VA-174 (U.S. Navy)

AM-1 Mauler of VA-174 taking off from USS Kearsarge (CV-33) during carrier qualifications in 1949. The tests took place in the Atlantic Ocean off Naval Air Station Quonset Point.

VA-174 was an Attack Squadron of the U.S. Navy. It was established as Bomber Squadron VB-82 on 1 April 1944, redesignated as VA-17A on 15 November 1946, and finally as VA-174 on 11 August 1948. The squadron was disestablished on 25 January 1950. Its nickname throughout its life was the Battering Rams.^[1]

A second, unrelated, squadron was assigned the VA-174 designation in 1966.^[1]

Significant events

• 15 Dec 1944: The squadron embarked in Bennington (CV-20), along with other units of CVG- 82, and departed for Pearl Harbor, arriving there on 7 January 1945, following a stopover at NAS San Diego.

• 16 Feb 1945: VB-82 participated in the first carrierbased air strikes on Tokyo, flying sorties against installations at Mitsune and Mikatagahara Airfields on Hachijo Jima, Nanpo Shoto.

• 20–22 Feb 1945: Squadron aircraft provided air support for the landings on Iwo Jima.

• 19 Mar 1945: Japanese naval vessels in the Inland Sea were attacked by VB-82 aircraft and other aircraft assigned to Task Group 58.1.

• 7 Apr 1945: Squadron aircraft participated in Task Force 58’s attacks on the Japanese super battleship Yamato and her escorts in the East China Sea. The attacks resulted in the sinking of the Yamato, one cruiser and four destroyers.

• Mar–May 1945: The squadron participated in preinvasion strikes on Okinawa and provided air support during the invasion of the island.

• 17 Jun–9 Jul 1945: The squadron was embarked in White Plains (CVE 66) for transit back to the States.^[1]

Home port assignments

The squadron was assigned to these home ports, effective on the dates shown:^[1]

• NAS Wildwood – 01 Apr 1944*
• NAAS Oceana – 15 Jun 1944*
• NAS Norfolk, East Field – 17 Sep 1944*
• NAS Quonset Point – 13 Nov 1944*
• NAS Kahului – 08 Jan 1945*
• NAS Alameda – 09 Jul 1945
• NAS Quonset Point – 01 Feb 1946
• NAAS Cecil Field – 01 Feb 1949

* Temporary shore assignment while the squadron conducted training in preparation for combat deployment.

Aircraft Assignment

The squadron first received the following aircraft on the dates shown:^[1]

• SB2C-1C Helldiver – 01 Apr 1944
• SB2C-3 Helldiver – 22 May 1944
• SB2C-4E Helldiver – 17 Nov 1944
• SBW-4E Helldiver – Feb 1946
• SB2C-5 Helldiver – 01 Jul 1946
• SBW-5 Helldiver – Jul 1946
• AM-1 Mauler – 01 Mar 1948
• AD-3 Skyraider – Apr 1949

See also

• Second VA-174 (U.S. Navy)
• Attack aircraft
• List of inactive United States Navy aircraft squadrons
• History of the United States Navy

References

This article incorporates text from the public domain Dictionary of American Naval Aviation Squadrons.

1. Grossnick, Roy A. (1995). Dictionary of American Naval Aviation Squadrons, Volume 1, Chapter 2, Section 9: Attack Squadron Histories for VA-154 to VA-174 (PDF). Washington, D.C.: Naval Historical Center, Department of the Navy. pp. 242–245. Retrieved 2014-02-20.

External links