VA-34
Second VA-35 (U.S. Navy) was officially named what from Aug 1948 to Feb 1950?
Second VA-35 ( U.S . Navy ) Second VA-35 , nicknamed the Black Panthers , was a long-lived Attack Squadron of the U.S . Navy . It was the second squadron to be assigned the VA-35 designation . History . The squadron was established as Bombing Squadron VB-3B at NAS Norfolk , Virginia , on 1 July 1934 . It was subsequently redesignated VB-4 on 1 July 1937 , as VB-3 on 1 July 1939 , as VA-3A on 15 November 1946 , and as VA-34 on 7 August 1948 . It was finally designated VA-35 on 15 February 1950 ( the first VA-35 had been disestablished on 7 November 1949 ) . The diving black panther design first appeared in mid-1935 , and was carried on through the various redesignations of the squadron . VA-35 was disestablished on January 31 , 1995 after over 60 years of continuous service . Pre-World War II . - May 1935 : and her embarked air group , including VB-3B , participated in Fleet Exercise XVI . This was the first time VB-3B and Ranger participated in a Fleet Exercise . - 25 November 1935 – 25 February 1936 : A detachment from VB-3B , including six BG-1s , was assigned to Ranger’s Cold Weather Test Detachment and operated aboard Ranger in Alaskan waters . - April–June 1936 : The squadron participated in Fleet Problem XVII . - April–May 1937 : The squadron participated in Fleet Problem XVIII . - 28 May 1937 : VB-3B participated in an aerial review celebrating the opening of the Golden Gate Bridge . - July 1937 : The squadron , embarked on , participated in the search for Amelia Earhart and Fred Noonan . - September 1937 : VB-4 , embarked on Ranger , visited Lima , Peru , in conjunction with the International Aviation Conference being held there . - March–April 1938 : The squadron participated in Fleet Problem XIX . - April–May 1940 : The squadron participated in Fleet Problem XXI . This was the last major fleet problem conducted before Americas involvement in World War II . World War II . - April 1942 : VB-3 , embarked on , provided escort patrols for the task force which launched the Doolittle Raid against Tokyo . - 4 Jun 1942 : At the Battle of Midway , VB-3 , embarked on , engaged in its first combat operations . Yorktowns first strike included 17 SBD-3s from VB-3 led by Lieutenant Commander M . F . Leslie . Approximately an hour after launch , VB-3s aircraft sighted the Japanese Fleet and commenced their dive-bombing attack ; the primary target was the carrier Sōryū . Lieutenant ( jg ) Paul A . Holmberg was the first to drop his 1,000 pounder on the Sōryū . His hit was followed by two more from VB-3s SBDs . Sōryū erupted into flames and eventually sank . With the Sōryū in flames , the other VB-3 SBDs directed their attack against other targets . They attacked a destroyer , the Isokaze , making one hit on her fantail and “what appeared to be a battleship,” claiming a hit on her stern . All 17 SBDs from VB-3 escaped the attack without a hit and returned to the Yorktown . Prior to landing on the carrier , they were directed to leave the area due to incoming enemy aircraft . All VB-3’s SBDs landed on Enterprise except for Lieutenant Commander Leslie and his wingman , Lieutenant ( jg ) Holmberg . These two men , low on fuel , ditched their aircraft alongside the and were picked up by the ship’s motor whaleboat . The battle was still not over for VB-3 . In late afternoon , 14 of VB-3’s SBDs were launched from Enterprise as part of a strike group ordered to attack the fourth carrier Hiryū . Lieutenant Shumway was in charge of VB-3’s formation . The strike force located Hiryū and again caught a Japanese carrier in the vulnerable position of having armed and fueled planes on deck . Direct hits from Shumway’s SBD’s resulted in a torched Hiryū and her eventual sinking . Several