Enterprise (CVN 65) - Naval Cruise Book

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VA-22 Attack Squadron Twenty-Two (VA-22), also known as the Fighting Redcocks, is led by CDR R.A. Kellet. The Lemoore, Calif., based squadron is made up of 250 enlisted men and 21 officers. Their mission is to maintain, fly and fight the A-7E Corsair II aircraft. VA-22 ' s history dates back to July 1948, when it was commissioned as Fighter Squadron 63 at NAS Norfolk, Va. It was not until July 1959 that the Fighting Redcocks gained their present designation as Attack Squadron Twenty-Two. The first Redcock aviators flew the F-8F Bearcat. Succeeding pilots have progressed through the F-4U Corsair, F-9F Panther, F9F-6 8 Cougar, FJ-4B Fury, A-4 B C F Skyhawk, and currently the A-7E Corsair II. Over the last 34 years the Fighting Redcocks have been called into action during the Korean and Vietnam wars, with three combat deployments to Korea and six to Vietnam. During their last combat cruise in 1972, VA-22 participated in the mining of Haiphong Harbor as well as intensive air strikes over North Vietnam. Peacetime crises responded to by the Fighting Redcocks have included readiness maneuvers for the Pueblo Crisis of 1968, the evacuation of Saigon in 1975, the rescue of the Mayaguez in 1975, and the search and rescue of Southeast Asian refugees in the Western Pacific and South China Sea during both the 1979 80 and 1981 deployments. During the January ' 79 and ' 80 and the July ' 80 to December ' 81 competitive cycles. Attack Squadron Twenty-Two received the COMNAVAIRPAC Battle Efficiency E, thus holding it for three consecutive years. Additionally, VA-22 earned the FY-81 CINCPACFLT Golden Anchor Retention Award for deployable squadrons of the Pacific Fleet, and the COMLATWINGPAC John L. Nicholson Retention Award for both FY-80 and FY-81. The squadron won the RADM Clarence Wade MacClusky Award for CY-81 as the best attack squadron in the U.S. Navy. The Fighting Redcocks were awarded the Meritorious Unit Commendation for service while attached to Commander Carrier Air Wing Fifteen and ashore at NAS Lemoore, Calif., from 1 May 1979 to 23 November 1981 for unprecedented fulfillment of the Navywide goals of combat readiness and personnel retention. On 15 January 1982, VA-22 ' s operational command was changed from Air Wing Fifteen to Air Wing Eleven, which is currently deployed aboard USS Enterprise. More recently. Attack Squadron Twenty-Two was named the COMNAVAIRPAC nominee for the RADM Clarence Wade McClusky Award for CY-83. in addition, the prestigious LTJG Bruce Carrier Award for excellence in aviation maintenance was bestowed upon the Redcocks in February 1984 for their efforts during the previous calendar year. The Fighting Redcocks look forward with pride in their past accomplishments and with confidence in their future successes. 362 VA-ll

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CDR Bums Executive Officer ICOR T.L. Houck LCDR C.W. Pittman I I CDR R.C. York Commanding Officer CDR R.A. Kellet Commanding Officer LT V.E. Wagoner LT B.W. Waimrey IT|C D.C. Cinin LTIC 0.|. DebrKcy LT)C K.W. Freeman IT|C T.A. Holland LT|C K.C. Holmes ' ' l -i CW03 I.P. Murray AVCM McCready ADCS P.M. Krenzke AQCS Pigg AMCS P.O. Sheperd AMSC C.R. Springer ATC R.D. Baggelt L A-22 I 363