 attack squadron one seven six (va-176), known as the "thunderbolts", was a united states navy carrier-based medium attack squadron that saw combat service in the vietnam war and later in 1983 in both grenada and lebanon. ==history== va-176 was established on 4 june 1955 and equipped with the douglas ad-6 skyraider and assigned to the atlantic fleet. a year later the first deployment followed on board the aircraft carrier uss randolph (cva-15) to the mediterranean sea as part of air task group two (atg-2). in 1958 the squadron was assigned to carrier air group 17 (cvg-17), but was not deployed as cvg-17 was disbanded. the next cruise in 1959/60 was aboard the uss essex (cva-9) as part of cvg-10. in november and december 1960 va-176 was assigned to carrier anti-submarine air group 52 (cvsg-52) aboard the uss wasp (cvs-18). after this short deployment va-176 returned to cvw-10 and made three deployments to the mediterranean sea with the uss shangri-la (cva-38) between 1961 and 1965. thumb|left|va-176 a-1h in 1966 with "mig-killer" ltjg w. t. patton carrier air wing ten (cvw-10) was shifted in 1966 to the uss intrepid (cvs-11), which was used as an attack carrier for three deployments to vietnam. during the 1966 deployment two members of the squadron became known by successfully engaging a north vietnamese mig-17, an unusual instance of propeller-driven aircraft defeating a jet-powered adversary. thumb|right|va-176 ka-6d intruder tanker aircraft in 1967 va-176 was back in the mediterranean sea aboard the uss saratoga (cvs-60) as part of carrier air wing three (cvw-3). this was the last cruise with the douglas a-1h skyraider, as the squadron converted to the grumman a-6a intruder all-weather attack plane. from its first deployment with the intruder in 1970 to the last in 1991, va-176 was assigned to carrier air wing six (cvw-6). from 1970 to 1975 cvw-6 was assigned to the [[uss franklin d. roosevelt (cv-42)|uss frankl
Attack_squadrons_of_the_United_States_Navy Military_units_and_formations_established_in_1955