of VB-3’s aircraft suffered heavy damage from attacking Japanese aircraft . However , all but two of VB-3’s aircraft returned to Enterprise . Seventeen of VB-3’s pilots received the Navy Cross for their action during the Battle of Midway , they were Ensigns Benson , Butler , Campbell , Cobb , Cooner , Elder , Hanson , Isaman , Lane , Merrill and Schoegel ; Lieutenant ( jg ) s Holmberg , Sherwood and Wiseman ; Lieutenants Bottomley and Shumway ; and Lieutenant Commander Leslie . - August 1942 : While operating from in the South Pacific , the squadron participated in strikes against Guadalcanal and other enemy installations in the Solomon Islands in support of the Guadalcanal Campaign . - 24 August 1942 : VB-3 participated in the Battle of the Eastern Solomons , attacking the Japanese light carrierRyūjō , and helping to sink her . Jan–Jul 1943 : VB-3 operated in the South Pacific flying combat sorties against various Japanese-held islands and providing air cover for American forces . - July 1943 : VB-3 and the Saratoga Air Group were relieved by Air Group 12 and boarded for transfer to CONUS to reform , arriving at San Diego on 18 August . This ended the air group and VB-3’s association with Saratoga . - November 1944 : VB-3 conducted combat operations from against various targets , including shipping , in support of the Leyte invasion . - January 1945 : Combat operations were conducted against targets in Formosa and the Philippines in support of the Invasion of Lingayen Gulf . With Yorktown leading the way , Task Force 38 entered the South China Sea on 10 January . VB-3 struck targets near Saigon and along the Vietnamese coast , Canton and Hong Kong areas , Formosa and Okinawa . - February 1945 : VB-3 participated in the first carrier strikes against the Tokyo area , bombing the Kasumiga-ura Airfield , an air depot 25 miles north of Tokyo , and the Tachikawa Aircraft Engine Plant , located 16 miles west of the Imperial Palace . Following these strikes , the squadron concentrated its attention on air support for the Battle of Iwo Jima . This operation was the last combat action for the squadron during World War II . On 6 March , the squadron transferred from Yorktown to for transfer to the US . Korean War . - 11 October 1950 : While deployed to the Korean theater aboard , the squadron launched its first combat mission since February 1945 , striking North Korean targets . - 12 December 1950 : The squadrons commanding officer , Lieutenant Commander Bagwell , crash-landed in North Korea and was taken prisoner . Cold War . - July–August 1958 : VA-35 , along with other squadrons from CVG-3 , provided support for U.S . Marines landing in Lebanon . - October–November 1962 : VA-35 deployed to McCalla Field , Guantanamo Bay , Cuba , during the Cuban Missile Crisis . During December , the squadron was embarked on . - 4 February 1965 : The squadrons commanding officer , Commander Richard G . Layser , was killed in an accident . - 15 August 1965 : VA-35 transferred from CVW-3 in preparation for its transition to the A-6A Intruder . This brought to a close an illustrious career with CVW-3 that began in 1939 . Vietnam War . - 26 February 1967 : The squadron participated in the first combat aerial mining operations since World War II , when its A-6A Intruders dropped mines in the Song Ca and Song Giang Rivers of North Vietnam . - 1 October 1967 : During a weapons training deployment to NAS Yuma , Arizona , VA-35 became the first A-6A squadron to fire the AIM-9 Sidewinder missile . - January–February 1968 : While embarked on and en route to Yankee Station , the carrier was ordered to the Sea of Japan for operations following the seizure of the by the North Koreans . - 12 March 1968 : The squadrons commanding officer , Commander Kollmann , along with his