Patrol Squadron Eight (VP-8) is a U.S. Navy land-based patrol squadron stationed at Naval Air Station Jacksonville, Florida (US). VP-8 is tasked to undertake maritime patrol, anti-submarine warfare (ASW), and intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) missions. The Squadron is equipped with the Boeing P-8A Poseidon.
The squadron was originally established as Patrol Squadron 201 (VP-201) on 1 September 1942, redesignated Patrol Bombing Squadron 201 (VPB-201) on 1 October 1944, redesignated Patrol Squadron 201 (VP-201) on 15 May 1946, redesignated Patrol Squadron, Medium Seaplane 1 (VP-MS-1) on 15 November 1946, redesignated Patrol Squadron, Medium Landplane 8 (VP-ML-8) on 5 June 1947 and redesignated Patrol Squadron 8 (VP-8) on 1 September 1948. It is the second squadron to be designated VP-8, the first VP-8 was redesignated VP-24 on 1 July 1939.
Operational history World War II
VP-201 was established at NAS Norfolk, Virginia on 1 September 1942, under the operational command of FAW5, flying PBM-3 Mariner seaplanes. The squadron was sent on 6 October 1942 to NAS Banana River, Florida, where most of the operational unit training was undertaken. The squadron received its own new PBM-3C aircraft on 1 December 1942.
On 6 February 1943 VP-201 returned to its home port at NAS Norfolk. Flight crew training continued concurrently with patrol operations along the Atlantic seaboard as a part of Task Force 28 in the Eastern Sea Frontier. On 27 May 1943 the squadron's PBM-3C aircraft were replaced by the newer PBM-3S with improved radar. After refitting, a six-aircraft detachment deployed to NAS Bermuda. Patrols were flown ranging out to , lasting 12 to 18 hours. Convoys to and from Europe were covered in a radius of from Bermuda. On 9 July 1943 Lieutenant Soverel and crew attacked U-134 off Bermuda, the submarine, caught on the surface, manned its potent anti-aircraft (AA) defenses and heavily damaged the PBM-3S, forcing it to return to base. As a result of this encounter, subsequent patrols were made in pairs of aircraft. On 30 July 1943 VP-201 held a change of command at NAS Norfolk, the former commanding officer, Lieutenant Commander M. H. Tuttle, and half of the squadron personnel and assets were transferred to form the cadre of a new PB4Y-1 Liberator squadron, VB-111, the remainder of the squadron and its newly assigned personnel were transferred the next week to a new home port at NAS Bermuda under the administrative control of the Commander Bermuda Air Group. An intensive period of training ensued.
On 8 June 1944 VP-201 was transferred back to its original home port at NAS Norfolk under the administrative control of FAW-5, and assigned duties involving regular flights between Bermuda and Norfolk carrying supplies and personnel. On 12 June the squadron deployed to NAS Key West, Florida, under the operational control of FAW-12 for a two-week period of Anti-submarine warfare (ASW) refresher training. On 12 July VP-201 deployed to NAS Coco Solo, Panama Canal Zone, under the operational control of FAW-3 under the Commander Panama Sea Frontier. Upon completion of the deployment, the squadron was reassigned to a new home port at NAS Key West under control of FAW-12, on 27 July 1944. From 1 November half of the squadron's PBM-3S aircraft were outfitted with L-8C Leigh searchlights at NAS Key West. After training in use of the new British-designed equipment, the squadron was assigned routine operational flights involving ASW patrols and convoy escort.
From 1 April 1945 squadron flight crews were divided into three sections and sent in rotation to Harvey Point, North Carolina, to pick up replacement aircraft, the PBM-5. Familiarization training on the new seaplanes was conducted at Harvey Point before sending the section back to NAS Key West. On 29 May VPB-201 was transferred to a new home port at NAS Coco Solo, under the operational control of FAW-3. The squadron engaged in ASW, searchlight tactics, gunnery, bombing, and instrument training flights. Following the end of World War II, the squadron's aircraft inventory was reduced from 15 to 9 and it also experienced a reduction in personnel due to the postwar demobilization.
