, LTJG Robert T. Hanson, Jr., (promoted to LT and LCDR while MIA) were returned to the United States in November 1988.[11][16][17]
  • 5 November 1966 – 19 June 1967, RVAH-13 was embarked aboard USS Kitty Hawk for a WESTPAC and Vietnam deployment.[3]
    • 9 March 1967, RA-5C BuNo 151627 was lost in combat.[5] The reconnaissance attack navigator, Lieutenant (junior grade) Frank Predergast, successfully ejected and was rescued. The pilot and RVAH-13 Commanding Officer, Commander Charlie Putnam, also ejected and is believed to have been captured and died in captivity. He was posthumously promoted to captain, and his remains were returned to the United States in November 1988.[11]
    • 19 May 1967, RA-5C BuNo 150826 was lost in combat over Hanoi, North Vietnam.[5] The pilot, Lieutenant Commander James Griffin[18] and the RAN, Lieutenant Jack Walters[19] were seriously injured during their ejection. Both were captured, but both died of their injuries within 24 to 48 hours of capture. Their remains were returned to the United States in March 1974.[11]
  • 10 April - 16 December 1968, RVAH-13 embarked aboard USS America for a WESTPAC and Vietnam deployment.[3]
    • Budgetary pressures of the Vietnam War forced the Department of Defense to close several stateside air bases, to include Naval Air Station Sanford. Upon return from their 1968 deployment, RVAH-13 shifted home stations from Naval Air Station Sanford to the former Turner Air Force Base, renamed Naval Air Station Albany, Georgia, effective December 1968.
  • 2 December 1969 - 8 July 1970, RVAH-13 embarked aboard USS Forrestal for a Mediterranean deployment.[4]
  • 6 July 1971 - 17 December 1971, RVAH-13 embarked aboard USS America for a Mediterranean deployment.[4]
  • 12 September 1972 – 12 June 1973, RVAH-13 embarked aboard USS Enterprise for a WESTPAC and Vietnam deployment.[3]
    • On 28 December 1972, during Operation Linebacker II, RA-5C BuNo 156633 was lost in combat when it was shot down by a Vietnam People's Air Force MiG-21.[5] The pilot, LCDR Al Agnew,[20] successfully ejected, was captured by the North Vietnamese as a POW, and repatriated to the United States on 29 March 1973. The RAN, LT Mike Haifley[21] was listed as MIA until his remains were returned to the United States in August 1985.[11]

RVAH-13 / Cold War (post-Vietnam) edit

With the end of the Vietnam War, RVAH-13 returned to stateside training and forward deployed Cold War presence operations aboard Fleet aircraft carriers. Budgetary pressures and force reductions following the end of the Vietnam War forced the Department of Defense to once again close several stateside air bases, to include Naval Air Station Albany, Georgia, as an economy move. In April 1974, RVAH-13 executed a shift of home station from NAS Albany to Naval Air Station Key West, Florida.[22]

Subsequent deployments for RVAH-13 were as follows:

  • 7 May 1974 - 18 October 1974, RVAH-13 embarked aboard USS Ranger for a WESTPAC deployment.[3]
  • 15 October 1975 - 24 April 1976, RVAH-13 embarked aboard USS Independence for a Mediterranean deployment.[4]

Attrition of airframes and the increasing maintenance and flight hour costs of the RA-5C in a constrained defense budget environment forced the Navy to incrementally retire the RA-5C and sunset the RVAH community beginning in mid-1974. Carrier-based reconnaissance was concurrently conducted by the active duty VFP community at Naval Air Station Miramar and the Naval Reserve VFP community at Andrews AFB / NAF Washington with the RF-8G Crusader until 29 March 1987, when the last RF-8G was retired and the mission was fully transferred to the active duty and Naval Reserve VF community at NAS Miramar, Naval Air Station Oceana, Naval Air Station Dallas and NAS JRB Fort Worth as a secondary role with the F-14 Tomcat equipped with the Tactical Air Reconnaissance Pod System (TARPS).

