Patrol Wing Two Lineage: Patrol Wing 2(1st), Fleet Air Wing 2, Patrol Wing 2(2nd). On 15 September 1942 it relocated to NAS Kaneohe Bay, where on 1 November 1942 it was redesignated Fleet Air Wing 2 (FAW-2). The wing remained at NAS Kaneohe Bay until 1949 when it relocated to NAS Barbers Point on 30 June of that year. Since the 1950s Barbers Point was most famous for its "Rainbow Fleet"—the patrol squadrons that routinely deployed with P-2 and later P-3 aircraft to the northern and western Pacific, Indian Ocean and
Persian Gulf. These squadrons tracked Soviet submarines patrolling off the western coast of the United States and supported operations in the Vietnam War, the Gulf War and most recently the NATO air campaign over Kosovo. On 30 Jun 1973, Fleet Air Wings were redesignated Patrol Wings and the wing once again became Patrol Wing 2. Of the squadrons present during the 1960s and 1970s, VP-28 was disestablished in the 1970s and
VP-6,
VP-17, and
VP-22 were disestablished by the mid-1990s, leaving only
VP-1 and
VP-4. During the mid-1990s, however, two squadrons, VP-9 and VP-47, transferred to the Rainbow Fleet from
NAS Moffett Field, Calif., when Moffett Field was disestablished as a USN installation and transferred to
NASA and the
California Air National Guard as a "
Moffett Federal Airfield" via
BRAC action. VP-1 later transferred to Patrol and Reconnaissance Wing 10 and relocated to
NAS Whidbey Island, Wash. The Rainbow Fleet also was the home of Special Projects Patrol Squadron Two (VPU-2) since 1982. The end of the
Cold War, in which
NAS Barbers Point figured so heavily, also eventually brought about its closure. Congress accepted the recommendation of the 1993
Base Realignment and Closure Commission (BRAC) that NAS Barbers Point be closed and as part of that a closure, on 8 June 1993 Patrol Wing TWO was disestablished. After the disestablishment of Patrol Wing 2, its role was assumed by the staff of Commander, Patrol and Reconnaissance Forces, US Pacific Fleet (formerly Commander, Patrol Wings, Pacific) and the wings former squadrons (
VP-4,
VP-9,
VP-47 and
VPU-2) along with HSL-37 all moved from NAS Barber's Point upon its closure to what was then
Marine Corps Air Station Kaneohe Bay, now
Marine Corps Air Facility Kaneohe Bay, part of
Marine Corps Base Hawaii, located on the windward side of Oahu.
Patrol and Reconnaissance Wing Two Lineage: Patrol and Reconnaissance Wing 2. In October 2003, Patrol and Reconnaissance Wing TWO was established at
Marine Corps Air Station Kaneohe Bay to assume control over the former Patrol Wing TWO squadrons which had been moved there from
Naval Air Station Barbers Point when that Air Station was closed and Patrol Wing TWO was disestablished in 1993. Those squadrons were
VP-4,
VP-9,
VP-47, and
VPU-2. Though the new wing assumed the disestablished Patrol Wing TWO's insignia and traditions in honor of the distinguished history of that wing it was a new wing, not a redesignation of Patrol Wing TWO. Patrol and Reconnaissance Wing TWO was disestablished effective 1 May 2017 and its squadrons were all realigned under Patrol and Reconnaissance Wing TEN.
Fleet Air Wing Three Lineage: Patrol Wing 3, Fleet Air Wing 3. Fleet Air Wing 3 was established as Patrol Wing 3 at FAB Coco Solo, Panama on 1 October 1937. On 1 November 1942 it was redesigned Fleet Air Wing 3 (FAW-3). It participated
Operation Strikeback in the Atlantic. On 1 July 1950 it was relocated to
NAS Quonset Point, Rhode Island and in mid-1957 it was relocated to NAS Brunswick, Maine. Fleet Air Wing-3 was disestablished on 30 June 1971.