Deployment Duration Wing Base Aircraft Operating Area 2 May 1943 – June 1944 FAW-5 Bermuda PBM-3S Atlantic 12 July 1944 – 27 July 1944 FAW-3 Panama PBM-3S Caribbean
Cold War 1946–1949
On 15 March 1946 VPB-201 was assigned a new home port at NS San Juan, Puerto Rico, under the operational control of FAW-11. The squadron was supported by during the relocation from Panama to Puerto Rico. Upon arrival, a detachment of three aircraft was sent to NAS Trinidad to serve as part of the Air Sea Rescue Task Unit.
In December 1947 VP-ML-8 received its first contingent of replacement aircraft, the new P2V-2 Neptune. The squadron, home ported at NAS Norfolk, was under the control of FAW-5. A period of transition training commenced for the switch from seaplanes to landplanes.
On 1 March 1949 VP-8 deployed to NAS Argentia, Newfoundland. The primary emphasis during this tour of duty was the testing of the P2V aircraft in cold weather conditions, flying in temperatures as low as -55 °F. Aircrews received training in instrument and night flying and GCA landings.
Deployment Duration Wing Base Aircraft Operating Area 24 October 1945 – 31 October 1945 FAW-5 Galapagos PBM-5 South Atlantic 1 June 1946 – 10 June 1946 FAW-1 Chaguaramas P2V-3 Caribbean 1 May 1949 – 1 May 1949 FAW-5 Argentia P2V3 North Atlantic
1950–1959
VP-8 made its first deployment to NAS Argentia with it new P2V-5F aircraft 15 July 1955 Detachments from the squadron operated out of Goose Bay, Frobisher Bay, and Thule, Greenland, providing air cover to supply convoys for Distant Early Warning (DEW) radar installations.Official VP-8 History, pp. 67–68
In April 1958, VP-8 transferred to its new home base at Chincoteague, Virginia, and began operating with Task Force Alfa, a Hunter-Killer (HUK) group created to develop improved ASW tactics and technology by integrating carrier-based ASW aircraft, land-based patrol aircraft, refitted destroyers, and hunter-killer submarines into a single task force structure.
During the next two years, VP-8 actively participated in the evolution of antisubmarine warfare, to including the development and evaluation of new tactics and equipment.Official VP-8 History, pp. 67–68, 70
Deployment Duration Wing Base Aircraft Operating Area 1 February 1949 – 1 April 1950 FAW-5 Argentia P2V3 North Atlantic 22 February 1950 – 28 March 1950 FAW-5 Cuba P2V-3 Caribbean 5 January 1952 – 20 May 1952 FAW-3 Keflavik P2V-3 North Atlantic December 1952 – July 1953 FAW-3 Keflavik P2V-3 North Atlantic 1 August 1953 – January 1954 FAW-3 Keflavik P2V-3 North Atlantic 1 April 1954 – September 1954 FAW-3 Morocco P2V-3 Mediterranean 19 February 1955 – 4 March 1955 FAW-11 San Juan P2V-3 Caribbean 15 July 1955 – 8 October 1955 FAW-3 Argentia P2V-5F North Atlantic 1 December 1955 – 10 January 1955 FAW-3 Argentia P2V-5F North Atlantic 31 October 1956 – 4 April 1957 FAW-3 Morocco P2V-5F Mediterranean 1 October 1957 – January 1957 FAW-3 Argentia P2V-5F North Atlantic
1960–1969
The VP-8 moved to Naval Air Station Patuxent River, Maryland in July 1961. After relinquishing the last of its P2V-5FS aircraft to the U. S. Naval Reserve in October 1962, VP-8 became the first operational P-3A Orion squadron in the U.S. Navy.On-line VP-8 Unit HistoryOfficial VP-8 History, p. 70
During the Cuban Missile Crisis, VP-8 sent a four-aircraft detachment to Bermuda to support the naval quarantine, including monitoring of Soviet submarines operating in the Caribbean and Eastern Atlantic.Official VP-8 History, p. 68 VP-8 subsequently deployed detachments to Iceland, Ireland, Newfoundland, Bermuda, and Caribbean bases.
VP-8 made the first trans-Atlantic flight by a P-3 Orion when it flew to West Malling, England, on 9 March 1963. During 1964, VP-8 participated in Fleet Exercise Steel Pike I from bases in Spain. The squadron also began its first P-3B Orion aircraft in December 1965.
