RVAH-6 was a Reconnaissance Attack (Heavy) Squadron of the U.S. Navy. Originally established as Composite Squadron Six (VC-6) on 6 January 1950, it was redesignated as Heavy Attack Squadron Six (VAH-6) on 1 July 1956 and was redesignated as Reconnaissance Attack (Heavy) Squadron Six (RVAH-6) on 23 September 1965. The squadron was disestablished on 20 October 1978.[1]
VC-6 was established at Naval Air Station Moffett Field, California on 6 January 1950 as the Navy's second nuclear attack squadron and was initially equipped with the P2V Neptune. It became the second Navy squadron to operate the AJ-2 Savage, receiving its first aircraft in late 1950.[2] In June 1952, the squadron relocated to Naval Air Station North Island, California and was redesignated Heavy Attack Squadron SIX (VAH-6) on 1 July 1956.[3]
VAH-6edit
VAH-6 remained at NAS North Island until relocating to Naval Air Station Whidbey Island, Washington in early 1958. In June 1958, VAH-6 reequipped with the Douglas A3D-2 Skywarrior and made several Western Pacific (WESTPAC) deployments aboard USS Ranger and Mediterranean deployments aboard USS Forrestal.[4] The squadron's A3D-2 aircraft were redesignated as the A-3B Skywarrior in September 1962.
In 1965, the squadron relocated to Naval Air Station Sanford, Florida. In September 1965, the squadron completed transition to the RA-5C Vigilante and was redesignated as Reconnaissance Attack Squadron SIX (RVAH-6).[3][5]
RVAH-6 / Vietnamedit
12 May - 3 December 1966, RVAH-6 was embarked on USS Constellation for a WESTPAC and Vietnam deployment.[6]
On 19 August 1966, RA-5C BuNo 149309 was lost in combat while flying from USS Constellation; both crewmen ejected successfully and were rescued.[7]
On 23 October 1966, while operating from USS Constellation, RA-5C BuNo 150830 was lost in combat over North Vietnam.[7] The remains of the crew, Lieutenant Commander Thomas Kolstad[8] and Lieutenant (junior grade) William Klenert,[9] were returned to the United States in March 1977. Kolstad was posthumously promoted to CDR and Klenert was posthumously promoted to LT and LCDR.[10]
4 November 1967 – 25 May 1968, RVAH-6 was embarked on USS Ranger for a WESTPAC and Vietnam deployment.[6]
Budgetary pressures of the Vietnam War force the Department of Defense to close several stateside air bases, to include Naval Air Station Sanford. Upon return from their 1967-1968 deployment, RVAH-1 shifts home stations from NAS Sanford to the former Turner Air Force Base, renamed Naval Air Station Albany, Georgia.
6 January-2 July 1969, RVAH-6 was embarked on USS Enterprise for a WESTPAC and Vietnam deployment.[6]
On 31 March 1969, RA-5C BuNo 150842 was lost in combat over Laos with the RVAH-6 Commanding Officer, Commander Danforth White,[11] as the pilot and Lieutenant Ramey Carpenter[12] as the reconnaissance attack navigator. The aircraft burst into flames and broke up in flight; there were no ejections and both crewmen were killed in action.[7]
6 November 1970 – 17 July 1971, RVAH-6 was embarked on USS Kitty Hawk for a WESTPAC and Vietnam deployment.[6]
5 June 1972 – 24 March 1973, RVAH-6 was embarked on USS America for a WESTPAC and Vietnam deployment.[6]
RVAH-6 / Cold Waredit
11 March 1974 - 11 September 1974, RVAH-6 was embarked on USS Forrestal for an Atlantic/Mediterranean deployment.[13]
Budgetary pressures following the end of the Vietnam War force the Department of Defense to again close several stateside air bases, to include Naval Air Station Albany. Following completion of their 1974 deployment, RVAH-6 shifts home stations from NAS Albany to Naval Air Station Key West, Florida.[14]
21 May 1975 - 15 December 1975, RVAH-6 was embarked on USS Kitty Hawk for a WESTPAC deployment.[6]
1 December 1977 - 20 July 1978, RVAH-6 was embarked on USS Nimitz for an Atlantic/Mediterranean deployment.[13]
Attrition of airframes and the increasing maintenance and flight hour costs of the RA-5C in a constrained post-Vietnam defense budget environment forced the Navy to incrementally retire the RA-5C and sunset the RVAH community beginning in mid-1974 as the RVAH community began relocating from the inactivating NAS Albany to NAS Key West. 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 is 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 Atlantic/Mediterranean deployment in July 1978, RVAH-6 was inactivated at Naval Air Station Key West on 20 October 1978 following over 28 years of active service.[5] One of RVAH-6's aircraft from its final deployment aboard Nimitz, BuNo 156624, was flown to Naval Air Station Pensacola, Florida as a permanent addition to the collection of the National Naval Aviation Museum.
