Military unit
Patrol Squadron Four (VP-4) is a U.S. Navy land-based patrol squadron based at the Naval Air Station Whidbey Island, Oak Harbor, Washington, which is tasked to undertake maritime patrol, anti-submarine warfare (ASW), and intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) missions flying the Boeing P-8 Poseidon.
The squadron was originally established as Bombing Squadron 144 (VB-144) on 1 July 1943, redesignated Patrol Bombing Squadron 144 (VPB-144) on 1 October 1944, redesignated Patrol Squadron 144 (VP-144) on 15 May 1946, redesignated Medium Patrol Squadron (Landplane) 4 (VP-ML-4) on 15 November 1946 and redesignated Patrol Squadron 4 (VP-4) on 1 September 1948. It is the second squadron to be designated VP-4, the first VP-4 was redesignated VP-22 on 1 July 1939.
History.
VB-144 was established at NAS Alameda, California on 1 July 1943, as a squadron flying the PV-1 Ventura, by 14 August The squadron completed training and boarded for transport to NAS Kaneohe Bay, Hawaii. Upon arrival the squadron began an intensive period of combat training and operational patrols over the ocean near the Hawaiian Islands. On 9 January 1944 VB-144 was transferred to Hawkins Field, Tarawa, where combat patrols commenced as soon as the squadron was checked in and assigned space for the crews and aircraft. On 1 February 1944, the squadron was relocated to Dyess Field, Roi Island, from which bombing missions were carried out against Japanese installations in the Gilbert, Marshall and Eastern Caroline island chains. On 30 March 1944 VB-144 was transferred back to Tarawa, leaving a three-aircraft detachment at Dyess Field, which was engaged in strikes on 1 April 1944 against enemy positions at Wotje Atoll and Jaluit Atoll that continued through June. On 4 April 1944, the increasing tempo of operations at Dyess Field resulted in the deployment of a second detachment of VB-144 aircraft to Roi Island and by 1 September the remainder of the squadron was transferred to Dyess. On 30 September 1944 VB-144 was transferred to NAS Kaneohe Bay and was redesignated VPB-144 while preparing for return to the continental United States. On 1 November 1944 VPB-144 was reformed for training at NAS Whidbey Island, Washington. The squadron was reequipped with the newer PV-2 Harpoon. On 3 March 1945, the squadron commenced training in air-to-ground attack continued at NAS Moffett Field, California. From 8–15 April 1945 VPB-144 squadron personnel and equipment were loaded aboard for transport to Naval Base Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, arriving on 15 April. Upon arrival, the squadron was based at NAS Kaneohe Bay, where a combat training syllabus of several weeks was undertaken. From 11–23 May 1945 a detachment of squadron aircraft and crews was flown to Midway Island to provide combat air patrol coverage. On 23 May 1945, the detachment was increased to nine aircraft. On 24 May 1945 two of the crews sent to Midway earlier returned to NAS Kaneohe Bay. The remainder of the detachment followed, rejoining the rest of the squadron on 12 June 1945. On 27 June 1945 VPB-144 was transferred to Eniwetok, via Johnston Atoll and Majuro. The squadron was placed under the operational control of TF 96.1. Sector and photographic reconnaissance patrols were conducted over Wake and Ponape islands. By 12 September 1945, problems with malaria on Wake Island became so severe that the aircraft of VPB-144 were fitted with sprayers to cover the island with DDT. On 15 September 1945 flights were conducted over Kusaie, Ponape and the Caroline Islands as a show of force to the remaining Japanese troops who had not yet surrendered. By 15 May 1946: Squadron assets remained at NAB Tinian but all personnel were rotated back to the U.S., leaving the squadron in a caretaker status. In September 1946 the squadron was retained on the Navy roster, but was placed in an inactive status at NAS North Island, California, under FAW-14. In Nov 1947 the squadron was reactivated as VP-ML-4 at NAS Miramar, California, with a complement of 14 officers and 59 enlisted men. An SNB-5 was utilized for flight training until the arrival of the squadron's first operational aircraft, the P2V-1 Neptune, in mid-December 1947.
