VS-21

Sea Control Squadron 21 (VS-21)
Active	26 March 1945 - 28 February 2005
Country	United States
Branch	United States Navy
Role	Anti-submarine warfare
Size	squadron
Nickname(s)	Fighting Red Tails
Equipment	TBM-3 Avenger S-2 Tracker S-3 Viking
Engagements	Korean War Vietnam War Operation Southern Watch Operation Enduring Freedom Operation Iraqi Freedom
Insignia
VT-41
VS-21 (1955)

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. It was the only squadron to receive the designations VA-1E, VC-21, or VS-21.

History

World War II

The squadron originally as VT-41 established in the final year of World War II, and served after the war aboard USS Badoeng Strait CVE-116 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.

Late 1940s

The squadron was established as VT-41 at Naval Air Station Seattle, Washington (USA), under the command of LT. Joseph P. Keigher, with the General Motors-built TBM-1, TBM-1C, and TBM-3 Avenger torpedo bomber as part of 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 VA-1E, while CVEG-41 was simultaneously redesignated CVEG-1. The group, which consisted of VA-1E and fighter squadron VF-1E, was assigned on 4 December 1946, on the Badoeng Strait. VA-1E was identified by the tail code "BS" (call sign "Beef Steak").

A TBM-3S in VA-1E colors

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.

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.

1950s

VC-21 was redesignated VS-21 (Air Anti-Submarine Squadron 21) on 23 April 1950. The squadron became the first US Navy ASW Squadron to depart from the US on a deployment in response to the Korean War on 4 July that year onboard the USS Sicily CVE-118. During the cruise, they were responsible for the evacuation of wounded US Marine service members from Koto-ri Airfield during the Battle of Chosin Reservoir.

On 3 December, the squadron transferred during the deployment to the USS Bairoko CVE-115, moving from the TBM-3E to the TBM-3S ASW aircraft before returning back to on 16 February 1951. Another Korean War deployment with the Bairoko took place between 3 February to 8 May 1953. This was VS-21's first deployment the Grumman AF-2S/2W Guardian.

A squadron S2F-2 in flight

In December 1954, VS-21 began to operate the Grumman S2F-1 Tracker. In 1955, the squadron began to display the red lighting bolt on their engine and later tailfins of their aircraft. The following year, the squadron made deployment to the West Pacific and Indian Ocean onboard the USS Princeton CV-37, becoming the first Pacific Fleet VS squadron to win the Battle E award. This was followed by deployment in 1958 onboard the Philippine Sea and in late 1959 to early 1960 on the Kearsarge, both of these with addition of the S2F-2 variant for the first time.

1960s

After returning from it's 1959 deployment, in April 1960, the squadron was split in two, with one half continuing as VS-21 while the other half became VS-29. Both VS-21 and VS-29 along with the Helicopter ASW squadron HS-6 were assigned to CVSG-53, embarking on the air group's first cruise in 1961 with the Kearsarge. Another deployment in 1962 took the squadron to the Pacific Missile Range, deploying the S2F-1 and 1S and 1S1 aircraft. During this cruise, the squadron supported the recovery of Mercury-Atlas 8 on October 3 1962.

After another deployment in 1963, VS-21 and the Kearsarge left what was to become a major Westpac deployment on 19 June 1964. On 5 August 1964, while carrier was inport at Yokosuka, Japan; the ship was ordered to provide ASW protection for US Navy Attack Carriers in the South China Sea near North Vietnam, as a result of the Gulf of Tonkin Incident. By that afternoon, VS-21 and the rest of CVSG-53, which been temporarily based at NAF Atsugi; had returned back to the carrier. In 1965, the squadron transferred to the S-2E Tracker and became the first VS squadron to operationally employ the AGM-12 Bullpup. Three more deployments to the Vietnam War in 1966, 1968 and 1969 also took place, all as part of CVSG-53, operating onboard the Kearsage.

1980s

Profile of an S-3A during the squadron's service aboard the USS Constellation

1990s

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).

2000s

VS-21 was finally disestablished on 28 February 2005.

Aircraft Assignment

• TBM-1 Avenger from March 1945
• TBM-1C Avenger from March 1945
• TBM-3 Avenger from March 1945
• TBF-1 Avenger from April 1945
• TBM-3E Avenger from May 1945
• TBM-3S Avenger from 1948
• AF-2 Guardian
• S2F-1 Tracker
• S2F-2 Tracker
• S-2E Tracker
• S-3A Viking
• S-3B Viking from 1991

See also

• History of the United States Navy
• List of inactive United States Navy aircraft squadrons
• List of United States Navy aircraft squadrons

References

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

External links

• Wings for the Navy: 100 Years of Naval Aviation (video)