Patrol Squadron One (VP-1), established 15 February 1943, is an active aviation squadron of the United States Navy operating the Boeing P-8A Poseidon aircraft from its home port at Naval Air Station Whidbey Island, Washington, United States. The squadron is known by its nickname "Screaming Eagles", adopted in 1985 replacing its previous nickname, "Fleet's Finest". The squadron went by the call sign "BACKDOOR" during the 1960s and 1970s.
Lineage The squadron was originally established as Bombing Squadron 128 (VB-128) on 15 February 1943, redesignated Patrol Bombing Squadron 128 (VPB-128) 1 October 1944, redesignated Patrol Squadron 128 (VP-128) on 15 May 1946, redesignated Medium Patrol Squadron (Landplane) 1 (VP-ML-1) on 15 November 1946 and redesignated Patrol Squadron ONE (VP-1) on 1 September 1948. It is the fifth squadron to be designated VP-1. The first VP-1 was disestablished in July 1922, the second VP-1 was disestablished on 3 May 1926, the third VP-1 was redesignated VP-21 on 1 July 1939 and the fourth VP-1 was redesignated VPB-1 on 1 October 1944.
History
Establishment and World War II Bombing Squadron One Hundred Twenty Eight (VB-128) was established at Naval Air Station DeLand, Florida on 15 February 1943 as part of the build-up of Allied aircraft engaged in the Battle of the Atlantic. Under operational control of Fleet Air Wing Twelve, the squadron took only two weeks to bring aircrew and their PV-1 Ventura aircraft to operational status, and by May the squadron was able to send a detachment of aircraft to Guantanamo Bay Naval Base to provide aerial cover for convoys while the squadron moved to Floyd Bennett Field in New York City. The squadron's first loss in action came on 7 August 1943 when a Ventura was shot down by a German U-boat it had attacked and damaged. The pilot, Lieutenant JG Frederick Cushing Cross Jr., was awarded the Navy Cross for his heroic actions in saving his crew's lives despite suffering a mortal wound. The copilot, Lieutenant JG Thomas James Aylward III., was also awarded the Navy Cross and the Distinguished Flying Cross. As the sinking U-boat returned fire, Lieutenant JG Frederick Cushing Cross Jr. received his mortal wounds. His Co-Pilot Lieutenant JG Thomas James Aylward III was shot in both legs, his right arm and received shrapnel wounds to his head and chest. The right engine of their plane exploded during the fight. Although gravely injured, and without a pilot, Lieutenant JG Aylward was able to continue the fight, sink the U-boat and complete safe water landing in the middle of the Atlantic. Lieutenant JG Thomas James Aylward III survived. The German Captain of the U-boat responsible for shooting the plane down, recounted the story to his American captors. Although impossible to verify, the U-boat captain said that a pod of porpoises pushed unconscious and injured Aylward into a life raft. Lieutenant JG Aylward spent the next 8 months in a hospital in Key West, Florida. The complete story as told by the U-boat Captain, Lieutenant JG Aylward, and members of the VB-128 is recounted in the book, "The Navy's Fliers in WWII" by Wyatt Blassingame.
Later in August, the squadron was moved into the heart of the fight by switching from coastal patrols to covering a large area of the open ocean from their new base at Reykjavík, Iceland. Now under control of Fleet Air Wing Seven, the squadron operated as part of the antisubmarine efforts in the North Atlantic Ocean, cooperating with RAF Coastal Command. On 4 October, the squadron recorded its first confirmed kill, sinking U-279 off the southwest coast of Iceland, where Lieutenant Charles L. Westhofen had spotted it on the surface and bombed it. All 48 hands aboard U-279 were lost.
December saw another change of scenery for the squadron with its relocation to San Juan, Puerto Rico under control of Fleet Air Wing Eleven. The squadron's aircraft were refitted with rockets and training undergone in the use of them against surface targets. Upon completion of training, the squadron moved to Ensenada Honda, Puerto Rico and mounted routine anti-submarine patrols throughout May 1944. With the reduction of the German submarine threat in 1944, the squadron had time for leave and training before being transferred to the Pacific for service in the Pacific War, first arriving at Naval Air Station Alameda, California on 26 September and then at Naval Air Station Kaneohe, Hawaii on 6 October. Training was undertaken in Hawaii with routine rotations to Midway Island for weather patrols. Ultimately, the squadron was moved to Owi Airfield, Papua on 21 December and by 3 January 1945, its aircraft were transferred to other squadrons to bring them up to strength.
The squadron, now designated Patrol Bombing Squadron One Hundred Twenty Eight (VPB-128) received new aircraft on 28 February 1945 at Guiuan, Samar, Philippines, from which the squadron began operating daily anti-shipping and convoy protection patrols. A pair of squadron aircraft recorded the first kills against the Japanese on 18 March when one midget submarine was sunk and another was damaged in Davao Gulf. Four days later, a strike against the wharf in Cebu City netted another midget submarine sinking by rockets, though one of the attacking aircraft was hit by antiaircraft fire and lost with all crew members. At the end of the month, the squadron relocated to Tacloban, Leyte, and then on to Puerto Princesa, Palawan, continuing with its primary responsibilities of anti-shipping and convoy coverage.
