Squadron Flight Log Entry

Airborne Early Warning Squadron ONE AEWRON ONE (VW-1)

VW-1 was established 18 Jun 1952, at Naval Air Station Barbers Point, Territory of Hawaii, as the first land based Airborne Early Warning Squadron in the Pacific and as an out-growth of VC-11's Detachment at NAS Barbers Point. The squadron's first aircraft was the radar-configured B-17 Flying Fortress, redesignated PB-1W. In 1953, VW-1 received its first EC-121 Warning Star, the radar version of the civilian Lockheed Super Constellation. A permanent detachment of VW-1 was established in the Western Pacific providing SEVENTH Fleet with heavy airborne early warning coverage. This detachment operated out of bases in the Philippines, Okinawa and Japan, and participated in the Nationalist Chinese evacuation in 1953 and Taiwan Straits patrols in 1957.

In 1957, VW-1 moved its homeport from Hawaii to Naval Air Station Agana, Guam, Mariana Islands, where the Commanding Officer assumed the additional duties of Commander Fleet Air Detachment, Guam. Since VW-1 was a unit of the SEVENTH Fleet, the designation of Commander Task Group 70.3 was also assigned to the Commanding Officer (a duty later rotated to the COs of VW-1, VAP-61 & VQ-3). Guam had been chosen as the squadron's base of operations because of its strategic location in the Western Pacific for airborne early warning coverage for the SEVENTH Fleet.

In July 1961, the squadron was additionally tasked with the responsibility for weather reconnaissance from the International Dateline, west to the Malaysian Peninsula and from the equator north. The squadron received six meteorologists and 18 aerographers; meteorological equipment was installed on the aircraft; and during 1961 the squadron flew over 1,000 hours making 85 geographic locations or "fixes" on tropical storms and typhoons. These accomplishments brought about VW-1 becoming known as the "Typhoon Trackers."

During the 1960's, VW-1 transitioned to the latest versions of Lockheed's Warning Star, a radar-configured version of the civilian Super Constellation. Powered by four of the largest piston engines used on naval aircraft, the Warning Star could remain aloft for up to 20 hours and had a range of well over 1,500 miles. It carried six tons of sensitive electronic detection equipment, including two different radars, electronic counter-measures equipment, radio and relay equipment and numerous weather-data collection instruments. The Warning Star was both an airborne meteorological station and an effective radar platform with a well-equipped combat information center.

Following the Gulf of Tonkin incident in August of 1964, Commander SEVENTH Fleet imposed additional requirements upon AEWRON ONE for daily nighttime early warning coverage in support of combat operations in Southeast Asia. Once again a permanent detachment was maintained in the Western Pacific to discharge these requirements, this time at Chu Lai, RVN, later moving to Da Nang, RVN.

Early 1965 brought additional responsibilities to AEWRON ONE. It was at this time that the training and maintenance facilities associated with the former Pacific Barrier Squadrons at NAS Barbers Point were disestablished. VW-1 thus fell heir to the responsibilities for the maintenance training of ground personnel and the flight training of pilots and aircrewmen for Western Pacific users of the C-121. In order to fulfill these myriad requirements, additional crews were formed, flying more than 10,000 hours in 1965. It was also in 1965 that the squadron established a record of 239 straight storm "fixes" without a "bust".

In 1966, the squadron celebrated the accumulation of 100,000 accident-free flying hours. In recognition of these accomplishments, the squadron has consistently received the Commander Naval Air Forces United States Pacific Fleet Quarterly Aviation Safety Award. In September of 1967, the squadron compiled a record of 1,128 flying hours. Also in 1967, the squadron made 356 "fixes" on tropical storms and typhoons. As a result of these and other outstanding accomplishments, the Secretary of the Navy awarded the squadron the Meritorious Unit Commendation.

Between 1968 and 1970, additional taskings arrived, involving the establishment of a detachment in California for weather reconnaissance operations along the western coast of the Americas; support of operations for the Apollo space missions and NASA support in the Pacific; and special operations and data gathering for various agencies associated with oceanographic research. In 1970, VW-1 swelled to a peak in both personnel and aircraft: 125 officer, 850 enlisted personnel, nine flight crews and 10 aircraft: one C-121J, seven WC-121Ns and two EC-121Ks. During this time period, VW-1 came under the operational control of Task Force 72. Fleet Air Detachment, Guam, becoming Task Group 72.1 and VW-1 becoming Task Unit 72.5.1.

As a leader in airborne early warning since its inception, VW-1 received much praise. Letters of "Well Done" were typically received from Fleet Weather Central/Joint Typhoon Warning Center, Guam; Commander SEVENTH Fleet; Commander-In-Chief Pacific Fleet; the Commanding General 313th Air Division (PACAF); and the Chief of Naval Operations.

VW-1 was disestablished 1 Jul 1971; the men and aircraft were absorbed into VQ-1 which was being relocated to NAS Agana, Guam, from NAS Atsugi, Japan.

VW-1 Officers Association was formed in 1990 when a dozen former officers from VW-1 met in Las Vegas. Amassing the names and addresses was aided dramatically by USAA. The roster has grown over the years now to include more than 280 former squadron mates. Reunions are held every other year.
Contact information: VW-1 Officers Association, C/O Bob Fuller, Box 160, Seabrook, TX 77586 Tel. 713-521-0105. Website. www.geocities.com/vw-1/
E-mail. fullerg@ev1.net Dues are $20.00 Bi Annually, which helps cover the cost of producing the roster and various mailings.

"VW-1 All Hands Alumni Association" was formed in 1998. Contact information: Ed & Sally Metzger, 710 Edgewater Dr., Inverness, Fl. 34453, 352-726-4943, e-mail: saled@tampabay.rr.com, our web site is, http://vw1assoc.tripod.com/index.html.