This article uses bare URLs, which are uninformative and vulnerable to link rot. Please consider converting them to full citations to ensure the article remains verifiable and maintains a consistent citation style. Several templates and tools are available to assist in formatting, such as Reflinks (documentation), reFill (documentation) and Citation bot (documentation). (September 2022) (Learn how and when to remove this template message) | Reconnaissance Attack (Heavy) Squadron 9 RVAH-9 squadron patch Active| 15 January 1953-30 September 1977 Country| United States Branch| United States Navy Role| Photo-reconnaissance Part of| Inactive Nickname(s)| Hoot Owls Engagements| Vietnam War Military unit RVAH-9 was a Reconnaissance Attack (Heavy) Squadron of the U.S. Navy. Originally established as Composite Squadron Nine (VC-9) on 15 January 1953, it was redesignated as Heavy Attack Squadron Nine (VAH-9) on 1 November 1955 and was redesignated as Reconnaissance Attack (Heavy) Squadron Nine (RVAH-9) on 3 June 1964. The squadron was disestablished on 30 September 1977.[1] ## Contents * 1 Operational history * 1.1 VC-9 * 1.2 VAH-9 * 1.3 RVAH-9 / Vietnam / Cold War * 1.4 RVAH-9 / Cold War * 2 Home station assignments * 3 Aircraft Assignment * 4 See also * 5 References * 6 External links ## Operational history[edit] VAH-9 A3D-2 Skywarrior flies over Capri in 1958 VAH-9 A3D-2 suffers a nosewheel collapse on USS Saratoga c.1959 RVAH-9 RA-5C Vigilante prepares to launch from USS Ranger in 1966 ### VC-9[edit] VC-9 was established at Naval Auxiliary Air Station Sanford, Florida in January 1953 and was initially equipped with the AJ-2 Savage, receiving its first aircraft in June 1953.[2] In 1953, while operating from the USS Midway, VC-9 conducted the Navy's first inflight refueling operations. In preparation for the arrival of the A3D Skywarrior heavy attack jet aircraft as the designated airframe to replace the AJ Savage in the carrier-based nuclear strike role, NAAS Sanford was subject to significant improvements during the mid and late 1950s in order to upgrade the installation to full naval air station status as a Master Jet Base. Following completion of these improvements, the base was renamed Naval Air Station Sanford. Also in preparation for the arrival of the A3D, VC-9 was redesignated as VAH-9 on 1 November 1955, receiving its first Skywarriors 14 months later in early 1957. ### VAH-9[edit] VAH-9 reequipped with the A3D-2 Skywarrior in early 1957 and flew the A3D-2 for eight years thereafter, making several Mediterranean deployments aboard USS Saratoga.[3] In September 1962, with the implementation of a common aircraft designation system throughout the Department of Defense, the A3D-2 was redesignated as the A-3B Skywarrior. The intended follow-on aircraft to the subsonic A-3 Skywarrior in the heavy attack role was the Mach 2+ A-5 Vigilante in its A-5A and A-5B variants. As the submarine-launched ballistic missile became the primary Navy strategic deterrent, the Navy concluded that it no longer needed carrier-based strategic bombers and that Naval Aviation's strike arm would remain strictly a tactical force. Having been designed as a supersonic nuclear strike bomber, aircraft such as the A-5A and A-5B no longer had a mission, and in 1963, the Navy decided to halt any further procurement of the A-5A and the follow-on A-5B. However, in lieu of prematurely retiring the Vigilante, it was deemed that it would be reconfigured as a dedicated reconnaissance platform under the designation RA-5C. VAH-9's transition to the RA-5C Vigilante began in April 1964. The unit's designation was changed to RVAH-9 in June of that year and the last A-3B was transferred out on 4 August 1964. ### RVAH-9 / Vietnam / Cold War[edit] * On 14 November 1964, RA-5C BuNo 149308 assigned to RVAH-9 crashed at Naval Air Station Sanford. Both crewmen, Lieutenant Commander Smith and ADJC Carolyers, safely ejected.