^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 29 December 2015.
^Ginter, Steve (1992). North American AJ-1 Savage (Naval Fighters Number 22). Steve Ginter. p. 77. ISBN0942612221.
^ abcdef"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.
^ abcPowell, Robert (2012). RA-5C Vigilante Units in Combat. Osprey Publishing. p. 86. ISBN9781782005421.
^"CDR Thomas Carl Kolstad, Parkville, MN on www.VirtualWall.org The Virtual Wall® Vietnam Veterans Memorial Wall". www.virtualwall.org.
^"LCDR William Blue Klenert, Bellmore, NY on www.VirtualWall.org The Virtual Wall® Vietnam Veterans Memorial Wall". www.virtualwall.org.
^"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.
^"CDR Danforth Ellithorpe White, State College, PA on www.VirtualWall.org The Virtual Wall® Vietnam Veterans Memorial Wall". www.virtualwall.org.
^"LT Ramey Leo Carpenter, Norman, OK on www.VirtualWall.org The Virtual Wall® Vietnam Veterans Memorial Wall". www.virtualwall.org.
rvah, reconnaissance, attack, heavy, squadron, navy, originally, established, composite, squadron, january, 1950, redesignated, heavy, attack, squadron, july, 1956, redesignated, reconnaissance, attack, heavy, squadron, september, 1965, squadron, disestablishe. RVAH 6 was a Reconnaissance Attack Heavy Squadron of the U S Navy Originally established as Composite Squadron Six VC 6 on 6 January 1950 it was redesignated as Heavy Attack Squadron Six VAH 6 on 1 July 1956 and was redesignated as Reconnaissance Attack Heavy Squadron Six RVAH 6 on 23 September 1965 The squadron was disestablished on 20 October 1978 1 Reconnaissance Attack Heavy Squadron 6RVAH 6 squadron patchActive6 January 1950 20 October 1978CountryUnited StatesBranchUnited States NavyRolePhoto reconnaissancePart ofInactiveNickname s FleursEngagementsVietnam War Contents 1 Operational history 1 1 VC 6 1 2 VAH 6 1 3 RVAH 6 Vietnam 1 4 RVAH 6 Cold War 2 Home station assignments 3 Aircraft Assigned 4 See also 5 References 6 External linksOperational history edit nbsp VC 6 AJ 2 Savage on board USS Midway in 1954 nbsp VAH 6 AJ 2 Savage preparing to launch from USS Lexington in 1956 nbsp VAH 6 A3D 2 Skywarrior lands on USS Ranger in 1958 nbsp RVAH 6 RA 5C Vigilante lands on USS America c 1972 VC 6 edit VC 6 was established at Naval Air Station Moffett Field California on 6 January 1950 as the Navy s second nuclear attack squadron and was initially equipped with the P2V Neptune It became the second Navy squadron to operate the AJ 2 Savage receiving its first aircraft in late 1950 2 In June 1952 the squadron relocated to Naval Air Station North Island California and was redesignated Heavy Attack Squadron SIX VAH 6 on 1 July 1956 3 VAH 6 edit VAH 6 remained at NAS North Island until relocating to Naval Air Station Whidbey Island Washington in early 1958 In June 1958 VAH 6 reequipped with the Douglas A3D 2 Skywarrior and made several Western Pacific WESTPAC deployments aboard USS Ranger and Mediterranean deployments aboard USS Forrestal 4 The squadron s A3D 2 aircraft were redesignated as the A 3B Skywarrior in September 1962 In 1965 the squadron relocated to Naval Air Station Sanford Florida In September 1965 the squadron completed transition to the RA 5C Vigilante and was redesignated as Reconnaissance Attack Squadron SIX RVAH 6 3 5 RVAH 6 Vietnam edit 12 May 3 December 1966 RVAH 6 was embarked on USS Constellation for a WESTPAC and Vietnam deployment 6 On 19 August 1966 RA 5C BuNo 149309 was lost in combat while flying from USS Constellation both crewmen ejected successfully and were rescued 7 On 23 October 1966 while operating from USS Constellation RA 5C BuNo 150830 was lost in combat over North Vietnam 7 The remains of the crew Lieutenant Commander Thomas Kolstad 8 and Lieutenant junior grade William Klenert 9 were returned to the United States in March 1977 Kolstad was posthumously promoted to CDR and Klenert was posthumously promoted to LT and LCDR 10 4 November 1967 25 May 1968 RVAH 6 was embarked on USS Ranger for a WESTPAC and Vietnam