RVAH-12

Reconnaissance Attack (Heavy) Squadron 12
RVAH-12 squadron patch
Active	1 July 1965-2 July 1979
Country	United States
Branch	United States Navy
Role	Photo-reconnaissance
Part of	Inactive
Nickname(s)	Speartips
Engagements	Vietnam War

RVAH-12 was a Reconnaissance Attack (Heavy) Squadron of the U.S. Navy. The squadron was established on 1 July 1965 and disestablished on 2 July 1979.^[1]

Operational history

RVAH-12 RA-5C Vigilante offshore of Vietnam in 1967

RVAH-12 RA-5C prepares to launch from USS Constellation in 1973

Vietnam

• 29 April-4 December 1967, RVAH-12 was embarked on USS Constellation for a Western Pacific deployment.^[2]

• On 13 August 1967, RA-5C #151634 was shot down over North Vietnam.^[3] Both crewmen LTCDR L Hyatt and LTJG W Goodernote ejected successfully, were captured and released on 14 March 1973.^[4]

• On 17 August 1967, RA-5C #149302 was hit by antiaircraft fire over North Vietnam.^[3] Pilot CDR Laurent Dion and navigator LTJG Charles Hom were listed as presumptive finding of death.^[5][6][7]

• 10 April-21 December 1970, RVAH-12 was embarked on USS America for a Vietnam deployment.^[2]

• 5 January-11 October 1973, RVAH-12 was embarked on USS Constellation for a Vietnam deployment.^[2]

• 17 September 1974-20 May 1975, RVAH-12 was embarked on USS Enterprise for a Western Pacific deployment.^[2]

Home port assignments

The squadron was assigned to these home ports:

• NAS Sanford

Aircraft Assignment

• RA-5C Vigilante

See also

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

References

1. "Service of North American A-5 Vigilante with US Navy". Joe Baugher. Retrieved 3 January 2016.
2. "Carrier, Carrier Based Squadrons and Non-Carrier Based Squadron Deployments to Vietnam" (PDF). Washington, D.C.: Naval Historical Center, Department of the Navy. 1995. Retrieved 3 January 2016.
3. Powell, Robert (2012). RA-5C Vigilante Units in Combat. Osprey Publishing. p. 86. ISBN 9781782005421.
4. "U.S. Accounted-For from the Vietnam War (Sorted by Name) Prisoners of War, Escapees, Returnees and Remains Recovered" (PDF). Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency. Retrieved 30 December 2015.
5. "CDR Laurent Norbert Dion". The Virtual Wall. Retrieved 3 January 2016.
6. "LTJG Charles David Hom". The Virtual Wall. Retrieved 3 January 2016.
7. "U.S. Unaccounted-For from the Vietnam War (Sorted by Name) Prisoners of War, Missing in Action and Killed in Action/Body not Recovered" (PDF). Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency. Retrieved 3 January 2016.

External links