Fleet Air Wing Four Lineage: Patrol Wing 4, Fleet Air Wing 4. Fleet Air Wing 4 was established as Patrol Wing 4 at FAB Seattle, Washington (NAS Sand Point, Washington) on 1 October 1937. On 27 May it relocated to NAS Kodiak, Alaska where on 1 November 1942 it was redesignated Fleet Air Wing 4 (FAW-4). On 15 March 1943 it relocated to NAS Adak, Alaska then on 26 April 1944 to NAF Attu, Aleutian Islands. The wing fought in the
Aleutian Islands campaign alongside
Eleventh Air Force. During the winter of 1943–44, the burden of operations against the Kuriles was carried by Navy
Consolidated PBY Catalinas and
Lockheed Ventura of Fleet Air Wing Four. They carried small bomb loads and their primary objective was the securing of nighttime reconnaissance photographs. On 17 April 1949 the wing relocated to NAS Whidbey Island, Washington and became dual hatted with Commander Fleet Air (COMFAIR) Seattle with additional duty as FAW-4 in May 1949. On 15 February 1954 COMFAIR Seattle was redesignated COMFAIR Whidbey and FAW-4 (dual hatted). Fleet Air Wing 4 was disestablished on 15 March 1970.
Patrol and Reconnaissance Wing Five Lineage: Patrol Wing 5(1st), Fleet Air Wing 5, Patrol Wing 5(2nd), Patrol and Reconnaissance Wing 5. Patrol and Reconnaissance Wing 5 was established as Patrol Wing 5 at FAB Norfolk on 1 October 1937. It was redesignated Fleet Air Wing 5 (FAW-5) on 1 November 1942 relocating to
NAS Brunswick, Maine on 30 June 1971. On 1 July 1973 Fleet Air Wing 5 was redesignated Commander, Patrol Wings Atlantic (COMPATWINGSLA/PATWING FIVENTd). On 1 July 197e COMPATWINGSLAN became a separate Headquarters.5. On 26 March 1999 all Atlantic Fleet Patrol Wings were redesignated Patrol and Reconnaissance Wings and Patrol Wing 5 became Patrol and Reconnaissance Wing 5. During the wing's existence it included
VP-8,
VP-10,
VP-11,
VP-23,
VP-26,
VP-44,
VPU-1 and the
Navy Reserve's
VP-92. With the decision to close NAS Brunswick, VP-8, VP-10, VP-26 and VPU-1 were transferred to Patrol and Reconnaissance Wing Eleven at
NAS Jacksonville, Florida.a, VP-11, VP-23 and VP-44 having been previously disestablished during the Navy's post-Cold War drawdown of the mid-1990s which eliminated 50% of the Navy's active duty patrol squadrons. VP-92 was disestablished in 20
when the Naval Reserve reduced the total number of patrol squadrons from ts thirteve to ons. VP-92 had previously been assigned to Reserve Patrol Wing Atlantic (RESPATWINGLANT), but was transferred to COMPATRECONWING FIVE following RESPATWINGLANT's inactivation a
closure of om
NAS South Weymouth, Massachusetts due to an earlier
BRAC decision in the mid-1990s.
Fleet Air Wing Six(1st) Lineage: Fleet Air Wing 6(1st). The first wing to use the Fleet Air Wing 6 (FAW-6) designation was established at NAS Seattle, Washington on 2 November 1942. It relocated to NAS Whidbey Island, Washington on 29 December 1942 and was disestablished there on 1 December 1945.
Fleet Air Wing Six(2nd) Lineage: Fleet Air Wing 6(2nd). On 4 August 1950 the Fleet Air Wing 6 designation was used again to establish a new Fleet Air Wing at NAS Yokosuka, Japan to conduct operations in support of the
Korean War. On 1 December 1950 the wing relocated to NAS Atsugi, Japan. It relocated to NAS Alameda, California during the 3rd quarter of 1952. In January 1955 the wing transferred back to Japan, this time to NAF Iwakuni where it was ultimately disestablished on 1 July 1972.
Fleet Air Wing Seven Lineage: Patrol Wing Support Force, Patrol Wing 7, Fleet Air Wing 7. Fleet Air Wing 7 (FAW-7) was established as Patrol Wing Support Force at NAF Argentia, Newfoundland on 1 March 1941. It was redesignated Patrol Wing 7 there on 1 July 1941. On 15 December 1941 it relocated to NAF Keflavik, Iceland and then to NAS Quonset Point, Rhode Island on 20 February 1942. On 15 May it relocated back to NAF Argentina where on 1 November 1942 it was redesignated Fleet Air Wing 7 (FAW-7). On 21 August 1943 it relocated to Plymouth, England then to NAS Dunkeswell, England on 10 July 1945. On 14 July 1945 it embarked
USS Albemarle (AV 5) for return to the United States and was disestablished at NAS Norfolk on 4 August 1945.