At the end of April, the squadron switched to supporting ground operations and began striking land targets selected by the United States Army, including Itu Aba Island, Brooketon, Brunei, Kudat, Seria, and Tagai Town. During this period, the Navy changed its policy on patrol squadron designations, and the designation was changed to Patrol Squadron One Hundred Twenty Eight (VP-128) in May. On 21 June 1945, the squadron was transferred to the operational control of Fleet Air Wing One and relocated to NAB Tinian resuming its traditional role of sea patrol. It conducted such patrols daily until the surrender of Japanese forces, though it later undertook regular weather patrols. The squadron was moved to Okinawa, Japan and redesignated Medium Patrol Squadron (Landplane) One (VP-ML-1) before finally returning to the United States in March 1947.
A new home at Whidbey
The squadron's first home port upon its return to the States was Naval Air Station San Diego, California where it underwent transition to the new P2V Neptune aircraft. With transition complete, the squadron was permanently assigned to Naval Air Station Whidbey Island, Washington, on 13 January 1948. That same year it would receive its final redesignation as Patrol Squadron One. The first deployment from its new home was in support of American military forces engaged in South Korea with a detachment sent on 7 August 1950 to Naha Air Force Base, Okinawa. Combat operations commenced on 19 August patrolling sea lanes in the Formosa Straits in an attempt to interdict supply vessels. By the end of the conflict, the squadron conducted four deployments to Naha.
In the mid-1950s, the Navy was under considerable pressure to cutback on land-based patrol aircraft in the wake of the Korean War and the United States Air Force was making demands to control all of America's land-based military aircraft. To face these challenges, the Navy needed to demonstrate the ability to quickly deploy the Neptune aircraft in squadron strength to any part of the globe, and VP-1 was tasked with making this demonstration. On 21 April 1955, the entire squadron departed on what would become the first around-the-world flight by a patrol squadron, returning to Whidbey Island on 5 May. Together with the Navy's record-setting effort of the Truculent Turtle, the Navy was able to demonstrate the value of its Neptune fleet and preserve support for the patrol aviation community. Operational activity included a deployment to Kwajalein for Operation Redwing, during which the squadron conducted radiation monitoring flights following nuclear testing.
Service in Vietnam
VP-1 was again called upon for operational service as the conflict in Vietnam ramped up. On 7 October 1964, the squadron deployed to Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni, Japan from which it mounted antisubmarine patrols and reported on Communist shipping in the Gulf of Tonkin. Closer in, a detachment was deployed to Tan Son Nhut and Da Nang, Vietnam. This first deployment to Vietnam was concluded with the squadron's return to Whidbey Island on 1 April 1965. A second deployment was made on 13 February 1966, replacing Patrol Squadron 22 at Iwakumi and deploying a detachment of seven aircraft to Tan Son Nhut. These aircraft participated in Operation Market Time, a joint United States – South Vietnam effort begun on 11 March 1965, by mounting coastal patrols aimed at stopping supply of equipment and munitions to the North Vietnamese by sea. VP-1 was the first patrol squadron to suffer casualties in Vietnam with one person killed and five wounded during an attack on Tan Son Nhut on 13 April 1966. Five of the squadron's aircraft were damaged as well during the action.
The squadron's third Vietnam deployment was out of Naval Air Station Sangley Point in Cavite, Philippines with a forward detachment becoming the first to operate full-time from the recently completed Naval Air Facility Cam Ranh in Vietnam. This 1967 deployment was followed by another rotation the following year using the same facilities, but in 1970, the squadron's return to the West Pacific was back at Iwakuni and several detachments were supported, including to the previously utilized Cam Ranh and Tan Son Nhut air bases as well as a new detachment to U-Tapao Royal Thai Navy Airfield in Thailand. The squadron returned to Sangley Point for its 1971 deployment, but had to move to Naval Air Station Cubi Point, also in the Philippines, as Sangley Point was shut down in May. VP-1 thus became the first patrol squadron to operate from the new Cubi Point facility. The squadron's final Vietnam combat deployment was to Cubi Point in 1972 with a six aircraft detachment at U-Tapao.
In 1980, the squadron deployed to Cubi Point again with a three aircraft detachment at Naval Air Station Diego Garcia in the Indian Ocean. While the Vietnam War had ended several years prior, the squadron was heavily involved in search and rescue efforts for Vietnamese boat people. The squadron would end up being involved in the rescue of more than 4,000 people, earning its receipt of the Humanitarian Service Medal.
Changes in equipment and basing
After more than twenty years of operating the P-2 Neptune, the squadron began receiving P-3B Orion aircraft to replace its aging SP-2H fleet in July 1969. VP-1 was the last fleet squadron to still operate the Neptune, and as the transition was completed by 1 October 1969, it retired the P-2 from frontline service with the United States Navy. At that point, VP-1 also found itself as the last patrol squadron based at Whidbey Island. A congressional review of force structure and bases was made in 1969 as the increasing costs of the war in Vietnam put pressure on the services to find cost reductions. VP-1 found itself in a tenuous position as the sole Whidbey-based patrol squadron and still in transition to the new P-3 aircraft. As such, in October 1969 it was nominated for deactivation and placed in stand-down, limiting the flow of personnel to the squadron. By December, however, the Chief of Naval Operations had determined to keep VP-1 operational, though to relocate it to Naval Air Station Barbers Point in Hawaii where it would join other Orion-equipped squadrons.