Sea Control Squadron 21

Sea Control Squadron 21 (VS-21) was an aviation unit of the United States Navy. It served from 1945 to 2005 and was mainly tasked with anti-submarine warfare while operating from aircraft carriers.

Sea Control Squadron 21 (VS-21)
Active26 March 1945 - 28 February 2005
CountryUnited States
BranchUnited States Navy
RoleAnti-submarine warfare
Sizesquadron
Nickname(s)Fighting Red Tails
EquipmentTBM-3 Avenger
S-2 Tracker
S-3 Viking
Insignia
VT-41
VS-21 (1955)

History

VS-21 was previously designated Air Anti-Submarine Squadron 21 (VS-21), Composite Squadron 21 (VC-21), Attack Squadron 1E (VA-1E), and Torpedo Squadron 41 (VT-41). It was established in the final year of World War II, and served after the war aboard Badoeng Strait helping to develop hunter-killer ASW tactics for the U.S. Navy, and ultimately operated from full-size aircraft carriers in the sea control role, capable of anti-submarine and anti-surface warfare. It was the only squadron to receive the designations VA-1E, VC-21, or VS-21.[1]

The squadron was established as Torpedo Squadron 41 (VT-41) at Naval Air Station Seattle, Washington (USA), under the command of Lieutenant Joseph P. Keigher, with the General Motors-built TBM-1, TBM-1C, and TBM-3 Avenger torpedo bomber as part of Escort Carrier Air Group 41 (CVEG-41). Commander Air Force Pacific Fleet had designated the squadron upon formation as having anti-submarine warfare as its primary mission. On 15 November 1946, as part of a service-wide reorganization, VT-41 was redesignated Attack Squadron 1E (VA-1E). This was translated into "1st attack squadron ("VA-1") based on escort carriers ("E")", while CVEG-41 was simultaneously redesignated Escort Carrier Air Group 1 (CVEG-1). The group, which consisted of VA-1E and fighter squadron VF-1E, was assigned on 4 December 1946, to the escort carrier Badoeng Strait. VA-1E was identified by the tail code "BS" (call sign "Beef Steak"). In 1947-1948, VA-1E conducted regular ASW exercises aboard Badoeng Strait between the U.S. West Coast and the Western Pacific. The squadron saw extensive service in ASW trials and tactics development aboard Badoeng Strait.[1] When the US Navy turned back to the designation system used before November 1946, both CVEG-1 squadrons VA-1E and VF-1E were merged into Composite Squadron 21 (VC-21) on 1 September 1948, creating one of six new anti-submarine squadrons. The squadron was redesignated Air Anti-Submarine Squadron 21 (VS-21) and obtained the nickname "Redtails" on 23 April 1950. After putting the S-3B Viking into service in 1991, on 1 October 1993, the squadron was redesignated Sea Control Squadron 21 (retaining the abbreviated form VS-21). VS-21 was finally disestablished on 28 February 2005.[2]

Commanding officers
  • Lt. Joseph P. Keigher: 26 March 1945 (acting commander)
  • Lt. Charles A. Collins: 29 April 1945
  • LCdr. Kent M. Cushman: 14 September 1946
  • LCdr. Harold A. Robinson: 24 November 1947

Aircraft Assignment
A TBM-3S in VA-1E colors
A squadron S2F-2 in flight
Profile of an S-3A during the squadron's service aboard the USS Constellation

Air Wing Assignments

See also

References

This article incorporates text from the public domain Dictionary of American Naval Aviation Squadrons.

  1. Grossnick, Roy A. (1995). "VA-1E" (pdf). Dictionary of American Naval Aviation Squadrons. Naval Historical Center. 1. Washington, DC: Department of the Navy. p. 17.
  2. Donald, David; Lake, Jon (1992). US Navy & Marine Corps Air Power Directory. Aerospace Publishing.
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