Reserve Fighter Squadron VF-713
VA-152 (U.S. Navy) was officially named what between Mar 1942 and Dec 1946?
VA-152 ( U.S . Navy ) VA-152 was an Attack Squadron of the U.S . Navy , nicknamed the Fighting Aces from 1953-1956 , the Friendly Squadron or Friendlies from 1957-1968 , and the Mavericks thereafter . The squadron was established as Reserve Fighter Squadron VF-713 sometime in the late 1940s , and called to active duty on 1 February 1951 . It was redesignated as VF-152 on 4 February 1953 , and finally as VA-152 on 1 August 1958 . The squadron was disestablished on 29 January 1971 , after twenty years of service . Operational history . - 15 October 1951 : The squadron participated in its first combat operations in the Korean War . - 31 December 1951 : Squadron aircraft were used for Operation Pin Wheel . The aircraft were secured to the flight deck , with engines running , and the thrust provided by the aircraft was used to assist in the docking of . - February 1955 : Squadron aircraft flew night surveillance operations supporting the evacuation of Chinese Nationalists from the Tachen Islands during the First Taiwan Straits Crisis . - March 1958 : Due to revolts and unsettled conditions in Indonesia and the concern for the safety of Americans in the country , , with VF-152 embarked , departed Hong Kong to operate in the South China Sea . - September–October 1958 : During the Second Taiwan Straits Crisis , , with VF-152 embarked , operated in the area of Taiwan . - January 1961 : Due to the crisis in Laos and the capture of strategic positions in the country by the Pathet Lao force , , with VA-152 embarked , was directed to operate in the South China Sea . - 11–12 July 1962 : The squadron participated in the first carrier flight operations in the Bering Sea since the end of World War II . - April–December 1964 : Squadron personnel , while based at Bien Hoa Air Base , South Vietnam , trained South Vietnamese pilots to fly the A-1 . - 6 and 7 November 1965 : Commander Gordon H . Smith was awarded the Silver Star for his participation as Flight Leader in directing and assisting in the first night rescue of a downed aviator in enemy territory on 6 November . This was followed by an attempt to rescue another aviator the following day in the same area . - 7 November 1965 : Lieutenant Gordon C . Wileen was awarded the Silver Star for his participation in an attempted air rescue of a downed aviator deep in enemy territory . - 13 November 1965 : Commander Albert E . Knutson was awarded the Silver Star for his attempt to locate and rescue a downed pilot in enemy territory . During the rescue attempt his aircraft sustained 26 hits . - 26 October 1966 : While on Yankee Station and preparing to launch her first strike of the day , suffered a disastrous fire . The squadron lost two personnel in the fire and the damage to the carrier was so extensive that it returned to the States for repairs . - 16 June 1967 - 31 January 1968 : VA-152 is the second-to-last US Navy attack squadron to fly the single-seat A-1H/J Skyraider in combat , as part of Carrier Air Wing 16 ( embarked aboard the Oriskany ) , during the squadrons and carriers third combat cruise to Southeast Asia . VA-152 loses one aircraft and its pilot during this last A-1 cruise , on 15 July 1967 . ( VA-25 is the very last USN squadron to fly the A-1H/J in combat , completing its third and final combat cruise in early April 1968 , aboard the Coral Sea ) . Home port assignments . The squadron was assigned to these home ports , effective on the dates shown : - NAS Denver – Assigned prior to 1951 . Exact date unknown . - NAS Alameda – 11 Apr 1951 - NAS Moffett Field – 05 Jun 1952 - NAS Alameda – Nov 1963 Aircraft Assignment . The squadron first received the following aircraft on the dates shown : - F4U-4 Corsair – 16 Apr 1951 - FG-1D Corsair – 12 Jun 1952 - F2H-3 Banshee – 3 Oct 1953 - AD-6/AD-1H Skyraider – 05 Feb 1959 - A-1J Skyraider – Dec 1962 - A-4B Skyhawk – Feb 1968 - A-4C Skyhawk – Feb 1968 - A-4E Skyhawk – May 1969