VAW-122

Carrier Airborne Early Warning Squadron 122 (VAW-122) was an aviation unit of the United States Navy in service from 1 September 1967 to 31 March 1996. Originally nicknamed the "Hummer Gators"[1] and later as "Steeljaws" was a U.S. Atlantic Coast Carrier Airborne Early Warning Squadron stationed at NAS Norfolk. During its 30 years of existence, the squadron was deployed around the world and saw action from Vietnam to Desert Storm, conducting operations from the Arctic to the tropics.

Carrier Airborne Early Warning Squadron 122
VAW-122 Insignia
Active1 April 1967 - 31 March 1996
CountryUnited States
BranchUnited States Navy
TypeAirborne Early Warning
Part ofCarrier Air Wing 6
Nickname(s)"Steeljaws", "Hummer Gator"
EngagementsUSS Liberty incident
Vietnam War
Operation Urgent Fury
Operation Provide Comfort

Squadron History

1960s

Originally equipped with the E-2A Hawkeye, VAW-122 was first on the scene, establishing communications and directing fighter coverage for the USS Liberty in the Mediterranean in June 1967 after the intelligence-gathering ship was attacked by Israeli aircraft and torpedo boats. During a 1968 deployment on board the USS America off Vietnam, VAW-122 crews assisted a VF-33 F-4 Phantom crew in downing a North Vietnamese MiG-21 fighter as well as controlling interdiction strikes against North Vietnam.[2]

An E-2A Hawkeye of VAW-122 aboard Independence in September 1969.

1970s

After a 1970 deployment to the Mediterranean during the Jordanian crisis with CVW-7 on board the USS Independence, VAW-122 upgraded to the somewhat more capable E-2B. The squadron's next two deployments to the Mediterranean returned its crews to international crises—the 1973 Yom Kippur War and the 1974 Cyprus Crisis.[2]

In April 1975, VAW-122 upgraded to the definitive E-2C Hawkeye. In 1978, the squadron rejoined after a Pacific deployment embarked in USS Kitty Hawk with CVW-6 and over the next 13 years deployed to the Arabian Sea, Mediterranean, and North Atlantic on board the Independence and the USS Forrestal.[2]

1980s

In 1982 VAW 122 deployed on board USS Independence and provided support to operations in Beirut, Lebanon.[3] During the 1983 deployment, VAW-122 supported combat operations in Grenada and Lebanon, then on its last combat carrier deployment in 1991, supported Operation Provide Comfort over Iraq during and subsequent to Operation Desert Storm. Throughout its operational lifetime, VAW-122 participated in numerous cold-war, North Atlantic, Mediterranean, African, Indian Ocean, Eastern European, and Middle Eastern operations, supported several NASA Space Shuttle launches, and devised a variety of original operational tactics and procedures including ABCCC missions.[2]

1990s

VAW-122 made its first major counter-narcotic deployment as a squadron to the Caribbean and Central America in 1990, previously it had been smaller detachments of shorter duration beginning in 1983 with Operation Thunderbolt. In 1992 became permanently assigned to the role of counter-narcotic. By 1996, the unit had completed eight deployments in the Caribbean and Eastern Pacific areas, conducting some missions deep over South or Central America, and far into the Pacific Ocean—and was credited with the seizure of more than 16 metric tons of illegal drugs.[2]

VAW-122 was disestablished at NAS Norfolk on 31 March 1996. Its drug-interdiction mission and aircraft were assumed by VAW-77, stationed at NAS Atlanta.[2]

Deployments
A VAW-122 E-2C Hawkeye with CVW-11 aircraft in 1977.

Deployments of the squadron[1]

GroupDatesLocation
USS America1 April 196720 September 1967MED [note 1]
USS America10 April 196816 December 1968Vietnam
USS Independence8 July 19701 February 1971MED
USS Independence16 September 197115 March 1972MED
USS Independence21 June 197319 January 1974MED
USS Independence19 July 197431 January 1975MED
USS Kitty Hawk25 October 1977May 1978WESTPAC
USS Independence24 June 197914 December 1979MED
USS Independence19 November 198010 June 1981IO
USS Independence7 June 198221 December 1982MED
USS Independence18 October 198311 April 1984MED/N. ATLANTIC[note 2]
USS Independence16 October 198419 February 1985IO
USS Forrestal2 June 198610 November 1986MED
USS ForrestalApril 1988September 1988MED
USS Forrestal4 November 198913 April 1990MED
CTG 4.1 OPS27 August 199025 October 1990Panama
USS Forrestal31 May 199121 December 1991MED[note 3]
CJTF-4 OPS11 November 199228 December 1992Panama
CJTF-4 OPS7 April 199314 May 1993Panama
CJTF-4 OPS19 August 199311 October 1993GTMO
CJTF-4 OPS3 March 19943 August 1994GTMO/PR
DIRJIATFE OPS14 November 199423 December 1994NSRR, PR
DIRJIATFE OPS9 May 19951 July 1995NSRR, PR
SOUTHCOM OPS10 October 199530 November 1995CURACAO
DIRJIATFE OPS1 December 199520 December 1995NSRR, PR

Notes
  1. Commissioned while deployed
  2. Includes Operation Urgent Fury (Grenada)
  3. Includes Operation Provide Comfort (Iraq)

References
  1. "VAW-122". gonavy.jp. Retrieved 2015-10-15.
  2. Burgess, Rick (September 2003). Lest We Forget: VAW-122. Naval Institute Proceedings.
  3. "What IS a Steeljaw?". Steeljaw Scribe. Retrieved 15 November 2016.

See also
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