bombardier-navigator Lieutenant John G . Griffith , was lost in an operational accident . - 17 September 1972 : While on a mission over North Vietnam the squadrons Commanding Officer , CDR Verne Donnelly and Admin Officer , LCDR Ken Buell were lost . CDR Donnellys remains have been found . LCDR Buell is still listed as missing in action . Post Vietnam . - 3 January 1980 : VA-35 departed Naples , Italy , embarked on , en route to the Indian Ocean via the Cape of Good Hope after the U.S . Embassy staff was taken hostage in Tehran , Iran . This was the beginning of 144 consecutive days at sea for the squadron . - 26 May 1981 : While on a training exercise aboard Nimitz off the coast of Charleston , S.C. , an EA-6B from VMAQ-2 crashed into parked aircraft while attempting to land . VA-35 personnel provided firefighting support and assistance to the injured . There was one injury to VA-35 personnel , from the Va-35 line crew . Over 130 members of the squadron received awards for fighting fires and assisting the injured . - June 1985 : Nimitz and VA-35 were ordered to operate off the coast of Lebanon due to the hijacking of TWA Flight 847 . The carrier and squadron remained on station until the release of the hostages in the latter part of June . - February 1987 : VA-35 , embarked on Nimitz , operated off the coast of Lebanon after three U.S . citizens were taken hostage from the American University in Beirut . - July 1988 : VA-35 participated in a firepower demonstration for the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and his guest , the Marshal of the Soviet Union . - September 1988 : While deployed to the North Atlantic aboard , the squadron conducted flight operations from the carrier while in the Vestfjorden of Norway . - August–December 1990 : The squadron flew missions in support of Operation Desert Shield , the build-up of American and Allied forces to counter a threatened invasion of Saudi Arabia by Iraq and part of an economic blockade of Iraq to force its withdrawal from Kuwait . - 31 January 1995 : The squadron was disestablished after over 60 years of service . Home port assignments . The squadron was assigned to these home ports , effective on the dates shown : - NAS Norfolk – 1 July 1934 - NAS San Diego – 14 April 1935 - NAS Ford Island* – January 1942 - NAS Kaneohe Bay* – February 1942 - NAS Ewa* – June 1942 - NAS Kaneohe Bay* – September 1942 - Nandi Field , Fiji Islands* – November 1942 - Tontouta Airfield , New Caledonia* – December 1942 - NAS Sand Point – September 1943 - NAS Whidbey Island – October 1943 - NAS Pasco – 2 February 1944 - NAS Alameda* – 5 April 1944 - NAS Puunene* – 22 April 1944 - NAS Hilo* – 7 June 1944 - NAS Kahului* – 22 July 1944 - NAS Seattle – 28 March 1945 - NAS Wildwood – 7 May 1945 - NAAS Oceana – 19 July 1945 - NAAS Charlestown – 15 April 1947 - NAS Quonset Point – 14 August 1947 - NAAS Charlestown – 1 October 1947 - NAS Quonset Point – 1 February 1949 - NAAS Oceana – 24 August 1950 - NAS Quonset Point – 03 Feb 1951 - NAAS Sanford – 30 April 1951 - NAS Cecil Field – February 1953 - NAS Jacksonville – 1 October 1958 - NAS Oceana – August 1965 Aircraft assignment . The squadron first received the following aircraft in the months shown : - BM-1 and BM-2 – Jul 1934 - BG-1 – Nov 1934 - SB2U-2 – Jan 1938 - SB2U-1 – Jul 1940 - BT-1 – Mar 1941 - SBC-4 – Mar 1941 - SBD-3 – Aug 1941 - SBD-4 – Apr 1943 - SBD-3P – Apr 1943 - SBD-5 – Aug 1943 - SB2C-1C – Dec 1943 - SBW-3 – Jul 1944 - SB2C-4 – Sep 1944 - SB2C-5 – Jan 1946 - AD-2 – 24 Nov 1948 - AD-2Q – Feb 1949 - AD-1 – Feb 1949 - AD-4 – Oct 1950 - AD-3 – May 1950 - AD-4L – Feb 1951 - AD-4B – Mar 1953 - AD-4N – Aug 1953 - AD-6/A-1H – Sep 1953 - AD-5 – Oct 1954 - A-6A – 15 Dec 1965 - A-6B – Jan 1968 - KA-6D – Dec 1970 - A-6C – Feb 1971 - A-6E – 19 Apr 1973