Attack Squadron 72

"Bearcats", "Hawks", "Blue Hawks"
....

Linage 
25. January 1945 VFB-18 Established at NAS
15. November 1946 VBF-18 was redesignated VF-8A
1. September 1948 VF-8A was redesignated VF-72
3. January 1956 VF-72 was redesignated VA-72
30. June 1991 VA-72 Disestablished at NAS Cecil Fleid FL.

Planes:
 

 

 

1945 - 1946
F8F-1
 

 

 

1946 - 1951
F8F-1B , F8F-2

  
 

 

 

 1951 -
F9F-2

 
 

 

 

1951 -1956
F9F-5

  
 

 

 

1956 - 1958
A4D-1

  
 

 

 

1958 - 1961
A4D-2 (A-4B)
 

 

 

1961 - 1964
A4D-2N (A-4C)
 

 

 

1964 - 1967
A-4E
 

 

 

1967 - 1969
A-4B
 

 

 

1970 - 1977
A-7B
 

 

 

1977 - 1991
A-7E

    
..
VBF-18, VF-8A, VF-72, VA-72 Deployments 
VBF-18
30. September 1945 - 18. October 1945 CV-4 USS Ranger CVG-18 F8F-1 18-BF-0
16. September 1946 - 12. December 1945 CV-32 USS Leyte CVG-18 F8F-1 18-BF-0
VF-8A
3. April 1947 - 9. Juni 1947 CV-32 USS Leyte CVAG-7 F8F-1B L 200
30. July 1947 - 19. November 1947 CV-32 USS Leyte CVAG-7 F8F-1B L 200
VF-72
4. January 1949 - 22. May 1949 CV-47 USS Philippine Sea CVG-7 F8F-1 L 200
10. July 1950 - 10. November 1950 CVB-41 USS Midway CVG-7 F8F-2 L 200
20. May 1952 - 8. January 1953 CVA-31 USS Bon Homme Richard CVG-7 F9F-2 L 200
19. February 1953 - 5. May 1953 CVA-20 USS Bennington CVG-7 F9F-5 L 200
16. September 1953 - 21. February 1954 CVA-20 USS Bennington CVG-7 F9F-5 L 200
4. May 1955 - 10. December 1955 CVA-12 USS Hornet CVG-7 F9F-5 L 200
VA-72
3. September 1957 - 22. October 1957 CVA-60 USS Saratoga CVG-7 A4D-1 AG 300
2. September 1958 - 12. March 1959 CVA-15 USS Randolph CVG-7 A4D-2 AG 300
4. August 1960 - 3. March 1961 CVA-62 USS Independence CVG-7 A4D-2 AG 300
4. August 1961 - 19. December 1961 CVA-62 USS Independence CVG-7 A4D-2N AG 300
19. April 1962 - 27. August 1962 CVA-62 USS Independence CVG-7 A4D-2N AG 300
11. October 1962 - 26. November 1962 CVA-62 USS Independence CVG-7 A4D-2N AG 300
6. August 1963 - 4. March 1964 CVA-62 USS Independence CVG-7 A-4C AG 300
8. September 1964 - 5. November 1964 CVA-62 USS Independence CVW-7 A-4E AG 300
10. May 1965 - 13. December 1965 CVA-62 USS Independence CVW-7 A-4E AG 300
21. June 1966 - 21. February 1967 CVA-42 USS Franklin D. Roosevelt CVW-1 A-4B AB 500
24. August  1967 - 19. May 1968 CVA-42 USS Franklin D. Roosevelt CVW-1 A-4B AB 500
7. January 1969 - 29. July 1969 CVA-38 USS Shangri La CVW-8 A-4B AJ 500
14. September 1970 - 28. February 1971 CVA-67 USS John F. Kennedy CVW-1 A-7B AB 400
18. November 1971 - 10. Mai 1972 CVA-67 USS John F. Kennedy CVW-1 A-7B AB 400
16. April 1973 - 1. December 1973 CVA-67 USS John F. Kennedy CVW-1 A-7B AB 400
28. June 1975 - 27. January 1976 CV-67 USS John F. Kennedy CVW-1 A-7B AB 400
2. September 1976 - 9. November 1976 CV-67 USS John F. Kennedy CVW-1 A-7B AB 400
15. January 1977 - 1. August 1977 CV-67 USS John F. Kennedy CVW-1 A-7B AB 400
7. November 1977 - 13. December 1977 CVN-69 USS Dwight D. Eisenhower CVW-1 A-7E AB 400
