VA-153 (U.S. Navy)

VA-153 was an Attack Squadron of the U.S. Navy. During a 1949 reorganization of the Naval Air Reserve, a Fighter Squadron at NAS New York (believed to have been VF-718) was redesignated Fighter Squadron VF-831. It was called to active duty on 1 February 1951. The squadron was redesignated as VF-153 on 4 February 1953, and finally as VA-153 on 15 December 1956. It was disestablished on 30 September 1977. The squadron's nickname was the Blue Tail Flies from 1953 onward.

Significant events

 * Feb 1955: Squadron aircraft flew sorties in support of the evacuation of Chinese Nationalists from the Tachen Islands.


 * 23 Aug–9 Sep 1958: The squadron flew sorties in the Taiwan Straits after the Chinese Communists bombarded Quemoy Island.


 * Jan 1961: USS Coral Sea (CVA-43), with VA-153 embarked, operated in the South China Sea after Pathet Lao forces captured strategic positions in Laos.


 * 2 Feb 1965: The squadron began participating in operations in Laos. These operations involved Yankee Team, Operation Barrel Roll and Operation Steel Tiger missions.


 * 7 and 11 Feb 1965: The squadron participated in Flaming Dart I and II, reprisal strikes against targets in North Vietnam following a Viet Cong attack on the American advisors compound at Pleiku and the American billet in Qui Nhon, South Vietnam.


 * Mar 1965: The squadron participated in Operation Rolling Thunder, the bombing of military targets in North Vietnam.


 * 13 Aug 1965: The squadron’s commanding officer, Commander H. E. Thomas, was killed in action over North Vietnam.


 * Mar 1968: USS Coral Sea (CVA-43), with VA-153 embarked, operated on station off the coast of Korea following the capture of USS Pueblo (AGER-2) in January by North Korea.


 * 21 Nov 1970: The squadron flew missions in support of an attempt to rescue American prisoners of war at the Son Tay prisoner compound, 20 miles west of Hanoi.


 * 11–22 Feb 1973: Following the cease fire with North Vietnam the squadron flew combat missions in Laos until a cease fire was signed with that country on 22 February 1973.


 * Feb 1973: Commander D. R. Weichman, the squadron’s executive officer, completed his 625th combat mission of the Vietnam Conflict. He maintains the record for the highest number of combat missions for a Navy fixed-wing pilot during this conflict.


 * Nov 1973: USS Oriskany (CVA-34), with VA-153 embarked, departed from operations in the South China Sea to relieve USS Hancock (CVA-19) on station in the Arabian Sea due to the unsettled conditions following the Yom Kippur War in the Middle East.

Home port assignments
The squadron was assigned to these home ports, effective on the dates shown:
 * NAS New York (Floyd Bennett Field) – assigned here prior to the squadron’s recall to active duty on 1 February 1951.
 * NAS Alameda – 01 Apr 1951
 * NAS Moffett Field – 05 May 1952
 * NAS Lemoore – 21 Aug 1961

Aircraft Assignment
The squadron first received the following aircraft on the dates shown: * While in a reserve status from September 1949 to January 1951, the squadron was most likely utilizing F6F pool aircraft assigned to NAS New York.
 * F6F Hellcat *
 * F9F-2 Panther – 06 Feb 1951
 * F9F-5 Panther – Aug 1952
 * F9F-6 Cougar – Oct 1953
 * FJ-3 Fury – Mar 1955
 * F9F-8 Cougar – Nov 1955
 * F9F-8B Cougar – Apr 1956
 * A4D-1 Skyhawk – 12 Feb 1957
 * A4D-2 Skyhawk – 27 Oct 1958
 * A4D-2N Skyhawk – 20 Jun 1961
 * A-4E Skyhawk – Jan 1967
 * A-4F Skyhawk – Apr 1968
 * A-7A Corsair II – 14 Sep 1969
 * A-7B Corsair II – May 1973