[4] * 28 November 1964 - 12 July 1965, RVAH-9 embarked aboard USS Saratoga for a Mediterranean deployment.[5] * 10 December 1965 – 25 August 1966, following less than five months turnaround time at NAS Sanford, RVAH-9 embarked aboard USS Ranger for a Western Pacific (WESTPAC) and Vietnam deployment.[6] * 16 January 1966, RA-5C BuNo 149312 failed to catch the arresting wire while landing aboard Ranger. The pilot, Lieutenant Commander Charles Schoonover,[7] applied power, but the starboard engine subsequently exploded and the aircraft crashed into the sea. Both Lieutenant Commander Schoonover and his reconnaissance attack navigator, Ensign Hal Hollingsworth,[8] were listed as killed in action, bodies not recovered.[9][10][11] * 2 May 1967 - 6 December 1967, RVAH-9 embarked aboard USS Saratoga for a Mediterranean deployment.[5] * Budgetary pressures of the Vietnam War forces the Department of Defense to close several stateside air bases, to include Naval Air Station Sanford. Following their return from their 1967 deployment and prior to departure on their 1968-1969 deployment, RVAH-9 shifts home stations from Naval Air Station Sanford to the former Turner Air Force Base, renamed Naval Air Station Albany, Georgia. * 26 October 1968 – 17 May 1969, RVAH-9 embarked aboard USS Ranger for a Western Pacific and Vietnam deployment.[6] * 17 June 1970 - 11 November 1970, RVAH-9 embarked aboard USS Saratoga for a Mediterranean deployment.[5] * 7 June 1971 - 31 October 1971, RVAH-9 embarked aboard USS Saratoga for a Mediterranean deployment.[5] * 22 September 1972 - 6 July 1973, RVAH-9 embarked aboard USS Forrestal for a Mediterranean deployment.[5] ### RVAH-9 / Cold War[edit] * 19 July 1974 - 21 January 1975, RVAH-9 embarked aboard USS Independence for a Mediterranean deployment.[5] * Budgetary pressures following the end of the Vietnam War force the Department of Defense to again close several stateside air bases, to include Naval Air Station Albany. In January 1974, RVAH-9 shifts its home station from NAS Albany to Naval Air Station Key West, Florida.[12] * 16 July 1975 - 24 Sep 1975, following less than five months turnaround time at their home station of Naval Air Station Key West, RVAH-9 embarked aboard the newly commissioned nuclear-powered aircraft carrier USS Nimitz for a two-month Northern Atlantic deployment as part of the carrier's post-shakedown availability.[5] * 7 July 1976 - 7 February 1977, RVAH-9 embarked aboard USS Nimitz for a Mediterranean deployment.[5] Attrition of airframes and the increasing maintenance and flight hour costs of the RA-5C in a constrained defense budget environment forced the Navy to incrementally retire the RA-5C and sunset the RVAH community beginning in mid-1974. Carrier-based reconnaissance was concurrently conducted by the active duty VFP community at Naval Air Station Miramar and the Naval Reserve VFP community at Andrews Air Force Base / NAF Washington with the RF-8G Crusader until 29 March 1987, when the last RF-8G was retired and the mission was fully transferred to the active duty and Naval Reserve VF community at Naval Air Station Miramar, Naval Air Station Oceana, Naval Air Station Dallas and NAS JRB Fort Worth as a secondary role with the F-14 Tomcat equipped with the Tactical Air Reconnaissance Pod System (TARPS). Following its return from its final Mediterranean deployment in early 1977, RVAH-9 was inactivated at Naval Air Station Key West on 30 September 1977 following over 24 1/2 years of active service.