29. June 1978 - 8. February 1979 CV-67 USS John F. Kennedy CVW-1 A-7E AB 400
4. August 1980 - 28. March 1981 CV-67 USS John F. Kennedy CVW-1 A-7E AB 400
30. May 1982 - 8. July 1982 CV-66 USS America CVW-1 A-7E AB 400
23. August 1982 - 30. October 1982 CV-66 USS America CVW-1 A-7E AB 400
8. December 1982 - 2. June 1983 CV-66 USS America CVW-1 A-7E AB 400
1. February 1984 - 21. February 1984 CV-66 USS America CVW-1 A-7E AB 400
24. April 1984 - 14. November 1984 CV-66 USS America CVW-1 A-7E AB 400
24. August 1985 - 9. October 1985 CV-66 USS America CVW-1 A-7E AB 400
10. March 1986 - 10. September 1986 CV-66 USS America CVW-1 A-7E AB 400
16. June 1987 - 28. July 1987 CVN-69 USS Dwight D. Eisenhower CVW-7 A-7E AG 400
29. February 1988 - 29. August 1988 CVN-69 USS Dwight D. Eisenhower CVW-7 A-7E AG 400
November 1989 - December 1989 CV-67 USS John F. Kennedy CVW-3 A-7E AC 400
15. August 1990 - 28. March 1991 CV-67 USS John F. Kennedy CVW-3 A-7E AC 400
..
VBF-18, VF-8A, VF-72, VA-72 Commanding Officers 
LT Mohl C. Norton, Jr. (Acting) 25 Jan 1945 5 Mar 1945
LCdr. Jeremy Morrison 5 Mar 1945 14 Sep 1945
Cdr. Sam E. Clark 14 Sep 1945 11 Jun 1947
LCdr. Frank Malinasky 11 Jun 1947 6 Jul 1948
LCdr. Burton F. Haker 6 Jul 1948 19 Aug 1948
LT G. F. Colleran (acting) 19 Aug 1948 20 Oct 1948
LCdr. Frank Malinasky 20 Oct 1948 20 Jun 1949
LCdr. Carlton H. Clark 20 Jun 1949 4 Jul 1950
LCdr. John B. Jorgensen 4 Jul 1950 9 Jul 1951
LCdr. Archibald W. Curtis 9 Jul 1951 Jan 1953
Cdr. Gordon J. Brown Jan 1953 12 Nov 1954
LCdr. Carlton F. Naumann 12 Nov 1954 8 Feb 1956
LCdr. Robert F. Hunt 8 Feb 1956 23 Jul 1957
Cdr. C. K. Ruiz 23 Jul 1957 4 Feb 1959
Cdr. John K. Beling 4 Feb 1959 4 Mar 1960
Cdr. C. A. Hill, Jr. 4 Mar 1960 12 May 1961
Cdr. W. W. Kendall Miller, Jr. 12 May 1961 16 Apr 1962
Cdr. Frederick S. Gore 16 Apr 1962 25 Mar 1963
Cdr. T. L. Neilson 25 Mar 1963 17 Feb 1964
Cdr. Grover C. Walker 17 Feb 1964 10 Feb 1965
Cdr. Joe D. Adkins 10 Feb 1965 11 Feb 1966
Cdr. Harrison B. Southworth 11 Feb 1966 15 Mar 1967
Cdr. E. J. Hofstra 15 Mar 1967 15 Mar 1968
Cdr. R. A. Phillips 15 Mar 1968 10 Apr 1969
Cdr. S. E. Latimer, Jr. 10 Apr 1969 17 Oct 1969
Cdr. D. B. Young, Jr. 17 Oct 1969 9 Sep 1970
Cdr. R. K. Shea 9 Sep 1970 2 Jul 1971
Cdr. M. G. Basford 2 Jul 1971 8 Jul 1972
Cdr. J. F. Donahue 8 Jul 1972 14 Jul 1973
Cdr. Robert J. Kelly 14 Jul 1973 12 Sep 1974
Cdr. Edward D. Estes 12 Sep 1974 16 Oct 1975
Cdr. Robert F. Brennock 16 Oct 1975 16 Dec 1976
Cdr. Patrick M. Commons 16 Dec 1976 6 Apr 1978
Cdr. Hugh A. Merrill 6 Apr 1978 Jul 1979
Cdr. Howard E. Koss Jul 1979 Oct 1980
Cdr. Carter B. Refo Oct 1980 16 Feb 1982
Cdr. Robert L. Kiem 16 Feb 1982 9 Jun 1983
Cdr. C. A. Cook 9 Jun 1983 21 Nov 1984
Cdr. Arthur F. Richardson 21 Nov 1984 3 May 1986
Cdr. Gordon G. Stewart 3 May 1986 15 Oct 1987
Cdr. James B. Waddell 15 Oct 1987 15 Jun 1989
Cdr. John R. Sanders 15 Jun 1989 30. June 1991
-

last update 22. February 2013

written 24. April 2005

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