Fleet Air Wing Eight(1st) Lineage:Patrol Wing 8, Fleet Air Wing 8(1st). The first wing to use the Fleet Air Wing 8 (FAW-8) designation was established as Patrol Wing 8 at Naval Air Facility Breezy Point, Norfolk, VA on 8 July 1941. On 15 December 1941 it relocated to NAS Alameda, California where it was redesignated Fleet Air Wing 8 (FAW-8) (the first wing to use that designation). It was disestablished there on 3 July 1946
Fleet Air Wing Eight(2nd) Lineage: Fleet Air Wing 8(2nd). On 1 July 1965 the Fleet Air Wing 8 designation was used again to establish a new Fleet Air Wing at Naval Air Station Moffett Field, California. This second wing to use the Fleet Air Wing 8 designation was disestablished on 1 August 1972.
Fleet Air Wing Nine Lineage: Patrol Wing 9, Fleet Air Wing 9. Fleet Air Wing 9 (FAW-9) was established as Patrol Wing 9 at NAS Norfolk, Virginia in April 1942. On 1 May 1942 it relocated to NAS Quonset Point, Rhode Island where on 1 November of that year it was redesignated Fleet Air Wing 9 (FAW-9). On 24 August 1943 it relocated to NAS New York where it was disestablished on 19 July 1945.
Fleet Air Wing Ten(1st) Lineage:Patrol Wing 10(1st), Fleet Air Wing 10(1st). The first wing to use the Patrol Wing 10 designation was established as Patrol Wing 10 at
Naval Station Cavite, Philippines in December 1940. It relocated to
Ambon on 28 December 1941 and to
Soerabaja on 15 January 1942. On 7 March it relocated to
Crawley, Western Australia where on 1 November 1942 it was redesignated Fleet Air Wing 10 (FAW-10) (first use of the Fleet Air Wing 10 designation). On 17 October 1944 it relocated to Los Negros, Admiralty Islands. On 17 October 1944 it relocated back to the Philippines where it was ultimately disestablished on 1 June 1947 at NAB Sangley Point.
Fleet Air Wing Ten(2nd) Lineage: Fleet Air Wing 10(2nd). On 29 June 1963 the Fleet Air Wing 10 designation was used again to establish a new Fleet Air Wing at
Naval Air Station Moffett Field, California. This second wing to use the Fleet Air Wing 10 designation was disestablished on 30 June 1973.
Fleet Air Wing Twelve Lineage: Patrol Wing 12, Fleet Air Wing 12. Fleet Air Wing 12 (FAW-12) was established as Patrol Wing 12 at
NAS Key West, Florida on 16 September 1942. On 1 November 1942 it was redesignated Fleet Air Wing 12 (FAW-12). On 15 September 1943 it relocated to Naval Air Station Miami, Florida until 1 June 1945 when it transferred back to Key West and disestablished on 14 July 1945.
Fleet Air Wing Fourteen Lineage: Patrol Wing 14, Fleet Air Wing 14. Fleet Air Wing 14 (FAW-14) was established as Patrol Wing 14 at NAS San Diego, California on 15 October 1942. On 1 November 1942 it was redesignated Fleet Air Wing 14 (FAW-14). In June 1963 it also became Commander Fleet Air (COMFAIR) San Diego and was known as COMFAIR San Diego/FAW-14. It was disestablished in 1969.
Fleet Air Wing Fifteen Lineage: Fleet Air Wing 15. Fleet Air Wing 15 (FAW-15) was established at NAS Norfolk, Virginia on 1 December 1942 then relocated to
NAF Port Lyautey,
French Morocco on 10 January 1943 to direct patrol plane operations in the Mediterranean and Gibraltar Strait Area. On 10 June 1945 it returned to NAS Norfolk where it was disestablished on 28 July 1945.
Fleet Air Wing Sixteen Lineage: Fleet Air Wing 16. Fleet Air Wing 16 (FAW-16) was established at Naval Air Station Norfolk, Virginia on 16 February 1943 then relocated to Natal, Brazil on 14 April 1943. On 20 July 1943 it relocated to Recife, Brazil where it was ultimately disestablished on 27 June 1945.