Following its return from its final Mediterranean deployment in 1976, RVAH-13 was disestablished at Naval Air Station Key West on 30 June 1976 following over 15 1/2 years of active naval service.[23]

Home stations edit

During its existence, VAH-13 / RVAH-13 was assigned to the following home stations:

Aircraft Assigned edit

See also edit

References edit

  1. ^ Grossnick, Roy A. (1995). Dictionary of American Naval Aviation Squadrons Volume 1 The History of VA, VAH, VAK, VAL, VAP and VFA Squadrons. Washington, D.C.: Naval Historical Center, Department of the Navy. p. 547. Retrieved 30 December 2015.
  2. ^ a b "Rvah-13".
  3. ^ a b c d e f "Carrier, Carrier Based Squadrons and Non-Carrier Based Squadron Deployments to Vietnam" (PDF). Washington, D.C.: Naval Historical Center, Department of the Navy. 1995. Retrieved 30 December 2015.
  4. ^ a b c d Grove, M. & Miller, J; Aerofax Minigraph 9, North American Rockwell A3J/A-5A Vigilante; Aerofax, Inc., Arlington, Texas c1989, p15; ISBN 0-942548-14-0
  5. ^ a b c d e f Powell, Robert (2012). RA-5C Vigilante Units in Combat. Osprey Publishing. p. 86. ISBN 9781782005421.
  6. ^ "CAPT Guy David Johnson, Seattle, WA on www.VirtualWall.org The Virtual Wall® Vietnam Veterans Memorial Wall". www.virtualwall.org.
  7. ^ "LCDR Lee Edward Nordahl, Choteau, MT on www.VirtualWall.org The Virtual Wall® Vietnam Veterans Memorial Wall". www.virtualwall.org.
  8. ^ "Flag flies over USS Kitty Hawk in father's honor". Stars and Stripes.
  9. ^ "LCDR Lee Edward Nordahl". The Virtual Wall. Retrieved 30 December 2015.
  10. ^ a b "U.S. Unaccounted-For from the Vietnam War (Sorted by Name) Prisoners of War, Missing in Action and Killed in Action/Body not Recovered" (PDF). Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency. Retrieved 30 December 2015.
  11. ^ a b c d e f g "U.S. Accounted-For from the Vietnam War (Sorted by Name) Prisoners of War, Escapees, Returnees and Remains Recovered" (PDF). Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency. Retrieved 30 December 2015.
  12. ^ "Veteran Tributes".
  13. ^ "CDR Max Duane Lukenbach, Tucson, AZ on www.VirtualWall.org The Virtual Wall® Vietnam Veterans Memorial Wall". www.virtualwall.org.
  14. ^ "Veteran Tributes". veterantributes.org.
  15. ^ Gerald Coffee - Prisoner of War - POW - His Story Part 1 of 2, retrieved 20 April 2021
  16. ^ "LCDR Robert Taft Hanson, Jr, Toledo, OH on www.VirtualWall.org The Virtual Wall® Vietnam Veterans Memorial Wall". www.virtualwall.org.
  17. ^ "Flint River 605".
  18. ^ "CDR James Lloyd Griffin, Gates, TN on www.VirtualWall.org The Virtual Wall® Vietnam Veterans Memorial Wall". www.virtualwall.org.
  19. ^ "Veteran Tributes".
  20. ^ "Veteran Tributes". veterantributes.org.
  21. ^ "LT Michael Firestone Haifley, Lisbon, OH on www.VirtualWall.org The Virtual Wall® Vietnam Veterans Memorial Wall". www.virtualwall.org.
  22. ^ "RVAH-1". gonavy.jp.
  23. ^ "History". www.rvahnavy.com.