[13] ## Home station assignments[edit] The squadron was assigned to these home stations: * Naval Air Auxiliary Station Sanford / Naval Air Station Sanford, Florida * Naval Air Station Albany, Georgia * Naval Air Station Key West, Florida ## Aircraft Assignment[edit] * AJ-2 Savage * A3D-2 / A-3B Skywarrior * RA-5C Vigilante ## See also[edit] * Reconnaissance aircraft * List of inactive United States Navy aircraft squadrons * History of the United States Navy ## References[edit] 1. ^ Grossnick, Roy A. (1995). Dictionary of American Naval Aviation Squadrons Volume 1 The History of VA, VAH, VAK, VAL, VAP and VFA Squadrons. Washington, D.C.: Naval Historical Center, Department of the Navy. p. 547. Retrieved 29 December 2015. 2. ^ Ginter, Steve (1992). North American AJ-1 Savage (Naval Fighters Number 22). p. 71\. ISBN 0942612221. 3. ^ "Skywarrior in Service with US Navy". Joe Baugher. Retrieved 29 December 2015. 4. ^ RA-5C Vigilante Units in Combat, R. R. Powell, Osprey Publishing, Ltd, Botley, Oxford, UK, c2004, ISBN 1-84176-749-2 5. ^ a b c d e f g h "RVAH-9". 6. ^ a b "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 30 December 2015. 7. ^ http://www.virtualwall.org/ds/SchoonoverCD01a.htm 8. ^ http://www.virtualwall.org/dh/HollingsworthHT01a.htm 9. ^ Powell, Robert (2012). RA-5C Vigilante Units in Combat. Osprey Publishing. p. 86\. ISBN 9781782005421. 10. ^ "Charles Schoonover, LCDR". The Virtual Wall. Retrieved 30 December 2015. 11. ^ "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 30 December 2015. 12. ^ "RVAH-1". 13. ^ http://www.rvahnavy.com/5history.html ## External links[edit] * v * t * e United States Navy * Category Leadership| * Secretary of the Navy * Under Secretary of the Navy * Chief of Naval Operations * Vice Chief of Naval Operations * Master Chief Petty Officer of the Navy * 4-star admirals * 3-star admirals * 1864–1959 * 2000–2009 * 2010–2019 * 2020–present * 2-star admirals * House Armed Services Subcommittee on Seapower and Projection Forces * Senate Subcommittee on Seapower Structure| * Navy * Navy Reserve * Fleet Marine Force * Expeditionary Combat Command * Merchant Marine * Units * Active ships * Future ships * Aircraft wings * Aircraft squadrons * Carrier strike group * Installations * Naval Observatory * Master jet base | Operating forces| * Fleet Forces Command * Commander * Pacific Fleet * Commander * Naval Forces Europe – Naval Forces Africa * Naval Forces Central Command * Naval Forces Southern Command * Naval Special Warfare Command * Naval Reserve Forces * Operational Test and Evaluation Force * Naval Network Warfare Command * Military Sealift Command | Shore| * Naval Sea Systems Command * Naval Air Systems Command * Naval Facilities Engineering Systems Command * Naval Supply Systems Command * Naval Information Warfare Systems Command * Fleet Cyber Command * Naval Academy * Naval Education and Training Command * Naval Meteorology and Oceanography Command * Office of Naval Intelligence * Naval Aviation Warfighting Development Center * Naval Legal Service Command * Naval Observatory * Naval Safety Center * Bureau of Naval Personnel * Chief of Naval Personnel * Bureau of Medicine and Surgery * Navy Installations Command * Navy Working Capital Fund Fleets| * Second Fleet * Third Fleet * Fourth Fleet * Fifth Fleet * Sixth