VP-4 conducted an aerial photographic survey of Southeastern Alaska from Annette Island and began regular rotation tours to NAS Kodiak, Alaska from NAS Whidbey Island. Following the start of the Korean War, the squadron was deployed to NAS Barbers Point, Hawaii. in July, 1950, developing aerial mining capabilities and remained there until its return to Whidbey Island in January, 1951. During this deployment, Aircraft BuNo 39340, SC-3 was lost with five crewmen during a rocket firing training exercise off Kaena Point. The squadron was redeployed to NAS Barbers Point in mid 1951 and from there to NAS Kodiak in September, returning to NAS Whidbey Island in late December of that year. In April 1952, VP-4 again was deployed to NAS Barbers Point and from there to NAS Agana, Guam in September. The squadron returned to NAS Whidbey Island in January 1953, having turned in its P2V-2s and receiving P2V-5s in February. VP-4 remained in NAS Whidbey Island until November 1953 and was then transferred to Kadena Air Base and subsequently to NAF Naha, Okinawa, where the squadron flew shipping patrols in the vicinity of Taiwan. The squadron returned to NAS Whidbey Islandin mid-1954.
In 1956, VP-4 was relocated to NAF Naha, from this base, the squadron flew reconnaissance and Anti-submarine warfare (ASW) missions to counter the Communist Chinese threat to the islands of Matsu and Quemoy. In 1964, the squadron marked its fourth year of operational excellence with three Commander, Naval Air Forces Pacific (COMNAVAIRPAC) Navy Battle "E" Awards, three Chief of Naval Operations (CNO) Safety Awards, and four Arnold J. Isbell ASW Awards. In April 1964, VP-4 returned to NAS Barbers Point, from there, the squadron made numerous deployments to Southeast Asia in support of the Vietnam War. It was on one of these deployments in 1965 when the squadron logo was changed from the Okinawa-era "Neptune" design to a Hawaiian-inspired "Black Griffin." The logo caused some confusion on the part of waitresses in the local Officer's Club, who remarked that it more closely resembled a "Skinny Dragon" and the new nickname was quickly adopted.
In 1966, the VP-4 began transitioning from the SP-2H Neptune to the P-3A Orion. Following completion of the transition, VP-4 became the first Hawaii-based squadron to deploy P-3As to NAS Adak, Alaska in 1969. In 1972, VP-4 was awarded the Navy Meritorious Unit Commendation for its efforts during Operations Market Time and Yankee Team. During the 1975 deployment to NAS Cubi Point, Philippines VP-4 participated in the Operation Frequent Wind, the evacuation of South Vietnam and the Mayaguez recovery operation, and in 1976 saw detachment operations to NAS Agana, Guam during which the squadron participated in Australia's Kangaroo II fleet exercise.
In July 1978, VP-4 assumed the Guam Detachment and simultaneously conducted operations that stretched around the world including locations as distant as: NAS Cubi Point; NAS Barbers Point; NAS Moffett Field, California; NAS Brunswick, Maine and NAS Sigonella, Italy. VP-4 finished transitioning to the P-3B (MOD), or "SUPER BEE" in May 1979. The squadron then started a work up period for its next NAS Cubi Point deployment, which began in November 1979. While assigned to COMNAVAIRPAC, VP-4 was awarded the Navy Battle "E" Award for operational excellence for the cycle from 1 January 1979 to 30 June 1980. During the height of the Cold War, VP-4 fought on the front lines. Making numerous deployments to NAS Cubi Point; Diego Garcia; Kadena Air Base and Misawa Air Base, Japan; NAS Adak, Alaska and numerous other remote detachment sites, the squadron located, tracked and collected vital intelligence on Soviet ballistic missile and attack submarines. This era in VP-4's history is marked by a number of "firsts" including becoming the first squadron at NAS Barbers Point to transition to the P-3C, the first NAS Barbers Point squadron to deploy to Diego Garcia (May 1980), and the first Hawaii squadron to deploy with P-3Cs to NAS Adak. VP-4's operational excellence and contributions to the Cold War were recognized in 1987 in once again earning the Navy Battle "E" Award. Additionally, during this time, the squadron's concern for the safety and welfare of its Sailors was marked by surpassing 100,000 hours of mishap-free flying and earning back-to-back Golden Anchor Retention Excellence awards in 1987 and 1988.