deployment 6 Budgetary pressures of the Vietnam War force the Department of Defense to close several stateside air bases to include Naval Air Station Sanford Upon return from their 1967 1968 deployment RVAH 1 shifts home stations from NAS Sanford to the former Turner Air Force Base renamed Naval Air Station Albany Georgia 6 January 2 July 1969 RVAH 6 was embarked on USS Enterprise for a WESTPAC and Vietnam deployment 6 On 31 March 1969 RA 5C BuNo 150842 was lost in combat over Laos with the RVAH 6 Commanding Officer Commander Danforth White 11 as the pilot and Lieutenant Ramey Carpenter 12 as the reconnaissance attack navigator The aircraft burst into flames and broke up in flight there were no ejections and both crewmen were killed in action 7 6 November 1970 17 July 1971 RVAH 6 was embarked on USS Kitty Hawk for a WESTPAC and Vietnam deployment 6 5 June 1972 24 March 1973 RVAH 6 was embarked on USS America for a WESTPAC and Vietnam deployment 6 RVAH 6 Cold War edit 11 March 1974 11 September 1974 RVAH 6 was embarked on USS Forrestal for an Atlantic Mediterranean deployment 13 Budgetary pressures following the end of the Vietnam War force the Department of Defense to again close several stateside air bases to include Naval Air Station Albany Following completion of their 1974 deployment RVAH 6 shifts home stations from NAS Albany to Naval Air Station Key West Florida 14 21 May 1975 15 December 1975 RVAH 6 was embarked on USS Kitty Hawk for a WESTPAC deployment 6 1 December 1977 20 July 1978 RVAH 6 was embarked on USS Nimitz for an Atlantic Mediterranean deployment 13 Attrition of airframes and the increasing maintenance and flight hour costs of the RA 5C in a constrained post Vietnam defense budget environment forced the Navy to incrementally retire the RA 5C and sunset the RVAH community beginning in mid 1974 as the RVAH community began relocating from the inactivating NAS Albany to NAS Key West 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 is 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 Atlantic Mediterranean deployment in July 1978 RVAH 6 was inactivated at Naval Air Station Key West on 20 October 1978 following over 28 years of active service 5 One of RVAH 6 s aircraft from its final deployment aboard Nimitz BuNo 156624 was flown to Naval Air Station Pensacola Florida as a permanent addition to the collection of the National Naval Aviation Museum Home station assignments editThe squadron was assigned to these home stations Naval Air Station Moffett Field California Naval Air Station North Island California Naval Air Station Whidbey Island Washington Naval Air Station Sanford Florida Naval Air Station Albany Georgia Naval Air Station Key West FloridaAircraft Assigned editP2V 3B C Neptune AJ 2 Savage A3D 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 29 December 2015 Ginter Steve 1992 North American AJ 1 Savage Naval Fighters Number 22 Steve Ginter p 77 ISBN 0942612221 a b A 3 Skywarrior Association A 3 Skywarrior Assn A 3 SQUADRON HISTORY Skywarrior in Service with US Navy Joe Baugher Retrieved 29 December 2015 a b RVAHNAVY COM www rvahnavy com 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 Powell Robert 2012 RA 5C Vigilante Units in Combat Osprey Publishing p 86 ISBN 9781782005421 CDR Thomas Carl Kolstad Parkville MN on www VirtualWall org The Virtual Wall Vietnam Veterans Memorial Wall www virtualwall org LCDR William Blue Klenert Bellmore NY on www VirtualWall org The Virtual Wall Vietnam Veterans Memorial Wall www virtualwall org 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 CDR Danforth Ellithorpe White State College PA on www VirtualWall org The Virtual Wall Vietnam Veterans Memorial Wall www virtualwall org LT Ramey Leo Carpenter Norman OK on www VirtualWall org The Virtual Wall Vietnam Veterans Memorial Wall www virtualwall org a b RVAH 6 RVAH 1 External links edit Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title RVAH 6 amp oldid 1198263949, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
