RVAH-14 was a Reconnaissance Attack (Heavy) Squadron of the U.S. Navy. The squadron was established on 14 February 1968 and disestablished on 1 May 1974.[1]
RVAH-14 was the last squadron specifically formed to operate the RA-5C Vigilante and was most short-lived of any RVAH squadron. RVAH-14 was initially established on 1 February 1968 at Naval Air Station Sanford, Florida in order to accommodate the impending commissioning of the USS John F. Kennedy, the latter of which was scheduled for 7 September 1968. Throughout its existence, RVAH-14 concentrated on Cold War operations, primarily in support of the U.S. Sixth Fleet in the Mediterranean, and was the only frontline RVAH squadron not to see action during the Vietnam War. The squadron's emblem was created by cartoonist Roy Crane, the creator of the Buz Sawyer comic strip.[2]
Prior to its first overseas deployment, budgetary pressures of the Vietnam War necessitated that the Department of Defense close or realign several stateside air bases, to include the closure of Naval Air Station Sanford. As a result, only months following its establishment, RVAH-14 shifted home stations from NAS Sanford to the former Turner Air Force Base, renamed Naval Air Station Albany, Georgia, effective 1 May 1968.
RVAH-14's overseas deployments were as follows:
5 April 1969 - 20 December 1969, RVAH-14 embarked aboard USS John F. Kennedy for a Mediterranean deployment.[3]
14 September 1970 - 28 February 1971, RVAH-14 embarked aboard USS John F. Kennedy for a Mediterranean deployment.[4]
1 December 1971 - 6 October 1971, RVAH-14 embarked aboard USS John F. Kennedy for a Mediterranean deployment.[5]
21 June 1973 - 19 January 1974, RVAH-14 embarked aboard USS Independence for a Mediterranean deployment.[6]
With the end of the Vietnam War, budgetary pressures and force reductions forced the Department of Defense to once again close several stateside air bases, to include the closure of Naval Air Station Albany, Georgia. As a result, Reconnaissance Attack Wing One and all RVAH squadrons were slated to relocate to Naval Air Station Key West, Florida.
However, attrition of airframes and the increasing maintenance and flight hour costs of the RA-5C in a constrained defense budget environment also 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 Air Force Base / 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).
Due to these factors, RVAH-14 was selected to be the first RVAH squadron to inactivate. As a result, on 1 May 1974, before it could be transferred with the other RVAH squadrons to Naval Air Station Key West, RVAH-14 was disestablished at Naval Air Station Albany, Georgia.[7][8]
Home stations assignmentsedit
During its existence, RVAH-14 was assigned to these home stations:
rvah, this, article, uses, bare, urls, which, uninformative, vulnerable, link, please, consider, converting, them, full, citations, ensure, article, remains, verifiable, maintains, consistent, citation, style, several, templates, tools, available, assist, form. This article uses bare URLs which are uninformative and vulnerable to link rot Please consider converting them to full citations to ensure the article remains verifiable and maintains a consistent citation style Several templates and tools are available to assist in formatting such as reFill documentation and Citation bot documentation September 2022 Learn how and when to remove this template message RVAH 14 was a Reconnaissance Attack Heavy Squadron of the U S Navy The squadron was established on 14 February 1968 and disestablished on 1 May 1974 1 Reconnaissance Attack Heavy Squadron 14RVAH 14 squadron patchActive14 February 1968 1 May 1974CountryUnited StatesBranchUnited States NavyRolePhoto reconnaissancePart ofInactiveNickname s Eagle Eyes Contents 1 Operational history 1 1 RVAH 14 2 Home stations assignments 3 Aircraft Assigned 4 See also 5 References 6 External linksOperational history edit nbsp RVAH 14 RA 5C Vigilante over Naval Air Station Albany in 1969 nbsp RVAH 14 RA 5C prepares to launch from USS John F Kennedy circa 1970RVAH 14 edit RVAH 14 was the last squadron specifically formed to operate the RA 5C Vigilante and was most short lived of any RVAH squadron RVAH 14 was initially established on 1 February 1968 at Naval Air Station Sanford Florida in order to accommodate the impending commissioning of the USS John F Kennedy the latter of which was scheduled for 7 September 1968 Throughout its existence RVAH 14 concentrated on Cold War operations primarily in support of the U S Sixth Fleet in the Mediterranean and was the only frontline RVAH squadron not to see action during the Vietnam War The squadron s emblem was created by cartoonist Roy Crane the creator of the Buz Sawyer comic strip 2 Prior to its first overseas deployment budgetary pressures of the Vietnam War necessitated that the Department of Defense close or realign several stateside air bases to include the closure of Naval Air Station Sanford As a result only months following its establishment RVAH 14 shifted home stations from NAS Sanford to the former Turner Air Force Base renamed Naval Air Station Albany Georgia effective 1 May 1968 RVAH 14 s overseas deployments were as follows 5 April 1969 20 December 1969 RVAH 14 embarked aboard USS John F Kennedy for a Mediterranean deployment 3 14 September 1970 28 February 1971 RVAH 14 embarked aboard USS John F Kennedy for a Mediterranean deployment 4 1 December 1971 6 October 1971 RVAH 14 embarked aboard USS John F Kennedy for a Mediterranean deployment 5 21 June 1973 19 January 1974 RVAH 14 embarked aboard USS Independence for a Mediterranean deployment 6 With the end of the Vietnam War budgetary pressures and force reductions forced the Department of Defense to once again close several stateside air bases to include the closure of Naval Air Station Albany Georgia As a result Reconnaissance Attack Wing One and all RVAH squadrons were slated to relocate to Naval Air Station Key West Florida However attrition of airframes and the increasing maintenance and flight hour costs of the RA 5C in a constrained defense budget environment also 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 Air Force Base 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 Due to these factors RVAH 14 was selected to be the first RVAH squadron to inactivate As a result on 1 May 1974 before it could be transferred with the other RVAH squadrons to Naval Air Station Key West RVAH 14 was disestablished at Naval Air Station Albany Georgia 7 8 Home stations assignments editDuring its existence RVAH 14 was assigned to these home stations Naval Air Station Sanford Florida Naval Air Station Albany GeorgiaAircraft Assigned editRA 5C VigilanteSee also editReconnaissance aircraft List of inactive United States Navy aircraft squadrons History of the United States NavyReferences edit Service of North American A 5 Vigilante with US Navy Joe Baugher Retrieved 3 January 2016 Powell Robert 2012 RA 5C Vigilante Units in Combat Osprey Publishing p 85 ISBN 9781782005421 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 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 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 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 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 http www rvahnavy com 5history htmlExternal links edit Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title RVAH 14 amp oldid 1112548862, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