In 1988 VP-4 returned to Hawaii where they participated in numerous exercises, including Exercise RIMPAC. In 1989 VP-4 completed a highly deployment to NAS Adak, conducting numerous ASW operations and participating in PACIFIC EXERCISE-89, the largest Naval exercise since World War II. Deploying to Diego Garcia in November 1990, VP-4 quickly established a detachment at RAFO Masirah, Oman to enforce the United Nations Embargo against Iraq during Operation Desert Shield. By early January 1991, 179 missions had challenged 3,669 merchant vessels. The embargo gave way to Battle Force Protection as war was declared on 17 January 1991. Flying 279 combat missions and 2,779 flight hours in the Persian Gulf in support of Operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm, VP-4 provided detection and targeting, resulting in the total destruction of the Iraqi Navy.
Upon returning home to Hawaii, VP-4 learned that it had again received the Chief of Naval Operations Golden Anchor and the Commander, Patrol Wings Pacific (COMPATWINGSPAC) Golden Orion for retention excellence. In November 1993, VP-4 deployed to Misawa AB, Japan, and established a permanent detachment at Kadena AB, Okinawa. While on deployment, VP-4 received the 1993 Chief of Naval Operations Aviation Safety Award for a Pacific Fleet Maritime Patrol Squadron, the Commander, US 7th Fleet Award and the Captain Arnold Jay Isbell Trophy, both for Anti-Submarine Warfare (ASW) excellence.
After completing a home training cycle, VP-4 conducted a split-site deployment to Misawa AB and Kadena AB in 1995. During this deployment the squadron flew around the clock for seventeen straight days during the Third Taiwan Strait Crisis, providing intelligence support and protection against anti-surface and subsurface threats to both the and carrier battle groups. In early 1997, VP-4 completed a quad-site deployment to Diego Garcia; Masirah, Oman; Manama, Bahrain, and Kadena AB, Japan. While on deployment, VP-4 aircrew and maintenance personnel conducted the first permanent detachment in the Persian Gulf. In addition, VP-4 acted as the armed patrol aircraft detachment from Doha, Qatar, flying 21 straight days with weapons and exercised the first 24-hour armed ready alert Maritime Patrol Aviation (MPA) posture in the Persian Gulf. VP-4 acted as the fleet's "eyes in the sky" in support of Maritime Interdiction Operations (MIO), enforcing United Nations Security Council Resolutions (UNSCRs) and the Iraqi Oil for Food program. In 1998, pursuant to the BRAC decision to close NAS Barbers Point, VP-4 relocated to NAS Kaneohe Bay, now known as Marine Corps Base Hawaii. In December 1998, VP-4 again deployed to six sites around the Middle East, during their deployment, the squadron participated in three combat operations: Operation Desert Fox, where they were awarded the Navy Unit Commendation; Operation Southern Watch, where VP-4 triggered the initial strike and delivered pre and post-strike imagery; and Operations Allied Force/Noble Anvil in Kosovo, which resulted in VP-4's Combat Air Crew 10 being awarded eleven (11) Air Medals. In home waters that same year, VP-4 also hosted 35 countries during RIMPAC 98.
VP-4 was the first VP squadron to introduce the P-3C Anti-Surface Warfare Improvement Program (P-3C AIP) aircraft to the Fleet. VP-4 proved AIP's power during deployment by supporting three aircraft carrier battle groups in the Persian Gulf and becoming the first squadron to achieve reliable AIP imagery transfer. VP-4 was also the first squadron in the US 7th Fleet to fire the AGM-65 Maverick air-to-surface missile from a P-3C AIP aircraft. In November 1999, VP-4 flew to NAS North Island, California to participate in Joint Fleet Exercise (JTFEX/FLEETEX). While at JTFEX/FLEETEX, the squadron participated in 23 events, including AIP and AGM-84 Standoff Land Attack Missile (SLAM) demo flights.
In June 2000, VP-4 conducted a WESTPAC deployment with detachments in 13 countries and participating in 27 multi-national exercises. The squadron also saved 22 lives in various Search and Rescue (SAR) operations within the Seventh Fleet’s Area of Responsibility (AOR). The squadron was again honored with the Navy Battle "E" Award in 2000, the third such award in five years. Following the September 11 attacks, VP-4 deployed to the US Central Command (USCENTCOM) AOR under Commander, Task Force