External links edit

April 11, 2024
rvah, reconnaissance, attack, heavy, squadron, navy, originally, established, heavy, attack, squadron, thirteen, january, 1961, redesignated, reconnaissance, attack, heavy, squadron, thirteen, november, 1964, squadron, disestablished, june, 1976, reconnaissanc. RVAH 13 was a Reconnaissance Attack Heavy Squadron of the U S Navy Originally established as Heavy Attack Squadron Thirteen VAH 13 on 3 January 1961 it was redesignated as Reconnaissance Attack Heavy Squadron Thirteen RVAH 13 on 1 November 1964 The squadron was disestablished on 30 June 1976 1 Reconnaissance Attack Heavy Squadron 13RVAH 13 squadron patchActive3 January 1961 30 June 1976CountryUnited StatesBranchUnited States NavyRolePhoto reconnaissancePart ofInactiveNickname s BatsEngagementsVietnam War Contents 1 Operational history 1 1 VAH 13 1 2 RVAH 13 Cold War and Vietnam 1 3 RVAH 13 Cold War post Vietnam 2 Home stations 3 Aircraft Assigned 4 See also 5 References 6 External linksOperational history edit nbsp RIM 2 Terrier missile launches behind 2 VAH 13 A 3B Skywarrior on USS Kitty Hawk c 1962 nbsp Camouflaged RVAH 13 RA 5C Vigilante lands on USS Kitty Hawk in 1966VAH 13 edit VAH 13 was established on 3 January at Naval Air Station Sanford Florida with twelve A3D 2 Skywarrior aircraft assigned Upon completion of initial training the squadron was assigned to Carrier Air Group 11 later Carrier Air Wing 11 and deployed aboard the newly commissioned USS Kitty Hawk for her shakedown cruise in the Caribbean Shortly thereafter VAH 13 transferred to the Pacific Fleet the squadron s Detachment A embarking aboard Kitty Hawk for her 11 August 1 November 1961 transit from the Western and Southern Atlantic to the Eastern Pacific en route to her new homeport of Naval Air Station North Island in San Diego California while the remainder of the squadron relocated to its new home station of Naval Air Station Whidbey Island Washington In September 1962 in accordance with a new DoD aircraft designation systems the squadron s A3D 2 aircraft were redesignated as the A 3B Skywarrior For the next three years VAH 13 maintained readiness requirements and served with the U S Seventh Fleet deploying as follows 13 September 1962 2 April 1963 VAH 13 embarked aboard USS Kitty Hawk for its first Western Pacific WESTPAC deployment 2 17 October 1963 20 July 1964 VAH 13 embarked aboard USS Kitty Hawk for a WESTPAC deployment 2 3 In anticipation of its transition to the RA 5C Vigilante VAH 13 moved back to Naval Air Station Sanford in August 1964 The squadron received its first RA 5C on 5 October 1964 followed by its redesignation as RVAH 13 on 1 November 1964 4 RVAH 13 Cold War and Vietnam edit With the increasing U S military involvement in Vietnam after 1964 RVAH 13 was added to the mix of RVAH squadrons participating in combat operations in Southeast Asia In conducting pre and post strike reconnaissance the RA 5C would incur the highest loss rate of any U S Navy combat aircraft during the Vietnam War and RVAH 13 s experience would more than reflect this RVAH 13 s Cold War Vietnam era deployments were as follows 19 October 1965 13 June 1966 RVAH 13 embarked aboard USS Kitty Hawk for a WESTPAC and Vietnam deployment 3 On 20 December 1965 RA 5C BuNo 151624 was hit by antiaircraft fire and lost in combat over North Vietnam 5 Both crewmen were initially listed as Missing in Action MIA until 1977 when the Vietnamese government confirmed that the pilot LCDR Guy D Johnson 6 and the reconnaissance attack navigator LTJG Lee Shack Nordahl 7 were killed 8 9 10 LCDR Johnson s remains promoted to CDR and CAPT while MIA were returned to the United States in March 1977 LTJG Nordahl s remains promoted to LT and LCDR while MIA were never recovered 11 On 22 December 