Fleet * Seventh Fleet * Tenth Fleet Ships| * A–B * C * D–F * G–H * I–K * L * M * N–O * P * Q–R * S * T–V * W–Z * Aircraft carriers * Airships * Amphibious warfare ships * Auxiliaries * Battleships * Cruisers * Destroyers * Destroyer escorts * Escort carriers * Frigates * Mine warfare vessels * Monitors * Patrol vessels * Registered civilian vessels * Sailing frigates * Steam frigates * Steam gunboats * Ships of the line * Sloops of war * Submarines * Torpedo boats * Torpedo retrievers * Unclassified miscellaneous vessels * Yard and district craft Personnel and training| | People| | Officers| Insignia Designators | Enlisted| Rates Ratings Classification Personnel| Chaplain Corps Chief Deputy Chief Explosive ordnance disposal Medical Corps Dental Corps Nurse Corps Medical Service Corps Supply Corps Civil Engineer Corps JAG Corps JAG DJAG NCIS Boatswain's mates Hospital corpsman Naval Aviator SEALs Seabees Master-at-arms Operations specialist SWCCs Hispanic sailors Training| Recruit Naval Academy Officer Candidate School STA-21 NROTC BESS BFTT CNATT COMPTUEX NAWCTSD AIM Naval Chaplaincy School Naval Hospital Corps School Naval Justice School Naval Postgraduate School United States Armed Forces School of Music Navy Senior Enlisted Academy Navy Supply Corps School Naval War College Nuclear Power School JMTC TOPGUN USNTPS Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences Equipment| * Uniforms * Awards and decorations * Badges * Current fleet * Future fleet * Reserve fleet * Current aircraft * Weapons * Naval reactors History and traditions| * History * "Anchors Aweigh" * Blue Angels * Continental Navy * Ensign * Fleet bands * Fleet Week * Jack * Line-crossing ceremony * National Museum * Navy Band * Ceremonial Guard * Navy Flag * Navy Hymn * Navy Memorial * Navy service numbers * Navy Weeks * Revolt of the Admirals * Sailor's Creed * Ship commissioning * Ship decommissioning * Ship naming conventions * Tingey House * USS Constitution * Wetting-down * United States battleship retirement debate * v * t * e United States Navy Aircraft Squadrons * Category:Aircraft squadrons of the United States Navy Electronic Attack (VAQ)| * 129 * 130 * 131 * 132 * 133 * 134 * 135 * 136 * 137 * 138 * 139 * 140 * 141 * 142 * 209 Carrier Airborne Early Warning (VAW)| * 112 * 113 * 115 * 116 * 117 * 120 * 121 * 123 * 124 * 125 * 126 Strike Fighter (VFA)| * 2 * 11 * 14 * 15 * 22 * 25 * 27 * 31 * 32 * 34 * 37 * 41 * 81 * 83 * 86 * 87 * 94 * 97 * 102 * 103 * 105 * 106 * 113 * 115 * 122 * 125 * 131 * 136 * 137 * 143 * 146 * 147 * 151 * 154 * 192 * 195 * 204 * 211 * 213 Fleet Air Reconnaissance (VQ)| * 1 * 3 * 4 * 7 Fleet Fighter Composite (VFC)| * 12 * 13 * 111 Fleet Logistics Support (VR)| * 1 * 46 * 48 * 51 * 52 * 53 * 54 * 55 * 56 * 57 * 58 * 59 * 61 * 62 * 64 Carrier Fleet Logistics Support (VRC)| * 30 * 40 Carrier Fleet Logistics Multi-Mission (VRM)| * 30 Patrol| | VP| * 1 * 4 * 5 * 6 * 8 * 9 * 10 * 16 * 22 * 23 * 24 * 26 * 30 * 40 * 41 * 42 * 43 * 45 * 46 * 47 * 60 * 62 * 64 * 65 * 66 * 67 * 68 * 69 * 90 * 91 * 92 * 93 | VPU| * 1 * 2 Unmanned (VUP)| * 19 Training (VT)| * 2 * 3 * 4 * 6 * 7 * 9 * 10 * 21 * 22 * 27 * 28 * 31 * 35 * 86 Helicopter Mine Countermeasures (HM)| * 14 * 15 Helicopter Sea Combat (HSC)| * 2 * 3 * 4 * 5 * 6 * 7 * 8 * 9 * 11 * 12 * 14 * 15 * 21 * 22 * 23 * 25 * 26 * 28 * 84 * 85 Helicopter Maritime Strike (HSM)| * 35 * 37 * 40 * 41 * 46 * 48 * 49 * 50 * 51 * 60 * 70 * 71 * 72 * 73 * 74 * 75 * 77 * 78 * 79 Helicopter Training (HT)| * 8 * 18 * 28 *[v]: View this template *[t]: Discuss this template *[e]: Edit this template