VP-8 made its first deployment to the Western Pacific when it relieved VP-28 at Naval Station Sangley Point, Republic of the Philippines, on 25 May 1966. During this deployment, VP-8 carried out combat missions throughout Southeast Asia for the U.S. Seventh Fleet in support of the Vietnam War.
In May 1968, while deployed to Bermuda, VP-8 flew multiple missions in the search for the missing nuclear submarine USS Scorpion (SSN-589).
Deployment Duration Wing Base Aircraft Operating Area 31 August 1962 – December 1962 FAW-11 Cuba P-3A Caribbean 25 May 1966 – 2 December 1966 FAW-8 Sangley Pt. P-3A Western Pacific December 1967 – 8 June 1968 FAW-5 Bermuda(3 planes Newfoundland) P-3B Atlantic 28 February 1969 – 28 June 1969 FAW-5 Bermuda(3 planes Newfoundland) P-3B Atlantic
1970–1979
From 1969 to 1974, VP-8 made several deployments to Bermuda, and it was transferred to its current homeport at Naval Air Station Brunswick, Maine, in July 1971.
From 1 March – 2 March 1972, P-3A Orion aircraft from VP-8 maintained a constant surveillance of the stricken Soviet nuclear-powered ballistic missile submarine K-19 which had been forced to surface because of an onboard fire that broke out on 24 February.Official VP-8 History, p. 69
Starting in February 1976, VP-8 closed out the decade with a number of split deployments.
The squadron suffered the loss of an aircraft and aircrew in the fall of 1978. The aircraft, on route to a Canadian airshow, suffered catastrophic engine damage about 20 minutes into the flight and crashed near Poland Springs Maine.Squadron Member
Deployment Duration Wing Base Aircraft Operating Area 2 March 1970 – 17 July 1970 FAW-5 Multiple P-3A Mediterranean 25 October 1970 – 26 February 1971 FAW-5 Multiple (split) P-3A Mediterranean November 1970 – April 1971 FAW-5 Bermuda (split) P-3A Atlantic November 1971 – 1 March 1972 FAW-5 Bermuda P-3B Atlantic 3 October 1972 – 3 November 1972 FAW-5 Rota P3B Mediterranean 10 January 1974 – 6 June 1974 FAW-5 Bermuda P-3B Atlantic July 1975 – February 1976 PatWing-5 Rota P-3B Mediterranean October 1976 – March 1977 PatWing-5 Bermuda/Lajes P-3B Atlantic 8 February 1978 – 8 August 1978 PatWing-5 Bermuda/Lajes P-3B Atlantic July 1979 – December 1979 PatWing-5 Rota/Lajes P-3B Mediterranean/Atlantic
1980–1991 From 1980 through 1988, VP08 carried out deployments to Rota, Lajes, Bermuda, and Sigonell. Its deployment to Sigonella included VP-8 participating in numerous ASW exercises with detachments operating out of Rota, Souda Bay, Crete, and Nîmes-Garon, France.
Between 27 October – 8 December 1985, a two-aircraft detachment on rotation at Roosevelt Roads Naval Station, Puerto Rico, assisted the U.S. Coast Guard in anti-drug interdiction operation the Caribbean Sea.
Deployment Duration Wing Base Aircraft Operating Area 4 November 1980 – 12 May 1981 PatWing-5 Rota/Lajes P-3B Mediterranean/Atlantic 5 August 1982 – 12 January 1983 PatWing-5 Bermuda P-3C UII.5 Atlantic 5 October 1983 – 13 March 1984 PatWing-5 Sigonella P-3C UII.5 Mediterranean February 1985 – 15 July 1985 PatWing-5 Rota/Lajes P-3C UII.5 Mediterranean/Atlantic 27 October 1985 – 8 December 1985 PatWing-5 Roosevelt Roads P-3C UII.5 Caribbean 24 May 1986 – 10 November 1986 PatWing-5 Keflavik P-3C UII.5 North Atlantic 10 December 1987 – 10 June 1988 PatWing-5 Rota/Lajes P-3C UII.5 Mediterranean/Atlantic 2 May 1989 – 9 November 1989 PatWing-5 Keflavik P-3C UII.5 North Atlantic 2 December 1990 – 10 June 1991 PatWing-5 Sigonella (split) P-3C UII.5 Mediterranean December 1990 – 10 March 1991 PatWing-1 Jeddah (split) P-3C UII.5 Persian Gulf
Operation Desert Storm