1965 RA 5C BuNo 151632 was hit by an SA 2 surface to air missile and lost in combat over North Vietnam 5 Reconnaissance attack navigator LTJG Glenn Daigle 12 successfully ejected was captured by the North Vietnamese as a POW and repatriated to the United States on 12 February 1973 11 The pilot LCDR Max Lukenbach 13 was Killed in Action body not recovered KIA BNR 10 On 3 February 1966 RA 5C BuNo 151625 was lost in combat due to AAA fire 5 Crew ejected and landed near Cap Bouton North Vietnam The pilot LT Gerald Coffee 14 was captured by the North Vietnamese 15 as a POW promoted to LCDR and CDR while a POW and repatriated to the United States on 12 February 1973 11 Remains of the RRAN LTJG Robert T Hanson Jr promoted to LT and LCDR while MIA were returned to the United States in November 1988 11 16 17 5 November 1966 19 June 1967 RVAH 13 was embarked aboard USS Kitty Hawk for a WESTPAC and Vietnam deployment 3 9 March 1967 RA 5C BuNo 151627 was lost in combat 5 The reconnaissance attack navigator Lieutenant junior grade Frank Predergast successfully ejected and was rescued The pilot and RVAH 13 Commanding Officer Commander Charlie Putnam also ejected and is believed to have been captured and died in captivity He was posthumously promoted to captain and his remains were returned to the United States in November 1988 11 19 May 1967 RA 5C BuNo 150826 was lost in combat over Hanoi North Vietnam 5 The pilot Lieutenant Commander James Griffin 18 and the RAN Lieutenant Jack Walters 19 were seriously injured during their ejection Both were captured but both died of their injuries within 24 to 48 hours of capture Their remains were returned to the United States in March 1974 11 10 April 16 December 1968 RVAH 13 embarked aboard USS America for a WESTPAC and Vietnam deployment 3 Budgetary pressures of the Vietnam War forced the Department of Defense to close several stateside air bases to include Naval Air Station Sanford Upon return from their 1968 deployment RVAH 13 shifted home stations from Naval Air Station Sanford to the former Turner Air Force Base renamed Naval Air Station Albany Georgia effective December 1968 2 December 1969 8 July 1970 RVAH 13 embarked aboard USS Forrestal for a Mediterranean deployment 4 6 July 1971 17 December 1971 RVAH 13 embarked aboard USS America for a Mediterranean deployment 4 12 September 1972 12 June 1973 RVAH 13 embarked aboard USS Enterprise for a WESTPAC and Vietnam deployment 3 On 28 December 1972 during Operation Linebacker II RA 5C BuNo 156633 was lost in combat when it was shot down by a Vietnam People s Air Force MiG 21 5 The pilot LCDR Al Agnew 20 successfully ejected was captured by the North Vietnamese as a POW and repatriated to the United States on 29 March 1973 The RAN LT Mike Haifley 21 was listed as MIA until his remains were returned to the United States in August 1985 11 RVAH 13 Cold War post Vietnam edit With the end of the Vietnam War RVAH 13 returned to stateside training and forward deployed Cold War presence operations aboard Fleet aircraft carriers Budgetary pressures and force reductions following the end of the Vietnam War forced the Department of Defense to once again close several stateside air bases to include Naval Air Station Albany Georgia as an economy move In April 1974 RVAH 13 executed a shift of home station from NAS Albany to Naval Air Station Key West Florida 22 Subsequent deployments for RVAH 13 were as follows 7 May 1974 18 October 1974 RVAH 13 embarked aboard USS Ranger for a WESTPAC deployment 3 15 October 1975 24 April 1976 RVAH 13 embarked aboard USS Independence for a Mediterranean deployment 4 Attrition of airframes and the increasing maintenance and flight hour costs of the RA 5C in a constrained defense budget environment forced the Navy