page_title: VS-37
section_title: 1960s and 70s
hierarchical_section_title: VS-37 / History / 1960s and 70s
caption_attribution_description: Change of guards over Naval Air Station North Island, California (USA) on 28 July 1976: a U.S. Navy Grumman S-2G Tracker (BuNo 152374) of anti-submarine squadron VS-37 Sawbucks, assigned to Carrier Air Wing 11 (CVW-11) aboard the aircraft carrier USS Kitty Hawk (CV-63) (foreground), accompanied by its successor, the Lockheed S-3A Viking (BuNo 159402) of VS-21 Redtails, CVW-9, USS Constellation (CV-64). The S-3A 159402 was later modified to an S-3B and crashed on 10 September 2002 while acting as refuelling aircraft off the coast of Puerto Rico, operating from the USS Harry S. Truman (CVN-75) with VS-22 Checkmates, CVW-3. The crew of three was killed.
context_page_description: Sea Control Squadron 37 or VS-37 also known as the "Sawbucks" was an Anti Submarine Warfare squadron that was decommissioned in 1995 along with CVW-15. During its active history, it flew during the Korean and Vietnam Wars as well as operating the last S-2 Trackers inservice with the US Navy in 1975.
context_section_description: Starting in 1960, the squadron made its long association with the USS Hornet CVS-12 that would last until 1969. The following year (1961), the squadron split in two with one part remaining VS-37 while the other becoming VS-35. In 1965, '67 and finally in 1969, the squadron deployed with the Hornet to the Vietnam War as well as taking part in the recovery of the test spaceflight Apollo 3 on August 25, 1966. Between October 1970 and February 1971, VS-37 deployed aboard the USS Ticonderoga (CVS-14), travelling to the Indian Ocean once although they did not deploy to Vietnam during that period. After this, the squadron received the US Navy's first S-2G Tracker and moved to CVW-11 on board the USS Kitty Hawk CV-63 to once again take part in the Vietnam War for the last time in November 1973. In August 1976, the squadron retired the last US Navy Grumman Tracker, replacing it with the Lockheed S-3A Viking.
  Between September 1978 and May 1979, they deployed with CVW-9 on board the USS Constellation (CV-64) to the Indian Ocean. This included operating the US-3A COD (Carrier Onboard Delivery) aircraft.
caption: The last S-2G Tracker in VS-37 with an S-3A Viking of VS-21 the red tails.
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