VAW - 123 Carrier Airborne Early Warning Squadron 123 ( VAW - 123 ) also known as the World Famous " Screwtops " is a United States Navy Carrier Airborne Early Warning Squadron based at Naval Air Station Norfolk , Virginia . The " Screwtops " are an operational fleet squadron flying the E - 2C Hawkeye . They were attached to Carrier Air Wing One ( CVW - 1 ) while deployed aboard the USS Enterprise ( CVN - 65 ) . History . The history of VAW - 123 begins in 1945 with the commissioning of VC - 12 , officially known as Composite Squadron Twelve . VC - 12 was redesignated VAW - 12 , Carrier Airborne Early Warning Squadron Twelve , in 1956 . During its history , the organization of VAW - 123 changed internally many times . The last change resulted in the establishment of Carrier Airborne Early Warning Wing Twelve ( CAEWW - 12 ) and the commissioning of all E - 2A detachments as independent squadrons . As a result of this reorganization , CAEWW - 12 , Detachment 59 was commissioned VAW - 123 on April 1 , 1967 , at NAS Norfolk , Va . under the command of CDR Lucio W . Hill . The commissioning date of April 1 , 1967 makes VAW - 123 the oldest VAW Squadron in the United States Navy . In June 1967 VAW - 123 set sail aboard USS Forrestal for Viet Nam , thus becoming the first East Coast VAW squadron to go to war . On July 29 , 1967 while serving in the Gulf of Tonkin , Forrestal suffered a huge fire with the loss of 134 crew members , many crew members injured , many aircraft destroyed and millions of dollars in damage to the ship . Forrestal could not continue to serve in the condition the fire left her . She returned to Norfolk along with VAW - 123 and the rest of the ship ' s crew and Airwing . VAW - 123 did not lose any personnel nor did she have any personnel injured in the fire aboard Forrestal . Some of the squadrons E - 2A aircraft had very minor damage from the fire and explosions aboard the ship . Initially attached to CVW - 17 aboard the USS Forrestal ( CVA - 59 ) , the squadron became an integral part of CVW - 3 aboard the USS Saratoga ( CVA - 60 ) and remained there throughout the 1970s . In 1972 VAW - 123 again made an extended cruise to Vietnam waters in the Tonkin Gulf returning to Norfolk in 1973 . In October 1980 , the squadron transferred to CVW - 11 aboard the USS America ( CVA - 66 ) . Following a 1981 Indian Ocean deployment , VAW - 123 transferred to CVW - 1 on 12 November 1981 . Since that time , the Screwtops have made several extended Indian Ocean , Mediterranean Sea , and North Atlantic deployments as an integral part of the CVW - 1 / CVA - 66 team , until the decommissioning of the USS America in the Spring of 1997 . Throughout the years , VAW - 123 has consistently been at the forefront of the Airborne Early Warning community . In addition to being recipients of many awards , including eleven Battle " E ' s " and nine " Safety S ' s , " the eleventh Battle " E " being awarded for 1999 . Highlights of the command ' s history include the successful employment of the E - 2C in 1973 and the first operational deployment of the E - 2C ARPS ( Advanced Radar Processing System ) in 1978 . In March 1996 , the Screwtops became the first E - 2 squadron on the East Coast to transition to the E - 2C Group II aircraft , with its significantly upgraded avionics and engines . In November 1998 , the Screwtops again led the way by becoming the first operational squadron on the East Coast to accept delivery of the Navigation Upgrade E - 2C Group II ' s . The Screwtops have successfully met many challenging assignments and maintained a watchful eye on world events , ever ready to support national policy . The Screwtops were key participants in the 1986 Gulf of Sidra operations off the coast of Libya , and were directly involved in the first combat use of the HARM ( High speed Anti - Radiation Missile ) and Harpoon weapon systems . The Screwtops supported Operation Desert Shield / Desert Storm and were the only E - 2 squadron to operate in both the Red Sea and Persian Gulf . The Screwtops have also flown in support of Operations Deny Flight and Deliberate Force over Bosnia - Herzegovina and Operation Southern Watch over Iraq . The Screwtops , along with the rest of Carrier Air Wing One ( CVW - 1 ) , attached to the USS George Washington ( CVN - 73 ) for one deployment cycle , returning home on 2 April 1998 . On 18 May 1998 , Carrier Air Wing One transferred off the USS George Washington , bringing the Screwtops to their a home aboard the USS John F . Kennedy ( CVA - 67 ) . During July and August 1998 , VAW - 123 detached to Roosevelt Roads , Puerto Rico , in support of the United States ' ongoing efforts to stem the flow of narcotics through the Caribbean . In November and December 1998 , the Screwtops detached to the newly commissioned USS Harry S Truman ( CVN - 75 ) in support of her shakedown cruise and Orange Air operations against the USS Theodore Roosevelt Battle Group . The Screwtops were deployed aboard the prior to its inactivation in 2013 .