VA-155
Second VA-155 (U.S. Navy) was officially named what from Feb 1953 to Sep 1977?
Second VA-155 ( U.S . Navy ) Attack Squadron 155 or VA-155 was an Attack Squadron of the U.S . Navy . It was established as Reserve Attack Squadron VA-71E in 1946 , redesignated as VA-58A on 1 October 1948 , and redesignated Reserve Composite Squadron VC-722 on 1 November 1949 . The squadron was redesignated as VA-728 on 1 April 1950 , and called to active duty on 1 February 1951 . It was ultimately redesignated VA-155 on 4 February 1953 , and disestablished on 30 September 1977 . Its nickname was Silver Fox from the early 1960s onward . It was the second squadron to be named VA-155 , the first VA-155 was disestablished on 30 November 1949 , while a third VA-155 was established on 1 September 1987 and disestablished on 30 April 1993 . Operational history . October 1951 : The squadron engaged in combat operations , flying its first sorties over Korea . February 1955 : Squadron aircraft flew sorties in support of the evacuation of Chinese Nationalists from the Tachen Islands . 21 August–11 September 1958 : The squadron flew sorties in the Taiwan Straits during the Second Taiwan Straits Crisis . January 1961 : , with VA-155 embarked , operated in the South China Sea after Pathet Lao forces captured strategic positions in Laos . 7 and 11 February 1965 : The squadron participated in Operation Flaming Dart I and II , reprisal strikes against targets in North Vietnam following a Viet Cong attack on the American advisors compound at Pleiku and the American billet in Qui Nhon , South Vietnam . March 1965 : The squadron began participation in Operation Rolling Thunder , the bombing of military targets in North Vietnam . May 1966 : VA-155 was the first A-4 squadron deploying to Vietnam using a new camouflage paint scheme nicknamed the Flying Mulberrybushes . The new paint scheme and colors were expected to reduce battle damage by making the aircraft more difficult to detect visually . 1 July 1966 : The squadron’s commanding officer , Commander C . H . Peters , was killed in action while leading an attack on petroleum facilities at Duong Nham , North Vietnam . 20 October 1967 : Squadron aircraft sighted six North Vietnamese PT boats near Thanh Hoa and engaged the boats . Four of the PT boats were sunk , one was damaged and the sixth escaped , seeking refuge in the mouth of the river near Thanh Hoa . 25 November 1967 : The squadron’s commanding officer , Commander W . H . Searfus , was lost at sea following a flight deck accident in which his aircraft was lost over the side of the carrier . March 1968 : Coral Sea , with VA-155 embarked , operated on station off the coast of Korea following the capture of in January by North Korea . April 1969 : Following the shoot down of a Navy EC-121 aircraft by the North Koreans on 15 April , , with VA-155 embarked , left Yankee Station and proceeded to the Sea of Japan for operations off the coast of Korea . 21 November 1970 : The squadron flew missions in support of Operation Ivory Coast , an attempt to rescue American prisoners of war at the Son Tay prisoner compound , 20 miles west of Hanoi . February 1973 : Following the ceasefire with North Vietnam , the squadron flew combat missions in Laos until a ceasefire was signed with that country on 22 February 1973 . Nov 1973 : , with VA-155 embarked , departed from operations in the South China Sea to relieve on station in the Arabian Sea due to the unsettled conditions following the Yom Kippur War in the Middle East . Home port assignments . The squadron was assigned to these home ports , effective on the dates shown : - NAS Glenview – 1946 - NAS Alameda – 1951 - NALF Santa Rosa – May 1952* - NAS Moffett Field – 25 Aug 1952 - NAS Lemoore – 21 Aug 1961 <NOWIKI>*</NOWIKI> Temporary assignment for training and reforming following its return from a combat tour in Korea . Aircraft Assignment . The squadron first received the following aircraft on the dates shown : - SB2C Helldiver * - TBM Avenger * - AM Mauler * - AD-1 Skyraider – 1951 - AD-2 Skyraider – 1951 - AD-4 Skyraider – 1951 - AD-4L Skyraider – 1951 - AD-4Q Skyraider – 1951 - AD-4NA Skyraider – 26 Jul 1952 - AD-6 Skyraider – Nov 1953 - AD-7 Skyraider – Nov 1956 - A4D-2/A4B Skyhawk – 08 Oct 1958 - A-4E Skyhawk – Dec 1963 - A-4F Skyhawk – 10 Apr 1968 - A-7B Corsair II – 29 Sep 1969 <NOWIKI>*</NOWIKI> During the squadron’s Reserve duty between 1946 and its activation in February 1951 , it most likely flew SB2Cs , TBMs and/or AMs .