Fleet Air Wing Seventeen Lineage: Fleet Air Wing 17. Fleet Air Wing 17 (FAW-17) was established at Brisbane, Australia on 15 September 1943. On 31 December 1943 it relocated to the island of Samari, Papua, New Guinea then to Manus, Admiralty Islands on 27 July 1944. On 9 September 1944 it relocated to Woendi, Schouten Islands, then to Morotai, N.E.I on 19 October 1944. On 30 December 1944 it relocated to Leyte Gulf, Philippines, then on 28 January 1945 to Lingayen Gulf, Philippines and based aboard USS Tangier (AV 8). On 26 February 1945 it relocated to Clark Field, Luzon, Philippines. It was disestablished on 2 January 1946 in Japan.
Fleet Air Wing Eighteen Lineage: Fleet Air Wing 18. Fleet Air Wing 18 (FAW-18) was established at Naval Station Agana, Guam on 5 May 1945, to
NAF Tinian on 25 May 1945 and disestablished there on 30 June 1947.
Reserve Patrol Wing Atlantic Reserve Patrol Wing Atlantic (RESPATWINGLANT) was established in 1970 and located at
NAS Norfolk, Virginia until relocating to
Naval Air Station Willow Grove, Pennsylvania in 2000. A subordinate element of Naval Air Reserve Force (NAVAIRESFOR), RESPATWINGLANT provided maritime patrol aircraft, flight crews and maintenance/support personnel in seven Reserve patrol squadrons (VP) to support Commander, U.S. Patrol Wings Atlantic. RESPATWINGLANT, an Echelon IV command, comprised
VP-62 at
Naval Air Station Jacksonville, Florida;
VP-64 and
VP-66 at
Naval Air Station Willow Grove, Pennsylvania;
VP-67 at
Naval Air Station Memphis, Tennessee;
VP-68 at NAF Washington/
Andrews AFB, Maryland; VP-92 at
NAS South Weymouth, Massachusetts (later relocating to
NAS Brunswick, Maine following the BRAC closure of NAS South Weymouth); and
VP-94 at
NAS New Orleans, Louisiana. Upon the inactivation of RESPATWINGLANT in 2004, the transition of VP-64 to a fleet air logistics squadron redesignated as VR-64, and the inactivation of all but two remaining Atlantic Fleet Reserve VP squadrons, operational control/administrative control (OPCON/ADCON) of VP-62 was passed to Commander, Patrol and Reconnaissance Wing Eleven and OPCON/ADCON of VP-92 to Commander, Patrol and Reconnaissance Wing Five. VP-92 was later inactivated as part of the inactivation of Patrol and Reconnaissance Wing Five and the
BRAC-directed closure of NAS Brunswick, leaving VP-62 as the sole remaining Naval Air Reserve VP squadron in the Atlantic Fleet.
Reserve Patrol Wing Pacific/Patrol Wing Four Reserve Patrol Wing Pacific (RESPATWINGPAC), later dual-designated as Patrol Wing Four (PATWING FOUR), was established in 1970 and located at
Naval Air Station Moffett Field, California. A subordinate element of Naval Air Reserve Force (NAVAIRESFOR), RESPATWINGPAC provided maritime patrol aircraft, flight crews and maintenance/support personnel in six Reserve patrol squadrons (VP) to support Commander, U.S. Patrol Wings Pacific. RESPATWINGPaAC an Echelon IV command, comprised
VP-60 and
VP-90 at
NAS Glenview, Illinois;
VP-65 at
NAS Point Mugu, California;
VP-69 at
NAS Whidbey Island, Washington;
VP-91 at
NAS Moffett Field, California and
VP-93 at NAF Detroit/
Selfridge ANGB, Michigan. Following the closure of NAS Moffett Field in the mid-1990s due to
BRAC action, RESPATWINGPAC/PATWING FOUR and VP-91 remained at the renamed
Moffett Federal Airfield as a tenant activity named Naval Air Facility Santa Clara. Upon the inactivation of VP-91, RESPATWINGPAC/PATWING FOUR and the inactivation of all but one remaining Pacific Fleet Reserve VP squadron, operational control/administrative control (OPCON/ADCON) of VP-69 was passed to Commander, Patrol and Reconnaissance Wing Ten. ==See also==