CPW-10 History
Circa 1994
A BIT OF HISTORY: "...Formation Bombing With PBYs - Naval Aviation News - January - February 1995.." WebSite: http://www.history.navy.mil/nan/backissues/1990s/1995/jf95.pdf [12NOV2004]
A BIT OF HISTORY: "...Change-Of-Command, Disestablishment, Etc. - Naval Aviation News - January - February 1994.." WebSite: http://www.history.navy.mil/nan/backissues/1990s/1994/jf94.pdf [12NOV2004]
Circa 1993
A BIT OF HISTORY: "...Naval Aviation In The Northwest..." [12FEB2001]
Naval Avition in the Northwest VP and VQ
By LCDR John Ireland and LT Raeine York
With the closing of NAS Moffett Field, California and NAS Agana, Guam, Patrol Wing TEN (PATWINGTEN) found a welcome home at NAS Whidbey Island, Washington, and has been operating in the Pacific Northwest since December 1993. Subordinate squadrons include the Grey Knights of VP-46, the Fighting Mar/ins of VP-40, the Screaming Eagles of VP-1 and the latest addition, in January 1994, VQ-1, the World Watchers. PATWINGTEN is responsible for the training, maintenance and administrative support of its assigned squadrons as well as operational control of all Maritime Patrol Aviation (MPA) activities in the North Eastern Pacific. Since re-establishment, PATWINGTEN has coordinated a myriad of operational tasking utilizing a Mobile Operations Control Center (MOCC). In February 1966, the wing will have a fully operational, state of the art, Tactical Support Center (TSC).
Although PATWINGTEN is new to NAS Whidbey Island, Maritime Patrol and AntiSubmarine Warfare (ASW) has a rich history in the Pacific Northwest. Until the mid i960s, amphibious patrol aircraft operated from the Seaplane Base while P2V Neptunes operated from AuIt Field. All wing squadrons take great pride in continuing this proud tradition.
PATWINGTEN rapidly established itself as a valuable asset to the Pacific Northwest and has been participating in a multitude of operational and training exercises, numerous search and rescue evolutions and real world anti-submarine prosecution of new generation Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) nuclear, fast attack submarines operating off of the Washington coast. The VP community rapidly fostered outstanding working relationships with the local A-6E Medium Attack and EA-6B Tactical Electronic Warfare communities and VP-69, a Naval Reserve P-3C squadron homeported at NAS Whidbey Island, Washington, as well as the local surface and submarine communities stationed at Trident Training Facility, Bangor; Puget Sound Naval Shipyard, Bremerton; Naval Station Everett and Canadian Maritime Forces Pacific. Additionally, wing squadrons support a Commander, Patrol Wings, U.S. Pacific Fleet MPA Detachment at NAS North Island, San Diego, California. This det supports carrier battle groups, amphibious readiness groups, counter narcotics operations, search and rescue missions and provides all MPA support for exercises conducted in Southern California operating areas. When squadrons are not flying operationally, they undergo an intense, one-year inter- deployment training cycle which includes a Squadron Advanced Tactical Training, Mining Readiness Evaluation, Conventional Weapons Technical Proficiency Inspection, two unit Naval Aviation Training Operating Procedure Standardization (NATOPS) evaluations, Aviation Maintenance Evaluation, Command Review, and culminates in an intense Operational Readiness Evaluation which tests the squadron's combat readiness and mission capability for deployment to the Fifth and Seventh Fleet.
In January 1994 PATWINGTEN experienced a first ever in Patrol Aviation with the relocation of VQ-1 to NAS Whidbey Island, Washington and the establishment of VQ-1 under the administrative command of a Patrol Wing. The World Watchers provide electronic reconnaissance from the east coast of Africa to the west coast of the U.S., detaching operational aircraft to Misawa, Japan and NSA Bahrain for three months at a time. Maintaining a constant forward deployed presence, they provide invaluable service and support to Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) and tactical warfare commanders. VQ-1 played a key role in Operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm. Despite the harsh maintenance environment and 30-year old aircraft, VQ-1 amassed nearly 1400 flight hours with a 100 percent mission completion rate. In 1991, VQ-1 received the first EP-3E Aries II, an upgraded version of the Aries I using modified P-3C airframes. In 1994, VQ-1 retired the Navy's oldest operational P-3, EP-3E Aries I, BuNo. 148887, from NAS Whidbey Island, Washington. Its retirement also marked VQ-1 s transition to all EP-3E aries II mission aircraft.
Together with other Patrol Wing Pacific Squadrons homeported at NAS Barbers Point, Hawaii, PATWINGTEN maintains a continuous forward presence throughout the Pacific Rim, Indian Ocean, and Southwest Asia. Forward deployed squadrons from Patrol Wings Pacific support carrier battlegroups, amphibious ready groups and joint task forces, and promote our vital foreign policy interests from the Aleutians to the Cape of Good Hope.
Circa 1992
A BIT OF HISTORY: "...Patrol Aviation In The Pacific In WWII - Naval Aviation News - July-August 1992.." WebSite: http://www.history.navy.mil/nan/backissues/1990s/1992/ja92.pdf [11NOV2004]
Circa 1991
A BIT OF HISTORY: "...The Pacific Neutrality Patrol - Naval Aviation News - September-October 1991..." WebSite: http://www.history.navy.mil/nan/backissues/1990s/1991/so91.pdf [24OCT2004]
Circa 1982
A BIT OF HISTORY: "...The Black Cats - Page 10 to 11 - Naval Aviation News - October 1982..." WebSite: http://www.history.navy.mil/nan/backissues/1980s/1982/oct82.pdf [16OCT2004]
Circa 1977
A BIT OF HISTORY: "...South Pacific Saga - Page 32 to 27 - Naval Aviation News - February 1977..." WebSite: http://www.history.navy.mil/nan/backissues/1970s/1977/feb77.pdf [08OCT2004]
"CPW-10 History Summary Page"
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