to incrementally retire the RA 5C and sunset the RVAH community beginning in mid 1974 Carrier based reconnaissance was concurrently conducted by the active duty VFP community at Naval Air Station Miramar and the Naval Reserve VFP community at Andrews AFB NAF Washington with the RF 8G Crusader until 29 March 1987 when the last RF 8G was retired and the mission was fully transferred to the active duty and Naval Reserve VF community at NAS Miramar Naval Air Station Oceana Naval Air Station Dallas and NAS JRB Fort Worth as a secondary role with the F 14 Tomcat equipped with the Tactical Air Reconnaissance Pod System TARPS Following its return from its final Mediterranean deployment in 1976 RVAH 13 was disestablished at Naval Air Station Key West on 30 June 1976 following over 15 1 2 years of active naval service 23 Home stations editDuring its existence VAH 13 RVAH 13 was assigned to the following home stations Naval Air Station Sanford Florida 1961 1961 Naval Air Station Whidbey Island Washington 1961 1964 Naval Air Station Sanford Florida 1964 1968 Naval Air Station Albany Georgia 1968 1974 Naval Air Station Key West Florida 1974 1976 Aircraft Assigned editA3D 2 A 3B Skywarrior RA 5C VigilanteSee also editReconnaissance aircraft List of inactive United States Navy aircraft squadrons History of the United States NavyReferences edit Grossnick Roy A 1995 Dictionary of American Naval Aviation Squadrons Volume 1 The History of VA VAH VAK VAL VAP and VFA Squadrons Washington D C Naval Historical Center Department of the Navy p 547 Retrieved 30 December 2015 a b Rvah 13 a b c d e f Carrier Carrier Based Squadrons and Non Carrier Based Squadron Deployments to Vietnam PDF Washington D C Naval Historical Center Department of the Navy 1995 Retrieved 30 December 2015 a b c d Grove M amp Miller J Aerofax Minigraph 9 North American Rockwell A3J A 5A Vigilante Aerofax Inc Arlington Texas c1989 p15 ISBN 0 942548 14 0 a b c d e f Powell Robert 2012 RA 5C Vigilante Units in Combat Osprey Publishing p 86 ISBN 9781782005421 CAPT Guy David Johnson Seattle WA on www VirtualWall org The Virtual Wall Vietnam Veterans Memorial Wall www virtualwall org LCDR Lee Edward Nordahl Choteau MT on www VirtualWall org The Virtual Wall Vietnam Veterans Memorial Wall www virtualwall org Flag flies over USS Kitty Hawk in father s honor Stars and Stripes LCDR Lee Edward Nordahl The Virtual Wall Retrieved 30 December 2015 a b U S Unaccounted For from the Vietnam War Sorted by Name Prisoners of War Missing in Action and Killed in Action Body not Recovered PDF Defense POW MIA Accounting Agency Retrieved 30 December 2015 a b c d e f g U S Accounted For from the Vietnam War Sorted by Name Prisoners of War Escapees Returnees and Remains Recovered PDF Defense POW MIA Accounting Agency Retrieved 30 December 2015 Veteran Tributes CDR Max Duane Lukenbach Tucson AZ on www VirtualWall org The Virtual Wall Vietnam Veterans Memorial Wall www virtualwall org Veteran Tributes veterantributes org Gerald Coffee Prisoner of War POW His Story Part 1 of 2 retrieved 20 April 2021 LCDR Robert Taft Hanson Jr Toledo OH on www VirtualWall org The Virtual Wall Vietnam Veterans Memorial Wall www virtualwall org Flint River 605 CDR James Lloyd Griffin Gates TN on www VirtualWall org The Virtual Wall Vietnam Veterans Memorial Wall www virtualwall org Veteran Tributes Veteran Tributes veterantributes org LT Michael Firestone Haifley Lisbon OH on www VirtualWall org The Virtual Wall Vietnam Veterans Memorial Wall www virtualwall org RVAH 1 gonavy jp History www rvahnavy com External links edit Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title RVAH 13 amp oldid 1198185796, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,

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