page_title: VA-15 (U.S. Navy)
section_title: 1950s
hierarchical_section_title: VA-15 (U.S. Navy) / Operational history / 1950s
caption_attribution_description: English: A U.S. Navy Douglas AD-6 Skyraider (BuNo 139776) of Attack Squadron 15 (VA-15) "Valions" landing aboard the aircraft carrier USS Forrestal (CVA-59) in 1957. VA-15 was assigned to Carrier Air Group 1 (CVG-1) aboard the Forrestal for NATO "Operation Strikeback" in the North Atlantic from 16 August to 22 October 1957.
context_page_description: Attack Squadron 15, nicknamed the Valions, was an aviation unit of the United States Navy. It was established as Torpedo Squadron 4 on 10 January 1942, redesignated VA-2A on 15 November 1946, and finally redesignated VA-15 on 2 August 1948. The squadron was disestablished on 1 June 1969, after 27 years of service.
context_section_description: 22 May 1950: VA-15, along with the other squadrons in CVG-1, were designated as training squadrons and CVG-1 as a training air group. The squadron's primary mission was the training of fleet pilots in attack aircraft. VA-15's training syllabus emphasized glide bombing, dive-bombing, rocket firing, day-and-night tactics and carrier qualifications in the AD Skyraider.
  19 September 1951: the CNO approved the squadron insignia, which was a modification of an earlier one depicting a lion riding a torpedo.  The lion was retained to represent the strong attack capabilities of the squadron and the torpedo was replaced by a missile.
  13–23 September 1952: VA-15, while deployed aboard USS Wasp, participated in the first NATO naval operation, Operation Mainbrace, conducted in the North Atlantic.
  February 1955: While deployed aboard USS Midway, the squadron supported the evacuation of Chinese Nationalist civilians and military personnel from the Tachen Islands which were being bombarded by the People's Republic of China.
  November–December 1956: As a result of the Suez Crisis, VA-15 deployed aboard USS Forrestal and operated in the vicinity of the Azores.
  12 Sep 1958: VA-15 was assigned the additional mission of Aerial refuelling.
caption: VA-15 AD-6 landing on the USS Forrestal in 1957
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